Daily Archives: June 20, 2023

Bay Port Fish Company part of first Fresh Fish Expo in Lansing

Legislators and residents were gathered on the lawn of the capitol building in Lansing for the first Fresh Fish Expo, where the commercial fishing companies in Michigan provided education on the freshwater resource and were cooking up fish for those in attendance on June 13. The Bay Port Fish Company was present and brought over plenty of fish for the occasion. The company is one of eight commercial fishing license holders in the state. “A lot of people came that didn’t know about commercial fishing,” said Lakon Williams, co-owner of Bay Port Fish Company. “They were able to meet the people who provide the fish in the state and have conversations with them.” 9 photos, >click to read< 17:55

Letter: Lawsuit wrongly accuses salmon trollers

In the fall and winter, you can find me in Eastern Washington, working on building a new 50-foot salmon troller. Every year when June 20th comes, I trek north to my second home, southeast Alaska. From July to September, I can be found commercial fishing on a 40-foot salmon troller out of Sitka, Alaska. I’m not the only one who migrates every summer to southeast Alaska to make my living; other residents in Eastern Washington also head to Alaska to participate in this iconic salmon fishery. This summer is different though. Hundreds of other fishermen and I are left not knowing if we’ll have an income this year due to Wild Fish Conservancy’s attack on small-boat family fishermen through its misguided lawsuit,,, >click to read and comment<14:47

Every Deadliest Catch Captain Ranked from Worst to Best

First airing in 2005, the reality TV show follows a featured fleet of fishing vessels as they try to do battle with the elements, and each other, in order to get the best stock of crab possible. Though its concept might sound mundane, the show has often courted controversy, with sexual harassment claims, legal woes, and jail time all attached to various stars that have appeared throughout the years. 2023 brings viewers the show’s nineteenth season, plenty of captains have been able to establish themselves as fan favorites. From newbie faces appearing in later seasons to those who have weathered the storms since its pilot episode, there’s been a captain to cater to every taste, and then some. But who fares the worst, and who is the best? Grab your waders and read on for a ranking of every “Deadliest Catch” captain. >click to read and comment< 12:39

‘They look at me as an outsider’: Cape Breton fisherman says boat burned, gear vandalized

Adam Morrison said he bought the licence for more than $800,000 and had fished lobster previously in a nearby community, Big Bras d’Or, for an employer. This was a chance to have his own boat, literally in his backyard. “I put my house on the line for this lobster licence,” Morrison told the Cape Breton Post. “They don’t want to let you make a go of it … They refuse to believe I went out on my own and got this.” In early May, Morrison, an early riser due to his profession, managed to stave off disaster when he noticed a fire onboard his boat, docked at the wharf on the rear of the property. Photos, >click to read and comment< 11:06

Eaton, Taylor win Fastest Working Lobster boat at Boothbay Harbor races

Jeff Eaton of Deer Isle/Stonington won Fastest Working Lobster Boat at the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races in Boothbay Harbor Saturday, June 17. Eaton pushed his boat, La Belle Vita, to 40.2 mph for the title. Andrew Taylor of Southport, who won the title in 2021 and 2022, won Fastest Working Lobster Boat in Boothbay Harbor with a speed of 49 mph in Blue Eyed GirlTaylor did not compete in the overall Fastest Working Lobster Boat but won second place in the Diesel Free for All. Jeremy Beal won first in the free for all in Maria’s Nightmaregoing 57.5 mph. Below are the results as provided by Johansen. >click to read and comment< 10:21

Offshore wind foes in New Jersey gathering force legally and politically

Opponents of offshore wind energy projects in New Jersey are gathering force legally and politically as they seek to snuff out the nascent industry. Within the last week, three residents groups sued New Jersey over a key approval of its first planned wind farm; the research arm of Congress agreed to investigate the impact of offshore wind on the environment and other areas; and lawmakers in two counties most heavily impacted by wind farms stepped up their efforts to block the projects. Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach, and Protect Our Coast NJ filed an appeal Friday in state Superior Court of New Jersey’s determination that the Ocean Wind I project is consistent with state coastal management rules. >click to read and comment< 08:55

Cheap Imports Leave US Shrimpers Struggling to Compete

 “We are paying to work. We are paying to feed our nation,” said Kindra Arnesen, at a rally on the steps of Louisiana’s towering capitol in Mid-May. “I ask for immediate emergency action at all levels. Nothing else will be accepted by this group.” The 45 year-old shrimp harvester, who has been hailed as a voice for the Gulf and has fought for decades to sustain the domestic shrimp industry, was surrounded by nearly a hundred other harvesters who had traveled inland from their homes along coastal Louisiana to Baton Rouge to rally for livable shrimp prices. “Nobody can make money,” said Ronald Johnston, a 64-year-old shrimper who came to the U.S. in 1981 as a Vietnamese refugee. At the rally he held a lime-green poster that read: “Shrimp: $.40 cents. Diesel: $3.95” while sitting on a scooter that helps with his mobility. Photos, >click to read and comment< 08:01