Daily Archives: December 5, 2023
B.C. salmon farms linked to explosive spike in wild fish deaths
Dead juvenile herring with their eyes blown out after getting caught in a hydrolicer
B.C. salmon farms killed more than 800,000 wild fish in 2022, 16 times more than the last decade’s yearly average, federal data shows. The unprecedented spike in aquaculture bycatch accounts for more dead fish in one year than the combined death toll over the previous 10 years. In one graphic example, video captured at a Cermaq facility in Clayoquot Sound shows herring floundering at the surface after getting sucked into a powerful machine meant to remove sea lice from farmed salmon. Stan Proboszcz, a senior scientist at Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said he has never seen anything like it. “All these herring that went through the hydrolicer had their eyes blown out,” Proboszcz said. “It’s horrific.” more, photos, >>click to read<< 18:07
Clearwater Seafoods announces fish crew certification for its fleet
Clearwater Seafoods announces that seven vessels within its Canadian fleet have been certified using the Fish Standard for Crew, an independent, third-party certification program for labor practices on fishing vessels. The certification was awarded after extensive policy and procedure review was conducted, as well as on-site vessel inspections, and face-to-face interviews with crew members by the independent auditors. FISH certification seeks to improve the conditions for vessel crew and to serve as a credible tool that organizations in today’s seafood industry can use to validate their commitments to their employees. Clearwater’s FISH certified fleet of seven vessels is comprised of clam, lobster, and scallop harvesters, operating in the Canadian North Atlantic. >>click to read<< 14:54
Men of sea
The man and the sea… a hard life, a very hard (and dangerous) work. And sometimes a day of work gives only a couple of tens of euros. These images show the end of the night of fishing in the sea, when the fishermen are in the harbour, and they are preparing the fish for the markets or are cleaning their boats after the work. There is not much time for rest; it’s already late, it’s nine o’clock in the morning. And the fisherman has to clean the boat, to repair the nets and to sleep at least a few hours before another night of work in the sea. >>click to view<< 10 great images! 13:02
Drop in catches when the area 34 lobster fishery opens
The lobster fishing season in Area 34 started a week later than planned due to bad weather. Although the sea has calmed down, the catches are not there according to fishermen from Pubnico and Methegan. Fishing is down, it’s not as good as other years, notes Graham Deon, captain of the boat Samanta Dawn, who has been fishing for 43 years. We expect 25 to 50% fewer catches, all districts are down. Aldric d’Entremont is captain of the lobster boat Miss Marley. Same observation from Aldric D’Entremont who also got into lobster fishing more than 40 years ago. more, >>click to read<< 11:28
China Does Not Follow Int’l Law, Hurting American Fishermen
On Monday morning, Captain Richard Isaksen, president of the Belford Seafood Co-op, met with North Middletown’s congressman to call for stricter scrutiny on seafood products imported from China. Did you know? The United States imports more than $2 billion of seafood products from China every year. But China’s cheap labor practices and illegal fishing methods are hurting American fishing companies, said Isaksen. Congressman Frank Pallone agrees: “The flagrant disregard from the People’s Republic of China for international and domestic laws allows China to export seafood that is often sold at low prices to establish a market advantage — and drive out American seafood producers,” he said. more, >>click to read<< 09:45
UPDATE: Coast Guard suspends search for F/V Miss Winnie fisherman
The Coast Guard suspended its search at roughly 5:30 p.m. Monday for a missing commercial fisherman roughly 138 miles southwest of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Crews searched more than 46 hours and over 2000 square miles. Assets involved in the search were: U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center HC-144 Ocean Sentry, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroom Good samaritan commercial fishing vessel F/V Kenneth ColeThe Coast Guard suspended active search efforts after the probable search area was saturated with multiple assets and resources. The incident is currently under investigation. -USCG- >>click to read<< 08:45
Heroic Peterhead fisherman saved five crewmen from sinking trawler after North Sea collision
Kris Leel, an engineer for Peterhead-based fishing boat Guiding Light, was awarded the Lady Swaythling Trophy from the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society at a ceremony in London in October. With both vessels fishing in “challenging” conditions, which included rough seas and near gale-force winds, both ships collided when they were retrieving their gear after hauling in their catch. It happened after Guiding Light’s bow rose in the swell and struck the Guiding Star, which resulted in the latter’s stern being sliced open and it started to go down. Mr Leel started the forward crane and prepared numerous throwing lines to help. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:01
Cornish fishing industry’s fears for the future over ‘zero catch’ limit
Fishing industry leaders in Cornwall say government plans to effectively ban them from catching certain species would be ‘devastating’.The quota for pollack for the next 12 months could be set at zero – presenting a major challenge for fishers in our coastal communities. Chris Ranford, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Association, said: “We have a really unique situation this year, the pollack stock in the South West has been advised as a zero catch for next year. Video, >>click to read<< 06:25
