As the sun set Sunday night at the Cove, tensions rose at what was another strong showing for opponents to offshore wind farms. About 100 people gathered on a cold, windy evening at the southern-most point of New Jersey to keep the light on the fight against offshore wind companies with a cairn lighting. But one man spoke our after U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, rallied the crowd against windmills, questioning everyone there if they truly believe whales are dying as a result off offshore wind site preparation work. Mark Heany, a city resident since 1995, was met with shouts of disapproval after he interrupted the lineup of speakers. A few people got in his face to argue. Four Cape May police officers, who were there to make sure things stayed peaceful, intervened as Heaney and others argued just inches apart. 9 Photos, >>click to read<< 10:23
Monthly Archives: October 2023
Cocaine bust trawler remains wedged on sandbank off Wexford coast
Detectives with the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stated in court that it was their belief that fishing trawler The Castlemore was “attempting a transaction” with the cargo ship the MV Matthew off the Wexford coast at the time it ran aground. Two weeks ago, a major salvage operation was said to have begun to recover the fishing trawler from the sandbank off the Wexford coast, however, it appears that all efforts to date have been unsuccessful and the trawler remains wedged in the sand. Sources suggest that the recovery of the trawler is becoming a bigger and more difficult task with every passing day and some reports even suggest that the vessel may now be buried up to its wheelhouse. >>click to read<< 08:35
“Squid Fleet” Takes You Into the Opaque World of Chinese Fishing
In February, 2022, I invited the documentary filmmaker Ed Ou to join me at sea, boarding Chinese squid ships. For the past four years, I have been visiting these ships as part of an investigation into the use of forced labor by the global seafood industry. China has the world’s largest distant water fishing fleet, catching billions of pounds of seafood annually, the biggest portion of it squid. The fleet is rife with labor trafficking, abusive working conditions, and violence. But China publicly releases little information about its vessels, and most stay at sea for more than a year, making them difficult to track or inspect. To see the fleet up close, Ou and I travelled to fishing grounds near the Falkland Islands and the Galápagos. We chased boats, interviewed crews by radio, and, when permitted, boarded ships. My goal was to talk to crew members and chronicle their working conditions. “Squid Fleet,” the film that Ou produced, offers something deeper. Ou and his co-director, Will N. Miller, made a hybrid documentary, combining fictionalized narration with real footage from the trip to capture a strange world that few outsiders get to see. 13:45 Video trailer, >>click to read<< 21:36
Marine Constructor/ Commercial Shrimper Arnold Roland Melton of Wilmington, N.C. has passed away
Arnold Roland Melton, 67 of Wilmington, NC affectionately known as Bimbo, quietly sailed away on Monday October 9, 2023, leaving behind a wake of laughter and cherished memories. Born in Wilmington, North Carolina on August 9, 1956, Bimbo was a true saltwater soul, forever tied to the shores and seas that he loved. Bimbo’s career spanned various marine adventures, from his days in Marine Construction to his time as a Commercial Shrimper. He rode the waves with a spirit of determination and grit, always ready to conquer whatever obstacles lay before him. When Bimbo wasn’t busy conquering the high seas, you could find him cheering on his favorite NASCAR drivers with a cold brew in hand. His passion for speed and competition was unmatched, and he took great pride in sharing his love for the sport with his family and friends. >>click to read<< 14:50
Another Bering Sea snow crab season closure brings more financial hardships for fishermen
“This is something that’s in our blood,” said Gabriel Prout, the owner and a deckhand of the 116-foot F/V Silver Spray. However, now his passion and family tradition is in jeopardy. On Oct. 6, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced it was closing the 2023-24 Bering Sea snow crab season for the second season in a row. “The stock is currently at all-time low levels from the survey time series,” said Ethan Nichols, the ADF&G acting area management biologist for the Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands region. “So, the threshold for opening is that total mature male biomass has to be at least 25% of long-term average. And in 2023 total mature male biomass is estimated to be between 15 and 19% of the long-term average.” The news felt like a punch to the gut for Prout, whose family relies on the season for 80 to 90% of its revenue. Video, >>click to read<< 11:40
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 35′ H&H Osmond Beal Lobster Boat, Cummins QSL9 Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 14 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 10:23
