Monthly Archives: October 2024
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
Spirit in the Sound: Fishing with Mattituck’s Sea Queen
Plenty of commercial fishermen are still plying the waters of the East End despite the occupation’s stressful nature: High operating costs, climate change, onerous regulations and physically exhausting work are all part of the job description. But one fisherman has made a practice of staying positive and recognizing the spiritual element of working on the water. Regina Migdalski works as a deckhand out of Mattituck Inlet. She and her husband, Rob (who she fondly calls “the Cranky Captain”), have a lobster boat named after her, the Regina Ann — outfitted for conch and fish pots (a die-off in the late 1990s resulted in too-few lobsters left in the Sound to fish for). They also work on a dragger, a type of fishing boat that tows a net, called the Stinky, owned by the pair and their partner Teddy Szczotka, a fellow fisherman. They work year-round catching fluke, scup, sea bass, blackfish, conchs and striped bass, depending on the season. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:37
Burning fishing vessel presumed sunk off Cape coast – 20 crew members rscued
A large South African fishing vessel that caught alight in deep sea at the weekend is presumed to have sunk off the Cape coast, the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said on Monday. All 20 crew of the MFV Armana are safely back on shore after being rescued by another fishing vessel. The incident on Sunday night took place about 60 nautical miles south of Gansbaai in the Western Cape. Samsa said they had discontinued the search after losing sight of the stricken vessel. “[Samsa] herewith confirms the safe arrival and disembarkation of all 20 crew members of the abandoned fishing vessel, MFV Armana, at the port of Cape Town last night, as well as the discontinuation of a search for the vessel after sight was lost of it early on Monday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:01
Fisherman’s Wharf future divides SF boaters, port
The Port of San Francisco and Fisherman’s Wharf business owners agree parts of the area need maintenance and repair. That’s where the agreement ends. The Port Commission voted Tuesday to endorse the term sheet for a $550 million revitalization of Pier 45 and a parking lot currently operated by SP+ Parking, beginning progress on an effort that would construct a seafood market, food hall, and events center and performing arts space that port officials say will revitalize the wharf’s surrounding area. “As working fishing families, we can’t simply relocate for the sake of an amusement park,” Bates said. “Fisherman’s Wharf should be for fishing.” The wharf currently supports nearly 90 commercial vessels, 21 charter fishing boats and nine historic vessels. As the only sizable commercial fishing port remaining in San Francisco Bay, boats from other ports occasionally rely on its fuel, ice and bait facilities. Bates said that out-of-town crews and vessels will also take up space along the wharf during abundant salmon and crab seasons. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:42
Fresher trawler heads home to Iceland
The new trawler’s future may be uncertain as its operating company is restructured. The newbuild order was placed prior to the volcanic activity that broke out inland of its home port of Grindavík in the south of Iceland, which subsequently resulted in the town being evacuated and the population being dispersed to other communities. F/V Hulda Björnsdóttir was initially expected to supply Thorbjörn’s groundfish processing in Grindavík, but the resulting turmoil in both the community and the port’s business activities has led to the situation being re-thought. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:37
Is New Bedford the top commercial fishing port in the United States?
