Monthly Archives: November 2024
Why Canada’s decision to lift a ban on cod fishing in Newfoundland after 32 years is so controversial – Podcast
For generations, cod fishing was a way of life in Newfoundland and Labrador, the easternmost province in Canada. But in 1992, after cod stocks in the north Atlantic plummeted, the federal government imposed a moratorium on cod fishing. It was to last for 32 years until it was lifted in June 2024. Fishing has been the backbone of the economy for centuries, and so when the Canadian government imposed a cod moratorium in 1992 it had a huge impact, with an estimated 30,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador out of work overnight. Some cod fishing was permitted in inshore waters from the late 1990s in boats less than 20 metres long, but all commercial offshore trawler fishing was prohibited. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:48
Federal judge dismisses Alaska trawlers’ lawsuit that sought to overturn halibut limits
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to overturn new halibut bycatch limits on deep-sea trawlers that fish in federal waters off Alaska. The lawsuit was filed by Groundfish Forum Inc., a Seattle-based trawl trade group, after the North Pacific Fishery Management Council passed a rule that reduces halibut bycatch limits for many trawlers when there are fewer halibut in Alaska waters. The National Marine Fisheries Service, in charge of implementing the rule, moved to dismiss the lawsuit, and U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason ruled in favor of the agency on Nov. 8. Intrafish, a trade publication, first reported on the ruling. The lawsuit has been a major issue in fishing communities across the Gulf of Alaska. Some of those communities joined the federal government in defense, as did various fishing and conservation organizations. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:22
Fishermen still impacted by Long Island Sound’s lobster die-off
For decades, the crustaceans were caught off the coast of Connecticut. But, in the late 90s, things changed drastically. When the lobster die-off happened 25 years ago, it sunk many who made their living on the sea. But there are still some local lobstermen who have found a way to keep their businesses afloat. “We went from doing 500-600 pounds of lobster a tide, some guys were doing a thousand a tide, to a hundred,” said Walter Roderick, who keeps his lobster boat the Stacey Geal at Stonington Dock, the home of the last commercial fishing fleet in Connecticut. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:42
Call for fishermen to join farmers’ protest
Great Yarmouth skipper Paul Lines and Lowestoft fishmarket boss and former MEP June Mummery are calling on the fishing industry to back a farmers’ protest at Westminster next Tuesday, 19 November. The protest has been called following the announcement in the recent budget that farmland would no longer be exempt from inheritance tax but has rapidly moved to encompass wider concerns about food security. Paul Lines will be wearing wet-weather gear, including his sou’wester, to highlight the concerns of the fishing industry, and is calling on other fishermen to join him, if possible, similarly dressed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:40
Celebrating the Crew of the Elite Navigator
Speaker, in the noble tradition that defines our existence as a people, every day, thousands of men and women in this province take to the sea to earn their living from the fishery. There is no greater fear for the communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador than to hear the news that one of our fishing boats has gone missing. Yet that was the news we received in July when the Elite Navigator and its crew of seven were reported missing, its last known location about 300 kilometres northeast of Gander. Mr. Speaker, I will never forget that day as we celebrated along with hundreds of others in the New-Wes-Valley community, as the Lucky Seven entered their home port. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:46
Save LBI Stays Course Despite Trump’s Promise to Kill Offshore Wind
While President-elect Donald Trump is expected to make sweeping changes to the national energy policy, including doing away with offshore wind on Day 1 of his new term, a local grassroots organization isn’t letting that news get in its way of fighting the construction of what is poised to be the country’s largest wind farm some 9 miles off the coast of Long Beach Island. “We will be filing major lawsuits by the end of the month to invalidate at least some of those prior federal approvals,” Bob Stern, president and cofounder of Save LBI, said just days after voters returned Trump to office for a second term. “In addition, we will be seeking to have the lease area itself canceled so that new projects will not be resurrected in the future.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:05
Norwegian fishermen snagged U.S. nuclear-powered submarine
“We had just emptied the nets and put them out again and was on our way back to shore at Sommarøya when we were called by the Coast Guard on channel 16 on the VHF-radio,” says Harald Engen (22) to NRK Troms. Engen is captain on Øygutt, the 10 meters small fishing vessel. The Coast Guard could inform that a submarine had sailed into the net and dragged it two nautical miles north where it was cut off. The incident occurred outside Malangen, west of Tromsø on the coast to the Norwegian Sea. The submarine was the USS Virginia, a nuclear-powered 115 meters long attack sub. Such submarines are in recent years more frequently surfacing in the sheltered fjords outside Tromsø. Norway’s Coast Guard are assisting in bringing onboard supplies or new crew members. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:12
Study Reveals Salmon Mislabeling in Seattle Sushi Restaurants