Against the wind
Visiting southern New Jersey this summer, I kept seeing yard signs that read “Stop the Windmills—Save Our Coast.” The posters were rallying opposition to the massive Ocean Wind 1 power project 15 miles off the Jersey shore near Atlantic City. That constellation of 853-foot-high wind turbines is supposed to start construction any day now, although delays and financial uncertainties have hampered the project. Ocean Wind 1 is planned to be one of more than two dozen huge wind projects off the East Coast from South Carolina to Maine. If it ever gets built. Which it won’t if the residents of South Jersey have anything to say about it. >>click to read<< 08:56
Louisiana elected officials seek to protect local fishermen from imported shrimp
Louisiana elected officials are rallying to find solutions to help protect the state’s shrimp fishermen from cheap foreign shrimp that critics say is depriving shrimpers of their livelihood and undermining public health. Last month, the state Legislature’s Seafood Safety Task Force met to consider ways to stem the influx of shrimp from China and other nations amid concerns that the imported seafood may contain impurities that pose risks to the health of Louisianans. In addition, Gov. John Bel Edwards has requested that the U.S. secretary of commerce declare an emergency disaster declaration to provide assistance to shrimp fishermen. The Florida-based Southern Shrimp Alliance is also urging governors of Gulf and southeastern states to request federal relief funds for shrimpers. >>click to read<< 07:29
Owners and skipper fined after trawler gas death in Fraserburgh
The owners and skipper of a fishing trawler have been fined following the death of a man who was overcome by gas on board. William Ironside, 52, was one of five men who fell ill on the Sunbeam in Fraserburgh in August 2018. At Peterhead Sheriff Court the owners, Sunbeam Limited, were fined £220,000 while skipper James Duthie was ordered to pay £7,500. Duthie, 66, was also sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work. In October 2018 the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it was a “tragic accident” which nearly resulted in multiple fatalities. >>click to read<< 14:52
Engineer Honored for Using a Power Block to Rescue Shipwreck Survivors
The engineer of the pair trawler F/V Guiding Light has been honored with a lifesaving trophy from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for his quick thinking during the sinking of the vessel’s sister ship off the Shetland Islands last year. On the afternoon of October 6, 2022, the Peterhead-based fishing vessels F/V Guiding Star and F/V Guiding Light were located about 45 nm to the southeast of the Shetlands. Conditions were challenging, including rough seas and winds approaching gale force. At around noon, the vessels hauled in their catch and were retrieving their trawl gear when they collided. The bow of the F/V Guiding Light rose in a swell and struck F/V Guiding Star towards the stern, penetrating the hull and flooding an accommodations compartment. F/V Guiding Light’s first engineer, Kriss Leel, moved quickly to respond, starting up the deck crane and making heaving lines ready. >>click to read<< 12:49
In a surging seafood industry, boat captains struggle to find workers
How Shark Meat Is Prepared In US Restaurants
Shark meat is not one of those things we instinctively think of as being good eating. However, like any other kind of athletic fish, shark offers an excellent amount of flavorful, high-protein meat for consumption. Though it is eaten the world over, in the United States it often comes bearing a different name. Though it is prepared in a number of different ways, chances are that, if you’re eating out, you won’t have any idea that there is a shark on your plate. Though it varies between species, shark meat generally has a very meaty texture and is quite mildly flavored. It is therefore easy for shark to substitute for other types of fish. For example, shark is often used to make fish and chips. >>click to read<< 09:38
Amid Western Alaska salmon crisis, researchers explore data-driven strategies to reduce chinook bycatch
In the debate over what is driving the Western Alaska chinook, or king, salmon crisis, the commercial trawl industry has faced no shortage of criticism over the issue of bycatch. The vast majority of chinook bycatch takes place in the Alaska pollock fishery, the second-largest fishery in the world. Each year, thousands of chinook that would otherwise make their way to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers are intercepted at sea. In 2020, more than half of the estimated roughly 32,000 chinook caught by the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock trawl fisheries were from Western Alaska stocks, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was also the year the Yukon River was completely closed to subsistence king salmon fishing for the first time ever, and it hasn’t reopened since. >>click to read<< 08:30