New Bedford takes great pride in its port, and its scallopers account for a significant portion of its value. It’s proven that the Port of New Bedford has great value. New Bedford still ranks as the top commercial fishing port by value as recently as 2022, according to figures released by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA Fisheries. New Bedford had landed $443.2 million worth of seafood in 2022, again placing it at the top of NOAA Fisheries’ revenue list. That’s thanks in large part to all the scalloper landings in New Bedford contributing to the port’s value. Scallop landings accounted for 84 percent of the value. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:22
What Jersey Shore fishermen can learn from offshore wind farm spinning off Long Island
Only the silent hum of the ferry as it curved around the side of one of a dozen towering wind turbines could be heard Wednesday morning off Long Island. Nearby, fishing vessels were dwarfed by the 460-foot tall towers. A few boats flecked the horizon, traveling between the vast miles that stretched from Block Island to the South Fork wind farm. One of them was helmed by a local fisherman who’s been on these waters for over half a century. Nonetheless, Auteri and fishermen up and down the East Coast, including the Jersey Shore, have shared concerns over whether species they rely on will continue to frequent the areas where sweeping wind farms (taller than the Statue of Liberty) are sited or will be. And, they say, if it is proven wind farms drive fish away they should get money to make up for their economic loss. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:52
All hail the king of tuna, Oregon’s prized catch
One of Oregon’s most valuable seafoods is more popular than ever, but its nickname may fool you: chicken of the sea. It’s albacore tuna, and it is a fish that is grounded in Oregon commercial fishing history that reaches back nearly a century ago. Back then, West Coast fishermen went far out to sea in search of the albacore, also known as “chicken of the sea.” Albacore tuna entered Oregon fish markets in the 1930s when Oregon ports from Coos Bay to Astoria were home to large fishing fleets, dozens of canneries and thousands of employees who processed the catch. While Oregon’s large-scale canneries are long gone, albacore fishing techniques haven’t changed much at all, according to Steve Fick of Fishhawk Fisheries. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:55
Lifelong Commercial Fisherman David McCrone Pack of Bodega Bay, Ca. has passed away
David McCrone Pack, born October 5,1957, passed peacefully to the great beyond on August 2nd, 2024, surrounded by his family and the music of the Grateful Dead. He will be remembered as a hard-working man, a friend to all animals, and a loving father. He was 66 years old. A native Californian, Dave was born to parents Jim and Beth in the redwood forest of Larkspur, California. He attended Redwood High School and soon thereafter began his life as a commercial fisherman in the San Francisco Bay, where he would eventually captain his own boat, The Blind Faith. For Dave, though, fishing wasn’t just a hobby – it was something he enjoyed alone or with friends and family and had an active fishing license every year of his adulthood. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:20
Coast Guard seeks public assistance with hoax caller in Maine
The Coast Guard is asking for the public’s help after receiving suspected search and rescue hoax distress calls over the weekend. Between late Friday morning and early Saturday afternoon, the Coast Guard’s Northern New England command center received multiple reports about a boat in distress. Officials believe the calls likely came from somewhere near Mount Desert Island or the nearby islands. In response, the Coast Guard launched several boats and worked with three local agencies to search the area for hours. However, no boats or people in distress were found. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:10
Central Coast fishermen sue California Coastal Commission over wind energy
Fishermen from Morro Bay and Port San Luis recently filed a legal challenge against the California Coastal Commission for not requiring wind energy companies to abide by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rules before providing permits for sonar testing, the second lawsuit the groups have filed against the commission. In 2022, the federal government auctioned off three offshore wind energy sites located between 20 and 30 miles off the coast near Morro Bay. Then in Dec. 2023, the state issued a permit allowing survey work to begin. The fisherman organisation’s latest lawsuit, filed on Sept. 6, argues that the Coastal Commission required the wind energy companies, including Equinor, to “have an independent liaison that is responsible for the coordination and communication of site activities with affected commercial and recreational fishing communities and harbor districts.” The fishing liaison is required to work with fishing communities and the harbor districts to coordinate survey and other activities. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:18
Nodosa delivers Falklands factory trawler
