Daily Archives: November 24, 2023

Loss of beloved fisherman still felt two years on

Tyrone Sock often thinks of his father when he looks at his son. Grief is a strange combination of what has happened and what won’t. Craig (Jumbo) Sock, who died after his fishing vessel went down off the coast of Nova Scotia in 2021, had two grandchildren he’ll never get to see grow up, Tyrone said. Jumbo’s loss can be felt throughout the entire Elsipogtog First Nation community, where he was a councillor and minor hockey league coach. “He was loved by everyone he crossed paths with,” said Tyrone, who spent a decade fishing with his father. “He was loved by every teammate, every player, every parent. You know what? Even the opposing teams loved him. That’s how much joy he brought to a room.” photos, >>click to read<< 15:28

Inshore Fishermen Tell Minister They ‘Urgently Need Help’

The National Inshore Fishermen’s Association has made a request to the Minister for the Marine for “immediate financial support” in order to survive the winter. Processors have reduced the price paid for shellfish, NIFA said, in a letter delivered to the Minister’s office in Donegal. Many fishermen will not be able to maintain themselves during the winter months, according to NIFA, “which leaves an uncertainty to the once lucrative Christmas season when fishermen would normally receive the highest prices of the year.” >>click t<o read<< 12:53

One of RI’s top environmentalists is suing to block offshore wind project 

Trudy Coxe, the former head of Save the Bay and once the top environmental official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, dropped a bombshell on Wednesday afternoon. In her role as the head of the Newport Preservation Society (NPS), Coxe announced that her organization has filed a massive federal lawsuit to block the construction the offshore wind project off the coast of Rhode Island. NPS manages the public-facing mansions in Newport, such as The Breakers and Rosecliff, to name a few. The Preservation Society filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.>>click to read<< 11:55

Coastal Georgia shrimpers fear loss of industry as foreign seafood crowds market

“Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it gets worse,” said Pat Mathews, the owner of the Lazaretto Packing Co. on Tybee Island, as he walked away from a truck idling in the loading zone. Early on a Monday morning in October in the height of shrimp season the driver had come to pick up a load of freshly caught shrimp from the James W. Salyers, a shrimp boat captained by David Attia. The driver delivered disappointing news, informing Pat that this would be the last load he would be able to pick up for the foreseeable future. The Mathews family has been in the seafood business for over a century. Where they once owned several seafood markets, their business now centers on the dock they own at Tybee, one of the few hubs of the industry that has been an iconic business on Georgia’s 100-mile coast.  >>click to read<< 10:53

Last southwestern N.S. lobster season one for the record books: But not in a good way

From delayed season starts to low shore prices, foul weather and an out-of-control wildfire as a grand finale, the 2022-23 season in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 33 and 34 has been dubbed the worst season in more than 20 years. The LFA 34 fishery opened on Dec 5, 2022, after a one-week delay to the season start due to weather. The LFA 33 fishery opened on Nov. 29, 2022, after a one-day delay. Both seasons are always scheduled to start on the last Monday of November. The season opened with a $7 shore price, compared to the record-setting opening shore price of $10 to $11 a pound in 2021. The shore price peaked at $13.50 during the slowest part of the season in mid-winter, closing at $8.30 at season’s end on May 31. Photos, >>click to read<< 08:47

Fraserburgh RNLI Crews’ 12-Hour Rescue Mission to Stranded Fishing Vessel

In a daring 12-hour operation, the dedicated crew of Fraserburgh RNLI, under the command of Duty Coxswain Victor Sutherland, successfully rescued a distressed fishing vessel stranded 40 miles off the coast. The 19-metre fishing vessel, carrying a crew of seven, found itself in dire straits when another passing fishing vessel attempted to lend a helping hand. However, the tumultuous sea conditions rendered evacuation unsafe, prompting the Coxswain to make the pivotal decision to attach a tow line. The Fraserburgh RNLI lifeboat, named “Willie and May Gall,” swiftly launched at 12:28pm, racing against time to reach the distressed vessel. >>click to read<< 07:24