Monthly Archives: September 2024
More calls for Canada’s Fisheries Minister to resign
There are growing calls for Canada’s fisheries minister to step aside from her role. Around 50 lobster fishers from across southern New Brunswick gathered in Saint Andrews on Saturday for a peaceful protest. The fishers said they are fed up with continued mismanagement of the industry and failure to address critical issues. The protest was organized by the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association, which represents fishers in Lobster Fishing Area 36. The association claims there is a lack of enforcement in the fishing area, which extends from Alma to St. Stephen, leading to illegal fishing and buying activities. Fishers are calling on the minister to acknowledge the mismanagement, provide a solution and step aside from her role. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:39
Biden-Harris Administration’s First Offshore Wind Lease in Maine
The Department of the Interior today announced it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale on Oct. 29, 2024, for eight areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. If fully developed, these areas have a potential capacity of approximately 13 gigawatts of clean offshore wind energy, which could power more than 4.5 million homes. The announcement follows the Department’s recent announcement that it has approved more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects since the start of the Biden-Harris administration- equivalent to half of the capacity needed to achieve President Biden’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.”The growing enthusiasm for the clean energy future is infectious. Today’s announcement – which builds on the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease in Maine last month – is the result of years of thoughtful coordination between our team, the Gulf of Maine states, industry and the Tribes and ocean users who share our interest in the health and longevity of our ocean,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. more, (if you can stand it,) >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:05
As Terrebonne recovers from Francine, some residents worry about its future
Recovery efforts continued Thursday in Terrebonne Parish, where thousands remained without electricity a day after Hurricane Francine made landfall there. While the Category 2 storm brought less severe property damage than recent storms, it left some residents with greater worries for the area’s future. Among them is Terrebonne Parish Councilwoman Kim Chauvin, who spent much of the day looking for and clearing clogged storm drains. One of the few remaining shrimpers in Louisiana, Chauvin and her family operate shrimp boats, a fuel and ice dock, a shrimp processing plant and seafood shop. Her home and businesses lost power when the storm approached, and she was still without electricity as of 8 p.m. Thursday. Entergy Louisiana reported less than 22,000 of its customers in Terrebonne Parish were powerless as of 7 a.m. Friday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:23
Will Reviving the Cod Industry Doom It Yet Again?
It’s been thirty-two years since the federal government first closed the northern cod fishery. It was historically the colony’s main trade for centuries, but that changed, nearly overnight, in 1992, after a press conference at the downtown Radisson Hotel in St. John’s, when then federal fisheries and oceans minister John Crosbie announced a complete halt. Fishery workers would be compensated for ten weeks, at the rate of $225 a week, and then go on employment insurance. The meagre amounts were seen as an insult to the workers whose labour was responsible for a $700 million per year industry (almost $1.35 billion in 2024 terms)—and who recognized, in the mass layoff, the spectre of their culture on the brink of extinction. Of course, fishery workers weren’t the only people who would suffer from the shuttering. With fishing boats now idle, fuel sales dropped. Schools amalgamated across communities as young families moved elsewhere and school districts struggled to fill classrooms. Those of us who lived through it will remember how local businesses offering small luxuries—restaurants and cafeterias, hair salons, cinemas—all felt the sting of a laid-off workforce. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:48
OPINION: Reel them in – Regional fisheries councils violate constitution and hurt accountability
That is the position in which many fishermen find themselves. They share a desire for sustainable fisheries and support some of the federal efforts at regulation. But they oppose certain federal water catch limits and allocations between commercial and recreation sectors that are set by regional fishery management councils made up of members who aren’t accountable through elections or to elected officials. Pacific Legal Foundation is representing these individuals and small businesses in courts around the country, making what we think is a simple argument based on the text and purpose of the Constitution. Specifically, that it requires that executive branch officials with significant authority be appointed by the president or a member of his cabinet. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:40
The Future of Fishing – Island Institute launches new initiative to support Maine’s lobster industry