The largest new vessel to join the Falklands fleet operating on squid in the South Atlantic has been delivered by the Nodosa Shipyard in Galicia to the Petrel Fishing Company, a joint venture between Percapuerta Group in Vigo and its Falklands partner, the Fortuna Group. The 85-metre Prion has a 14-metre beam and is the yard’s own design. The handover of the new vessel took place in the Port of Marín, chaired by the President of the Xunta Alfonso Rueda, and attended by Pescapuerte Group president Jose Puerta Prado, Stuart Wallace representing the Fortuna Group, and José Ramón Regueira on behalf of Nodosa, along with around 400 guests who included staff of the yard, the two companies, suppliers and various authorities. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:25
Galveston business entangled in net of fraud allegations and whistleblowers
A shrimp business and former market that has been a cornerstone of Galveston for more than 45 years is in the muck, as it and its parent company are mired in a number of lawsuits alleging everything from fraud to shorting an employee. Galveston Shrimp Company was founded in 1978 by Sicilian immigrant Rosario Cassarino. For nearly 20 years, Rosario and wife Giovanna sold fish and shrimp that was brought onto the island. Their son Nello Cassarino assumed a leadership role in Galveston Shrimp Co. in 1994, and in 2011 he re-formed the company under the umbrella of Pacific Seafood, a family-owned market and business out of Portland, Ore. But now there’s a rift between Cassarino and Pacific Seafood, which owns 80 percent of Galveston Shrimp Co. According to ongoing litigation as reported by the Galveston Daily News, Cassarino is suing Pacific Seafood for $1 million, accusing the company of shorting him on revenue and self-dealing. Cassarino originally filed the lawsuit in Texas in 2023, but a judge moved the suit to Oregon. More, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:04
On US coast, wind power foes embrace ‘Save the Whales’ argument
Whether from real concern for marine animals or doubts about renewable energy, the anti-wind power movement has been growing along the US East Coast, with some trying to blame a surge in whale strandings on the growth of offshore energy projects. Their attempt to link the two seems to be resonating, despite what scientists say is a clear lack of evidence. When Lauren Brandkamp and her team from the nonprofit Whale and Dolphin Conservation organization in Massachusetts carry out a rescue on an area beach, one of the first questions bystanders ask is: “Was this wind?” Wind power critics have organized coastal town gatherings, posted “Save the Whales” signs and filed lawsuits in a bid to bury new wind projects under crushing litigation fees. A recent surge in whale strandings or deaths has given them added ammunition. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:41
‘Boats can be replaced, but not a human’: Peoria fisherman shares crewmate’s memorable Hurricane Milton rescue from sea
A Coast Guard crew from a Miami base rescued a commercial fisherman who rode Hurricane Milton out inside a fishing cooler. Steven Hawley of Peoria owned a boat called “Capt. Dave” that now lies at the bottom of the sea. The vessel is part of his commercial fishing company off Florida’s Gulf Coast. Hawley wasn’t in Florida when Hurricane Milton hit, but his fishing crew was. On Monday, Hawley’s employee was riding into shore when the alternator and battery on Capt. Dave died about 20 miles from St. Petersburg. According to Coast Guard District 7, a rescue boat and helicopter crew lifted two people from Capt. Dave but left the watercraft in the ocean. On Wednesday, Hawley’s crew made an effort to bring Capt. Dave in before Hurricane Milton made landfall. Hawley said his crew dropped the captain off and rode into shore. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:38
After tough salmon season, Lower Cook Inlet fishermen say it will be a struggle to stay afloat
Alaska’s salmon season is largely over. However, commercial fishermen on the southern Kenai Peninsula are reflecting on a year marked by declining catches and higher costs. That includes first-year tender captain Theodore “Teddy” Handley, who took on the role of running his own vessel, the Julia Starr, this season. As a tender captain, he collects fish from fishing boats and delivers them to processing plants. Handley said the sheer pink salmon volume typically boosts the late-season harvest “Even though you’re paid maybe a sixth of what you get for sockeyes per pound, just the volume more that shows up in a pink run is how a lot of the fishermen make their money, and that’s how a lot of the canneries make their money too,” Handley said. Homer’s fishing community comprises generations of families who harvest salmon, halibut and other species from the waters of Lower Cook Inlet. The city is also made up of people and businesses that rely on the commercial fishing industry for income. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:40
N.S. minister hopes changes to fish buyer, processor licences will help curb illegal activity
