Daily Archives: January 20, 2024

Rep. Andy Harris hosts anti-wind hearing in Ocean City ahead of final authorization of US WIND project

January 20, 2024   Mid Atlantic, National

US Representative Andy Harris hosted a hearing in Ocean City Saturday to push back against efforts from US WIND to develop offshore wind power off the coast of Ocean City. Rep. Harris tells 47ABC he is opposed to projects proposed both by Orsted and US WIND, but the event focused on the US WIND plan that is in its final approval stage from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). “Once you you drive these out, the pilings and you put these windmills up, they’re going to be there a long time,”Rep. Harris said. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan says they do not support it the measure moving forward, citing damage to their local industries. “You have the concerns of the commercial fishermen, the recreational fishermen, the environment, environmentalists, there are so many there are so many more questions than answers,” Meehan said. more, >>click to read<< 19:43

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Amidst divide between set net and seiner fleets, Board of Fisheries passes gear changes for both

January 20, 2024   North Pacific

Alaska’s Board of Fisheries approved small changes for the local salmon set net and purse seine fleets at its meeting in Kodiak last week, January 9th – 12th, while opting to keep the status quo overall for the westside of the island’s management strategy. Of the 91 people who signed up to give public comments, roughly a third of them discussed seining or set nets (gillnets) and the proposals dealing with their respective fishing gear. Out of the 31 total proposals before the Board of Fisheries, about ten considered management changes between the gear groups. BOF oversees fisheries management within state waters. more, >>click to read<< 12:20

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Banner year for blue-fin tuna

January 20, 2024   Canada

Thanks to unusually warm waters, and plenty of prey in the North Atlantic off Canso, fishermen are calling 2023 a record-breaking year for landings of the fabled blue-fin tuna. “They brought in over 500 fish in this area by the end of December,” said Ginny Boudreau, manager of the Guysborough County Inshore Fishermen’s Association (GCIFA). “That’s well over a hundred more, up 20 per cent, from last year, and the highest in the last 10 years.” And the fish are bigger. more, >>click to read<< 11:10

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Reader Commentary: NOAA cares about whales — until wind farms are involved

January 20, 2024   Mid Atlantic, National, New England

Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing? Remember a couple of years ago when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration proposed draconian new speed rules for commercial and recreational vessels up and down the entire Atlantic Coast? This rule attempted to extend to vessels between 35 and 65 feet in length the existing requirement that vessels over 65 feet in length reduce their speed to 10 knots in what is called Seasonal Management Areas along the Atlantic Coast.  Fast forward to now, and we find that NOAA has received a request from U.S. Wind, LLC, for a “letter of authorization for incidental take regulations” (basically killing) of  members of several marine mammal groups over a period of five years (2025-2029) during the construction of the wind farms off the coast of Maryland. By Carol Frazier, more, >>click to read<< 10:16

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F/V Tara Lynn II: Multiple groups work together to remove fishing vessel from Cape Elizabeth shore

January 20, 2024   New England

This week, Portland-based salvage company Determination Marine, along with crews from Scott Dugas Trucking-Excavating, worked Friday to remove as much gear off the Tara Lynn II as possible. Parker Poole, the owner of Determination Marine, said Friday morning that the boat was leaning at a 60-degree angle and it needed to be tilted to as level as possible to remove the mast and other parts still on board. While the cold winter weather this week makes for tough working conditions, Poole said it has benefits for land preservation. Crews left the scene on Reef Road Friday evening, and Poole said he and some workers will return Saturday to continue cleaning up debris before the heavy machinery returns Monday morning. Video, more, >>click to read<< 09″08

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My mom made waves as captain of her lobster boat. I’m proud to be her deckhand

January 20, 2024   Canada, Featured, International, International News

A sou’easter blew with force, stronger by the second, making the waves choppy and short. My mom, laughing as she tends to in these situations, said, “Ya gotta drive ‘er it like you stole ‘er!”  We were sailing at a good clip to keep her lobster boat steady and skip over the waves. A bit nervously, I laughed along with her, somewhat glad that we were cutting our fishing day short as we bounced among the tumultuous whitecaps. I was sitting at the lunch table where we sometimes enjoy a meal together as a break from the day. All seemed relatively fine, albeit a bit rough, until we had to turn starboard at a point where one current meets the other in the gully. Rather than taking the waves head-on, we were suddenly being slammed port side. photos, Video, more, >>click to  read<< 07:46

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