Daily Archives: July 24, 2024
BOEM Hears Mostly Opposition at a Meeting in Eastham
Local officials on the Outer Cape have for a month been calling for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to hold a public information session here about one of eight proposed wind energy areas in the Gulf of Maine — the one sited about 20 miles off Cape Cod’s back shore — before its size and shape are approved. BOEM, the agency of the Dept. of Interior that is charged with managing the development of offshore wind, finally did that on June 17, and some 200 people turned out at the Four Points by Sheraton for it. BOEM announced the meeting only six days before it was held. Statements about possible negative effects of the development on commercial fishing dominated the meeting. Many of those who spoke identified themselves as fishermen or the wives of fishermen and said that they feared their livelihoods would be lost because of the construction of wind turbines. Truro lobsterman Dana Pazolt said he believes the cables would serve as a barrier to lobster migration. “You run the wires across the seabed, our industry is dead,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:43
For 54 years the Newport Fishermen’s Wives have been supporting the coastal fishing community in times of need
“One day I’m going to die at sea,” Josh Porter said as he walked into his living room to greet his wife, Denise. He was fresh off a crabbing boat, the fishy, salty smell permeating his clothes. “You need to be a part of the Fishermen’s Wives,” he said. “They’re the ones that are going to be there for you.” Fishing communities all share one thing in common — their dynamics shift when boats leave for months at a time. In Oregon, nearly 1,000 fishing vessels depart from the state each year. Over 300 of those boats touch base in Newport, where many of those left on shore must endure the unpredictability of the fishing industry. One group supports the unique needs of Newport’s community, their fishermen and their families. The Newport Fishermen’s Wives was established in 1970 and is the only nonprofit of its kind on the West Coast. What was first a social club has become a backbone of the community in the last 54 years. Co-president Taunette Dixon was raised within the fishing community of Newport and inherited the responsibilities of the generations before her. Growing up, Dixon spent her fair share of time on a fishing boat. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:18
Tragedy strikes fishing operation
Nine crew members had been confirmed dead and four were still missing as of Wednesday, according to reports in both Norwegian and British media. News bureau Reuters reported that four persons remained missing while 14 were found alive, 13 of them on board one of the Fishing Vessel Argos Georgia‘s lifeboats and one on another. Argos Froyanes is described on its own website as a privately owned British-Norwegian partnership between Argos, based in the Falkland Islands, and Ervik Havfiske, based at Stadlandet in Western Norway. Eleven Ervik Havfiske vessels have been operating from the Barents Sea off Norway to as far south as Antarctica, areas known for rough weather and sea conditions but also for being home to high-quality fish in deep waters. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:59
Golden introduces amendment to block gauge increase for Maine lobstermen
Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today introduced a bipartisan amendment to block for one year a proposed gauge increase in the Gulf of Maine by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Golden submitted his amendment for consideration in the Fiscal Year 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) cosponsored the amendment. “Gauge increases are a significant change that must be informed by the best possible science, and both Maine lobstermen and the fishery itself lose when Canada isn’t held to the same standards.” Golden said. “It’s clear that regulators need to work much closer with fishermen to keep the industry sustainable and competitive.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:08
The Newfoundland cod moratorium is over — but the risk remains
After more than 30 years, the federal government has announced it’s lifting the moratorium that shut down commercial cod fishing in Newfoundland and Labrador in the 1990s. The end of the moratorium includes a 46 per cent increase in total allowable catch from 13,000 tonnes in 2023 to 18,000 tonnes. Just before the collapse in the late 1980s, the total allowable catch was about 240,000 tonnes. Additionally, international offshore fisheries were allocated a quota of 1,000 tonnes, accounting for about five per cent of the total allowable catch. Reactions to the announcement have been mixed. Some organizations, like the Association of Seafood Producers, have voiced their support for the moratorium ending. Others are more skeptical. The union representing inshore fish harvesters, for instance, has asked the government to reverse the decision. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:28
Video: Breaching whale capsizes boat and sends two people flying into the water
Video captured the remarkable moment a whale leapt onto a fishing boat, capsizing it and flinging two people into the water. The incident happened off the coast of New Hampshire, on the north-east coast of the US, on Tuesday. Video captured by Colin Yager, who was in a nearby boat with his brother, shows the huge creature partially leaving the water before crashing down onto the rear of a fishing vessel, flipping it over and sending its two occupants into the Atlantic Ocean. The whale – believed to be a humpback – did not appear to be injured, reported the boat crew from Station Portsmouth, and the boat was salvaged. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:48
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 44′ Fiberglass Scalloper with NGOM Scallop Permit
To review specifications, information, and 21 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:43
