Daily Archives: October 15, 2024
Multiple groups urge seafloor protections from pelagic trawling
A diverse group of harvesters, conservation entities and others are calling on federal fisheries managers to do more to protect seafloor habitats from midwater trawl nets they say are dragging the bottom of the ocean floor. Midwater, or pelagic trawling — used to catch schooling fish like pollock, is supposed to be fished in the water column rather than on the seafloor. For this reason, pelagic trawling is allowed in most conservation areas closed to bottom trawling — a form of fishing where nets are purposely dragged on the seafloor and damage corals, sponges and other living seafloor habitats in the process. An analysis by the National Marine Fisheries Service indicates that 40% to 100% of the width of pelagic trawl gear fished in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea has been in contact with the seafloor, and that these nets, which range from 50 to 190 yards wide, are dragged for miles. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:12
Former North Kingstown football coach dies in water off Narragansett
A 59-year-old Narragansett man died Monday after going overboard from a boat, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. He was identified as Joseph Gilmartin, a longtime North Kingstown High School football coach. According to the DEM, a 911 call was received at 12:53 p.m. for a person overboard and a boat motoring in circles off Black Point in Narragansett. Environmental police officers for the DEM, the Narragansett Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded, the DEM said. The incident is still under investigation. Gilmartin was a history teacher, football coach and worked summers as a commercial fisherman, according to a 2019 story in The Providence Journal. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:45
Jersey Strong Coastal Coalition – New coalition of municipalities opposes New Jersey’s offshore wind projects. Thank You.
A coalition of more than 40 municipalities and organizations across New Jersey has formed to oppose the state’s large-scale offshore wind energy projects, citing concerns over rising costs to ratepayers and potential environmental impacts. The newly established Jersey Strong Coastal Coalition (JSCC) is calling on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to reject new contracts for two major wind energy projects being developed by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC, a joint venture between Shell Oil and Électricité de France. The coalition sent a letter this week to the BPU, warning of significant rate increases and outlining legal violations they argue would occur if the projects proceed. The two projects, involving 200 wind turbines with plans for 100 more, are slated for construction just 8.4 miles off the New Jersey coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:06
Deep-felt’ grief as crew of L’Ecume II are remembered
The ambassador of the Philippines to the UK attended a memorial service in Jersey yesterday for the three fishermen who died in the L’Ecume II sinking. His Excellency, Teodoro Locsin Jr, spoke of the “deep-felt” grief stemming from the loss of skipper Michael Michieli and Filipino crew members Jervis Ramirez Baligat and Larry Simyunn as a result of the maritime tragedy in December 2022. All three men died following a collision between their fishing boat – L’Ecume II – and Condor’s Commodore Goodwill freight ship off Jersey’s west coast. Two men have been charged with the unlawful killing of the fishermen and have both pleaded not guilty. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:53
CAT Yellow: The Story Behind Caterpillar’s Iconic Logo & Color Scheme
When a company approaches 100 years old, the look and logo of the brand will have undergone a few changes to stay up with the times. That’s true of Caterpillar, too, even though it seems like the yellow-and-back color scheme has been around forever. Not too many people alive today remember that back in 1925, when this heavy machinery company came into being through the merger of the Holt Manufacturing Company and C.L. Best Tractor Co., its equipment wore a battleship gray color. That color choice was very utilitarian since many Holt tractors were used in WW1. But on the nose of those tractors, the original logo was a far cry from the tough, heavy-duty-looking, extra-bold logo in use today. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:37
Trident to sell Kodiak plant to Pacific Seafood
Kodiak’s largest seafood processing plant has a new owner. Trident Seafoods announced on Oct. 14 that it reached a deal with Pacific Seafood for the downtown facility. The Star of Kodiak plant in its namesake town is the last plant to sell after Trident, which is based in Seattle, announced a major restructuring plan back in December 2023, which included selling four plants in Alaska – a third of the company’s facilities in the state. Trident noted the tough state of the seafood industry for its decision – a market collapse detailed by a recent “economic snapshot” from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which found that Alaska’s seafood industry was worth $1.8 billion less in 2023 than it was in 2022. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
Russian rescued after 67 days adrift in waters fringing Pacific
Russian authorities said on Tuesday they had rescued a man whose tiny boat drifted for 67 days since August in waters edging the northwestern Pacific, but his brother and nephew died during the ordeal. Social media images showed a thin, bearded man wearing a hooded jacket and orange emergency vest in a catamaran-like sailboat flying a red flag from a small pole. “On October 14 a vessel was discovered in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk,” legal authorities in Russia’s Far East said on the Telegram messaging app, referring to waters that sprawl over 1.58-million km². “Two people died, one survived,” said the regional prosecutor’s office charged with handling transport issues. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:15
Man dies after falling overboard in Narragansett
A 59-year-old man has died after falling overboard in Narragansett on Monday. The Coast Guard said they received a call reporting a man fell off of a boat shortly before 1 p.m. in Black Point. Officials said the caller reported the man was in the water, and the boat was spinning “out of control.” Police said the man was setting lobster pots when his arm got caught in a line. Crews from the Narragansett Bay Task Force, as well as the Coast Guard, were called to the scene. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
