Daily Archives: November 19, 2024
FFAW says it wants to reclaim its right to strike — but only over snow crab
The Newfoundland and Labrador government is opening the door for seafood harvesters in the province to reclaim their right to strike, but the harvesters’ union is signalling it only wants that right for a single species — a proposal that the fisheries minister says likely isn’t legal. Minister Gerry Byrne announced several proposed changes to fishing industry regulations Monday in what he billed as an effort to advance free enterprise. Those proposals included a green light from government to return to strikes and lockout processes when collective bargaining fails, and a move away from the final-offer selection model implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador two decades ago. Under the current model, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union and Association of Seafood Producers both make offers about pricing and an independent arbitrator chooses between those offers, thus avoiding lockouts and strikes. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:23
Dire condition of Alaska’s seafood industry has many causes and no easy fixes, experts say
State officials and industry leaders trying to rescue the ailing Alaska seafood industry are facing daunting challenges, recently released numbers show. The industry lost $1.8 billion last year, the result of low prices, closed harvests and other problems, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. State Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, part of a task force charged with making recommendations on ways that lawmakers can help rescue the industry, said the solutions will be difficult and will require the full attention of his colleagues next year. Joe Bundrant, chief executive officer of Trident Seafoods, described how Russian fish production is part of a “perfect storm” of low prices, devaluation of Alaska’s product and a geopolitical landscape “like I’ve never seen anything close to it.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:36
‘Just Go Fishing’: Florida’s commercial fishermen getting back on the water
After being sidelined for more than a month following back-to-back hurricanes, the commercial fisherman in the historic Village of Cortez is back out hunting for grouper, blue crabs, bait fish, and everything in between. It was only a few days ago that Karen Bell, President of A.P. Bell Fish, said her team was able to go back out to sea and do what they love: fish. And the timing for some very bored fisherman couldn’t have been better. “All the grouper boats are out. They’ve only been out the last three or four days,” Bell said. The storms knocked Bell’s operations out for weeks. “A lot of damage. You know, I’ve got between my family and me, maybe 20 houses here, every one of them flooded, even mine, which sits high,” Bell said. “A.P. Bell’s roof is missing. It was like a double strike. At Star Fish, we lost all of our refrigeration equipment, the kitchens, the stoves, the ranges, and all the refrigeration stuff, so it took a little bit of time to get fixed.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:12
Developer/Highliner Kaye A. Williams of Bridgeport, Connecticut, has passed away
Kaye A. Williams, 95, beloved husband of Barbara (DeBreceny) Williams passed away peacefully in his home Saturday, November 16, 2024. Kaye was the son of the late Frederick I. Williams and Margaret Keefe Williams Dudas. Eventually returning to Bridgeport, Kaye established his first marine store, Fayerweather Marine Supply on Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock. In 1968, he sold Fayerweather Marine and launched a new career as a commercial lobsterman. During his decade long career as a lobsterman, he became known as a “high liner”, a term used in the trade to describe the most successful and productive fisherman. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:38
Suggested areas for offshore wind around N.S. swell in size
Offshore areas around Nova Scotia recommended for wind energy projects have ballooned in size in the latest version of a report for government, troubling some in the fishing industry who are bracing for disruptions. The draft final report comes from the regional assessment committee, which was tasked by the province and Ottawa two years ago to investigate the potential impacts of offshore wind development on Nova Scotia. It describes eight potential development areas that cover a total of 31,200 square kilometres. The areas stretch from the tip of George’s Bank southwest of Nova Scotia, up the Atlantic coastline and around Cape Breton Island. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:14
A true story, but ever so fishy…
You may have heard of Chevron, the huge oil and gas company and probably one of the biggest oil producers in the world. But you may not have heard of the “Chevron deference” justified by congressional agencies. This became an unspoken government policy some 40 years ago. Here is the unspoken protocol. Congress would legislate a new, ambiguous bill to “fix” an issue. The enacted law was then passed to one of the agencies such as the FDA, EPA, USDA, or if there wasn’t a specific agency, a new one was formed. The purpose was to formulate government policy using the new law. An example is when President Jimmy Carter formed the Department of Energy in 1977. Reportedly it was to plan strategies to conserve energy and develop alternative energy sources. I will let readers form their own opinions in this time of shifting energy strategies. Yet 40 some years later, it almost all falls back on using fossil fuels. Let’s face it. Windmills and solar panels aren’t the long-term solution. more, >>CLICK TO EAD<< 07:03
