Monthly Archives: August 2023
Dawn Buckingham: Can Texas Stop Biden from Building a Massive Wind Farm Off Its Coast?
As a ninth-generation Texan, I have always loved and respected our beautiful coast, its vibrant economy, and the hard-working men and women whose livelihoods depend on the preservation of these waters. Since taking the helm of the General Land Office as the first female Land Commissioner in state history, I have also had the immense responsibility of stewarding over 13 million acres of state lands, protecting our state’s open beaches, and providing critical relief to Texans in the aftermath of hurricanes and other major storms. Texas commercial fishermen stand to lose a huge swath of navigable waters containing rich fisheries. This project could absolutely devastate this vital industry, robbing families of high-paying jobs, ending family businesses that span generations, and ultimately making the entire United States more dependent on seafood imports from places like China. >click to read< 11:57
FISH HARVESTERS UNION CLAIMS HEALTHY COD POPULATIONS
The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) has received reports confirming the presence of healthy cod populations near our shores. The union has been advocating for an increase in the total allowable catch for several years, but their efforts have been largely unsuccessful. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) takes a cautious approach when determining quotas, despite the fact that the pressure on the cod stock from harvesting activities is minimal. FFAW Secretary Treasurer, Jason Spingle, is urging the Canadian government to conduct a thorough stock survey to obtain more comprehensive scientific data. >click to read< 10:22
Fire on board fishing boat in the Solent prompts emergency response
A fire aboard a small fishing boat, carrying two men and a 13-year-old boy, led to an urgent call-out for Cowes RNLI lifeboat this morning (Sunday, August 20). The outboard had caught fire when the 18-foot craft was over Gurnard Ledge. Cowes lifeboat, which launched at 9.35am, arrived to find that although the fire had been put out by the crew the boat needed to be towed. The vessel was taken to Trinity Landing, where fire crews went aboard to ensure all was safe. Also on the scene were Needles Coastguards. >click to read< 09:50
New quota system to start for trawl harvests of cod in Bering Sea and Aleutians
Commercial fishermen netting Pacific cod from the Bering Sea and Aleutians region will be working under new individual limits starting next year designed to ease pressure on harvests that regulators concluded were too rushed, too dangerous and too prone to accidentally catch untargeted fish species. The new system will require fishers who harvest cod by trawl – the net gear that scoops up fish swimming near the bottom of the ocean – to be part of designated cooperatives that will then have assigned quota shares. The fisheries service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it has notified eligible participants and is asking for applications. >click to read< 08:54
Olde Bristol Days Returns with Families and Fun
Residents and visitors alike descended to the tip of the Pemaquid penisula for the 69th edition of Olde Bristol Days Aug. 9-13. The weekend’s events kicked off with the traditional parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, and concluded with the Merritt Brackett Lobster Boat Races on Sunday, Aug. 13. On Saturday, after the parade families and beach goers crowded into Pemaquid Beach Park enjoying a slate of musical entertainment, food and craft vendors, as well as a variety of children’s games including a water slide and dunk tank. The day’s events concluded with a fireworks display. On Sunday, spectators convened near Fort William Henry for the annual Merritt Bracket Lobster Boat Races. Race results and lots of photos, >click to read< 07:46
N.S. fishing industry, conservation groups at odds over new herring quota
Nova Scotia’s fishing industry and conservation groups are at odds over a new herring quota set by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) this season. The quota, or total allowable catch (TAC), off southwestern Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is now limited to 21,000 tonnes for 2023, an 11 per cent reduction from the previous year. The commercial herring fishery is worth about $19.5 million, according to DFO. But the new quota doesn’t sit well with Oceans North and the Ecology Action Centre. Ian McIsaac, president of the Seafood Producers Association of Nova Scotia, said the industry is disappointed that the quota was cut. >click to read< 16:31
“Miracles Do Happen” – Family Of Missing Fisherman Holding Out Hope
The family of Patrick Hoagland, the man who went overboard from the fishing vessel Gaston’s Legacy south of Nantucket last Saturday and remains missing, is still holding out hope he will be found. “I am praying his survival instinct kicks in and brings him back safely,” said his brother Howard Hoagland. “Miracles do happen. But we all know the way of the sea.” Patrick Hoagland is a resident of Bath, North Carolina. The F/V Gaston’s Legacy, after searching in vain for Hoagland for several days after he went overboard, traveled south and is now anchored in nearby Beaufort, North Carolina. >click to read< 14:47
Sinking of the Wild Alaskan – Document Dump #35
It is almost comical to think that the Kodiak Daily Mirror suppressed this story for over 4 months when my lawsuit was originally filed and now that a Federal Judge has dismissed portions of my lawsuit against Federal Agents with prejudice; the Kodiak Daily Mirror which has now proven themselves to be an ankle biting lap dog of the City and the Feds rushes to print this story in yet another front-page, one-sided news article. The Kodiak Daily Mirror also wrote in the article, “Neither Byler nor U.S. Attorney Glenn James Shidner was available for comment at press time Monday.” This statement to all of our local readers in Kodiak was 100% total B.S. I was never contacted by phone, email, text message, nor on my Facebook page that now has more readers than the Kodiak Daily Mirror. Can any of you that have been following this story possibly imagine that I would not have a comment on this issue. I am going to have to give this flat out, false statement, 4 Pinocchio’s and the Publisher Kevin Bumgarner has just earned himself another photo with his clown hat at the ‘Sinking of the Wild Alaskan’ Facebook page. >click to read< 13:48
