Monthly Archives: April 2023
WA deckhand joins ‘Deadliest Catch’s’ 19th season
Jacob Hutchins, a 33-year-old deckhand from Olympia, joins the “Deadliest Catch” cast in its 19th season with one goal: to become the first, as far as he knows, African American crabbing captain on the Bering Sea. Premiering at 8 p.m. April 18 on Discovery Channel, “Deadliest Catch” introduces new characters on each boat with Hutchins paired with Keith Colburn, captain of the Wizard. “He’s got experience, but he’s untested on the Wizard,” Colburn said in preview of the new season that aired last week. A 2008 graduate of Bremerton High School, Hutchins found himself in Grays Harbor County where “you have logging and fishing [as options] if you want to make some money without any real requirement or anything.” >click to read< 09:08
Blown Away: Offshore wind regulators ignore danger to fishing industry
“This industry, this group of people in the room today, really are the key to unlocking that clean energy future,” Beaudreau, the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, proclaimed at a conference hosted by the American Clean Power Association, a lobbying group largely funded by offshore wind developers. Just one year earlier, Beaudreau had been a corporate lawyer, earning part of his $2.4 million income from offshore wind developers. Then he was appointed to regulate the industry he was previously paid to represent. During Beaudreau’s tenure, developers including several of his former clients have gained preliminary or final approvals for an unprecedented expansion of offshore wind, despite repeated warnings from federal scientists about potential harms to marine life and the fishing industry. Photos, >click to read< 07:48
Intense reaction to wind/fishing investigation – >click to read the comments< 4/25/2023
Not Backing Down: Harvesters Hold Strong After St. John’s Rally
St. Johns, NL. – Close to a thousand people gathered today in St. John’s in front of the Confederation Building, calling for action to save the province’s snow crab fishery. The Union that represents over 14,000 people in the province, including all 10,000 professional fish harvesters and some 3,000 processing workers, says that it’s the government’s responsibility to protect the people who rely on the fishery, and ensure processing companies operate in a manner that benefits the people of our province. “Nearly 800 people showed, many of whom got up in the middle of the night to drive or catch a bus to get here today. They did it because the fishery matters, they matter, and they’re tired of being ignored,” Photos, >click to read< 17:51
Catch size a hot topic at Zone B meeting
A declining stock, looming federal rules to protect right whales and the court fights against them, how required gear and reporting changes will be paid for — Zone B lobstermen had a lot of industry news to talk about April 12 at Mount Desert Island High School. Discussion centered mainly on newly proposed minimum (and maximum) legal catch sizes to bolster the lobster stock. “I’ve heard at all council meetings, it’s not if you act, it’s when you act,” said Patrick Keliher, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources. “It’s almost like no one is taking into account what we’re seeing,” Zone B Council Vice Chairman James Hanscom said. “As an industry, we’re handling a lot of lobsters.” Several lobstermen and council members at the meeting had attended a March ASMFC meeting in Ellsworth and were familiar with proposed management measures that would increase the minimum legal size for landed lobster. >click to read< 16:20
Our fishing industry is sustainable, so why are we intent on trashing it?
Irelands decision to join the EU 50 years ago was, from a fishing industry perspective, a poisoned chalice. Half a century later, Britain’s decision to leave that very same institution, and the resultant decommissioning deal for fishers, will mean a further loss of quotas, as well as widespread job losses on land and sea, too. The latest ‘deal’, according to John Nolan, chairman of the Castletownbere Fishermen’s Co-operative, will cost more than money. ‘It could,’ he said, ‘mean the loss of our soul.’ With the approval deadline for decommissioning in its final throes, John described the latest quota cutbacks, and scrappage deal, as something that is ‘eating away at our hearts and taking away our hope.’ Photos, >click to read< 13:53
Whale Slaughter Sees 500,000 Americans Demand End to Offshore Wind Power Onslaught
Half-a-million Americans are furious at the offshore wind industry for killing the last members of endangered whale species in droves with absolute impunity, thanks to the government-backed licenses that allow them to (quite lawfully) kill an unlimited number of whales, porpoises and dolphins – aka the ‘Incidental Harassment Authorization’. Hundreds of thousands of civic-minded folk are justifiably incensed at the entirely unnecessary carnage – the inevitable byproduct of an utterly meaningless power source – heavily subsidised and entirely weather-dependent and, therefore, incapable of delivering power as and when we need it. >click to read< 11:45
Former SNP MSP quits party over plan to ban fishing that could ‘devastate’ coastal communities
Angus MacDonald, who served at Holyrood for a decade before stepping down in 2021, is the latest figure to criticise the introduction of highly protected marine areas (HPMAs). The Scottish Government has committed to designating at least 10 per cent of the country’s coastline as highly protected in an effort to boost ecosystems. Commercial and recreational fishing would be banned in the zones as well as the harvesting of seaweed. MacDonald, who lives on the isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, believes the law would be devastating to the economy of coastal communities. >click to read< 10:16
UPDATED: With their season on hold, fishermen protest low price of crab on the steps of the N.L. legislature
With the price of snow crab less than one-third of what it was a year ago, Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishermen are rallying on the steps of the provincial legislature Monday morning to demand government action on the province’s most lucrative fishery. Members of the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union say they can’t afford to fish crab at the $2.20 per pound set earlier this month. Fishing season is open, but harvesters are keeping their boats docked in the hopes of getting a higher price. >click to read< with live stream feed.
