Monthly Archives: July 2024
Hartlepool fishermen reveal how they are still feeling impact of mass crustacean die-offs with fears for entire future
Hartlepool fishermen have spoken of their heartbreak as they say hundreds of years of heritage face being wiped out. Inshore fishers say stocks of crab, lobster and other marine life have not recovered since the sudden and huge crustacean die-offs witnessed from Seaham to Whitby in 2021. Several recent smaller die-offs have been reported in Hartlepool Bay and Teesmouth including a large number of razor clams and cockles on the beach at Seaton Carew. Dead and twitching crabs, similar to those seen in 2021, have also been picked up at sea. Fishermen, together with scientists and supporters, are continuing to fight for answers and are investigating to establish the cause of the ‘ecocide’ that has destroyed livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09″25Fishermen Join Lawsuit Against Vineyard Wind After Blade Failure
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) has called for the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider the dismissal of a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior regarding the safety of Vineyard Wind’s turbines. The case, RODA v. Department of the Interior, is scheduled for oral arguments on Thursday. Jerry Leeman, CEO of NEFSA, highlighted recent issues related to the Vineyard Wind project, particularly a blade malfunction that resulted in debris being scattered across important fishing areas. “The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) put the government on notice over two years ago that Vineyard Wind’s turbines aren’t safe. The recent blade disaster has scattered debris over a huge swath of historic fishing grounds, creating serious hazards for mariners and marine life,” Leeman stated. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:59
Bill to Support Maine’s Lobster Industry Clears Appropriations Committee
U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced significant funding and key language to support Maine’s lobster industry in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House. “This funding would support Maine’s lobster industry by improving the incomplete and imprecise science and research upon which the federal government relies. The flawed and incomplete data being used to inform regulations has created unnecessary, burdensome requirements for Maine lobstermen and women,” said Senator Collins. “As the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 05:57
Unalaska, Aleutians East Borough oppose Rep. Peltola’s proposed trawling limitations
Communities in the Aleutians are pushing back against proposed legislation that would bring stricter regulations to the Bering Sea trawl fishery. The City of Unalaska and the Aleutians East Borough are among 53 organizations that signed onto a letter sent to U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, urging her to withdraw H.R. 8507, a bill she sponsored in May. The proposed legislation aims to add new regulations to where trawling can take place across the United States, not only in Alaska. Trade organizations and some coastal communities whose economies rely on trawl fisheries have pushed back against the bill, asking the congresswoman to repeal it. “If enacted, H.R. 8507 would directly harm fishermen and coastal communities in Alaska and throughout our nation, along with countless other people who rely on a healthy domestic seafood sector for food, jobs, and their way of life,” the letter said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:28
Keir Starmer warned ‘act now’ to stop EU fishermen plundering cod in UK waters
Politicians in Brussels have started rattling their sabres as the European Union seeks to lay down its markers and roll-over the Brexit fisheries deal which saw the UK ‘give up everything’, an industry expert says. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to act and stop fishers from the European Union plundering fish stocks in UK territorial waters. The EU has extensive access to Britain’s waters in a reciprocal arrangement which in practice is more advantageous to European countries. EU members did “very well” under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) deal signed by Boris Johnson’s government and the bloc, with French fishers taking over 80 percent of cod stocks on the UK side of the English Channel and Belgian counterparts catching some 70 percent of Dover sole in Welsh waters, according to Mike Cohen, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO). more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:01
Dwan Street elected as president of the FFAW
Dwan Street is celebrating her election to lead the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union, calling it a historic moment. The first woman to lead the union, Street announced her victory late Wednesday evening on her candidacy Facebook page. “Tonight, you put your faith in me and I am humbled, amazed and forever indebted,” Street wrote on her election Facebook page. The FFAW confirmed the results late Thursday morning. Street was elected over businessman Dave Callahan and Marine Institute PhD student Abe Solberg, who is also the head of FFAW policy negotiations and its fishery scientist. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