Soo Tribe says it will appeal Great Lakes commercial fishing deal
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians says it will appeal an agreement struck between four other tribes, federal regulators and state of Michigan to govern Great Lakes commercial and sport fishing. The tribe said Monday, Oct. 9 that it would appeal the agreement, which was approved by a federal judge on Aug. 24, with the U.S. Sixth Circuit court of appeals by Oct. 23. The tribe did not join the agreement, which was reached in December between the state and federal governments, and the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa, the Little River Band of Ottawa and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa. The agreement divvies up fishing rights in parts of lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior; extending until 2047 a longstanding regulatory framework which has been under negotiation since it expired in 2020. The deal covers Great Lakes that fall within Michigan waters in which the tribes reserve fishing rights per the 1836 Treaty of Washington. >>click to read<< 18:29
Norh Carolina: Blessing of the Fleet pays tribute to commercial fishing families
The sun glistened on the rippling waters of Beaufort Inlet, creating a picture-perfect day Sunday for the 26th annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony, held at Radio Island between Morehead City and Beaufort. Thirty-two commercial fishing vessels slowly made their way by Radio Island as wreaths were thrown into the water. Each wreath represented a commercial fisherman or family member who had died. The solemn procession was a segment of the NC Seafood Festival that honors area commercial fishing families and those who have died while harvesting food from the sea. As well as about 200 people lining the shore to watch the procession, private boaters filled the waterway to pay tribute. 13 photos, >>click to read<< 14:39
Gear-lending program has harvesters working through closures and trying ropeless fishing gear without commitment
Snow crab fishers in one area of Nova Scotia had a new visitor this season and found themselves closed out of their fishing waters. “We got a 37 percent cut in our quota and [Northern right] whales presented themselves in our zone for the first time ever so [it was] quite stressful,” said Marc Lefort, a snow crab harvester in western Cape Breton Island and a member of Area 19 Snow Crab Fishermen’s Association in Cheticamp, N.S. He’s been fishing for 19 years in the area. “It was a challenging season.” The Northern right whale is critically endangered and conservation efforts have targeted fisheries using fixed gear, or traps connected to buoys by rope. Because whales can be entangled in the fishing gear, fisheries for lobster and snow crab have been forced to think of new measures – and new fishing gear – to protect the marine mammals. >>click to read<< 12:24
Cromer fisherman rescued after being dragged out to sea
Sheringham Lifeboat was called out at 5.30pm on Sunday to aid a fisherman who was thought to be in distress. On arrival at the scene, the fisherman was back in his boat having been assisted by several onlookers. The fisherman had been setting his nets off Sheringham West Beach when his foot caught in the rope. The boat was still in gear but ran ashore and grounded itself on the bank. Several onlookers ran onto the beach and turned the boat around, relaunching it just as Sheringham Lifeboat arrived. >>click to read<< 09:11
It’s here – the future of commercial fishing
New trawling technology – billed as “the future of sustainable fishing” – has been unveiled to the New Zealand seafood industry at its annual conference in Auckland this afternoon. The system, which has been in development in this country for almost 10 years, uses a large, flexible PVC tube instead of a traditional mesh trawling net. New Zealand fishing companies Aotearoa Fisheries, Sanford and Sealord are investing $26 million into the commercialisation phase of the technology, called Precision Seafood Harvesting. The Government is matching industry investment and scientists from Plant & Food Research, a Crown Research Institute, are working with the three fishing firms to trial the system on commercial vessels. Photos, Video, >>click to read<< 07:33
Murphy, Biden continue to ignore serious offshore wind questions | Chris Smith
Because both the Murphy and Biden Administrations are forcing approximately 3,400 ocean wind turbines on us without our input, advice or consent. We say no—enough is enough. Because Murphy and Biden have not answered any of our profoundly serious questions—even dismissing our well-founded concern that sonar mapping of the ocean floor is contributing to the tragic spike in whale and dolphin deaths as ‘disinformation.’ We say no—enough is enough. And because there is absolutely no transparency in this egregiously flawed process—I authored two pieces of legislation that passed the House of Representatives to demand accountability. My first amendment, which passed in late March 244 to 189, tasked the Government Accountability Office—the Congressional watchdog agency—to investigate the ‘sufficiency of the environmental review processes for offshore wind projects…of the Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and any other relevant Federal agency.’ >>click to read<< 21:41