Island Institute is proud to announce a $1.4 million award from the Small Business Administration to support Maine’s lobster industry and enhance the economic resilience of the coastal communities dependent on this vital fishery. This Congressionally Directed Spending request championed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King will launch the Future of Fishing, a collaborative effort designed to expand economic opportunities for Maine’s coastal communities, building on Island Institute’s longstanding partnerships to advance a diversified, climate-forward marine economy in Maine. Maine’s fishing communities face historic challenges such as rapidly warming waters, more frequent and severe storms, costly regulatory changes, and rising business costs. These communities, and the men and women that work on the water, are the backbone of Maine’s seafood sector; a sector responsible for more than $3 billion in total economic output and more than 33,000 jobs statewide. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:28
Shipping up to Boston: N.L. opening trade office in Massachusetts
Newfoundland and Labrador is dropping anchor and opening shop in Boston. On a trade mission to the Massachusetts state capital this week, Premier Andrew Furey announced the province would be opening its first international trade office in the city. Furey said the province and Boston have connections in the seafood and marine industries, and across the biotechnology and energy sectors. “It’s important to have a presence in the United States right now,” he said. Furey said there are companies in Boston involved in wind projects and biotechnology that are looking for partners, research and product development. With Boston’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and New York, Furey said it made sense to open an office across the border. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:03
Lobster harvesters ready to ‘take matters into their own hands’
Local lobster harvesters are prepared to patrol waters themselves and haul up illegal gear, which could spark confrontations with poachers, according to Amanda Johnson, executive director of the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association, which represents 150 lobster fishers from St. Stephen to Alma. “It could lead to a lot of violence on the water,” Johnson said at a protest held in Saint Andrews Saturday in support of local fishers and their families. Maine and New Brunswick poachers are now taking to Lobster Fishing Area 36, which runs along New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy coast from Alma to the American border, ahead of its November season, Johnson said. Deer Island fisherman Dale Mitchell claims lobster catches have dropped 30 per cent in the last seven years since the start of what he called an “illegal summer fishery” in the region. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:06
Four men charged after tonne of cocaine found on fishing boat
Four men have been charged with drug offences after officers from the National Crime Agency discovered a tonne of class A drugs on board a fishing vessel off the Cornish coast The boat, named Lily Lola, was stopped at sea by Border Force officers on Friday afternoon (September 13). On it, they found approximately a tonne of cocaine which was being brought into the country. A Jon Paul William spokesperson for the NCA said Michael Kelly, aged 45, of Portway, Manchester; Jon Paul Williams, aged 46 of St Thomas, Swansea; Patrick Godfrey, aged 30, of Danygraig Road in Port Tennant, Swansea and Jake Marchant, aged 26 and of no fixed address, were all charged with importation of a controlled Class A drug. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
New Brunswick fishermen fill St. Andrews Wharf Saturday as they call for change on the water
It’s not what you expect to see in St. Andrews but mixed in amongst the whale watching boats and small vessels, dozens of lobster fishing boats docked along the wharf Saturday. Local fishermen from Lobster Fishing Area 36, which covers waters from Alma to the American boarder including Deer Island and Campobello Island, and their families filled both the water and the wharf as they called for change out on the water. The protest is against what they believe is inaction by the government and a collective call for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Diane Lebouthillier, to resign. “We believe that she is not capable of protecting our fishery and protecting our resource,” said Fundy North Fishermen’s Association executive director, Amanda Johnson. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:26
Ready for the future
Den Helder fisherman and industry activist Dirk Kraak remains optimistic for optimistic. The family business recently had one of its vessels, HD-66, completely refitted to meet the latest demands. ‘We can now go forward for at least another ten years,’ he said. Both his grandfathers fished for shrimp and herring, his father for flatfish. So for third-generation fisherman Dirk, a future in fishing was the obvious choice. At sixteen he joined Jac Bakker en zonen, fishing on Ennie en Appie HD-24, as he wanted to gain experience outside the family business. ‘We fished with a beam trawler for sole and plaice in the German Bight. I learned a lot there. I still use that knowledge today.’ Photos, 2 parts, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:55
Tributes to heroic ex-Grimsby skipper James ‘Jim’ Gamble following his death aged 97
Tributes have been paid to a heroic ex-Grimsby trawler skipper and tugmaster following his death at the age of 97. During his long career at sea, James “Jim” Gamble was awarded for outstanding seamanship demonstrated in the rescue of 14 trawlermen from a stricken Grimsby vessel off the coast of Iceland in 1955. Jim was the then 28-year-old skipper of another Grimsby vessel, the Viviana, when he fought a force 10 storm and mountainous seas to bring her alongside the drifting 380-ton Barry Castle so that crew members could jump aboard. The 455-ton Viviana rescued ten crew within seven minutes. Four men who fell between the two trawlers were picked up by other vessels and four other men who were down below, tragically perished as the Barry Castle sank on November 1, 1955. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:41