GE Vernova finds Manufacturing Defect after Vineyard Wind Turbine Accident
The company is facing scrutiny after a massive blade fell into the ocean July 13 at the project in Massachusetts, stopping construction at the nation’s biggest offshore wind farm. Strazik said there’s no sign of a design flaw in its Haliade-X offshore turbine, but it’s halting production at the Gaspe, Canada, plant while the company inspects its blades. “The blade left the factory with insufficient bonding — the glue,” Strazik said. The Gaspe plant in Quebec has been in production since 2006 and has made about 150 offshore blades, including most of the blades for the Vineyard Wind project that experienced the blade failure. Strazik declined to say how many offshore blades have been produced to date at the company’s three blade plants. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:07
Rough Weather Conditions Forces Stop on Search for Missing Crew
The Falkland Islands Government has called off the search for the remaining crew members of the fishing vessel Argos Georgia, which was reported to be taking on water and requesting assistance 200 miles east of Stanley on Monday, 22 July 2024. The crew abandoned the vessel at 4pm local time on the same day. Since then, the Falkland Islands Government, along with the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, HQ British Forces South Atlantic Islands, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the fishing vessel company, and other fishing vessels in the vicinity, have been working tirelessly on a rescue mission. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:59
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
Longliner Sinks off Falklands, Leaving Crew Adrift in Extreme Weather
The crew of a modern freezer-longliner were forced to abandon ship off the coast of the Falkland Islands yesterday, and local accounts report that at least six lost their lives in “extremely challenging” weather conditions before they could be rescued. On Sunday, the 2018-built fishing vessel Argos Georgia got underway from Port Stanley and headed out to her fishing grounds with 27 crewmembers on board. On Monday afternoon, she reported a serious flooding incident at a position about 200 miles to the east of the port. As rescue assets mobilized to the scene, the situation on board deteriorated, and the crew was forced to abandon ship into their life rafts. The vessel sank after they departed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:17
Skipper catches ‘rare’ sturgeon in Devon waters
A rare species of fish has been caught in waters off Devon, according to a local fishing boat skipper. Sean Beck, skipper of the Brixham-based Julia of Ladram, said his vessel was fishing approximately 15 miles (24km) south east of Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon when his crew caught an “average sized” sturgeon. Mr Beck said he had been fishing for about 40 years and had only seen two sturgeons in that time. He said they released the 4ft (1.2m) long fish, adding that, if they had brought it ashore, he would have had to offer it to the monarch. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:37
URGENT WARNING: If Labour give fish stocks to EU – UK fishing fleet will die
I don’t want to state the bleeding’ obvious, but Britain is an Island and our coastal communities have been fishing for millennia. Indeed, the sea and fishing is in our DNA. It was natural therefore, that of the causes front and centre of the Brexit campaign was fisheries. Leaving the Block, we and, more importantly, our fishing industry were told, would mean taking back our fishing stocks from the European Union. Today though, our fishermen have every right to feel disappointed and deceived, because, when we did leave the EU, we didn’t take our fishing stocks back or reinvigorate our fishing industry as had been promised. Instead, we agreed to EU boats being allowed to continue fishing our waters and, instead of reasserting our rights over our own waters, we agreed to a phased reduction in EU catches, until 2026. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:09
Kodiak crabber catches red king crab in Norton Sound, sparks public outrage in Nome
A limited amount of Norton Sound red king crab was for sale on the dock in Kodiak on July 19. This crab species is rarely available in this part of the state. And the Kodiak commercial fisherman who legally caught the king crab is facing some pushback. Raymond May was born and raised on Kodiak Island and has been fishing in Alaska for 40 years. He also holds the salmon fisher’s seat on the Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force, as appointed by Governor Mike Dunleavy. May operates his own vessel, called the Resilient, which is labeled as a tender packer. May’s boat was spotted docked in Nome’s small boat harbor on June 18 and immediately sparked criticism on social media. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:30