Researchers conducted a study on salmon samples from 67 grocery stores and 52 local sushi shops, revealing that 32.3% of sushi restaurant samples contained farmed salmon instead of the wild salmon that vendors claimed. It remains unclear whether this mislabeling occurred at the restaurant level or earlier in the distribution chain. In contrast, no grocery store samples were found to have this issue, although 11.1% of the salmon sold in grocery stores was identified as the incorrect species. Additionally, 38% of the samples from restaurants were substituted with the wrong type of salmon. The financial implications for consumers are significant. When customers believe they are purchasing high-quality wild salmon, they may be willing to pay a higher price, not realizing they are receiving a less valuable product. This not only affects consumer trust but can also undermine the market for legitimate wild-caught salmon fishermen, who depend on consumers recognizing the value of their sustainably sourced fish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:44
Silver Bay Seafoods acquires Peter Pan Seafoods facilities from Rodger May
Silver Bay Seafoods will acquire processing plants in Dillingham and Port Moller, along with fishery support sites in Dillingham and North Naknek. Silver Bay announced the acquisition from Rodger May, the former co-owner of Peter Pan Seafoods, in a press release Wednesday. The Dillingham and Port Moller plants are Silver Bay’s fourth and fifth plant acquisitions this year. It also took over Peter Pan’s plant in Valdez last spring, and Trident Seafoods plants in Ketchikan and False Pass. Silver Bay said for the latest deal, both parties agreed to immediately transfer control of the facilities while the actual transfer of ownership is finalized. Silver Bay says this will “ensure a seamless transition for fisherman, communities, and employees.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:55
Lawmakers demand review of U.S. Government Accountability Office’s oversight of shrimp imports
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., and U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, are calling on the U.S. Government Accountability Office to scrutinize whether the U.S. Treasury Department is fulfilling its legal obligation to protect American industries, including the shrimping sector, from international competition. The representatives voiced concerns in a letter sent to the GAO, suggesting that the Treasury may be neglecting statutory requirements that compel the department to oppose foreign economic assistance projects that could harm U.S. industries. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:17
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 57′ Fiberglass Crabber/Groundfish/ Scalloper, Caterpillar 3406
To review specifications, information, with 33 photos’,>click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here<. 06:50
Scottish fishing chiefs lash out over conservation group Oceana’s ‘fake news’
The Aberdeen-based Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) has accused conservation group Oceana of spreading “fake news”. Oceana is today publishing a report calling for a “legally binding deadline to end overfishing”. And it claims to have the backing of nearly eight in 10 adults in Britain for stricter limits on catches in UK waters. According to Oceana, which also wants to see a ban on supertrawlers more than 100m (328ft) long, half the UK’s key fish 
populations were “overfished or critically low” last year. SFF’s top team believe the conservation group’s latest report is designed to disrupt annual negotiations of overfishing quotas for 2025. Oceana is “wasting everyone’s time with a series of cherry-picked statements, reliance on obsolete science and creative wording to perpetuate a narrative of gloom and doom about fisheries that bears little relation to reality”, the fishing industry body explained. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 20:01
MAIB report into loss of Ocean Maid
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the grounding and subsequent loss of the Ocean Maid BA 55. The report – the purpose of which is not to attribute fault or blame – says that on the afternoon of 23 October 2022 the 1986-built prawn trawler left Eyemouth to make an overnight passage to a shipyard in Fraserburgh for planned maintenance and minor repairs. The vessel’s crew of four included the skipper and his father – the co-owners of the vessel – a watchkeeper and a deckhand. At around 2.40am, the watchkeeper took over the watch from the skipper. At approximately 5.35am, the watchkeeper checked the estimated time of arrival at Fraserburgh and recalled seeing an ETA of 5.56am ‘or thereabouts’ on the plotter display. The watchkeeper then left the wheelhouse and went down to the galley to make tea for the crew. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:46
Dutch Fisherman Hit Tanker After Leaving Bridge for a Head Call
The Netherlands’ disciplinary court for mariners has fined a fishing vessel’s helmsman for leaving the bridge unattended to go to the head. While he was gone, the vessel hit an anchored tanker off IJmuiden, causing damage and a small spill. On September 28, 2022, the 150-foot fishing vessel Joris Senior (registry number ARM 18) had finished up a week of fishing in the North Sea and was returning to IJmuiden. There were six crewmembers aboard, and a substitute skipper was at the helm for the transit. No additional crewmembers were on lookout duty. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:52
150-foot F V Joris Senior
Supporters, Opponents of Offshore Wind Both Look for Hopeful Signs in Trump Administration
On the day after the elections last week, and even before, the airwaves were crammed with speculation about how this, that, and the other sectors of American life and the economy would fare under a Trump administration. The chatter included the future of offshore wind, which was born in the United States in 2016 off the coast of Block Island and continues to generate heavy support and heavy opposition. President-elect Donald Trump has expressed hostility toward offshore wind and has said he would put an end to the industry “on day one” of his administration. Trump-supporting Republicans have vowed to put an end to President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, including tax credits for big projects such as offshore wind. A large share of the IRA’s $891 billion price tag is targeted toward renewable energy and related technologies. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:53
