Daily Archives: August 18, 2023
A behind-the-scenes look at Maine’s growing scallop farming industry
Maine’s wild scallop harvest is still a few months away, but a group of fishermen in Penobscot Bay can fish scallops year-round thanks to Maine’s growing aquaculture industry. “This just puts another tool in the toolbox to allow them to adapt. We’re not looking to be replaced. We just want the opportunity to adapt,” said scallop farmer, Marsden Brewer. Marsden has been fishing off of Stonington for decades. He and his son, Robert, have been learning more about scallop farming, setting their nets in Penobscot Bay. Due to reduced stocks and an increase in commercial fishing regulations, this new way of doing business has given fishermen like Marsden hope for the future. >click to read< 17:07
Lobster ‘red list’ draws ire, lawsuit from Maine fishers
A coalition representing the Maine lobster industry is suing an aquarium on the other side of the country for recommending seafood customers avoid buying a variety of lobster mostly harvested in their state. Industry groups including Maine Lobstermen’s Association are suing the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California for “defamation,” arguing in a lawsuit filed Monday that their prized catch shouldn’t be on a “red list” published by Seafood Watch, a conservation program it operates. Last year, Seafood Watch put lobster from the U.S. and Canada on its list of seafood to avoid due to the threat posed to rare whales by entanglement in fishing gear used to harvest American lobster, the species that makes up most of the U.S. lobster market. >click to read< 15:47
State opens commercial fishing on the Kuskokwim River to one person
Coming just days after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service returned management of the Kuskokwim River to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the state has announced eight separate commercial openers in August. These opportunities are only available to individuals registered as catcher/sellers. On the Kuskokwim, there is only one of these and his name is Fran Reich. “I’ve been a commercial fisherman for almost 50 years on the river,” Reich said. Reich has been the sole catcher/seller on the river for around a decade. He said that he’s retired, but that fishing is just in his blood. He runs a small company called FAR West Fish & Farm out of his home in Bethel. >click to read< 13:50
Derelict Shrimp Boat finally removed from St. Andrews Bay
On April 10th, 2022 a shrimp boat named Phi Long Hai caught fire. Coast Guard officials determined the boat’s ignition sparked the fire. The 50-foot boat sank just a few hundred yards off St. Andrews Marina and has been sitting there ever since until earlier this week when salvage crews from B-REX Industries pulled from St. Andrews Bay to the McKenzie Boat Ramp in Southport. The owner of the boat has since been charged with a misdemeanor and is responsible for the $65,000 dollar clean-up cost, says Horning. Video, >click to read< 12:06
Fishermen come out to clean Summerland beach of old lobster traps and other random items
At the request of the Summerland Beautiful organization, Santa Barbara area fishermen rallied to help clean up a beach. The Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara responded to the call for cleanup efforts. The traps were tied up and towed out to a boat and loaded up. Other discarded fishing items were also gathered up. In addition, the group collected three bags of trash a stroller and other random items. The CFSB has been involved in other cleanup operations mainly to collect lobster traps. video, >click to read< 11:31
Hundreds Protest New Jersey’s Offshore Wind Farms
Concerns over the increase in whale and dolphin deaths along the Jersey Shore have ignited protests against Governor Phil Murphy’s support for offshore wind energy. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters converged in Atlantic City to voice their concerns, backed by a theory linking these deaths to offshore sonar testing. The Jersey Shore has witnessed an unprecedented spike in marine mammal deaths in the past year alone. Activists from the ‘Save Right Whales Coalition’ and other environmental groups are attributing this alarming trend to sonar mapping activities that precede the construction of offshore wind turbines. However, Governor Murphy argues that the rise in marine fatalities is consistent with a long-term trend observed across the East Coast and not exclusively linked to the offshore wind projects in New Jersey. >click to read< 10:32
Macduff Ship Design are pleased to announce the completion of the new build fishing vessel, ‘ZENITH, BF 106’
The vessel was built by Macduff Shipyards for owner Mark Robertson, along with sons Paul and Adam. This fishing vessel replaces the owner’s previous two fishing vessels, ZEYPHR BF 601 (ex UBEROUS) built by the yard in 2005 and ZENITH BF 106 (ex DAYSTAR) built by the yard in 2008. The vessel is intended to fish out of Fraserburgh in the North East of Scotland, targeting primarily prawns in the North Sea region. ZENITH is the second vessel in a series of three sister ships, all of which are being built at the yards newly developed Buckie site. Photos, >click to read< 09:36
Hull tower blocks named in honour of trawler campaigner women
Three tower blocks in Hull have been renamed in honour of women who fought for new safety laws after a slew of fishing tragedies in the 1960s. Dubbed the Headscarf Revolutionaries, Yvonne Blenkinsop, Lillian Bilocca, Christine Jensen and Mary Denness changed the fishing industry for good. They took action after a triple trawler tragedy in 1968 which saw the loss of three Hull trawlers and 58 crew. Name plaques on the Porter Street flats were unveiled on Friday. The women’s campaign started when 58 fishermen lost their lives in three separate trawler sinkings in the space of less than a month in 1968. The trawlers – St Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland – all sank in quick succession, and only one man survived. Photos, >click to read< 08:50
Body pulled from Okanagan Lake believed to be captain of fishing boat
Both men who died in a surprise wind storm on July 24 were likely pulled from a pair of Okanagan lakes on the same day. On Wednesday, the body of 26-year-old kayaker Eli Buruca was finally recovered from Kalamalka Lake. “The deceased is believed to be the 55-year old man who went missing when his boat capsized on the night of July 24,” said Cst. Chris Terleski. “However, this cannot be confirmed until a positive identification is made by the BC Coroners Service.” Van Hill was the captain of a commercial fishing boat, which capsized in Okanagan Lake near Ellison Provincial Park around 11 pm on July 24. click to read< 07:58
