Monthly Archives: January 2024
Flawed snow crab price-setting system needs overhaul soon, FFAW says
The president of the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union says time is ticking on getting a new formula-based seafood pricing system in place ahead of the 2024 season. A November report from the province’s three-person fish price-setting team submitted to the provincial government said the current seafood price-setting process is flawed and changes need to be made to avoid another tie-up that halted the snow crab industry for six weeks last season. The report offered nine recommendations, including that a formula-based pricing system be implemented by the end of January. FFAW president Greg Pretty said that process is underway. more, >>click to read<< 14:16
Lobstermen Sue State Agency for Mandating Installation of 24-Hour Electronic Location Monitoring System on Their Boats
A group of five Maine lobstermen are suing Maine Department of Marine Fisheries (MDMR) Commissioner Patrick Keliher over new rules mandating that all federally permitted lobster boats be equipped with a 24-hour electronic location monitoring system. These mandated devices — provided by the MDMR — identify a vessel’s location every sixty seconds while in motion and once every six hours when stationary. Using one of these devices, a boat’s position is able to be accurately determined within 100 meters, or 328.1 feet. According to the lobstermen, this new requirement violates the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, as they allege that it jeopardizes their Constitutionally protected rights to privacy and due process. more, >>click to read<< 11:20
F/V Susan Rose Salvage is Underway
Back on November 19, the 77-foot steel commercial trawler, known as the Susan Rose, sunk after it had been grounded on the shoreline just two days earlier. This maritime incident happened during an attempt to tow the vessel to a Staten Island shipyard. As crews pulled her off the coastline, she started to take on water which ended with her sitting in 48 feet of water just 1,000 feet from the shore. Even though the ship had been pumped off all of her fuel, there are a few other pollutants from the ship that needed to be removed. Some of these pollutants would have been ok to leave in the water if a recovery were to take place within weeks but since it could be months things need to be removed. photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:35
“Offshore wind is in trouble,,, US offshore wind slammed by runaway costs
The US offshore wind industry, banking on a big boost from the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, has found itself face-to-face with a major hurdle that’s been right there in the name all along: inflation. In fact, the law might even be making it worse. More than 10 gigawatts of offshore wind projects along the US East Coast, the equivalent of roughly 10 nuclear power reactors, are at serious risk as higher costs force developers to re-crunch the numbers for proposals originally modeled years ago, before a runup in interest rates and material costs. Orsted A/S, the Danish wind giant, said this week it’s prepared to walk away from projects unless it gets even more government aid. Other developers are already paying tens of millions in penalties to exit contracts they say no longer make financial sense. more, >>click to read<< 08:20
The Supreme Court can save working fishermen from Biden regulators
The crew and I had been trawling the Gulf of Maine for several days aboard the F/V Teresa Maria IV, the commercial fishing vessel I captained for 14 years. I had only just settled into my bunk for a few hours of sleep. That’s when the rogue wave hit. Life at sea is never predictable. A promising forecast could give way at any time to a squall with heavy swells. Essential navigation components might break. On that night, circumstances coalesced such that a rogue wave knocked my boat clean over. We were capsized in the black of night. This unsettling experience was front of mind when my organization, the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) filed an amicus brief in an upcoming Supreme Court case about the Biden administration’s power over the fishing industry. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:46
Boat engineer identified as person pulled from harbor on Christmas Eve
A fishing vessel crewmember whose body was pulled from the North Channel of Gloucester Harbor just off the Jodrey State Fish Pier shortly after noon Christmas Eve day has been identified in reports from the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and Gloucester Police. The man who died was 69-year-old Donaldo Thompson who appeared to be from Florida. The investigation remains open pending reports from the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Essex DA spokesperson Sharyn Lubas wrote in an email. Thompson served as crewmember and boat engineer aboard the F/V Reliance which was docked at the Jodrey State Fish Pier at the time, according to a Gloucester police report. The vessel, which has been known to fish for menhaden, was tied up at the Jodrey State Fish Pier on Wednesday. 3 photos, more, >>click to read<< 17:38
3rd Delay. Commercial crab season delayed again as fishermen seek better compensation
crabber Mathew Paul
Commercial Dungeness crab season was set to open locally on Friday, but it appears the start date may be pushed back yet again. On Wednesday, the Eureka crab shack Jenna Lee’s Seafood announced they were going on strike along with others in efforts to get a better base price for crabs this season. “The situation with the crab and the weather has changed. Seems the fish companies can’t pay the fisherman a decent price so that they might make a living,” said Jenna Lee’s Seafood in a social media post Wednesday morning, “So we are on strike with all the others to help support a base price. Also the weather is marginal at best. We just can’t even guess at this time what will happen but feel it may not last long.” A longtime Humboldt County fisherman who asked to be quoted off the record said that the issue stems from the offer from the seafood company ‘Pacific Seafood’ per-pound of crab. Video, more, >>click to read<< 13:59