Broken blades, angry fishermen, and rising costs slow offshore wind
The collapse of a giant wind turbine blade off the Massachusetts coast confirmed Peter Kaizer’s worst fears about the dangers a new clean energy business could pose to fishermen like him. Jagged pieces of fiberglass and other materials from the shattered blade drifted with the tide, forcing officials to close beaches on Nantucket and leaving Kaizer worried about the threat the fragments might pose to his vessel and other fishing boats, especially at night when the debris would be harder to avoid. “All these small boats could be subject to damage,” Kaizer said. “Everyone wants this green legacy, but at the cost of what?” Full article. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:58
Maryland Catfish Trail hopes to control invasive species
It’s early afternoon on a comfortable Sunday when Keith Bradfield and his brother Ray pull up to the Smallwood State Park dock after a long day of fishing. And they’ve been successful. Very successful. The Fairfax, Va., resident pulls up the lid of the cooler to reveal it stuffed with invasive blue catfish up to about 30 pounds each. Bradfield, who shows an image of his sonar lit up like a Christmas tree signifying the invasive species, said he looks for the fish in the deepest holes of the river, “but they’re pretty much everywhere.” And the blue catfish’s population has become such a problem that the state recently initiated a Maryland Catfish Trail where anglers can target fellow invasive flathead catfish and snakeheads in an attempt to help lower their numbers. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:39
Fishing Vessel Eternal Promise – Scotland’s Whitelink Seafoods welcomes new scalloper to coastal fleet
Macduff Shipyards of Scotland recently handed over a new scallop fishing vessel ordered by local owner Whitelink Seafoods for year-round operation around the coastal waters of the UK. Designed by Macduff Ship Design, Eternal Promise measures 19.98 by 7.4 metres (65.66 by 24 feet) and has space for seven crewmembers. It is the second vessel built by Macduff Shipyards for Whitelink after an earlier vessel handed over in 2019. The newbuild was originally intended to be a sister ship to the previous vessel, but a decision was taken by the yard and the owner to build a new design that would offer increased deck/fishing gear space, improved crew welfare, a more efficient hull form, and a new stern gear package with an aim to improve overall fuel efficiency. photos, specifications and more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:50
Lebouthillier Ignored Scientific Advice on Reopening Cod Fishery
Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier faced criticism for disregarding advice from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) when she reopened the commercial cod fishery off Newfoundland and Labrador earlier this year, a decision largely influenced by political considerations. Patrick Butler of Radio Canada reports that a DFO briefing note from 09 May 2024 uncovered by reveals that the department recommended maintaining the longstanding moratorium on northern cod, citing scientific evidence of the stock’s vulnerability. However, political advisors within the minister’s office advocated for reopening the fishery and increasing cod quotas, viewing it as a “political victory.” Senior policy advisor Paul Carrigan expressed concerns from DFO staff about the risk of stock decline due to higher quotas and the return of offshore vessels. The department had recommended keeping the total allowable catch at 13,000 tonnes, the same level as in 2022 and 2023, while maintaining a limited stewardship fishery solely for inshore harvesters. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:05
U.S. Offshore Wind: Election 2024 May Redefine the Sector
The US offshore wind industry is at a crucial turning point. After several years of growth under the Biden administration, the sector faces potential reconfiguration depending on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. On the one hand, a Donald Trump victory could redirect the country’s energy priorities towards conventional resources, such as offshore oil and gas. On the other, a Kamala Harris victory would mean a continuation of current ambitions, including the goal of 30 GW of installed capacity by 2030. Commercial fishing groups and other interested parties challenging these projects could find an ally in a Trump administration. Organizations such as the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) have already voiced concerns about the impacts of offshore wind projects on the marine environment and fisheries. more, >>CLOCK TO READ<< 10:36
Fishing group expresses concern about oil spill in Saulnierville Harbour
A fishing organization is concerned that a recent oil spill near the government wharf in Saulnierville, N.S., could make people sick and have disastrous implications for the province’s seafood industry if it’s not addressed as soon as possible. The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance released video on Thursday of fishing vessels along the wharf surrounded by oil. Tied to some of those boats are crates of lobster floating in the water. “When we saw it we were pretty shocked,” Colin Sproul, the alliance president said in an interview. “We’re really concerned that oil-soaked lobster is going to make it into the marketplace and make people sick.” Officials with the federal government have not yet responded to requests for comment. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:44
Animal Protection Party of Canada calls for the resignation of Canada’s Fisheries Minister
