Monthly Archives: December 2024
d’Entremont talks fishery mismanagement, violence in Clare
The MP for West Nova says fishery disputes were top of mind in 2024. Conservative Chris d’Entremont says the
federal government has mismanaged the herring and elver fishery and have not been properly enforcing illegal lobster fishing in Clare. He says Minister Diane Lebouthillier is too worried about her own riding in Quebec. “Fishery-wise, 2024 wasn’t the year we wanted. I was hoping we’d have some ears that would listen to us. We continue to get pushed aside for political reasons,” said d’Entremont. d’Entremont says southwest Nova didn’t get a cent out of Small Craft Harbour funding, with 60-70 percent of it going to the minister’s riding. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:50
Retired Lobsterman Arnold “Joe” Alvin Nickerson III of Kennebunkport, Me. has passed away
Arnold “Joe” Alvin Nickerson III peacefully passed away on December 25, 2024, at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. He was a loving father who cherished his grandchildren, a caring brother and uncle, and admired by all who knew him. Joe was born on December 8, 1934, in Amherst, MA, to Arnold and Anna (Ashman) Nickerson Jr. He grew up in North Amherst, MA, helping on the Ashman family farm. His Uncle Stanley nicknamed him “Hey Joe,” and the name stuck. He shared a special bond with his Lithuanian grandmother, Caroline “Bobute” Ashman. Summers often found him in Cape Porpoise, visiting his grandparents Arnold Sr. and Verna (Fisher), where his love for the ocean began. By age five, he was lobstering with his father and grandfather. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50
The Dark Side “Green” Energy Make Nuclear Power the Obvious Choice for Maine’s Future
Maine has been treated to a near non-stop barrage of demands that we acquiesce to the lucrative demands of the Nuclear Power and solar panel lobbies for the sake of saving the environment. As the 132nd Legislature begins to consider the likely slew of proposals related to industrialized Nuclear Power and a further expansion of the farm-land devouring solar subsidy program, we must keep in mind the health implications as well as the theoretical benefits. As a member of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee, I am compelled to highlight the potential risks these technologies pose to our environment and public health, risks that demand a serious reconsideration of Maine’s current energy policies. Offshore wind turbines, often hailed as a green solution, are shedding microplastics into our marine environments. In some cases, such as with the recent 300-foot Vineyard Wind turbine blade that exploded near Cape Cod, the pollution is obvious. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< by Reagan Paul 10:27
Alaska: Sen. Stevens says more details forthcoming on state insurance pool for commercial fishermen
One of the ideas rising to the top of the Alaska Seafood Task Force’s forthcoming recommendations is an insurance pool for commercial fishermen. The state legislative task force plans to release a full list of a dozen potential bills next month to address a downturn in the seafood market. But the group’s chairperson shared some information in advance with the Kodiak Fisheries Work Group on Dec. 18. State Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak told members of the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly and City Council that he would like to use a model the Alaska Municipal League is using for sharing its communities’ insurance costs. This is known as the Alaska Municipal League Joint Insurance Association (AMLJIA), which is a self-insurance pool owned and paid for by the municipalities and school districts that make up its membership. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:53
Vineyard Wind and DOJ dispute ACK For Whales Supreme Court case
ACK For Whales is steadfast in their belief that their case against Vineyard Wind and federal agencies should be heard by the Supreme Court. Judges at the state and federal level have already dismissed their arguments in court twice the last two years, but that doesn’t mean their case doesn’t deserve to be heard by the highest court in the land, according to court filings from the local opposition group filed earlier this month. “That this petition focuses on only one aspect of the agency’s shortcomings . . . its failure to consider the cumulative impacts of other known, authorized, planned, and soon-to-be-approved projects—does not render this petition unworthy of review by (the Supreme Court). And that the First Circuit gave short shrift to (ACK For Whales’) arguments, including this one, equally does not render this petition unworthy of review,” reads a reply to critiques from federal agencies and Vineyard Wind filed Dec. 20. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:22
Looe RNLI volunteer recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours
David Haines, former Lifeboat Operations Manager at Looe RNLI who has dedicated over 30 years to the RNLI, has been recognised in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours for his role in helping the charity save lives at sea. David is awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to the RNLI. His citation reads: ‘a humble hero whose legacy transcends accolades, his selfless devotion is an inspiration to everyone in guaranteeing a path of service, courage, and kindness for generations to come.’ From the moment Looe Lifeboat Station reopened its doors in 1992, David has provided selfless service and steadfast commitment to saving lives at sea. Over the past three decades, he has held volunteer roles across all levels within the station, initially as lifeboat crew and then helm, before stepping into the pivotal role of Lifeboat Operations Manager at a time when the station needed strong leadership and stability. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:01
NCFA Weekly Update for December 30, 2024
NCFA BOARD AND STAFF WISH YOU AND YOURS A VERY SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! Oyster and Clam FMP Public Comment,,, The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is recommending phasing out mechanical clam harvest (clam kicking) and closing large areas to mechanical oyster harvest in their latest oyster and clam fishery management plan (FMP) update. Public comment is open and advisory committee meetings are scheduled starting next week. Clam FMP- The biggest change DMF recommends for mechanical clam harvest is to phase out clam kicking in three years unless the number of participants in the fishery increases to 10 and landings exceed 1 million clams. If participants and landings increase to the threshold, the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will reconsider the phase out at their May 2027 business meeting. More details can be found at the links below. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:45
UHI Shetland pays tribute to ‘greatly missed’ Ian Napier
Dr Napier, who worked as a senior fisheries policy advisor, was found in the water at Scousburgh on Saturday morning after being reported missing. UHI Shetland said its staff were “devastated” by the loss of their colleague. It said Dr Napier was a “well-respected scientist in his field”, as well as a “valued member of the marine science team”. Shetland Fishermen’s Association chairman James Anderson also paid tribute to Dr Napier, calling him a stalwart supporter of the local fishing industry. “Ian was passionate in his support of fishing, and literally wrote the book on Shetland’s fishing history,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:59
Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100
Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, roughly 22 months after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:46
Winners and losers – but no real surprises on 2025 UK fishing TACs
The UK minister with responsibility for fisheries, food security minster Daniel Zeichner, greeted the 2025 TAC agreement with the EU in what is now time-honoured style: a Defra press release that could have been written in any year since Brexit. The release welcomed the agreement, pointing out that the 150,000t of quota agreed for the UK was 10% higher than in 2024, with a value, if fully caught, of £360m, on top of additional fishing opportunities already agreed with Norway and NEAFC states. “From these three negotiating forums,” the Defra statement said, “the UK has gained up to 120,000t more quota from the 2025 annual negotiations than it would have as an EU member state.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:02
2024 in review: Major milestones and epic failures mark offshore wind industry
Offshore wind did reach major milestones in 2024, with “steel in the water” at four projects. But due to an unexpected failure at sea off the Massachusetts coast, the country remains under one gigawatt of operating offshore wind power — a long way from its 2030 goal. The expected 800-megawatt contribution from Vineyard Wind 1 didn’t happen, in large part due to a catastrophic blade failure over the summer that made headlines and brought the 62-turbine project and its partial power generation to a halt. Despite this incident — and the re-election of Donald Trump, a vocal critic of offshore wind — the industry celebrated breakthroughs and earned significant investments this year, both locally and nationally. In Massachusetts, officials remain bullish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:31
On horseback to fish for shrimp: Preserving one of Belgium’s oldest traditions
The image of the fisherman Stefaan Hancke on the back of his mare Dina as the latter dodges the first waves with her legs raised, strained by the effort of dragging fishing nets along the sand with a chain that vibrates so that the shrimp jump and get caught, pulling a total weight of around 3,000 kilos (6,600 lb), advancing parallel to the coastline with water up to the animal’s chest, is one that is fixed in memory, as with some of the flavors of childhood. In 2013, UNESCO recognized shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. It is a tradition that is still maintained by a community of 12 families in this Belgian village on the North Sea coast. Photos, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:46
Multiple restaurants found mislabeling Gulf shrimp | So why do they remain anonymous?