Hampidjan Canada becomes latest CatchCam distributor
SafetyNet Technologies has entered into a strategic partnership with Hampidjan Canada Ltd. As the latest distributor of SafetyNet’s CatchCam underwater camera, Hampidjan is set to bring innovation tin Newfoundland and Nova Scotia,o the forefront of the Canadian fishing industry. Based in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Hampidjan Canada is an integral part of the local fishing industry. Specialised in providing reliable equipment for commercial fishermen, their position makes them ideal distributors for CatchCam in the Canadian market. more, >>click to read<< 11:54
Fishermen fear for future of industry in Cromer crab row
The Cromer Shoal Chalk Bed is the world’s longest chalk reef, stretching more than 20 miles along the coast from Weybourne to Happisburgh, and has provided a living for generations of fishermen. But there are now fears for the future of this centuries-old industry. This is because three sections of the reef have now become ‘no fishing zones’ as part of a study to compare the damage being caused to the chalk bed by natural causes and potting – the traditional method of using pots to catch crabs and lobsters. The ‘natural disturbance study’ is being carried out by the Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (EIFCA) and comes after a report by Natural England found fishermen dropping pots on the seabed was damaging the chalk. photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:21
Photo Release: Coast Guard tows disabled fishing vessel to Adak, Alaska
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC 39) towed a disabled fishing vessel with eight people aboard to Adak, Monday. Alex Haley successfully towed the 127-foot fishing vessel Aleutian No. 1 into Adak and transferred to fishing vessel Erla-N. Erla-N then towed the disabled vessel into Adak where it was moored at the pier at 11:30 a.m. with the help of Alex Haley’s cutter boats. At 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Alex Haley arrived on scene and took Aleutian No. 1 in tow before transiting over 160 miles to Adak. Watchstanders in the 17th District command center received initial notification from the master of Aleutian No. 1 at 5:57 a.m., Thursday, reporting they had fouled their prop, were unable to conduct repairs and were drifting approximately three miles north of Amchitka Island, 575 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor.3 photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:49
NTSB: F/V Tremont Hit MSC Boxship as it was Fixing Gyrocompass While Underway
The 115-foot trawler had a crew of 12 plus the captain and mate’s 2-year-old child aboard as a passenger when it left New Bedford, Massachusetts on October 7, 2022, for squid fishing off the U.S. East Coast. The crew told the NTSB about four or five days into the 20-day trip “the vessel’s gyrocompass became ‘kind of sporadic,’” but since the error was last than 10 degrees the captain and mate, “determined it ‘was something we could live with,’” and so they continued to operate along the East Coast. They also knew that the vessel’s AIS was not fully functioning and while it was transmitting it was not displaying on the trawler. more, >>click to read<< 07:41
US Wind Requests Authorization to Cover Possible Harm, Disturbance to Marine Mammals
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries has announced a request from US Wind, Inc. for a Letter of Authorization that would cover potential negative impacts to small numbers of marine mammals during construction of US Wind’s offshore wind project.US Wind also requested Incidental Take Regulations that would establish how many of a certain marine mammal species’ incidental disruption and possible injury would be permissible during construction. “This regulatory action is part of NOAA’s ongoing work to ensure the nation’s deployment of offshore wind energy is done in a manner that avoids and minimizes impacts on protected resources and their habitats,” NOAA Fisheries said in a social media post Wednesday. more, >>click to read<< 06:38
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
Canada pledges to work with U.S. over competing claims to Arctic sea floor
The federal government is pledging to work with its American counterparts after the U.S. claimed parts of the Arctic sea floor that Canada also wants. Grantly Franklin, spokesman for Global Affairs Canada, said in an email that Canada expects to follow the process set out in a United Nations treaty despite the fact the U.S. hasn’t ratified the Convention on the Law of the Sea. “Canada and the U.S. are in frequent communication with regards to the continental shelf in the Arctic and have expressed their commitment along with other Arctic states to the orderly settlement of overlapping claims,” Franklin wrote. more, >>click to read<< 19:43
Hoyle’s bill to support commercial fishing in port infrastructure passes House and Senate
Last week, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle’s (OR-04) “Supporting Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Projects Act” (H.R. 4618) passed both the House and Senate as part of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Reauthorization Act. President Biden is expected to sign this bill into law. H.R. 4618 will ensure ports can apply for infrastructure grants that support commercial fishing, bolster jobs, and drive the economies of our coastal communities. Current law does not make it explicitly clear whether ports can apply for Port Infrastructure Development Program grants that support commercial fishing, often leaving it up to interpretation that can overlook our commercial fishing communities who are the backbone of our coastal economies. When signed into law, Rep. Hoyle’s legislation will clarify that ports may apply for federal funding through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program for port infrastructure projects which support commercial fishing, and the local jobs and livelihoods that come with it. more, >>click to read<<17:57
Exploring the viability of large-scale hatchery production of Atlantic surf clams for fishery enhancement
