Monthly Archives: April 2024
Kirkella aims to take Flemish Cap quota in one trip
The UK’s last remaining distant waters trawler, the 81-metre Kirkella operated by UK Fisheries, is fishing on Flemish Cap, providing a British presence on these fishing grounds for the first time since 2916 – when the previous vessel to carry the same name worked there. Kirkella’s skipper Sigurbjörn Sigurðsson hopes to complete the trip on the grounds 300 nautical miles south of Newfoundland by the end of May. He and Kirkella’s mainly British crew are hoping to take their 1090-tonne NAFO cod quota before heading back to Svalbard. More, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:50
Farmed and caught: Virginia seafood is thriving
Seafood is a $1 billion-a-year industry in Virginia. Some Virginia seafood like oysters and trout are farmed. Some, like drum, flounder, scallops, crabs and clams are caught or harvested. Many Virginia restaurants depend on the local bounty. The Clam Shack is located in Nassawaddox and specializes in local seafood. In addition to oysters, MacGarvey says crabs are also a top seller. Ray Twiford is a commercial fisherman and restaurant owner near Chincoteague. “I wouldn’t trade it for a desk job,” said Twiford. He spends long days on the job. His mornings start on the water when he nets fish or harvests other seafood. He then processes and keeps it refrigerated. He then sells his catch at a seafood market he operates, or at his restaurant Ray’s Shanty. Fish that were swimming in the morning are often on a plate that night. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:06
NCFA SPECIAL UPDATE! April 30, 2024, TURF WAR CONTINUES WITH WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION
The Wildlife Resources Commission, or WRC, has requested rules to change the parameters of what comes under their jurisdiction vs Marine Fisheries. We need you to send an email as outlined below to the two addresses at the Rules Review Commission. It needs to be done today or by noon tomorrow, please! There is no need to go into detail, just a letter of objection as outlined below. However, if you want the rationale just call me or Glenn or send us a note. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:31
SEA-NL advises Ottawa to increase northern cod harvest, but not to lift ’92 moratorium
April 30th, 2024 – Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) has called on Ottawa to increase the 2024 northern cod harvest, but under a continued inshore stewardship fishery that bans offshore factory-freezer trawlers. “Lifting the moratorium and restarting a full-fledged commercial fishery for northern cod will open the gates to offshore draggers, foreign and domestic, which the stock is not ready for,” says SEA-NL President Bruce Layman, a Carbonear-based inshore fisherman. The debate on whether to lift the moratorium and restart a commercial fishery has picked up since last fall when DFO introduced a new assessment model that elevated the stock’s scientific status to “cautious” from the “critical” zone. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:02
Alaska lawmakers, residents ask feds to limit how much salmon industrial trawlers catch
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, Alaskan Natives, and family-owned fisheries are looking for a sea change in the fishing rights battle between local fishermen and industrial trawling fishing operations after a federal council recently denied a tribe-approved reduction in chum salmon catches. In western Alaska, local communities are facing a significant decline in salmon populations. The cause of this decline remains a subject of intense debate between industry leaders, subsistence communities, conservation scientists, and local fishermen. Residents point to the Seattle-based trawler fleets in the Bering Sea fishing for pollock but unintentionally catching thousands of chum salmon as bycatch instead. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:31
Storms Hammer Fishing Industry
Fishing opportunities have been reduced by major storms, according to one of the leading Irish fish producer organisations. “Eleven major storms since January first,” says Aodh O Donnell, Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation. This has left many of them unable to fish their monthly quotas in full and they lose these quotas as a result.” The offshore prawn fishery is one of the worst hit as the weather has caused havoc for fishermen this spring, says the IFPO. “Climate change is a further hammer blow to a struggling industry poorly understood by the general public and the political classes.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:24
A call for the price of shrimp to rise as St. Helena Island’s boats head to sea
The future is uncertain for shrimpers in coastal South Carolina, but you wouldn’t know that from the bright, buoyant crowd that gathered Saturday at the Gay Fish Company. Attendees rang in the start of the 2024 season with cowbells and noisemakers, sending off a fleet of shrimp trawlers into the Harbour River as their nets waved like sails in the gentle morning breeze. Owned by a family of veterans spanning three generations, the Gay Fish Company on St. Helena Island held its inaugural “Blessing of the Fleet” Saturday morning. Typically involving a local pastor praying over captains for a safe and bountiful season, the practice has been a staple in fishing communities for centuries. But as fisheries up and down the coast grapple with industry shakeups from overseas, the ceremony takes on a new sort of significance. Photos, Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:29
Maine’s wharf owners scramble to repair what they can before lobstering season starts