Shrimp and seafood lovers in and around Louisiana and the Gulf Coast may have seen a recent report from SeaD Consulting, a company that does genetic testing of seafood, monitoring for mislabeling and substitution fraud in the industry. In the first in a series of investigations across the state, the company sampled menu items at 24 restaurants in Baton Rouge, discovering that more than one in four dishes sampled were misrepresented. A new law taking effect January 1 will require Louisiana restaurants to clearly state the country of origin of the shrimp and crawfish they sell. If found in violation, restaurants could face thousands of dollars in fines. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:43
Humpback Whale Washes Up on Boston’s South Shore, Sparking Further Alarm Over Rising Whale Deaths
A young female humpback whale was found stranded and deceased on Rexhame Beach in Marshfield, MA the day after Christmas, raising concerns over a surge in whale deaths along the Atlantic coastline. The Christmas stranding marks the sixth large whale death in WDC’s response zone since July. This alarming streak began with a humpback whale carcass floating off the Massachusetts coast and continued with three minke whale strandings in August and September. December alone has seen two other young humpback whales stranded in the area. These strandings are part of a larger crisis. Since 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been investigating what it calls an “unusual mortality event” impacting humpbacks, minkes, and endangered right whales along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
Biden’s missed chance to safeguard America’s oceans
Among President Biden’s many laudable environmental accomplishments, one of his historic failures is that he declined to protect America’s ocean ecosystems. Despite the president’s professed goal to protect 30 percent of America’s oceans by 2030, he did virtually none of this. Perhaps he was planning on a second term (obviously a bad gamble), or perhaps he never really intended to do any of this. Regardless, the hope and optimism for ocean protection at the beginning of the Biden administration has, in the end, turned to profound disappointment. On this issue, the administration prioritized local politics over science, need and national interest. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:29
What Happened To Todd Kochutin? The Deadliest Catch Star’s Tragic Death Explained
Todd Kochutin was a crab fisherman occasionally featured on Deadliest Catch, but suddenly, he stopped appearing, which had some fans wondering where he went. These are real, employed men, who are going out into the violent and unpredictable Bering Strait, and there have been plenty of close calls on the show and even a few deaths. Todd Kochutin was a crab fisherman who appeared in a handful of episodes. A capable and dependable crabber, Todd first appeared in season 16 then off and on throughout the seasons, first on F/V Tempo Sea and then on F/V Patricia Lee. Todd Kochutin passed away in February 2021, at the age of 30, on-board the F/V Patricia Lee, in the middle of filming for Deadliest Catch. Links, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:36
Trawl developed for research survey work
NOAA Fisheries’ surveys off the US West Coast have begun deploying a new trawl net specifically designed to catch multiple fish species at different depths. Scientists are looking at integrating two fisheries surveys into one. Such a net is expected to save time and money in the long term and improve data collection for managing West Coast fisheries. NOAA Fisheries’ scientists collaborated with fishing industry experts from Ocean Gold Seafoods and Seattle-based net manufacturer Swan Nets. They designed gear that improves trawling efficiency and flexibility, called the Multi-Function Trawl net. It enables trawling at or near the surface – such as for sardines and anchovies – at night. It also allows for trawling in midwater depths, such as for Pacific hake, during the day. NOAA Fisheries previously dedicated two surveys on separate vessels to assess these species, each using a different style of trawl net configuration at different depths. In late 2023, and continuing this past summer, NOAA Fisheries’ scientists, crew, and fishing industry experts conducted sea trials using the net. They observed the net’s performance and fine-tuned the various deployment configurations. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:08
From the Barview jetty, photographer captures Oregon fishing vessels braving the waves
Oregon’s coastal scenery may lead you to believe that all is calm and serene where the ocean meets the shore. But not in winter! There is also risk and danger for crab fishermen crossing the bar at Tillamook Bay. Sometimes, the best scenery is hiding in plain sight. That’s certainly true of the over-the-shoulder scene that’s lost to most folks driving up the new mile and a half Cape Meares Loop Road along Tillamook Bay. But photographer Don Backman knew it was a keeper shortly after the road reopened last fall following a decade long closure. Bob Browning is a longtime fisher and the owner and skipper of the F/V Lady Lee. “Don knows the minute to hit the button. He doesn’t just catch you in the action, he catches you at the peak of the action. The wave surf hitting the boat or the spray coming off the boat when a wave hits. He gets the shot at just the right moment and he’s really good,” Browning said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:55