The Animal Protection Party of Canada calls for Prime Minister Trudeau to remove Diane Lebouthillier from her role as Fisheries Minister. “Canadians deserve ministers more committed to integrity and respect for science than political expediency,” says Party Leader, Liz White. White is reacting to a September 10th report by Radio-Canada’s Patrick Butler about a briefing note clearly explaining that staff with the Department of Fisheries recommended that the Minister keep the moratorium on northern cod in order to prevent a further decline in the population of fish. They also recommended that the current quota be maintained and not increased, and that she keep in place the ‘stewardship fishery’ meaning that fishing should be prioritized for inshore and Indigenous fishers and not for offshore and international fleets. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:42
Ocean Integrity vs. Offshore Wind
“In areas where wind farms are being developed, invasive species can harm … industries by reducing fish populations, damaging habitats, and deterring tourists who seek intact and diverse marine environments.” – Kieran Kelly, Ocean Integrity (below) ‘It is hard being green, particularly when “green” means being one-dimensional against carbon dioxide (CO2) at the expense of virtually every other metric. Consider wind power, the onshore problems of which (failed past, government dependency, intermittency, site depletion, local warming, noise, avian mortality, health effects) are only magnified offshore (cost premium, wake effect, blade failure, industrialization, hurricanes, pile driving, political bribes). Kieran Kelly, CEO of Ocean Integrity, “a global organization that aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution and create positive social impact,” recently reported on social media about a particular ecological issue: invasive filter feeders. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:38
Fifty years plus: Jeniska KY 253
It was a still night after the previous day’s gale, the darkness reduced by the lights from the town, a slight smirr damping all around. The boats were in alongside Campbeltown quay, and unloading had begun. Four boats, each with boxes of prawns sitting on the deck or being hauled up to the waiting hands. The four boats – Silver Fern OB 84, Silver Lining III TT 37 (built as Emulate KY 44), Adoration II CN 78 and Jeniska CN 153 are all over 50 years old, with one, Adoration II, being almost 60. All are now working at the prawns, with a chequered history. But it was Jeniska I’d really come to see and here she was, water gently lapping at her old hull as her crew unloaded their catch. Jeniska was built by JN Miller and Sons of St Monans in 1971 and was commissioned by William H Anderson and John Fleming of Kilrenny in Fife. At 15.66m (56ft) in length, she was fitted with a Gardner 8L3B 229hp. She was one the dual- purpose seiner/trawlers for which Miller’s was renowned, all with the classic transom sterns. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:19
Hammond crab fisherman serving jail time for illegal pots
A North Coast man recently found guilty following a 2007 commercial crab enforcement operation off the Oregon Coast began serving his sentence last week in Tillamook County. Dennis Sturgell, 56, of Hammond was lodged in Tillamook County Jail to serve a 30-day sentence after he pleaded guilty in Tillamook County Circuit Court Feb. 6 to two counts of unlawful use of commercial crab pots. Tillamook County Circuit Court Judge Rick Roll handed down a sentence of 30 days and $41,200 in restitution to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commercial Fish Fund. The conviction was the result of a 2007 case when the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division conducted a joint enforcement operation. That was the first year the state of Oregon introduced a limit on the number of commercial crab pots that any one vessel could fish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:05
Fiercest fisherman roils crabbing world – He has filled boats with crab and fish, and he has kept law enforcement busy. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<
Shrimp scurry from Hurricane Francine storm surge, filling fishing nets of struggling shrimpers
Hurricane Francine closed in on Terrebonne and Lafourche with 100 mph winds Sept. 11. As the storm pushed tidal waters toward land, shrimp scurried for inland waters. Shrimpers took advantage of the migration, dropping nets and pulling in thousands of pounds in a short timeframe. The hauls were great, but the low prices meant what would have been a drop in the bucket, instead fell in an empty pail. “We did good last night and the night before,” Jonathan Guidry said. “The shrimp was jumpin’ all over. They had some land nets on side of us. They was startin’ to pick up every 10 minutes, and they had maybe 120 to 130 pounds every 10 to 30 minutes.” Guidry said with all the flood gates closed, he thinks the shrimp were funneled through the Bubba Dove lock gate as they sought safety from the storm. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:11
Tidal power junk: N.S. village wants huge, abandoned moorings moved from fishing area
An unusual scene emerges every time the bay’s record-setting tides recede to reveal the hulks, along with massive chains that were supposed to be used as moorings for Occurrent Power’s experimental tidal turbine. The company, formerly BigMoon Power, was planning to move the anchors to a testing site on the other side of the Minas Basin. But last week, news broke that the company had filed for bankruptcy. That’s left locals wondering whether the company’s $20,000 deposit with the province will be enough to pay for a proper cleanup. Meanwhile, the boxcars disappear underwater every time the tide comes in, rising 21 feet in the harbour. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:22