The Nova Scotia government is introducing new licence conditions for fish buyers and processors that officials hope will help crack down on illegal fishing. Kent Smith, the province’s fisheries minister, detailed the changes in a letter that accompanied a package sent to licence holders earlier this month. Changes include moving to two-year terms and aligning processor licences with Canadian Food Inspection Agency requirements. Processors will also be required to report the source location of fish and fish products entering the facility and the location of sales at both the provincial and country level. But the biggest changes focus on Nova Scotia’s king crustacean, lobster. Lobster buyers will be required to provide the locations and details pertaining to all holding and handling facilities they own, lease or use. Licence holders will only be allowed to store and/or handle their lobsters at facilities listed on their buyer’s licence. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:15
Alaska’s seafood industry lost $1.8 billion last year, NOAA report says
A variety of market forces combined with fishery collapses occurring in a rapidly changing environment caused Alaska’s seafood industry to lose $1.8 billion from 2022 to 2023, a new federal report said. The array of economic and environmental challenges has devastated one of Alaska’s main industries, said the report, issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And the losses extend beyond economics, casting doubt on prospects for the future, the report said. The losses also extend beyond Alaska. Nationwide, Alaska’s seafood industry woes caused the loss from 2022 to 2023 of more than 38,000 jobs and a $4.3 billion decline in total U.S. output, the report said. There was also a loss of $269 million in combined state and local tax revenues, the report said. The states most affected beyond Alaska were those on the West Coast. The report breaks down the dollar losses. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:14
A day in the life of 18-year-old fisherman Mat Price
When it comes to a typical day’s crabbing, it’s the buzz of the alarm clock that quickens Mat’s pulse. “I wake up at around 6am, ready to get to John’s house for 6.30am. He lives about a minute and a half away from the boat, so I’ll jump in his van, and we’ll head down to the cove.” Cadgwith’s small New Holland tractor is in high demand by the beach-launched fleet. “The first job is to get the tractor – if it’s not already in use. We’ll then go to the cold room and load the rays and gurnards which we use for crab bait. Sometimes, if the boats are close together, we get the tractor right up to the side of the boat and can load all the bait and the other equipment up.” With everything loaded, it’s then a case of getting launched. “If someone at the cove hasn’t gone yet, they’ll push us out with the tractor. The tractor has a rubber roller on the front of it which is pushed up to the bow. The tractor then drives forward, pushing the vessel backwards out into the water until you’re floating. However, if nobody is there to push the boat out, then I’ll have to put my waders on…”Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:32
Did New Bedford police tell a fisherman to take down his ‘anti-windmill’ flag?
According to local scalloper Russell Isabel, captain of the F/V Prowess, the Prowess started showing signs of an engine problem in the area of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge on Tuesday, leading to a decision to dock nearby at New Bedford’s North Terminal. The fact that his vessel was displaying an “anti-windmill” flag at the time was purely coincidental, Isabel says. “I didn’t know anything about a ribbon-cutting meeting going on or any of that,” Isabel said, noting he also had no knowledge of the protest going on just outside of the event near the street. As the crew docked, authorities noticed the flag flying off the stern of F/V Prowess, leading to a verbal conflict with NBPD members, Isabel said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
Coast Guard rescues man off Longboat Key following Hurricane Milton
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami helicopter crew rescued a man, Thursday, approximately 30 miles off Longboat Key following Hurricane Milton. The aircrew brought the man to Tampa General Hospital for further care, after he was found clinging to a cooler wearing a life jacket at approximately 1:30 p.m. Airplane and helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater currently deployed to Aviation Training Center Mobile for storm avoidance, and Air Station Miami launched at approximately 5:30 a.m. to search for the missing captain. Monday, the captain of the fishing vessel Capt. Dave reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders, at approximately 12:40 p.m., he and a crew member were disabled approximately 20 miles off John’s Pass. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 21:27
Australian rock lobster will soon be exported to China again — here’s what it means for the industry and consumers