Save LBI lays out evidence for cause of whale deaths
On August 4th, 2023, Save Long Beach Island (LBI) filed a lawsuit seeking to enjoin the ongoing offshore wind energy vessel surveys using high intensity noise equipment until a thorough investigation could be done and new protocols developed for estimating noise impacts from wind energy development activities. On August 14th Save LBI responded to defendant and defendant-intervenor motions, laying out in detail the evidence linking the vessel surveys to the recent whale deaths. Evidence of Causation of Whale Deaths by Vessel Surveys -The federal defendant concludes that the vessel surveys are not the cause of the recent whale and dolphin deaths, and that there is no evidence linking the two. In fact, there is ample evidence leading to a conclusion that the surveys were and are the only plausible cause, as summarized below: >click to read< 12:30
Arizona Is Home To America’s First Drive-Thru Lobster Chain
If you had to list places where you would expect to find inexpensive seafood, you’d probably think of areas near the sea. Cities along the Gulf Coast are notorious for shrimp and fish dishes and, of course, New England is known for clam chowder and lobster. Given this knowledge, it might shock you to learn that the first American drive-through restaurant specializing in lobster is not located anywhere along the East Coast, but rather in one of the driest parts of the country: Tempe, Arizona. According to ABC, the owners of Angie’s Lobster, Tony and Roushan Christofellis, say they keep prices down by “buying in bulk.” While the meat being served through the drive-through is in fact sourced from Maine and eastern Canada, much of it comes from lobster which is “visually unappealing,” meaning it may have cracked shells or missing claws, making it cheaper but equally tasty to the lobster available in grocery stores or restaurants. >click to read< 11:27
Fourth Circuit Limits Reach of Federal Regulation Under the “Major Questions” Doctrine as it Relieves Shrimp Trawlers from Clean Water Act Permitting
The Clean Water Act (“CWA”) regulates the discharge of certain “pollutants” into waters of the United States (“WOTUS”). Should shrimp trawlers be subject to the regulatory framework under the CWA when they return “bycatch” (unintentionally captured marine life) back into a water of the United States, or when their trawl nets churn up rocks and sand on the ocean floor? Not in the Fourth Circuit, as the United States Court of Appeals recently held in North Carolina Coastal Fisheries Reform Group v. Capt. Gaston LLC. This is perhaps an unsurprising conclusion. The CWA is, after all, intended to regulate point-source pollution discharges into WOTUS—and, therefore, to regulate pollution and discharges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) defines point source pollution as “any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ship or factory smokestack.” >click to read< 10:46
Nine harvesters cited for dumping commercially caught chum salmon
In a special enforcement operation designed to protect Alaska’s fisheries resource, state wildlife troopers have issued 21 citations after over 100 vessel boardings in the Area M fishery, including nine citations for illegal discard of commercially caught salmon. Each of the individuals cited must appear before a judge, said Austin McDaniel, communications director for the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Each one was given a mandatory court date, but meanwhile is allowed to continue fishing, he said. The citations are all misdemeanors, with a maximum punishment of a $15,000 fine and one year in jail. Area M Seiners Association, which represents Area M seine and set gillnet permit holders, issued a statement saying that the association takes this issue very seriously and has a zero-tolerance policy for malicious behavior. >click to read< 09:56
Opinion: Offshore wind, marine-life deaths by Carol Frazier
Do you remember the line from “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy and her companions are on their way to Oz and are afraid of being attacked? The line was “Lions and tigers and bears – oh my! Lions and tigers and bears – oh my!” Well, I have revised that to “Murphy and Carney and Moore – oh my!” referring to the three Democrat governors of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland who are absolutely determined to go full steam ahead on offshore wind, no matter what evidence of harm to wildlife and commercial fishing and the economy is presented. I read Doug Miller’s letter to the editor of Aug. 11 with interest, also. Regarding Mr. Miller’s statement that concern about whale deaths is nonsense, I beg to differ. >click to read< 08:54
Hurricane Hilary Poses Unusual Threat to Southern California
Hurricane Hilary is charting a rare path to Southern California. The storm is currently a Category 4 hurricane, the second-highest level. After bringing heavy rains and a dangerous storm surge to the west coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula over the weekend, Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm before it reaches the U.S. Sunday evening. Nevertheless, it is forecast to bring severe weather to an area unaccustomed to tropical storms. The hurricane’s predicted path is due to an unusual convergence of warm water, a high-pressure zone to the east and a jet stream to the west, according to Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather’s director of forecasting operations. “You have to have the exact right atmospheric setup,” said DePodwin. “And that’s what we have.” Video, >click to read< 08:05
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