Judge throws out lawsuit accusing Alaska of mismanaging Yukon, Kuskokwim salmon fisheries
A Superior Court judge in Bethel has dismissed a lawsuit accusing state officials of unconstitutionally mismanaging Yukon River and Kuskokwim River salmon fisheries, leading to a crisis on those rivers. Judge Nathaniel Peters, an appointee of Gov. Bill Walker, said in a 16-page ruling on Thursday that plaintiff Eric Forrer failed “to identify any specific policy or action on the part of the Board (of Fisheries) or Commissioner (of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game) that could in any way be viewed as a violation of the sustained yield principle.” >click to read< 08:16
Fishermen acted fast to swarm suspect in attack on Japan’s prime minister
The fishermen who tackled the man suspected of the second attack on a Japanese politician in less than a year said Sunday that they were surprised by the lack of security for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Fisherman Tsutomu Konishi was watching Kishida at a campaign event at this fishing port when an object flew overhead and landed near the prime minister, Konishi said. A security officer covered the object with a bulletproof briefcase, said Konishi, 41. The fishermen swarmed the attacker. “I never thought a crime like this would happen in my hometown, which is a rather small fishing area,” Konishi, 41, said Sunday as he sipped a can of coffee at the port of Saikazaki. “I’m still shocked and stunned.” >click to read< 21:14
‘It’s a rough ride’: Ice woes persist for snow crab boats in Chéticamp
Angus Lefort got a text message Sunday morning from a snow crab fisherman who was trying to leave Chéticamp Harbour. What would normally take 15 minutes took about two hours because the Nova Scotia harbour is packed with ice. “It’s a rough ride,” said Lefort, the manager of Chéticamp’s harbour authority. The snow crab fishery opened Tuesday. On Wednesday, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker arrived to help get the fishing boats in and out of the harbour. Video, photos, >click to read< 13:21
Specialist divers survey sunken L’Ecume II fishing boat as recovery operation begins
An experienced team of nine divers has begun surveying the L’Ecume II fishing boat that sank in December after colliding with a Condor ferry. It marks the first stage of a complex recovery operation with a 1,000-metre exclusion zone now in place around the wreck off Jersey’s northwest coast. Specialist equipment including a 60-metre crane barge and 20-metre tugboat arrived in the island last week and have now been deployed to the site. Links, >click to read< 11:42
What happened to Andy Hillstrand? Where is he now?
Andy Hillstrand is a well-known television personality. His celebrity stems from his appearance in the documentary Deadliest Catch. During this time, he sailed on board the Time Bandit vessel with his brother and a crew of seamen. Hillstrand was willing to go to any length to meet the fishing quota on this expedition to catch king crabs and snow crabs. Andy Hillstrand was born and reared in Alaska with his brother Jonathan Hillstrand. They lived almost entirely at sea, learning and witnessing family trades. Andy began fishing with his brother at the age of seven. He was the third kid in a five-child family. Three of the five brothers worked together in the water. >click to read< 09:49
New England fishermen, many from New Bedford, Fall River charged with tax offense
Federal grand juries in Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston returned separate indictments charging seven commercial fishermen with tax evasion and failing to file returns. According to the indictments, the commercial fishermen each worked for fishing companies operating primarily out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, or Point Judith, Rhode Island, and received substantial compensation. The companies allegedly paid the fishermen as independent contractors and documented that income by, among other things, filing Forms 1099 with the IRS that reported the funds paid to the fishermen. >click to read< 09;11
The hard life of a fisherman who wouldn’t change it for the world
Mark Ainsworth travels over 200 miles from Staffordshire to Plymouth’s Fish Quay, when he’s needed, to fish off the coast of Devon and Cornwall with experienced local skipper, Steven Walker. “Going to sea is a hard life, there are no ifs and buts,” said experienced long-term skipper, Steven Walker. Steve is used to early starts and is often accompanied by relatively new fisherman, Mark Ainsworth – helping him settle into the fishing life. Mark took up fishing just six months ago and he travels over 200 miles from Staffordshire to Plymouth’s Fish Quay, when he’s needed, to fish off the coast of Devon and Cornwall. Mark completed a Seafish course and joined Steven’s fishing boat just two months ago. >click to read< 08:18
