Daily Archives: June 19, 2023
Maine lobstermen stirring the pots win bigly in federal court
Back in 2021, the National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), issued an opinion in pursuit of preserving the endangered right whale. As these edicts go, this “opinion” has basically force of law when it comes to imposing conservation-based measures, rules and restrictions. The right whale, which has a population hovering at a tad less than 350 individuals, has been a focus of efforts for some years. The lobster industry, reviled by many environmentalists, became an easy target for a revised set of regulations when the Biden administration took over. And they hammered them. >click to read and comment< 18:21
‘No one knows what the risks are,’ say New England fishermen about pending offshore wind farm project
In early May, Revolution Wind’s co-developers, Ørsted and Eversource, welcomed Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee and other officials at the Port of Providence to celebrate the start of turbine component fabrication. McKee lauded the “the jobs of the 21st century and beyond” created by the project and added that Rhode Island was “lucky to be at the forefront of this revolution,” referring to the generation of clean energy, which helps the nation meet its climate goals and positions the state as a base for offshore wind development. But not everyone was celebrating. Commercial fishermen in the area remain deeply frustrated by the uncertainty of how the turbines will impact their productivity and the long-term impacts they will have on the ecosystem they count on. It leads to a compelling question: Can offshore wind and fisheries co-exist? >click to read< 13:55
23% of P.E.I. lobster boats inspected by DFO in May blitz violated Fisheries Act
Thirty-one out of 135 lobster fishing boats inspected in a blitz investigation in P.E.I. were found to be in violation of the Fisheries Act. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans conducted the inspection in Lobster Fishing Area 24 (North Shore), and 26A and 26B (East Point to Wood Islands to Victoria) between May 30 and 31. Written warnings are given in circumstances like a fisher not having a copy of their fishing licence on the boat at the time of inspection. But four of the violations were for summary offences. >click to read< 12:56
Six crewmembers of sunken Brazilian fishing boat rescued alive
Six crewmembers of a fishing boat that sank off the southeastern State of Santa Catarina have been rescued alive, the Brazilian Navy said. The “BP Safadi Seif” with 8 people onboard lost contact with the port authority on Friday night relatively close to the resort town of Garopaba, it was reported. “The Captaincy of the Ports of Santa Catarina opened a 90-day investigation to determine the causes and responsible for this shipwreck,” said the Navy. The first five survivors were found Saturday night in a drifting lifeboat, all of them “in good health,” the Navy said in a statement. A sixth fisherman was found on Sunday afternoon and was taken to a hospital with hypothermia. Navy rescue teams are continuing their search for the two missing fishermen with the support of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). Video, >click to read< 12:07
Red Car resto relies on DuFLEX
A classic Sydney trawler that operated for 30 years in Tasmania as Marconi’s Cross out of Hobart is being given a new lease on life by the experts at Red Car Marine in the fortuitously named suburb, Goodwood in Hobart. James Watson runs Red Car Marine and he and his team are meticulously restoring the 14.75-metre timber fishing vessel for its Sydney owners. Built in 1948, the historic vessel is a veteran of tuna fishing, trawling and towing fish pens, before going up for sale. As James explains, “Her new owners have commissioned a total refit, including the wheelhouse, aft lounge, sliding doors and interiors to turn it into a pleasure boat for cruising the Hawkesbury River, and eventually some passage making to Whitsundays.” 3 photos, >click to read< 09:54
Scots fishermen who backed Brexit betrayed after Tories ‘promised a new dawn’
Fuming Scots fishermen who once backed Brexit have said they were promised a “new dawn” before being “sold down the river”. Speaking at Peterhead Harbour, skipper Peter Bruce said the reality of leaving Europe had shattered his trust in Brexiteer politicians. He said: “It’s been a big disappointment, to be quite honest. The politicians came up from London, Boris Johnson came up a couple of times, the highest levels of government came up to Peterhead Harbour, promising this new dawn for the fishing industry. And that new dawn hasn’t come.” >click to read< 08:32
GAO to investigate New Jersey ‘offshore wind industrialisation’
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent congressional watchdog, has agreed to launch an investigation into the impact of the development of windfarms offshore New JerseyThe investigation will examine the potential effects of the development of offshore wind on the environment, fishing industry, military operations, navigational safety and other issues, said Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ). Representative Smith said the GAO would conduct an “aggressive, independent investigation” into what he claimed are the “ocean-altering impacts of the 3,400 offshore wind turbines slated for the Jersey shore” and “address concerns” that, he claimed, “the Biden Administration and Governor Murphy continue to dismiss. >click to read< 07:44