NOAA Recommends $106.1 Million in funding for West Coast and Alaska salmon recovery
Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced more than $106 million in recommended funding for 16 West Coast and Alaska state and tribal salmon recovery programs and projects under the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). The funds, including $34.4 million under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $7.5 million under the Inflation Reduction Act, will support the recovery, conservation and resilience of Pacific salmon and steelhead in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. This funding is part of President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda, which includes over $2 billion for fish passage investments across the country. >click to read< 18:03
Sealord convicted for endangering workers after asbestos found on fishing vessel Will Watch
A worker who found what he strongly suspected was asbestos on a fishing vessel has led to a conviction for seafood company Sealord on a charge linked to its failure to properly protect workers from harm. In 2021 the crew member was among several seconded to the 50-year-old fishing vessel Will Watch for a fishing trip in the southern Indian Ocean. He noticed a form of insulation in a locker room that he didn’t recognise and raised the alarm with the ship’s captain. Sealord did not believe there was any risk to the Will Watch crew from asbestos, believing it had been removed from the vessel before it arrived in New Zealand in the 1980s. >click to read< 13:36
Tribute to unstinting Hull fishing heritage and museum volunteer Trevor Evans following his death
A Hull man who dedicated decades of his life to maintaining Hull’s fishing heritage for the benefit of future generations has died. Trevor Evans was the longest-serving volunteer aboard the Arctic Corsair, a floating museum set inside the country’s last working deep-sea sidewinder trawler. Mr Evans helped pack away one of the most symbolic items of the vessel, the ship’s bell, ahead of the Arctic Corsair’s relocation to a temporary berth, before it eventually takes centre stage in the North End Shipyard, creating a new visitor attraction for Hull. “Recently, Trevor was part of a group advising us on the future visitor experience at North End Shipyard, the new home for the Arctic Corsair. He will be greatly missed, and our condolences go to his family and friends.” >Photos, >click to read< 12:30
Opinion: Breach the Snake River dams? Only if you want more carbon and more expensive power
Recently our local papers have been publishing opinion pieces suggesting the possibility or necessity of removing the four lower Snake River dams to protect Idaho salmon runs. And earlier this year the Idaho Press published an article reporting that the Biden administration has released two reports stating that removal of the four dams on the lower Snake River “may be needed to restore salmon runs to sustainable levels.” There are other much cheaper alternatives that may be just as effective in preserving the salmon runs — maybe more. One would be to permanently remove the sea lions that congregate at the base of Bonneville Dam, the first dam on the Columbia River. Those sea lions decimate thousands of migrating salmon that gather around the base of the dam as they try to find the fish ladder over the dam. >click to read< 11:27
Missing kayaker’s body found as search moves on to shrimp boat captain
The body of a missing kayaker has been found on Kalamalka Lake. Eli Buruca went missing during a windstorm the night of July 24. Volunteer searchers located Buruca’s body in deep water at the north end of the lake and it was recovered by the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team on Wednesday, says police spokesperson Cpl. Tania Finn. “Our sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Finn. Meanwhile, the search for Travis Van Hill continues on Okanagan Lake, near Ellison Provincial Park. Van Hill went missing during the same storm, when the shrimp boat he was on capsized. >click to read< 10:31
Lobstermen Face Hypoxia in Outer Cape Waters
Alex Iacono, a lobsterman who says he favors lobsters and ocean solitude over people, is worried about the future of his business. Iacono, who lives in Truro and fishes out of Provincetown on the F/V Storm Elizabeth, says his catch has significantly dwindled in recent years. He’s not alone; other lobstermen working across Cape Cod Bay have noticed a downward trend. They believe that hypoxia — dangerously low levels of oxygen in the water — is to blame. Hypoxia first came to fishermen’s attention in 2019 when it caused a catastrophic lobster die-off in the bay. After that, the DMF started affixing sensors to buoys and traps to monitor oxygen levels, and they have consistently observed mild hypoxia since then. >click to read< 09:50
The NSW commercial fishing industry condemns offshore wind farm proposal for the Hunter and Illawarra regions
Tricia Beatty, Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Fishermen’s Association of NSW said today, “The proposal being considered by the Federal Government is ludicrous and will have a devastating impact on endangered, protected species as well as devastating our commercial fishing families and seafood consumers of New South Wales.” “The studies done to date demonstrates enough evidence that listed threatened species and ecological communities, as well as listed migratory species (protected under international agreements) will be impacted by the proposed wind farms. There is also some opinion amongst the scientific community that there is a link between both the increased mortality rate of whales alongside the expansion of offshore wind infrastructure on the busy coastal cities of New York and New Jersey, although this is still being studied. The areas proposed for the offshore windfarms is in the migratory path of important species such as southern right whales (one of the most endanger large whale species in the world) and humpback whales”, said Ms Beatty. >click to read< 08:40