Shrimper Design Focuses on Low Fuel Consumption
Designers at Damen Maaskant have done some serious homework and developed new design intended to support operators in tropical shrimp fisheries in staying profitable. The Damen Shrimp Trawler 2607 is a brand-new design, developed as a simple basic standard vessel, to fish (sub)tropical shrimp, and to be a safe and robust vessel with straightforward maintenance and serviceability – and with the focus on low fuel consumption. Photos, >click to read< 19:51
DFO halts baby eel fishery in N.S., N.B for 45 days over escalating conflict
A news release from DFO on Saturday said after extensive monitoring it was determined that unreported removals made up a significant percentage of elver, or baby eel, landings. Fishery officers conducted extensive patrols from March 13 to April 10 to ensure compliance with regulations for the harvesting and sale of elvers, according to the release. The release states an increase in conflicts resulting in violence and threats risks the safety of harvesting and creates a threat to the management and control of the fishery. >click to read< 14:36
Record-low quota caught as Bering Sea Tanner crab season wraps up
The fishing season has ended for Bering Sea Tanner crab. Crabbers caught the record-low quota of two million pounds just before the end of March. Seventeen vessels went out for tanner across the fishery’s east and west districts, said Ethan Nichols, the assistant area management biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Unalaska. “Some boats caught their quota in the fall. Some caught it in the spring,” said Nichols. “Overall, the fishery performance was pretty good. ”Vessels were targeting and retaining crabs that were smaller than the industry-preferred size of five inches, but still perfectly legal to retain,” said Nichols. “And that was somewhat to make up for the lack of snow crab coming out of the Bering Sea.” >click to read< 11:29
‘Ropeless’ Fishing Gear Aims to Protect Whales, But Adds Complications, Costs
Using federal experimental fishing permits, three Port Judith-based lobstermen are struggling to use the new gear, borrowed from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a branch of NOAA Fisheries. On a recent sunny April morning, Richard Lodge and his sea dogs Rudder and Dory were preparing to embark from his dock at Point Judith on his boat Select for a day of lobster fishing using the experimental gear. “Ropeless technology is excessive; I honestly don’t think it is necessary,” Lodge said. “This is a solution to a problem that isn’t there.” He and other Point Judith-based lobstermen said that in decades of time at sea, they don’t know of one instance in which whales were entangled in their lines. >click to read< 09:40
Fire aboard F/V Kodiak Enterprise in Tacoma put out after burning 6 days
A fire that burned aboard a ship in Tacoma for six days has been put out. The unified command, which is made up of several local and state agencies, announced Friday that the fire aboard the F/V Kodiak Enterprise, which is owned by Trident Seafoods, is no longer burning. The next step is removing the fuel that remains on board. Once the fuel is removed, the work will become a general salvage operation, according to the Washington state Department of Ecology. Video, >click to read< 09:01
Bay Area restaurants, crabbers prepare as whales force Dungeness crab season to close early
In an effort to protect humpback whales, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife announced commercial crab season in the region will come to a close on Saturday. “Being on the Wharf and in this restaurant all my life, we take a lot of pride in being able to go down to the boats, bring it back, serving the freshest fish possible,” said Paul Capurro, owner of Capurro’s Restaurant. “I think crab is one of the big things that makes Fisherman’s Wharf, Fisherman’s Wharf.” Local crabbers will see less revenue without spring fishing, said Holly Fruehling. “I for one was very excited to be spring fishing this year,” Fruehling said. Video, >click to read< 08:02
Commercial Fisherman Justin P. Doberck, 41, of Mattapoisett, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 7, 2023.