New memorial in southeastern P.E.I. community honours fishers who were taken by the sea
Residents of Murray Harbour say a new monument will serve as a tribute to people from the community who lost their lives at sea, and an important reminder of the dangers for those who continue to take the risk of going out on the water. The southeastern P.E.I. community recently took possession of the 1,200-pound memorial that now sits at the harbour, overlooking the boats that will come and go during the busy fishing seasons. “There’s been a lot of people over the years, unfortunately, [who] never came home from the sea. It was time that we made a memorial, something to remember those people by,” said Gary MacKay, Murray Harbour’s deputy mayor. Photos, video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:50
SF firm specializes in the freshest California fish caught via small boats
The recent postponing of the 2024 commercial crab season off the central California coast, now set to open with catch restrictions on Jan. 5, highlighted anew how vital it has been for the Water2Table Fish Co. on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf to remain flexible. Being adaptable is essential given Water2Table’s mission of buying seasonal, sustainably harvested fish pulled from the waters off the California coast by a stable of 15 to 20 small-boat operators, said Joe Conte, who founded the business with his wife in 2011. “It’s a very dynamic business,” Conte said. “We’re dealing with a wild product and getting it into people’s homes and restaurants. It’d be like somebody placing a meat order, and the vendor has to go out and shoot it.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:40
Crab pot retrieval concept crashes
Norwegian company Resqunit, with Deadliest Catch star Sig Hansen as global brand ambassador for its ingenious trap retrieval concept, has crashed into bankruptcy with debts of NoK13.5 million – equivalent to over a million euros. The bankruptcy was announced in August, in contrast to the initial fanfare of publicity and optimism as the company’s owners expected the world to embrace its product. A holding company was registered in Sweden in 2021. Soon afterwards the holding company was listed on the US Nasdaq First North Growth Market. Things happened fast for Resqunit and the next step was company was set up in Canada as the concept seemed to be something that couldn’t go wrong as governments, researchers and environmental organisations had ghost fishing high up on the agenda. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:15
People We Meet: Frankie Gaetano Balistreri, owner of Portofino’s in North Beach
Frankie is short and barrel-chested, with powerful forearms and a charming, lopsided grin. He talks fast, his deep brown eyes glint with humor, and he often cracks himself up. Under his big apron, his T-shirt reads: When You See Frankie, Call the Cops. The 64-year-old proprietor (with his wife, Evelyn) of the popular Portofino’s Restaurant on Grant Avenue is beloved in his North Beach community where everyone assumes he was born. But he was born in Rosarito Beach, Tijuana, Mexico, where his Sicilian father fled after getting in trouble over contraband at the port of Palermo. Frankie’s mother found his father 13 years later on the streets in Mexico City, he said. “She forgave a lot!” Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:38
Offshore Wind is no breeze
This may just be a tad too radical for some, but I believe there’s a chance the great offshore wind boom is in serious danger of coming to a screaming halt and for the consumer, this may not be a bad thing. In fact, the more I think about it the more I believe that it may be a very good thing. Why? Well, let’s do the easy bit first. For Scotland, the industrial benefit of offshore wind is extremely limited and if the offshore wind industry disappeared overnight, it wouldn’t be as huge a loss to us as it would to countries such as Denmark, Germany and of course, China. You can argue about that amongst yourselves but anyway what’s much more likely to put the brakes on offshore wind is that the cost of offshore wind projects has increased dramatically and it’s increasingly difficult to see how to make money out of it without huge government guarantees and yet the minimum strike price being offered by governments under contracts for difference deals hasn’t been high enough to deal with that. It’s the reason the Danish Energy Agency didn’t receive a single bid for any of the three offshore wind farms last month. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25 By Dick Winchester
This New Discovery Reality Show Will Be a Must-Watch for ‘Deadliest Catch’ Fans