The Offshore Wind Energy Scandal Is Even Worse Than You Think
These 11 charts show how America’s biggest NGOs are colluding with foreign corporations that want to industrialize our oceans with thousands of turbines that will hurt whales and ratepayers Two of Europe’s biggest energy companies are abandoning the SS Offshore Wind. In May, Shell, the UK-based oil and gas giant (2023 revenue: $317 billion), announced that it was cutting staff from its offshore wind business because, according to Bloomberg, the company has decided to focus on markets that “deliver the most value for our investors and customers.” Bloomberg also reported that the staff cuts were made after the departures of top executives in the company’s offshore wind and renewable power businesses. Lots of informative grafs. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:29
Aquinnah tribe calls for moratorium on offshore wind development
In the aftermath of a broken turbine blade off the Vineyard’s coast, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is calling for a moratorium on all offshore wind development in the United States until further research can be done on the impact of wind farm construction. Aquinnah Wampanoag chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais expressed “strong concerns and outrage” over the fractured Vineyard Wind turbine blade and the debris that washed ashore on Nantucket in a letter to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement director Kevin M. Sligh, Sr. Andrews-Maltais, in a July 18 letter, said the foam and fiberglass debris have “potential negative and adverse impact[s]” on the environment, marine life, and human health. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:19
Gone Shrimpin’: MD, VA Shrimp Harvests Return For 2024 Season
In the movie Forrest Gump, Alabama native Bubba proclaims, “Shrimp is the fruit of the sea.” Indeed, the south has long been known for its shrimp harvests, but the Chesapeake Bay? Not so much. In recent years, that’s been changing. Shrimp appear to be more abundant further north along the Atlantic coast. Virginia experimented with commercial shrimping for four years, saw success, and has had a commercial shrimp fishery for the last two years. Maryland forged ahead with its own pilot program in 2023, beginning with just one waterman. The 2024 pilot program is open to applicants now. A permit allows a commercial fisherman to use a 16-foot beam trawl to fish Maryland state waters of the Atlantic Ocean (extending out to three nautical miles). You can see the single permit holder, Sonny Gwin, in action on his first day fishing in 2023. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:02
LBI offshore wind critics sound alarm after Massachusetts turbine breaks
A Long Beach Island-based group critical of offshore wind development is calling for a moratorium on additional New Jersey’s wind projects following the failure of a turbine off the coast of Massachusetts this month. “Save LBI” called for the moratorium from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Monday, citing the impacts from a broken turbine at the Vineyard Wind project off Martha’s Vineyard. After a blade broke off the turbine, beaches in the region were littered with debris and shards of fiberglass. “The incident is a stark reminder of the many potential disasters offshore wind turbines can pose to the shore and the marine environment and adds to the concerns already raised regarding turbine visibility, reduced breeze, and airborne noise,” Save LBI president and founder Bob Stern said in a release. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:28
Harpswell adopts ‘right to fish’
Harpswell has a new right-to-fish policy intended to protect the town’s working waterfronts and fishermen. “We have a sign when you come into town saying we’re a working waterfront community. We’re pushing the town to do more than just a sign,” Cundy’s Harbor fisherman Matt Gilley, who helped develop the policy, told the Anchor before the meeting. The Harpswell Select Board approved the policy unanimously on July 11, but not before some tense exchanges between board members and advocates. The policy commits the town to several actions. Speaking to the Anchor, Gilley emphasized a provision protecting fishermen from nuisance complaints about sights, sounds or smells that might result from fishing activities, like operating boat engines or storing fishing traps on private property. Maine law already prevents such complaints against fishermen who are operating in line with applicable laws or rules. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:38
F/V Elite Navigator crew happy to be back on shore and plan to get back to sea as soon as they can