In cod we trust: Newfoundland’s famous fish aims at a comeback, but not everyone’s happy
By 1992, the mighty cod had been fished to near oblivion, and the federal government declared a moratorium, indefinitely closing the industry in the hopes that the cod stock could rebuild itself over time. Some 30,000 Newfoundlanders lost their jobs and 10 per cent of the population headed west to Ontario, Alberta and beyond to find work in a mass outmigration the province has never fully recovered from. But if there is one truth in this life, it is that it is hard not to root for a good comeback story. Cod, in theory, was positioned to be such a comeback kid this summer when the federal government in June announced that the moratorium on the commercial cod fishery was being lifted after 32 years. Yet instead of parades, parties and fireworks, the announcement was met with discontent, particularly among small, inshore fish harvesters. That is, the skippers and salty olde sea dogs and their crews, wresting a living from the sea in small, 15-metre boats or less, who claim the end of the moratorium and return of the massive offshore “draggers” to the cod fishery is the beginning of the end for the North Atlantic cod 2.0. photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:10
Coos County Commissioners question offshore wind farms
Coos County commissioners have a number of questions and concerns about a proposed offshore wind farm. In a letter dated Sept. 3 to Gov. Tina Kotek, Commissioners Rod Taylor, John Sweet and Robert “Bob” Main have posed several questions they would like the state to ask the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). On Aug. 29, the U.S. Department of Interior, which encompasses BOEM, announced the final sale notice for offshore wind leasing for one site offshore 10-15 miles between Reedsport and Florence and another 6-10 miles offshore between Brookings and Gold Beach. Commissioners are raising their questions as the result of the “current environmental crisis” that has occurred off Nantucket, MA, resulting from wind turbine blade failures and breakage. The commissioners also are sending their questions to other coastal county commissioners “in hope that they too will voice their concerns with BOEM’s offshore wind plan in Oregon.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:49
Fire at sea: US Coast Guard rescues two from commercial boat fire near Salish Sea
The U.S. Coast Guard, Puget Sound Sector rescued two from a life raft after a fire broke out on the commercial boat they were on. On Tuesday, the Sector Command Center of the U.S. Coast Guard received a call from a boat about 3 nautical miles from Cape Flattery reporting a fire on board. Five miles off Tatoosh Island, near the Makah Tribal Reservation, the F/V Tarka II reported an emergency before abandoning the boat and getting onto a life raft. A Motor Lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Neah Bay rescued the two people in the raft and brought them back to shore. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:24
Hurricane Francine is predicted to make landfall west of New Orleans
Hurricane Francine is crossing over warm waters in the western Gulf of Mexico, and it has Louisiana’s coast — and the greater New Orleans area — in its sights, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast. The storm became a hurricane Tuesday night; its maximum sustained winds are now topping 90 mph. As of 10 a.m. CT, Francine was about 150 miles southwest of Morgan City, La., moving northeast at 13 mph. “Francine is anticipated to make landfall in Louisiana … late this afternoon or evening,” the hurricane center said on Wednesday. If the storm surge coincides with high tide, water could reach 5 to 10 feet above ground in areas from Louisiana’s Intracoastal City and Vermilion Bay to Port Fourchon. The hurricane’s outer bands of rain began hitting Lafayette, Baton Rouge and other areas in southern Louisiana Wednesday morning. In the gulf, an oil platform north of the center recently reported a peak gust of 105 mph, the NHC said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:21
Flawed fisheries science ’cause for concern’
An article just published in the respected science journal Marine Policy highlights the need for objective and reliable fisheries science to ensure conservation and sustainable development. It says the publication of flawed papers, some in high-profile journals, is cause for concern, and that misleading science can misinform policy and the public. The authors, who include well-known US fisheries scientist Professor Ray Hilborn, call for the rigour of peer reviews and editorial management to be strengthened, and say journal publishers must ensure the reliability of papers they publish. “The prevalence of papers conveying unjustified messages and with the potential to influence public perceptions and policies is concerning,” they say, providing examples where flawed methodology led to the exaggeration of negative impacts on ecosystems by the fishing industry – which was often then sensationalised by campaigners. In all of the examples quoted, a rebuttal was subsequently published. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:46
Fire on a fishing boat in Newlyn Harbour last night.
A crewman collapsed and needed medical treatment after escaping a fire on a fishing boat in Newlyn Harbour last night. Emergency services, including the Penlee Lifeboat Ivan Ellen, were called to a 25m fishing boat on fire at 11.12pm last night (September 10). One crewman had escaped the boat which was well alight but there were concerns that there may be more crew inside. The Penlee Lifeboat was the first to arrive at the scene and moored alongside the fishing vessel tackling the fire coming from the galley area with two sea water hoses. photos, more, >>LICK TO READ<< 10:36