A new Discovery Channel reality series that’s sure to appeal to fans of gritty shows like Deadliest Catch will set sail in 2025. Harpoon Hunters follows a group of tough-as-nails New England fishermen who navigate the high seas in search of valuable Atlantic bluefin tuna. Harpoon Hunters premieres Friday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. It highlights the multi-generational fishing families of Cape Cod, who race against the clock each summer to catch bluefin tuna using only 10-foot electrified spears. The paydays can be large – as much as $10,000 for a single fish. But the window to catch their valuable prey is short. Photos, video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:05
Environmentalists Outraged Over Hochul’s Horseshoe Crab Bill Veto
Environmentalists are outraged over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent decision to veto the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, which prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs from New York waters. The legislation would have allowed the populations to recover and ensured the survival of the important species, advocated said. In her veto message, Hochul wrote: “This bill would prohibit the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial or biomedical purposes and also extend the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage crabs.” Also, Hochul said: “This bill could have unintended consequences on the management of other species such as whelk and eel and could harm the commercial fishing industry and impair advancements in the biomedical field. While this bill is well-intentioned, the management of marine species is better left to the experts at DEC.” Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:31
Volunteer Commercial Vessels Sought for Northern Shrimp Trawling and Trapping Research Sampling
The New Hampshire Fish (NHFG) and Game Department and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) are seeking one shrimp-trawling vessel and captain and one shrimp-trapping vessel and captain to participate in a winter sampling research program for northern shrimp in early 2025. This program will not receive funding from ASMFC or participating states, and participation in the program will be entirely self-funded by industry participants. The selected vessel(s) will be allowed to land and sell northern shrimp, subject to daily catch limits and a total of 26.5 metric tons region-wide research set-aside (RSA) limit. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:04
‘Hollow words won’t protect Scottish fishing, industry chief warns
Offshore wind farms in the North Sea and the prime minister’s ambitions to “reset” relations between the UK and European Union are major dangers for the sector, they say. And they want politicians in Edinburgh, London and further afield to “radically rethink” their approach to the sector. Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) chief executive Elspeth Macdonald outlined these concerns in her new year message to ministers and civil servants “across the UK and beyond”. She said a widespread sense of crisis had spawned a bout of “initiative-itis” by the Scottish and UK governments. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:49
Industry withholding data on one of Canada’s largest fisheries, advocates say
Advocates and scientists are raising concerns with the availability of data on one of Canada’s largest fisheries, as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans DFO is waiting on industry to provide data on the herring fishery in southwest Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy. For decades, herring stock has been declining and has been in the critical zone since 2018. In July, DFO reduced the total allowable catch to 16,000 tonnes per season, from 21,000, fixing the quota at the reduced level until 2027. Since then, advocates say the Herring Science Council — an industry body that, through an agreement with DFO, gathers the data that’s the only source of scientific information on the fishery — has not provided to the department the information it has collected. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:12
New law targets ‘ghost fishing’ by old gear. How discarded traps and nets are harmful
Abandoned fishing gear has posed problems for authorities wishing to clear it from state waters and shorelines for decades, but new legislation is aimed at making that task easier. An amendment by state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, to an existing statute will speed the process of removing the environmentally harmful debris. “Left unchecked, abandoned fishing gear poses several threats to our marine environment and ecosystems,” Tarr stated in a press release. One of the problems it creates, he said, is “ghost fishing.” Tarr said ghost fishing increases species mortality without any harvest benefit. He added derelict gear also presents a major risk for entanglement for right whales and other species, clutters and pollutes the ocean floor, and presents ongoing problems for coastal communities that deal with this form of pollution when it washes ashore. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:07
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 42′ x 17′ Dixon Lobster Boat, New 800HP Scania D113 Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 26 photos’, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 06:22
