Daily Archives: December 28, 2023
U.S. preparing to claim new ocean territory off Arctic Alaska and in central Bering Sea
United States ocean territory could expand by an area more than twice the size of California, with most of that in ocean areas off Alaska, under a claim being prepared by the federal government. The U.S. State Department this month announced results of a two-decade program to map the extended continental shelf areas beyond the nation’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Much of the focus was on the Arctic Ocean, where bathymetric and geologic surveys by federal agencies produced the first detailed maps of a complex seafloor with a series of canyons, ridges and deep-sea plateaus. The U.S. State Department this month announced results of a two-decade program to map the extended continental shelf areas beyond the nation’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone. more, >>click to read<< 16:08
Dear Seamus: All Seasonal Workers Want for Christmas is Dignity and Respect
This Christmas season, seasonal workers in Newfoundland and Labrador are in crisis due to a failure of the federal government. Despite months of broken promises, the federal government has largely failed to support seasonal workers facing financial crisis this winter season. This Union signalled the coming crisis to the federal government back in April when the markets for snow crab collapsed. At the time, FFAW-Unifor proposed needed changes to the federal employment insurance (EI) system and income supplements for all affected fish harvesters and plant workers. “The crab fishery came and went, and just as the fishing season began to wind down and folks prepared to file their annual EI claims, the federal criteria for EI changed. more, >>click to read<< 14:26
Fisheries observer turns up dead in latest incident in Ghana waters
Two years after the disappearance of fisheries observer Emmanuel Essien off the coast of Ghana, another observer has vanished from a fishing trawler. According to his family, 38-year-old Samuel Abayateye was reported missing on Oct. 30. His decapitated body washed ashore nearly six weeks later. Abayateye was assigned to Marin 707, a Ghana-flagged vessel owned and operated by a South Korean company, World Marine Co. Ltd. His brother, Yohane, told Mongabay he last spoke to Abayateye on Oct. 24, when the observer called to say he was trying unsuccessfully to reach his supervisor in Marin 707’s home port of Tema to report an incident. more, >>click to read<< 13:31
Liafjord Heads For Home
Norwegian fishing company Liegruppen’s new pelagic trawler Liafjord is steaming home to Norway, having been handed over to its owners by the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey. The 71-metre by 15-metre beam Liafjord is designed by Salt Ship Design and follows the groundbreaking LNG-powered Libas, which was delivered by the same yard several years ago. Liegruppen opted not to go for the same LNG propulsion system for Liafjord, although the vessel has some respectable green energy credentials, with electric winches, heat recovery technology and a large battery pack as part of its hybrid propulsion. Photo, more, >>click to read<< 12:21
Kennedy welcomes USDA purchase of $36 million of shrimp to feed Louisiana families
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to purchase $36 million of shrimp to help alleviate food insecurity. The USDA made the purchase under the Agriculture Act of 1935, which provides for national food assistance during emergencies. “High inflation is hindering Americans’ ability to put food on the table, and many families are relying on national food assistance programs to get by. I’m thankful for the USDA’s purchase of $36 million of gulf shrimp, which will not only benefit Louisiana shrimpers, but will also help those in need during this holiday season,” said Kennedy. Link 09:43
18-month search for a Great Lakes shipwreck is the subject of the next DCMM speaker program
The mysterious disappearance of a commercial fishing boat in Lake Michigan, and the 18-month-long search that followed, is the topic of the next program in the Maritime Speaker Series offered by the Door County Maritime Museum. Brennan Christianson, the museum’s collections coordinator, will present “The Search for the Linda E.” Jan. 4 at the museum’s Sturgeon Bay location. The public can attend the program in person at the museum or see it online via Zoom. The Linda E. was a nearly 40-foot-long vessel designed to haul and set gill nets for commercial fishing, described as a typical Great Lakes commercial fishing boat by the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website. more, >>cick to read<< 07:55
