Daily Archives: August 22, 2024
DFO: Some fishery officers refusing work in N.S., citing dangerous conditions
Some fishery officers with Fisheries and Oceans Canada are refusing work in Nova Scotia out of concern for their safety, the federal department said Thursday. While DFO said in a statement it is “making every effort to minimize operational impacts,” a group representing fishermen in southwest Nova Scotia said enforcement officers are nowhere to be seen to prevent illegal fishing during the off-season. “There’s illegal fishing occurring and there is no enforcement staff on the road or on the water or on the wharfs. And it’s out of hand,” Dan Fleck, executive director of the Brazil Rock Lobster Association, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:33
Tug Crew Tows Fire-stricken and Abandoned Trawler to Portland, Maine
Capt. Brian Fournier, president of Portland Tugboat, received the call seeking assistance, and his first thought was, “Do I have the equipment and most importantly the crew to engage in this type of rescue?” Fournier enlisted one of his most experienced crews and prepped them on the assignment. Capt. Jake Forgit, Mate Peter Roderiguez, Chief Engineer Ian Brushwein and Deckhand Aoi Daggett boarded the 110-foot (loa), 4,000-horsepower Nancy McAllister and left Portland, Maine in search of the Three Girls. Locating the trawler was no easy task. The tug and crew departed at 9 p.m. on August 12 and steamed overnight toward the estimated location of the trawler. The Nancy McAllister crew finally met up with the burning trawler at 11 a.m. on August 13—some 14 hours after setting out from Portland. The next job at hand, to safely hook up a tow line to a burning vessel, was also a challenge. The burning trawler had large outriggers with chains dangling on both sides, so getting close to the vessel proved difficult. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:59
Fatal Marine Accident Onboard F/V Séimi Reveals Safety Lapses
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report, released on August 22, 2024, details how a crew member lost his life after being dragged overboard during routine operations. The vessel was engaged in shooting crab pots when the crew member on deck became entangled in the line of the last pot, leading to his swift descent into the cold Atlantic waters. Despite the crew’s immediate response, which included halting the vessel and retrieving the man within 15 minutes, the crew member, who was not wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), could not be resuscitated. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:08
Europe must repeal its unjust seal products ban: Senators Manning, Busson and Duncan
For the first time, the European Union is reviewing its 15-year-old import ban on seal products. Implemented in 2009, the ban prohibits the general sale of seal products in EU markets with two exceptions: the sale of seal products derived from Inuit or Indigenous harvests, and the “occasional” importation of seal products for personal use by travelers. We are three Canadian senators who represent the country’s East, West and North and who recently spent more than a year studying Canada’s seal populations, seal harvest and seal products industry as members of the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. We are convinced that the EU’s import ban on seal products is not “fit for purpose.” The socio-economic impacts of this ban have been disastrous for communities along Canada’s East Coast and in Nunavut, and the conversation around sealing is rife with misinformation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:12
Lifelong Lobsterman Cary Burton Lunt of Bass Harbor, Me. has passed away
Cary Burton Lunt, 77, passed away on Aug. 11, 2024, at the Bangor Nursing Home from complications from diabetes. He was born May 30, 1947, in Bar Harbor, the son of Clarence L. and Elsie R. Lunt. What can you say about a brother that saved your life when he was only 7, supported you his whole life through school, college, my career and was loved by all that met him? Cary was a born lobsterman. He hauled his first lobster trap at age 4, and continued until he couldn’t stand due to his diabetes. He was a long-time member/supporter of the Maine Lobsterman’s Association. He and his first wife, Marie Gray, were married on his boat, the Elsie V, and they had three children; Benjamin, Gabriel and Roseanna. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:30
Humber Ports Showing Significant Growth in UK Fish Imports
The Humber ports, operated by Associated British Ports (ABP), have solidified their position as the UK’s premier hub for seafood imports, according to newly released statistics. In the past year, the ports of Immingham, Grimsby, and Hull handled a remarkable 41.6% of the fish imported into the UK, marking a 10.5% increase from the previous year. This growth underscores the Humber ports’ vital role as a key gateway for the UK’s seafood trade. The strategic location of ABP’s Humber ports, coupled with their proximity to major seafood processing centers, has created a highly efficient and industry-leading hub. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
BOEM seeks public input on possible wind energy areas
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials are asking for feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas totaling 13.47 million acres off the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, or Central Atlantic 2. The Central Atlantic 2 Call Area “is broad to allow for flexibility to minimize conflicts with other uses, such as commercial fisheries, military activities, and vessel traffic,” according to the federal agency. This announcement builds on the input and planning that led to the first Central Atlantic lease sale on Aug. 14, the fifth offshore wind lease sale held during the Biden-Harris administration, according to BOEM. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:07
U.S. Offshore Wind: The Struggle Continues
This post updates the financial troubles of Denmark’s Ørsted, recent BOEM auctions, and pushback against Maryland governor Wes Moore. Today, operational offshore wind capacity is less than 50 megawatts versus the Biden-Harris Administration goal of 30,000 MW by 2030. Denmark’s Ørsted, the worldwide leading offshore wind developer, recorded a $575 million loss in the second quarter. In part, the loss is the result of disappointing developments in the U.S. The company has delayed commercial operation of its 704-MW Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut from 2025 to 2026. Ørsted’s ambitious U.S. offshore wind program has been lagging, despite solid support (subsidies, permits) from the Biden administration. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06;50