Marine Rescue NSW crew rescue two people from sinking fishing vessel near Ballina
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Rodney Page said a fishing trawler reported it was taking on water and sinking approximately eight nautical miles (15kms) east of Lennox Head. “In the early hours of this morning Marine Rescue Port Macquarie, the region’s 24 hour communications hub, received a call from the skipper of a fishing trawler. “The skipper advised the vessel was taking on water and experiencing engine failure. “A volunteer crew from Marine Rescue Ballina were deployed on board Ballina 30 just after 3.00am. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:40
NCFA Weekly Update for November 11, 2024: Thank You Veterans, with an update on Western N.C. Hurricane Assistance
Upcoming NC Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting – The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) is holding their quarterly business meeting next week in Emerald Isle. As usual there is a packed agenda, which includes southern flounder, speckled trout oysters, hard clams, and blue crabs. There will be time for in person public comment on the evening of Wednesday, November 20th and the morning of Thursday, November 21st. Shortly after Hurricane Helene hit the east coast, the North Carolina Fisheries Association sent an appeal to our members to help with sending bulk ice to western North Carolina, (WNC). As a result, several semi truckloads of bulk ice were sent to the affected area. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:05
Barge Arrives to Re-Float Fishing Boat After A Year Sunk Off Point Pleasant Beach
Just a few days shy of the one-year anniversary of the sinking of the Susan Rose, a 77-foot commercial fishing vessel that ran aground on the beach just feet south of the Manasquan Inlet – then sunk a bit farther offshore following a failed effort to tow it off the beach, has been re-floated and will eventually be removed and likely sold for scrap. Crews began staging equipment last week in the area about 3,000 feet off the beach in Point Pleasant Beach where the stricken vessel dipped below the waves and sunk to the bottom in under 100-feet of water. Rumors swirled for months about what would happen to the former commercial fishing trawler, owned by The Town Dock Inc. in Narragansett, R.I., but no action took place. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:34
America’s Least Desired Job: Being a Commercial Fisherman, According to Survey
While being a Hollywood actor in California, an investment banker in New York, or an outdoor adventure guide in Colorado may top the list of America’s most coveted careers, we often overlook the jobs that people least aspire to. The survey revealed some interesting results. Among Americans, the job they would least be willing to do, even if offered double the salary, was that of a commercial fisherman. Commercial fishing is one of the most hazardous jobs in America. Here are some of the other least desired careers among Americans: more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:57
GOP Lawmakers, Fishermen Urge Trump to Keep Promise to Axe Offshore Wind
Trump’s return to the Oval Office may deal the problem-riddled offshore wind industry another blow if his administration follows through on his pledge to scrap federal support for offshore wind projects during his second term. Republican lawmakers, opposed to heavily subsidized green energy, and commercial fishermen, who view the industry as an existential threat to their livelihoods, are calling on the president-elect to follow through on his campaign’s promise, which could imply ending federal subsidies and lease sales for the industry. “The incoming administration has an historic opportunity to save American workers from foreign developers, reinvigorate iconic coastal towns, and improve America’s food security,” NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman said in a press release following Trump’s election win. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:54
Arrests after ‘significant’ 400kg cocaine seizure
Four men have been arrested after a “significant” drugs haul was seized from a fishing boat off the coast of Kent. Border Force officers said they intercepted the vessel at sea on Sunday morning and discovered 400kg of cocaine. Three men on board, aged 64, 45 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of importing class A drugs and taken into police custody to be questioned by National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators. A fourth man, aged 36, was arrested in Rainham, east London, said the NCA. NCA operations manager Jules Harriman said: “This amount of cocaine will represent a significant loss for the organized crime group that attempted to import it into the UK. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:30
Bottom Trawl Survey of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy Area Re-Scheduled for January 13, 2025 – March 1, 2025
This notice is to inform you that the bottom trawl survey of the Maine Research Array Wind Energy (MeRA) Area, previously scheduled to begin on October 15, 2024, has been re-scheduled to take place between January 13, 2025 and March 1, 2025.This is a potential sampling window; the survey will be conducted during 7-10 days within this timeframe. The exact dates will be weather dependent. Operations will be conducted during daylight hours. The F/V Northern Lights (55’ trawler) will transit from Portland to the sampling area. The crew will conduct approximately 37 tows over 7-10 days of sampling. Tows will be 20 minutes and conducted at a speed of 2.5 knots. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:12
Trump has vowed to kill US offshore wind projects. Will he succeed?