Toby Peddle, one of seven fishermen who spent more than two days drifting in a life-raft on the Atlantic Ocean, still can’t believe his good fortune. Peddle said he hoped to get back fishing that evening, whereas Jordan King said he’d give himself a week. “Plan to go back when I can,” he said. Carter said it would be a couple of days before he was ready to go again. “Then I’m good to go again. I don’t want the fish to get away, right?” he said. Carter says they were making supper Wednesday when an alarm went off and a fire was discovered in the engine room. “Toby grabbed the fire extinguisher, tried to extinguish it but as soon as we thought it’d gone out, then it pretty much jumped right back at us, twice as bad,” said Carter. The calls of “fire” rang out to wake everyone up, he said. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:46
My family was affected by the cod moratorium. Now that it’s lifted, I feel caught
After 32 years, the northern cod moratorium is officially over. The federal government is allowing a small increase to 18,000 tonnes of catch, calling it a historic return of the fishery. While the new limit is nowhere near the catch of 250,000 tonnes allowed before the moratorium, it feels like the end of an era — one that many Newfoundlanders say has come too soon. My dad was among those who lost their jobs in the industry in the biggest layoff in Canada.in 1992. Since I was only six at the time, I didn’t realize the magnitude of what was happening, but things started to feel different in our home. Stiff like jeans dried on the clothesline. Tight like mom’s voice after a long day. My memories of the time feel as sharp as fishhooks, although in all likelihood, they’re like slippery fish. They grow in size and detail with each retelling — like the fish that got away on a weekend trip. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:58
New wind turbine blade debris discovered Sunday off Mass. coast, company says
The discovery comes just days after the remaining piece of blade from a damaged offshore wind turbine fell into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. Vineyard Wind said on Saturday that it was sending additional resources to Nantucket and surrounding coastal communities after the remaining piece of blade from a damaged offshore wind turbine fell into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. “Members of the public should avoid handling debris as the fiber-glass pieces can be sharp and lead to cuts if handled without proper gloves,” the company said. “Vineyard Wind is working to bag, track and transport all debris off the island and to proper storage as soon as possible. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:27
Joy in Newfoundland after ‘Lucky 7’ fishers survive harrowing days lost at sea
The F/V Elite Navigator fishing boat and its crew seemed to vanish on Wednesday night. The craft was reported missing on Thursday after transmitting its final signal at around 8:30 p.m. the night before, the Canadian Coast Guard said. The vessel had caught fire and sank, forcing the crew to hastily disembark and wait for rescue on the life raft. A massive search soon followed, involving four coast guard ships, a Cormorant helicopter, a Hercules aircraft and many local fishing vessels. In New-Wes-Valley, which is an amalgamation of three small fishing communities along Newfoundland’s northeast coast, people braced for the worst. Fishing is among Canada’s deadliest professions, and tragedy is a common thread linking people in fishing communities across Atlantic Canada. more, CLICK TO READ<< 14:23
Brexit fury as fears grow Keir Starmer will give EU fishing boats access to UK waters
The European Union will demand access to Britain’s fishing waters in return for Sir Keir Starmer’s reset in UK-EU relations, according to reports. The Prime Minister said he wants a “better deal” and spoke of resetting the UK’s relationship with Europe at the end of a European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday (July 18). Brussels bureaucrats are reportedly preparing a list of “offensive interests” the bloc will deploy in future talks with London, according to the Daily Telegraph. Reports the EU would seek access to British fishing waters sparked outrage on social media, with Richard Tice MP, Deputy Leader of Reform UK, tweeting: “NO NO NO. We want our fishing waters back, not giving more away.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:21
Humboldt County Officials Respond to Recent Turbine Blade Collapse at East Coast Vineyard Wind Farm
Operations were suspended this week at Vineyard Wind 1, an offshore wind farm located about 35 miles off the coast of mainland Massachusetts, after a damaged wind turbine blade broke apart and fell into the ocean. The cause of the incident remains unknown. Project developer Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, is an affiliate of Vineyard Offshore, the company planning to build a floating offshore wind farm here on the North Coast. In a statement issued Monday, Vineyard officials noted that the project is still in its commissioning phase and offered reassurance that the company has “detailed plans to guide its response” to such incidents. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