Contractors are hard to come by amid the mounting demand for work to repair damage from the set of January storms that battered the coast of Maine. Now, as lobstering season begins, many on the working waterfront are patching their own wharves, hoping they can hold out until the real work can be done. Chris Hole was busy at work on a sunny Friday morning, taking apart his commercial fishing wharf like a game of Jenga. After pulling up the surface wooden slats, Hole used a fork lift to lower large wooden beams down to the deck. Josh Saxton, Hole’s right-hand man, would then slip between the large gaps in the deck to put the support beams in place. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:43
Useless unless worn
Great efforts have been made by all to produce meaningful, practical projects and help develop wearable floatation equipment in conjunction with fishermen and the manufacturers of floatation equipment, according to RNLI fishing safety manager Frankie Horne. He said that this has led to some real improvements in Personal Floatation Device (PFD) products. ‘As the saying goes, Useless Unless Worn, and it’s so true. We can talk about how things were done in the past, but as they say, the past is where things were done differently. Unfortunately, this attitude is why we keep seeing preventable fatalities in the fishing industry. In fact, some of the most vulnerable fishing activities have the worst PFD wear rate,’ he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:01
Scientist, legislators voice opposition to fisheries procedures
A scientist and two legislators joined the state commercial fishing lobby in state commercial fishing lobby the procedure planned by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission for possible changes in regulation of the summer flounder harvest. The fishery, which brought $4.8 million in dockside value to N.C. fishermen last year, is the top commercial fin fish in the state. The North Carolina Fisheries Association held a Monday morning press conference at Union Point Park in New Bern to challenge the use of a supplement approach to the management plan for the flounder. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:21
Fishers to be remembered at services in north and north-east
Maritime charities the Fishermen’s Mission, The Seafarers’ Charity and Stella Maris have joined forces to support a new annual National Fishing Remembrance Day. It has been launched to honour those who have lost their lives while fishing at sea. Memorial services will take place at locations throughout the UK, including in Cairnbulg, near Fraserburgh, and Wick, on Sunday May 12. People are being invited to gather at the fishing wife statue on Shore Street, Cairnbulg, at 3pm. Details of the memorial service in Wick are yet to be confirmed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:34
Video: New Bedford fishing pier collapses, forces vessel relocation and equipment retrieval
Part of a New Bedford fishing pier collapsed Friday afternoon, according to police. Scott Carola, Asst. Deputy Chief and public information officer for the New Bedford police, said officers responded to the Eastern Fisheries Pier off Hervey Tichon Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. after the outer section collapsed. Four vessels that were against the pier had to be moved and some equipment fell into the water. Photo, Video, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:56
It’s Been a Brutal Year for Offshore Wind — Despite Analysts’ Best Guesses
Since the start of 2023, approximately 60% of all contracts signed by American offshore wind developers have been cancelled, according to E&E News. Ørsted, a Danish company and one of the world’s leading offshore wind developers, backed out of two major planned projects in New Jersey in 2023, while other players like General Electric, British Petroleum (BP) and Equinor attempted to renegotiate with state governments as economic headwinds eroded projects’ profitability. Similar developments have played out to start 2024, with developers up and down the east coast backing out of deals to sell power from their projects as the same fundamental economic problems persist despite the projections of some market experts and media outlets. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:57
NCFA WEEKLY UPDATE for April 29, 2024
From the start, several recreational committee members made it clear that they had no respect for the commercial fishing industry or it’s contributions to the states food supply and economy. They referred to themselves as “conservationist” and “public fishers” claiming that they, and only they, have the right to fish. They labeled commercial fishing as a limited privilege that can be taken away if, in their view, it impacts their ability to catch a fish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:06
Maine fishing pier damaged in January storms put up for sale
Kent’s Wharf has been listed for sale through an open-ended online auction. A minimum bid of $1.4 million has been set for the property, which includes two wooden piers and assorted buildings on approximately 1.25 acres. However, the suggested value is more than double that, at $2.9 million. While the reasons for the potential sale are unclear, it comes as advocates for Maine’s working waterfronts worry that some private pier owners may give up on repairing expensive storm damage and instead try to sell their properties, to the detriment of the overall fishing industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:41
Final HFD investigation report being completed following Pier 36 boat fire