Fishery stock enhancement strategies – also known as restocking for conservation purposes, or sea ranching for economic purposes – have gained interest among U.S. stakeholders as challenges associated with food security, marine habitat degradation and potential job losses increase due to anthropogenic stressors. The Atlantic surf clam (Spisula solidissima) is considered one of the most important commercial clam species harvested in the United States. It is a large marine bivalve that is distributed from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; however, the fishery for Atlantic surf clam is based off the Mid-Atlantic coast, where surf clams have historically been most abundant. more, >>click to read<< 13:18
NZ Fishing Company Fined for Exposing Crewmembers to Asbestos
New Zealand’s largest deepwater fishing company has been slapped with a fine after being convicted with a charge Sealord pled guiltywhile working on-board the 50-year-old fishing vessel F/V Will Watch. Last August, Sealord pled guilty to failing to properly protect workers from the risk of harm from exposure to asbestos. In December, that charge resulted in the company being fined about US$196,000, a substantial penalty but less than the statutory maximum of US$983,000. more, >>click to read<< 11:54
Waterman Joshua Wade Hinman of Cape Charles, VA, has passed away
Joshua Wade Hinman, 37, husband of Erika Etz Hinman and a resident of Cape Charles, VA, passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at his residence. A native of the Eastern Shore, he was the son of Peter Jackson Hinman and Donna Raye Doiron Hinman. He was a life-long waterman and was respected as one of the most prominent watermen on the Eastern Shore, was a hard worker, but above all he was a loving son, husband and dad who loved his family. In addition to his loving wife and parents, he is survived by three children, Elijah Wade Hinman, Jackson Frederick Hinman, and Julian Kane Gorman more, >>click to read<< 10:14
Mitchell takes oath of office for sixth term as New Bedford mayor
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell was sworn-in for his sixth term Monday night. Gov. Maura Healey administered the oath of office to Mitchell for a four-year term. Mitchell, who won re-election in November with about 64% of the vote, delivered an inaugural address. Moments after he was sworn in, Mitchell reaffirmed his commitment to making the city safer, stronger and at the forefront of new technology. He has spoken in the past about South Coast Rail, the offshore wind industry, and economic development as priorities. video, photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:11
Hook, line and sinking: What’s the future of NC’s commercial fishing industry?
With a well-trained hook of the line by one of the founders and co-owners of Wilmington’s Seaview Crab Company, a few loops around the puller and a flick of a switch, the crab pot soon emerged. Inside the pot, a dozen or so blue crabs scampered around, some using their impressive claws to attach themselves to the mesh-sides of the cage. “It’s not always easy, but this never gets old,” Romano, 44, said as he emptied the crabs into a holding bin before checking to make sure they were all of legal size, the lucky ones getting tossed back into the waterway. The others were divided by size into containers to be sold individually − “These are the ones everyone wants,” Romano joked as he held up a good-sized crab − or to be sent to a crab house to be picked apart for their meat. photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:12
Dungeness Crab season begins January 5
The commercial Dungeness crab season commences in Del Norte County, this week. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFWD) announced the Dungeness season is now open in zones 1 and 2, Sonoma County line to the Oregon border. The delay in zones 3-6, South of the Sonoma / Mendocino will continue to be restricted. Multiple delays in opening the Crab season have been attributed to excessive humpback whale entanglements and the high number of whale sightings, according to the DFWD Assessment and Mitigation program. more, >>click to read<< 17:25
Bristol Bay’s 2023 year in review
January started out with communities contending with an egg shortage, as an outbreak of avian flu in Washington state drastically slowed shipments north. Slavii stars circulated around the region for Orthodox Christmas with some precautions in place to protect community members from the flu virus and Covid-19. Dozens of people attended the Bristol Bay Native Corporation’s free online language classes in Yup’ik, Dena’ina and Alutiiq. The corporation also offered song and dance classes. And at the end of the month, many in Bristol Bay saw a years-long effort validated with the Environmental Protection Agency vetoing the controversial Pebble Mine project. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 12:35
Restaurant Chain Lobster Mac & Cheese Ranked Worst to Best, According to Customers
Both mac & cheese and lobster shine as individual dining options. Now, picture them combined into one spectacular dish. A delightful fusion of contrasting flavors and textures, lobster mac & cheese elevates a classic comfort food into a gourmet experience. Although the exact origins of when and where lobster was first added to this gooey dish are unknown, according to The New York Times, its popularity surged in 2011 following a record-breaking harvest of Maine lobster. Eager to test your taste buds? Here are some of the best and worst chain restaurants to get your lobster mac & cheese fix, as rated by customers! photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:16
The quintessentially British fish and chips is endangered. Why?
Ever since she was old enough to walk, Terrilea Coglan was climbing aboard fishing boats that set sail each morning from the rocky beachfront of Hastings to harvest the key ingredient in Britain’s most iconic dish: fish and chips. The day’s catch travels just a short way from the boats up to the seaside fish and chips shops, or “chippies,” that pride themselves as much in the freshness of the fish as in the secret recipes for their gooey batter. Coglan’s parents and grandparents were in the fish trade, and now her sons are, too. But these days Coglan fears they may be the last. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:54