Alaska fishermen will be allowed to harvest lucrative red king crab in the Bering Sea
Alaska fishermen will be able to harvest red king crab for the first time in two years, offering a slight reprieve to the beleaguered fishery beset by low numbers likely exacerbated by climate change. There was no such rebound for snow crab, however, and that fishery will remain closed for a second straight year, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Friday. “The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery for the prior two seasons were closed based on low abundance and particularly low abundance of mature-sized female crabs,” said Mark Stichert, the state department’s ground fish and shellfish management coordinator, “Based on survey results from this year, those numbers have improved, some signs of modest optimism in terms of improving abundance in Bristol Bay red king crab overall and that has allowed for a small but still conservative fishery for 2023 as the total population size is still quite low,” he said. >>click to read<<11:52
A fisherman’s view of the state of commercial fishing
If the control cord for the hoist at the Hampton State Pier had been the correct length and David Goethel had not lost his balance in reaching for it and had not fallen head-first to the floating dock 20 feet below, we may have never had the chance to read “Endangered Species,” just out from Peter Randall Publishing. That would be a shame. Goethel’s memoir of his life as a commercial fisherman on the Atlantic Ocean is by turns funny, scary, and educational. You may wince as he tells of the rough times and seas that fishermen sometimes face, where a high wave can cause a sharp knife to be impaled in one’s leg. It happened to Goethel, whose oldest son, Eric, had to use the Boy Scout life-saving skills he had just learned to help stop the bleeding. You may feel as frustrated as does Goethel when federal government and non-governmental actors force rules and regulations that make no sense and where the bureaucrats are dismissive of the fishermen who — spoiler alert — actually do know something about fishing and fish. >>click to read<< 08:07
Commercial Fisherman Arnold Herbert Benner of Friendship, Maine, has passed away
Arnold Herbert Benner passed away at his home in Friendship on Thursday, October 5, 2023, with his family at his side. Recently celebrating his 80th birthday, he was born in Damariscotta on April 8, the son of Herbert & Anne Benner. He grew up in Friendship, started lobstering as a teenager and fished for more than 60 years. He won the title of the fastest lobster boat in Friendship three times. He graduated from Waldoboro High School. He bowled at DePatsy’s Lanes in Waldoboro, and with his wife, Alice, and was a member of the Coastal Clippers Square Dancing club. Arnold and Alice traveled around the country with family and took road trips to visit family and friends in Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, and Alabama. Highlights for Arnold included a ride in a race car at Daytona and driving his truck around the Talladega Superspeedway at 92 mph. >>click to read<< 19:54
Mayor Mitchell goes to bat for New Bedford’s fishermen, submits congressional testimony
In his written submission, the Mayor explained why the federal government’s approach to fisheries management within the recently designated marine monuments matters to New Bedford’s commercial fishing fleet–the top-grossing fleet in the nation: “The management of marine fisheries in federal waters within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a matter of vital importance to the Port of New Bedford, Massachusetts – America’s top-valued commercial fishing port.” The Mayor encouraged Subcommittee members to take into account the unique role that New Bedford plays nationally in commercial fishing, saying “Our harbor serves not only the needs of the vessels that call New Bedford their home port, but also the needs of numerous East Coast vessels from North Carolina to Maine which land their catch in our port at different times during each fishing season. \The proper management of our nation’s marine fisheries is therefore crucial to the vitality of our port and our local and regional economy, but also to the nation, as we service the needs of an industry whose vessels operate up and down nearly the entirety of the East Coast.” >>click to read<< 14:54
Virginia’s blue crab commercial harvest period extended
