Daily Archives: July 4, 2023
Fire at Whittier fuel dock injures 2, sinks boat
Girdwood Fire Chief Michelle Weston said that medics evaluated two people who were transported from the scene via LifeMed. Fletcher Morrison, a commercial fisherman who docks his boat at the Whittier Harbor, was in the area when the fire broke out about around 11:40 a.m. He described hearing a bang, then looking out of his vessel to see a boat fueling up at the dock go up in flames. “It happened really quick,” he said. The flames consumed three fuel pumps at the station operated by Shoreside Petroleum, said Whittier Harbormaster David Borg. That has big implications for the city’s commercial fishing fleet, Borg said. >click to read< 21:47
Deadliest Catch’s F/V Aleutian Ballad comeback from 60ft ‘rogue wave’ capsize
The Aleutian Ballad is one of Deadliest Catch’s most memorable fishing vessels. Deadliest Catch’s F/V Aleutian Ballad was captained by Jerry ‘Corky’ Tilley. The Washington born captain was in charge of the boat when it was hit by a wave the size of a five-story building in season 2. The 107-foot-long welded steel crabber was capsized by the “rogue wave,” and exited the Discovery series. Speaking on Deadliest Catch, Captain Jerry said that the weather conditions were “unbelievable.” At 3 am, the Captain had to navigate the 100ft tall boat through 40ft seas and 60-mph winds before it was hit by a 60ft wave. During Deadliest Catch season 2, fans saw the Aleutian Ballad with a dead engine after being hit by a “rogue wave.” Video, >click to read< 06:49
Brexiteer highlights four things Rishi can do to save Britain’s battered fishing industry
Britain’s long-suffering fishermen still need to be shown the benefits to quitting the European Union, Tory MP Sir John Redwood has said, seven years after the nation voted for Brexit. And the long-term Eurosceptic has pinpointed four things Rishi Sunak’s Government can do to demonstrate the decision was the right one. Many fishermen backed Brexit from the beginning, spearheaded by the Fishing for Leave campaign, which saw it as an integral way to seize back control of the seas around Britain. However, many were left bitterly disappointed by the end result, believing the deal signed by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson have given too much away to Brussels. Video, >click to read< 13:34
Columbia Falls company say they have made the world’s largest lobster trap
The crew at the Friendship Trap Company on the side of Highway 1 in Columbia Falls have made what they say is the world’s largest lobster trap. “We just thought it would be neat something for people to stop and take pictures with and just to say we have the world’s largest lobster trap,” said Branch Manager Jim Emerson. He worked on the trap for nearly three days with members of their team and his son Brady. “I helped a little bit with passing parts but I’m not allowed to use the air tools and I did a little bit of spray painting,” said Brady Emerson. They usually build standard traps but wanted to try to break records with this one. Video, >click to read< 11:45
NOAA wants to expand ‘ropeless’ fishing gear pilot to include some Maine lobstermen
Last winter as part of a pilot project, some Massachusetts lobstermen were allowed to fish in areas that are seasonally closed to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. But they had to use so-called “on-demand” or “ropeless” fishing gear and work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to share their feedback. Now NOAA wants to expand the program to include lobster and other fixed-gear fishermen throughout New England. Federal officials have proposed issuing permits to more than 200 people, with priority given to those who fish closed areas during the winter. More than 100 people in Maine fish those closed areas. And fishermen aren’t thrilled with the idea of opening access to only some of them, said Patrice McCarron of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association — unless there’s enough on-demand gear to go around to everyone. >click to read< 10:00
Strong fish landings at Peterhead Port
Figures compiled by Peterhead Port Authority show that 89,256 tonnes of fish with a gross value of almost £96 million came over the quaysides prior to the end of May. This compares with 66,928 tonnes worth just over £82 million to May 2022. Whitefish tonnage reached 20,978 (18,270 in 2022) worth £41,964,120 (£39,791,454 in 2022), reflecting some quota increases for key species. Pelagic landings weighed in at 65,890 tonnes (46,332 in 2022) with a gross value of £47,226,145 (£36,953,131 in 2022). And shellfish landings topped the scales at 2,388 tonnes, marginally up on 2022’s figures (2,326 tonnes) but with better prices yielding £6,787,060 compared with £5,611,996. >click to read< 08:58
Rhode Island’s commercial fishing industry, by the numbers
The calamari comeback is going strong, while lobsters lag and flounders flounder. That’s according to a new Department of Environmental Management report on the fishing industry last year. In 2022, the overall value of commercial fishing landings in Rhode Island was $100.6 million. That’s about 10 percent lower than 2021 when you account for inflation. The drop is discouraging, but there’s a lot that plays into seafood landings annually, including biological, fisheries management, and economic factors, according to Conor McManus, chief of DEM’s Division of Marine Fisheries. The full DEM report also takes a look at recreational fishing, but for today, we’ll stick with a seafood sampler of data about the commercial fishing industry. >click to read< 08:23
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