Those who knew Justin were amazed watching him move through this life, and feel blessed to have been in it at the same time. He was beautiful and one of the most interesting people anyone could know. He was loved fiercely by his family who were relentlessly proud of him. Justin was a commercial offshore fishing captain for many years, starting over two decades ago working on the Serene out of Mattapoisett, captured on the cover of Insider Magazine, F/V Buzzards Bay, F/V Sally Katherine and F/V Silver Key out of the Port of New Bedford, F/V Direction out of Fairhaven, and then operator of fishing vessels with his mate and brother, Billy, for more than 10 years for M.E. Fisheries, then F/V McKinley, and most currently for Atlantic Red Crab. He also enjoyed logging and working at his sawmill in his spare time. >click to read more< 17:19
La. Wildlife and Fisheries boss resigns amid reports on alleged kickback scheme
The head of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has resigned after he was implicated in an apparent kickback scheme involving a contract the agency signed with a private contractor, sources told WBRZ. LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet who abruptly resigned Friday morning, is believed to have signed that contract in October 2021, according to The Advocate. The allegations emerged this week after Dusty Guidry, who was appointed by Governor Edwards to the LDWF Commission, pleaded guilty to bribery-related charges in Lafayette. >click to read< 13:35
COLOSSAL CRAB CRISIS: FFAW TO RALLY IN ST. JOHN’S ON MONDAY ARIL 17, 2023
Hundreds of people are expected to demonstrate outside the Confederation Building in St. John’s on Monday, calling attention to the crisis in the snow crab fishery and the need for our elected officials to act. WHY? – Our coastal communities are in crisis. Thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians rely on the snow crab fishery through fishing on boats, processing in plants, and all of the jobs on the wharf and in between. Not to mention the businesses who rely on the economic spinoffs. In 2022, the snow crab fishery was worth over $800 million for our province. Losing that kind of money into our economy this year is going to have harsh consequences in the form of mass unemployment and bankruptcies. >click to read the press release< 12:41
Fishermen in protest song comparing proposed fishing ban to Highland Clearances
Two fishermen have written a protest song against plans to ban fishing in 10% of Scottish waters, saying they consider the move one of the biggest risks to rural life since the Highland Clearances. Donald MacNeil, 64, said fishing has been his “whole life” and it supports his family as well as the community he lives in on Vatersay in the Outer Hebrides. He has teamed up with fellow fisherman Angus MacPhail, the founder of Celtic band Skipinnish, to make his recording debut in the track The Clearances Again – a stand against plans to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). >click to read< 10:44
City of Morro Bay seeking answers on nearby offshore wind project
The offshore wind farm would be about 30 miles northwest of Morro Bay, but the project could have direct impacts on city infrastructure and the environment. “The city very much is concerned and wants to be better educated about the potential effects or impacts on the city and on the harbor,” said Morro Bay Interim City Manager Greg Carpenter. Not everyone is happy with the proposal. Some welcome an extra source of clean energy while others are worried about impacts to the marine environment and the local fishing industry. “We got a humpback highway right outside Morro Bay. We have tons of mammals out there and we don’t know what’s going to happen to them,” said Tom Hafer, President of the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization. Video, >click to read< 09:35
The European Union’s Plan to Ban Bottom Fishing is Causing Widespread Outrage
The plan, which seeks to ban bottom trawling in protected areas, has caused widespread demonstrations, disruption of work in ports, and the launch of a protest movement by fishermen in France called “Blocked Ports”. Although the Commission’s proposals do not represent new legislation, and will not be implemented soon in a way that satisfies some environmental protection non-governmental organizations, they have been met with strong opposition from a number of member states. There was outrage in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Denmark, who feared the plan would endanger the entire fishing industry. The “Marine Action Plan” for sustainable fishing was announced on February 12, and it includes initiatives to phase out deep-sea trawling in protected areas. >click to read< 08:51
Clammers to honor one of their own: CPR class to be conducted in memory of ‘The Legend’
He was known in town simply as “The Legend.” Edward G. Lane, who fit the mold of a classic commercial fisherman and clammer, died doing what he loved. Lane, 60, died on Saturday, March 18, while clamming the flats off Conomo Point. But his death has spurred the commercial fishing community of Essex, Gloucester and Ipswich to gather to honor Lane by hosting a CPR class. The class is aimed at teaching participants to be prepared for a medical event, such as the one that took the life of their beloved friend. “In the wake of Ed’s passing, we’re offering the CPR course,” said Essex Harbormaster Daniel Fialho. “Clammers are a pretty close-knit group. I think the event opened some eyes to the need for some training.” >click to read< 07:43
SEA-NL launches province-wide petition for review of obstacles to becoming inshore enterprise owner
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is circulating a province wide petition calling on the provincial government to undertake public consultations on the obstacles to becoming an inshore enterprise owner. “Anyone can fish, but not anyone can become a licensed small-boat owner-operator,” says Pam Patten, President of SEA-NL, and a Fortune-based inshore owner-operator. “The time and cost of acquiring a fishing enterprise is out of reach for too many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and the inshore fleet and rural communities are fading faster because of it.”The paper petition calls on the provincial government to undertake province-wide consultations on the impediments to becoming an inshore enterprise owner. >click to read<
Fishing could be finished for me and my young son
Callum Elliott is a fisherman on the west coast of Scotland, but he’s worried about the future for himself and his 18-month-old son Angus. His village of Tarbert in Argyll is built around the harbour and its small boats like Callum’s trawler Sea Spray. Callum, 37, comes from a farming background but felt the calling of the sea from a young age. Ten years ago this week he took out a six-figure bank loan to buy his small trawler but feels there’s now too little support for traditional fishing communities. Cabling from wind turbines, seaweed farming and the presence of military bases have all heaped pressure on the same marine space meaning it’s becoming squeezed. Photos, >click to read< 19:07