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted last week to approve the extension recommended by the Crab Management Advisory Committee. The harvest of crabs by hard crab pot is now Dec. 16, pushed back from Nov. 30. Lower bushel limits will begin Nov. 1 instead of Oct. 1. The purpose of these changes is to promote efficient utilization of blue crabs and economic stability for the fishing industry, according to the Marine Resources Commission. “Female crabs are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring on them,” said Alexa Galván, a fisheries manager with the commission during a VRMC meeting. “But, the 2021 and 2022 exploitation rates were slightly above the target, not of the threshold which would be overfishing.” >>click to read<< 12:50
Two sisters run absolute gem of a pub in Devon fishing town
A much-loved fishermen’s pub in the heart of a Devon fishing town is still going strong as locals toast its 400 year anniversary. Erica Mundle and her sister Georgina Loasby are the brains behind the Crown and Anchor pub in Brixham. Erica, 41 and Georgina, 31 have owned the Quayside pub since December 2019 and they’re proud to say the place truly is frozen in time. Erica, who previously worked as a primary school teacher, said she feels grateful for all of its customers, a healthy mix of locals and holidaymakers who keep coming back year after year. The boozer is famed for its crab sandwiches and brandy coffee and is a great place to relax and enjoy stunning views. It has always been a pub at the heart of the fishing community and is loved by many, which is one of the main reasons Erica and Georgina decided not to change anything when they took over. Photos, >>click to read<< 09:41
Alaska cancels snow crab harvest again due to population concerns
Crabbers from the Pacific Northwest who fish in Alaska had been watching and waiting for recommendations from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which met Thursday and Friday. Following the meetings, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Bering snow crab season will be closed for 2023-2024; Bristol Bay red king crab will open. Tanner crab will also be open for commercial fishermen. Both the snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab seasons were closed in 2023. Crabbers and industry associations warned of the massive impact the decision would have on many small businesses, prompting calls by Congressional officials for an emergency declaration and federal aid. Video, >>click to read<< 08:18
Grounded Austro Carina boat leaks all its diesel into ocean at Red Bluff
Thousands of litres of diesel has leaked from a boat which ran aground on Banks Peninsula two weeks ago, says Canterbury Regional Council. Large swells had broken up the Austro Carina fishing boat at Red Bluff near Shell Bay. The council said 10,000 litres of diesel had slowly dispersed over the past week. It said up to 400 litres of hydraulic oil could also be leaking from the engine room, but crews could not reach it to check. Salvage teams had so far picked up 31 large bags of rubbish, debris and fish bins. Fishing nets had also been removed from the vessel, aside from some that were unable to be cut away from under the stern. The wreck had broken up significantly and had moved up the beach to the north. >>click to read<< 17:24
Beached fishing boat recovered
The fishing vessel Judy is floating again after a salvage attempt caused it to crash into the south Jetty and flip onto its side twice. The Judy was reported aground in the sand south of the South Jetty on Sept. 18. Since then, owners made several attempts to refloat the vessel at high tide but were unsuccessful. At the salvage site, one could see two US Coast Guard motor lifeboats at the end of the bar, and the 102-foot tugboat Noelani about 1/3 of a mile out with a long, buoyed line connecting it to the Judy. O as the Judy began to inch forward, eventually floating upright as floated away from the shore. However, as it was being pulled, the Judy began to move precariously nearer to the south Jetty. The tug could be seen moving south to counter the move but when tension was applied to the tow line, the Judy veered right and hit the rocks. 3 photos, >>click to read<< 15:00
Cost of Canada’s new flagship ocean science vessel jumps a further $300M
The budget for Canada’s new flagship ocean research ship increased 28 per cent this year jumping from $995 million to $1.28 billion. Construction of the offshore oceanographic science vessel is underway at the Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, B.C., as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy.It will replace the decommissioned Canadian Coast Guard Ship Hudson — now at a wreckers yard — to provide scientific and ocean mapping missions in Atlantic Canada. The offshore oceanographic science vessel is the key platform to track climate change in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of St Lawrence. Delivery is expected in 2025 and the ship will be based in Dartmouth, N.S.>>click to read<< 11:53
Commercial fishing industry deserves greater appreciation
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