Daily Archives: January 3, 2024

Liftboat Surveying Sunken Fishing Vessel Off Point Pleasant Beach

An unusual vessel offshore of Point Pleasant Beach that drew the attention of onlookers Tuesday was on the scene surveying a fishing trawler that sank in November, authorities said. Christian Zimny, project manager for Northstar Marine Services of Cape May, said the boat, called a liftboat, was being used by the company to check on the status of the Susan Rose, the 77-foot fishing trawler that sank in November. Crews were trying to remove the boat from where it ran aground in Point Pleasant Beach when it filled with water and sank not far from the beach on Nov. 19. more, >>click to read<< 19:21

We used AI and satellite imagery to map ocean activities that take place out of sight, including fishing, shipping and energy development

A newly published study in the journal Nature combines satellite images, vessel GPS data and artificial intelligence to reveal human industrial activities across the ocean over a five-year period. Researchers at Global Fishing Watch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea, led this study, in collaboration with me and our colleagues at Duke University, University of California, Santa Barbara and Sky Truth. We found that a remarkable amount of activity occurs outside of public monitoring systems. Our new map and data provide the most comprehensive public picture available of industrial uses of the ocean. more, >>click to read<< 15:52

Maine lobstermen sue to stop new electronic tracking

Maine lobstermen are suing to stop a new suing to stop they argue violates their constitutional rights. In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, the five lobstermen, who are being supported by the Sustainable Maine Fishing Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Maine Lobstering Union, argue the rules present an “immediate and serious risk” to their constitutional right to privacy. The lobstermen are being represented by the Portland law firm of McCloskey, Mina, Cunniff & Frawley LLC. The new rules, which the Maine Department of Marine Resources began implementing on Dec. 15, 2023, require lobstermen with federal permits to install electronic trackers that monitor the movement of their boats 24/7. more, >>click to read<< 13:42

Ørsted pulled out of NJ. What comes next for wind power at the Jersey Shore?

After Ørsted, Danish energy company, announced in October that it would pull out of the billion-dollar project to build wind turbines off the New Jersey coast, there was discussion about what would come next for clean energy development in the Garden State. Gov. Phil Murphy announced that the state’s Board of Public Utilities would seek another wind energy company in early 2024 and engage in contracts in early 2025. Why did Ørsted drop its New Jersey projects? The company ended development of the Ocean Wind 1 and 2 projects, which were supposed to be built off the coast of Atlantic City. Two other projects, one by Avangrid and another by SouthCoast, a joint venture of Shell and Ocean Winds North America,  were also canceled earlier this year in Massachusetts, forcing the companies to pay penalties of $48 million and $60 million, respectively. >>click to read<<10:48

Lacking information, Oregon residents guess at future of offshore wind

The sun was peeking through the clouds during a short break in the rain as Nick Edwards was making his way along the Charleston Marina. Edwards fished along the Oregon Coast for more than 40 years and now owns an 80-foot trawler named the Carter Jon, which commercially fishes Dungeness crab and pink cocktail shrimp. Near the ramp’s entrance, Edwards ran into his captain, Jordan Murphy. The men exchanged keys, and the conversation quickly turned to floating offshore wind. “We don’t want that, that’s my perspective,” Murphy said. “It would be a lot of our [fishing] grounds.” “We don’t want the demise of our ecosystem to be the unintended consequences of offshore wind,” he said. photos. charts, more, >>click to read<< 08:53

Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 84′ Raised Foc’sle Scalloper/ Dragger, 940HP, Cummins KT-2300

To review specifications, information, and 33 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 07: 43

Tories claim bigger earnings add up to Brexit boost for Scottish fishing

Scottish fishers are reaping the rewards of a Brexit boost to the value of their catches, the Tories have claimed. However, the Scottish Government insists the industry is worse off overall. Figures obtained from the government show a 27.4% boost to sales income for larger vessels – those 79ft and up – in the three years to 2022. These boats netted fish and other seafood worth a total of £3.5 million in 2022. This is compared with landings valued at £3m in 2021 and £2.8m in 2019. Crews on these vessels saw their average monthly sales incomes increase from £22,000 to £31,000. more, >>click to read<< 06:39