Pier 36 appeared to be back to normal Saturday in Honolulu, less than a day after an explosion on a boat that injured five people. It resulted in two critical patients and three serious. First responders were called out to the scene around 3:30 p.m. Friday. Captain Matt Milyak with Hawaii Whale tale tours works on Oahu and offered insight. Regarding Friday’s incident and the possible cause, he, an anonymous fishing industry worker added, “I don’t know, all I see (hear) is a boom noise and a big ball of flames coming through the door and that’s it – back of the boat”. A report released by HFD Saturday evening stated heavy smoke from the engine room was encountered and led the firefighters to the smoldering seat of the fire, portable fire extinguishers were used to extinguish the fire and surrounding hotspots. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:25
Cod stock reassessment prompts calls from producers to end moratorium
A recent reassessment of Newfoundland and Labrador’s northern cod stock has some in the industry calling an end to the commercial moratorium implemented in 1992. Alberto Wareham, president and CEO of Icewater Seafoods in Arnold’s Cove, says last year’s reassessment — the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in reviewing historical data, moved cod from the “critical” zone to the “cautious” zone — could signal the potential for a limited commercial harvest. “We’re hoping now with more confidence in the stock we would see a reopening of a commercial cod fishery,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:48
22 fishermen rescued from sinking fishing vessel off the coast of Cape Town
At 09h36, Friday, 26 April, NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Table Bay duty crews were placed on alert following reports from MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) of a local 35 meter long line fishing trawler taking on water (but under tow and pumping water free) about 30 nautical miles off-shore South West of the Port of Table Bay. A fellow local fishing trawler had taken the casualty fishing trawler under tow. We believe that the local casualty fishing trawler had started taking water in the early hours of the morning and had started heading towards Hout Bay harbour, confident that they would reach the harbour in good time. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:42
2.4 GW Offshore Wind Energy Project Opposed In Brookings
Following a letter of opposition by the Brookings City Council to the Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) about the latter’s Offshore Wind Energy Project on Monday, it is likely that the council will formally oppose the development of windmills off the Oregon Coast. The WEA (wind energy area) in Brookings and Coos Bay potentially has 2.4 gigawatts of clean renewable energy according to the BOEM press release and would comprise 133,000 acres situated about 18 miles off the coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:35
Lobster season opens in southeastern P.E.I. on cold but ‘beautiful’ day
The spring lobster fishery opened in the southeastern part of Prince Edward Island a day late on Saturday, while the northern section that was scheduled to open on Monday will be delayed at least a day. Jeff Bell and other fishers in the 26A lobster fishing area of Murray Harbour loaded their boats and headed into the Northumberland Strait before 6 a.m. to set their traps. Bell, in his 43rd year as the captain of his own boat, said it was cold-there was frost on his boat- but still “beautiful out there.” “Couldn’t ask for a better day,” Bell said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:29,
Port Fairy residents reminiscence origins of 1950s pioneering fishing boat, Tacoma
When the grand old wooden fishing boat Tacoma returned home to Port Fairy, its skipper Ross Haldane was transported back 72 years. The 76-year-old grandfather was one of the seven children onboard when the boat left in the early 1950s destined for South Australia to bolster the state’s growing 
fishing industry. “I remember the boat going into its first big waves — we quickly ran down into the galley and watched the waves from there,” Ross said. Ross and one of the original crew members, 90-year-old Jack Bellamy, made the return trip this year aboard the Tacoma from Port Lincoln to Port Fairy, where it arrived on March 25. Photos, Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:30
Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs
For decades, concerns about automobile pollution have focused on what comes out of the tailpipe. Now, researchers and regulators say, we need to pay more attention to toxic emissions from tires as vehicles roll down the road. At the top of the list of worries is a chemical called 6PPD, which is added to rubber tires to help them last longer. When tires wear on pavement, 6PPD is released. It reacts with ozone to become a different chemical, 6PPD-q, which can be extremely toxic — so much so that it has been linked to repeated fish kills in Washington state. The trouble with tires doesn’t stop there. Tires are made primarily of natural rubber and synthetic rubber, but they contain hundreds of other ingredients, often including steel and heavy metals such as copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:07
Five injured in reported boat ‘explosion’ at Honolulu’s Pier 36
Rescue crews are responding to a reported fire on a boat docked at Pier 36 in Honolulu where five people were injured. First responders were called out to the scene in the 1200 block of N. Nimitz Highway around 3:30 p.m. “They were all adult males, two in critical condition and both of those men went to The Queen’s Medical Center. An additional male was in serious condition, and he also went to the Queen’s Medical Center. And then two people were also adult males in serious condition, and they went to the Straub Medical Center,” Ireland added. The state said the explosion happened while the men were working in the engine room of the “Kim Thu” — a foreign long-line fishing vessel. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:49