Opponents of offshore wind energy projects expect President-elect Donald Trump to kill an industry he has vowed to end on the first day he returns to the White House. “I believe this is a tipping point for the offshore wind industry in America,” said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, one of the most vocal groups opposing offshore wind on the East Coast. “They have been given a glidepath by Democrat-run administrations at the federal and state level for many years. For this industry, (Tuesday’s) results will bring headwinds far greater than they have faced previously.” Commercial fishermen in Maine said they hope the Trump administration will undo policies designed to help build and approve offshore wind projects, saying regulators attempted to “future-proof” the industry against political change. Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, called on Trump to reverse a commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:37
2024-2025 Scallop Season – Online Materials are Available
The DMR Advisory Council has reviewed and approved the proposed rulemaking for Chapter 11 Scallops, setting the 2024-2025 season. This notice is to inform harvesters that scallop season materials are now available on the DMR website under “Information for the 2024-2025 Scallop Season” and to also provide a summary of changes for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. As a reminder for all zones, scallop harvest begins 1/2 hour before sunrise. Scallop fishery requires electronic reporting of day trips, submitted weekly by Sunday 11:59 p.m. information, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:33
MLA calls for fishing industry to have mandatory WCB insurance coverage
After a North Lake lobster fisher was killed this summer, Green MLA Peter Bevan-Baker is pushing for more to be done to compensate injured workers in the P.E.I. fishing industry. “The nature of the job is such that it’s an inherently very, very dangerous situation,” he said Thursday. “I think there’s a limit to how much can be done. I think absolutely we should be doing everything we can to make sure that conditions onboard boats are as safe as they possibly can be.” But when safety procedures don’t prevent injuries or deaths, fishery workers don’t have the same access to compensation as employees in other sectors, he said. That’s because paying premiums into the Workers Compensation Board (WBC) insurance system is optional for fishing industry employers. Bevan-Baker is calling on the provincial government to change that and make coverage mandatory. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:12
Rafael now a tropical storm: Any threat to Alabama?
Rafael, a Category 3 hurricane just yesterday, has weakened rapidly to a tropical storm and had 65 mph winds on Saturday morning. The National Hurricane Center thinks the storm could drift southward over the Gulf of Mexico through the middle of next week. It could also continue to weaken and become a non-tropical system during that time. As of the last advisory, at 3 a.m. CST Saturday, Tropical Storm Rafael was located about 405 miles east of the mouth of the Rio Grande River and was moving to the west-northwest at 6 mph. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:23
Skipper retires after 64 years at sea
A Whalsay fisherman has reflected on his lifetime at sea as he retires after almost six and a half decades. Davie Hutchison, 79, known locally as “Davie A Skaw”, had been skipper of the 75-metre pelagic trawler Charisma. He has now called time on his career after 64 years. Mr. Hutchison’s first job at the fishing was in 1960 on the 53-feet seine-net vessel Brighter Morn where he worked as the cook. Throughout his career, Mr. Hutchison witnessed countless changes to the industry, including the introduction of radars. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:45
Alaska fisherman could get six months in prison after attempting to kill sperm whale
Federal prosecutors are recommending that an Alaska fisher serve six months in prison, pay a $25,000 fine and be banned from commercial fishing for a year after lying about fishing catches and trying to kill an endangered sperm whale. Dugan Paul Daniels pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor earlier this year, and prosecutors released their sentencing recommendation on Tuesday. According to court documents, Daniels became infuriated in March 2020 when a whale began taking fish from his longline fishing gear and damaging equipment. This kind of behavior has been seen for decades across Alaska’s coast, but prosecutors say this is the first time in Alaska that a fisher has attempted to kill a whale in retaliation, and it may be the first time nationally. links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:34
Charting a course toward seafood independence for Alaska’s vulnerable food systems
As a commercial fisherman based in Sitka and the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), I’ve spent decades navigating Alaska’s challenging waters and the headwinds facing our fishing communities. Alaska’s coastal residents are resilient, but they are up against a new magnitude of challenges. The loss of fishing access and community-based processing capacity, along with a dearth of local markets for seafood, are straining once vibrant fishing economies up and down our coastline. I recently contributed to a fisheries access report commissioned by the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust (ASFT), which highlights the outmigration of fishing access in Southeast Alaska. Communities with historically robust local fishing fleets now see few active vessels based in town. This trend is acute in communities such as Kake, which has lost its local processor — and with it, a viable market for resident fishermen. Through interviews and in-person engagement, ASFT’s report found that a common concern among fishermen was the loss of a local fish buyer. When this happens, resident fishermen often sell their permits or abandon fishing altogether. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< By Linda Behnken 12:05