China’s ban on Australian rock lobsters is expected to be lifted by the end of the year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced. Rock lobster fishers say China is “by far” their biggest market and the impact on coastal WA communities will be significant. However, it could mean Australians will end up paying more for the prized delicacy once exports resume. Australian rock lobster fishers soon will be able to export their prized catches to China again, after four years out in the cold. The welcome development was announced yesterday following a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Vietnam. Exports are expected to resume by the end of the year, in time for Chinese New Year in 2025. Here’s what it means for Australia. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:15
Helicopter Logger/Commercial Fisherman James Michael Modderman, of Brownsville Oregon has passed away
James Michael Modderman, 72, of Brownsville Oregon passed away peacefully in hospice care at Helping Hearts, Saturday, October 5, 2024. He was born November 7, 1951 at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea, MN to Russell and JoAnn (Floyd) Modderman. In 1975, James and wife Marian moved to the Oregon coast and raised two children. James was one of the 1st in the Helicopter Logging Industry cutting cedar. He owned and operated a commercial bay crabbing boat and worked on commercial fishing boats off the Oregon coast. In 1989 James and his family moved back to Albert Lea to be closer to family. James then moved back to the Oregon coast in 2007 and in 2021 moved to Brownsville, Oregon. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:56
Catching a glimpse of the Mississippi seafood industry
If you were asked to list the seafood available from the nutrient-rich waterways along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, how many could you name? What comprises the shellfish? The finfish? Go! Sadly, I could only name a few. That is why there is a website provided by Mississippi Seafood that gives us the information we need. The seafood identification, scientific name, common name, season, peak season, and similar species are included. There are suggested cooking methods and a description regarding the flavor of each seafood mentioned. There are brown, pink, and white shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs under the shellfish category. Then, for the finfish, there are Mississippi Gulf Black Drum, Flounder, Mullett, and Red Drum. Red, Mangrove, Lane, and Yellowtail are part of the snapper family. Another one is the Mississippi Spotted Sea Trout. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:34
NEFSA Petition Urging Janet Mills to Halt Development of Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine Receives Over 2,500 Signatures
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) will be sending Gov. Janet Mills a petition with over 2,500 signatures urging her to halt the development of offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine, according to a source close to the matter. NEFSA is a bipartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to helping save the region’s commercial fishing industry and preserving it for future generations. Signatories on the petition include commercial fishermen, as well as residents of New England maritime communities. In a copy of the petition’s letter obtained by the Maine Wire, NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman urged Gov. Mills to follow in the footsteps of Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) by asking the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) to halt its efforts to lease property off the coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:52
Hurricane Milton carves a path of destruction across Florida; millions without power or water
Millions of Floridians from coast to coast are assessing the overnight destruction left by Hurricane Milton, which made landfall at Siesta Key off Sarasota as a Category 3 storm at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, punched across the state and exited the east coast near Cape Canaveral before dawn Thursday. At least 2.6 million homes and businesses were without power, St. Petersburg residents without water, and major damage was done in the Tampa area, where flash flood warnings were still in effect Thursday. St. Petersburg residents also could no longer get water from their household taps because a water main break led the city to shut down service. St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches of rain. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
Darien shrimpers brace for Hurricane Milton
Communities across the southeast are closely watching Hurricane Milton as it crosses the gulf, especially local counties close to the Florida border. While shrimpers in Darien brace for Hurricane Milton, they’re still recovering from the effects of Helene. Shrimping is a major industry for the area, shrimpers say any storm causes concerns for them. “It has all the shrimp boat owners and captains pretty nervous about everything,” said local shrimper Jamey Bennett. While recovering, these shrimpers say they’re preparing for what’s next. “Believe it or not, most of the boats at this dock didn’t even take the lines off from the other hurricane because we seen the other one was brewing,” said shrimper Dwight “Wynn” Darwin Gale. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:35