The hunt for B.C.’s most notorious fisherman
On a Coast Guard patrol ship in nearby English Bay, Leslie Sanderson was awoken and briefed about a boat that might be fishing where it shouldn’t be. Through binoculars, a crew member quickly spied the suspect vessel, which was lit only by headlamps worn by the shadowy figures on board. The boat was listing slightly, with a trap-hauling line extending into the water. Strewn about the deck were traps containing about 250 Dungeness crabs, one of the most lucrative products in B.C. salt water. It was a haul worth several thousand dollars. Sanderson quickly identified the skipper, wrestled him to the deck, yanked off the man’s heavy fisherman’s rubber gloves and handcuffed him. The DFO had caught Scott Steer. Again. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:04
Waterfront property owners scramble to repair after damaging storms, fearing lobster fishing season at risk
According to Gov. Janet Mills, the back-to-back storms that hit the state earlier this year left behind more than $70 million in damage to Maine’s infrastructure, including the destruction of several working waterfront properties and docks, ultimately leaving the success of this year’s lobster fishing season uncertain. Last week, the Maine Legislature signed off on a $60 million supplemental budget for storm damage relief. Aldrige’s ferry dock was damaged by storms as well, but his repairs are complete. He said he’s watching lobstermen push on at their lowest. “Fishermen are carting bait from trucks down on carts to where a dock used to exist,” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:28
Louisiana Shrimp Association reacts to proposed act that aims to help industry
Louisiana Shrimp Association President Acy Cooper has worked tirelessly to be a voice for Louisiana shrimpers whose livelihoods have been derailed by imported products. After hearing about the introduction of the Save Our Shrimpers Act of 2024, he is hoping this can be a step in the right direction for the once thriving industry. If passed, the act would prohibit federal funds to international financial institutions subsidizing foreign activity relating to shrimp farming, processing or exporting to the United States. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:46
Cornwall launches UK’s first network for young fishermen
Young fishermen in Cornwall have set up a new network to support the next generation – the first of its kind in the UK. The Young Fisherman Network aims to encourage new entrants into the industry and champion career progression for existing commercial fishermen under the age of 40. Around 60 people attended the network’s inaugural event at a net loft in Porthleven Harbour this month. The event took place at a net loft in Porthleven earlier this month. Network coordinator, Matilda Phillips, aged 21, said: “The event was an incredible way to kick start the network and it was fantastic to see such enthusiasm in the room. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:29
Fisherman slammed to the ground by a police officer now ‘considering legal option’
The fisherman who was left with a broken hip after he participated in a blockade last month is now “considering legal options” against the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), according to a report. Richard Martin, 52, was “slammed to the ground by a police officer,” according to a CBC report. The incident happened on March 20, when hundreds of seafood harvesters were blockading Confederation Building in St. John’s, preventing public service workers and politicians from accessing the sprawling complex. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:17
It’s been a good season for Oregon’s Dungeness crab fleet with strong prices and four more months to go
Oregon’s 2024-24 commercial Dungeness crab season is proving quite successful five months into the season. Fishermen have hauled in 23.8 million pounds of crab so far, accounting for a catch valued at $88.9 million during a season that typically runs from December to August. Crabbers were paid $85 million in 2022-23 and $91.5 million in 2021-22, which was a record. Newport is the center of Oregon’s Dungeness crab fishery, which is the most valuable of all the coastal fisheries. Since the season’s Dec. 16 start, fishermen found crab and netted a good price for their efforts while shoppers caught a break at the market. The average price per pound paid to fishermen in December was $3.41, which translated to about $8 a pound to consumers. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:48
Report portrays mixed picture of Alaska’s huge seafood industry
The report from the McKinley Research Group, titled The Economic Value of Alaska’s Seafood Industry, is the latest in a periodic series commissioned by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. The total economic value of the Alaska seafood industry in 2021 and 2022 was $6 billion, slightly more than the $5.6 billion tallied in 2019, the last full year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the new report and the previous version published in 2022. Along with that good news, the McKinley Research Group’s report contains a warning about the industry’s economic future. The seafood industry, between harvesters, processors and managers, accounted for 48,000 jobs on average in 2021 and 2022, equivalent to 29,100 full-time positions, the report said. That is a reduction from the 62,200 total jobs in 2019, the equivalent of 37,400 full-time positions. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:21
