Daily Archives: June 2, 2023
Dear Ed Markey. I called your office this morning regarding our fishermen
First let me tell you who I am. I was a commercial fisherman and in seafood supply for over sixty years. I helped Pat Fiero run for state representative, and also was former Governor Mike Dukakis chairman for Cape Ann. I have severed on many fisheries boards and presently serve on the GF Commission. You helped me get the SKG money out of NOAA’s hands by voting in favor of Senator Sullivan bill to go back to advisory panel as was in 1954. I have supported you in the past and will continue. We need help now. I am going to list our problems and would like you to come to Fisheries Meeting here in Gloucester. We meet every third Thursday of the month at City Hall. >click to read< 21:11
Crab catch price creeps up and plants ramp up as delayed N.L. harvest enters third week
The protests and the rhetoric have somewhat subsided, and the catch price has improved slightly, as Newfoundland and Labrador’s long delayed and controversy-riddled snow crab harvest enters a third week. “It’s been a very smooth start largely due to the state of readiness that producers have been in now for eight weeks,” Jeff Loder, executive director of the Association of Seafood Producers, said Friday. But there’s rarely smooth sailing in the fishing industry, with tensions continuing to simmer between the ASP and the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union, which represents harvesters and plant workers. Some outstanding issues include trip limits for fishing vessels to ensure an orderly harvest and maintain the highest quality, changes in the long-standing policy,,, >click to read< 17:37
Louisiana shrimpers are worried imports will sink them for good
It’s the start of brown shrimp season in Louisiana, and instead of a fleet of boats heading out to trawl nearby waters, fishermen have gathered like an armada at the Louisiana State Capitol to tell lawmakers that the industry is in dire straits. Hundreds of longtime shrimpers tied up their boats and held a rally at the Capitol in recent weeks in a rare show of unity from all factions of the volatile shrimping industry. Shrimpers, dock owners, and processors have for decades pointed fingers at each other for driving prices down. But now, they’re all protesting against the unwanted competition affecting their livelihoods: imported shrimp. Photos, >click to read< 16:34
Trawler refloated after major rescue operation off Dursey Island
The French registered trawler, which had been sailing with 14 crew on board, is understood to have run aground on rocks off the southern tip of Dursey Island at around 2pm on Friday. A coast guard helicopter and the Castletownbere lifeboat crew were called to the scene as part of a major emergency response which was coordinated by the Valentia Marine Rescue Coordination Centre. At least nine crew members were airlifted to safety from the boat before it was refloated. Thankfully, the vessel was able to move off the rocks before 5pm and made its way slowly back to Castletownbere to check and repair its damaged hull. >click to read< 12:50
First #FishyFriday in June and so much fish!
Earlier in the week the market was bust enough with the F/V St Georges taking full advantage of the big tide, as did Tom on the F/V Guardian. Friday morning saw a market packed end-to-end with fish from five boats landing their trips of white fish – just as well all the prawns the Scottish boats landed went into the back of their refrigerated transport yesterday. The range and quality of fish was up to its usual high standard with cracking examples of tub gurnard, witch soles, big haddock, and really big monk. Lots of photos of fish and boats! Click on the images to enlarge them. >click to read< 11:53
Navy Veteran/Lobsterman Stephen Christopher Johnson of Chebeague Island, Maine, has passed away
Stephen was born in Portland on Oct. 23, 1945, the youngest child of Sherman Roberts and Eleanor Soule Johnson. Upon discharge from the Navy, Stephen returned to Chebeague and the lobstering career that he had left behind. During the next five decades Stephen mentored dozens of young men and women–both summer and year-round residents–who worked on the stern of his lobster boat. His easy-going manner and calm demeanor endeared him to all who worked with him. Stephen loved the solitude of the sea and was known to the younger lobstermen as “Mr. Johnson,” which in a community where small children call octogenarians by their first name, was more of a term of endearment and respect than an obligatory title. Stephen was all set for this year’s lobster season. His boat was ready to be launched and his gear was being rigged when he passed. >click to read< 10:14
Effort to save Gloucester’s oldest gillnetter sinks
During Gloucester’s celebration of its 400+ anniversary this year, America’s oldest seaport will say farewell to its oldest fishing vessel, the Phyllis A., a 59-foot gillnetter built in 1925. The 98-year-old vessel will not see its centennial. Efforts to raise enough money for its restoration and preservation were sunk in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a slow trickle of money to support the educational nonprofit doing the work, the Phyllis A. Marine Association. “She fished out of Gloucester for 75 years, never anywhere else, and she was owned by the same family — the Arnold family,” said Gloria Parsons, a long-time member of the association. 12 photos, >click to read< 08:52
Coddock? How a new cod-haddock-like fish caught the attention of scientists
A strange thing occurred during the winter of 2022-23 and into this spring. An odd-looking fish has cropped up off and on mixed in with the haddock brought into Gulf of Maine ports. This was recently brought to my attention by Linda Hunt, who is a fish dealer for Coastline Seafood. Recently while filleting a load of haddock for the market, she found five fish that she couldn’t quite identify. She had seen a few during the winter and one the day before but finding five in 200 pounds of fish all at once seemed odd. She contacted us with a photo. Wow, what is this fish? It has the head of a haddock, the lateral line of a cod, the pectoral fin of a cod, and the meat flaked in large pieces like cod. The body shape is that of a haddock and all the other fins look like haddock fins. But it was missing the “thumbprint of God,”,,, >click to read< 07:40
