It’s good to know it’s there if needed, but neither Newfoundland and Labrador’s unionized fishery workers, nor the processors they sell to or work for, want to see the industry disrupted by organized labour strife. On Dec. 4, the provincial government made amendments to the Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act that will make it easier for the members of FFAW-Unifor, which represents both fish harvesters and plant workers, to take strike action, or for the members of the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) to lock them out if they cannot agree on fish prices. The amendments were read for a third time in the House of Assembly, but Royal Assent has been deferred until the two sides indicate they wish to reclaim their constitutional rights to strike or lockout. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:53Daily Archives: December 9, 2024
‘This is our primary income’: Dungeness crab season delayed again
In the latest blow to North Bay commercial fishing, the start of the California Dungeness crab season has once again been delayed. This time, until the new year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced. The postponement, which marks the seventh year in a row for such delays, is in response to continued concerns about humpback whale migration patterns and the protection of endangered marine life from being entangled in fishing gear. The previous year’s season opener was delayed until Jan. 18 — months after the most lucrative time for the season, said Dick Ogg, president of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association. “This is our primary income,” Ogg said. “It would be like if somebody told you they won’t let you work for the next month and a half.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:51
Vineyard Wind Withstands Another Legal Challenge
Another attempt to halt Vineyard Wind through the courts fell short last week when a federal court dismissed an appeal by a fishermen’s organization and a Rhode Island seafood dealer. A panel of judges with the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision on Dec. 5, saying the group’s claims that the federal government mishandled the approval process for the wind farm were unfounded. The decision is one of several that Vineyard Wind, which aims to build 62 turbines to the south of the Island, has weathered in recent years, keeping the project’s approvals from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management intact. Seafreeze Shoreside, a Rhode Island-based seafood dealer, the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance and other groups filed the appeal after their claims were rejected by the U.S. District Court in Boston in 2023. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:47
Fisheries union, processors hope they won’t need to revert to strikes and lockouts
It’s good to know it’s there if needed, but neither Newfoundland and Labrador’s unionized fishery workers, nor the processors they sell to or work for, want to see the industry disrupted by organized labour strife. On Dec. 4, the provincial government made amendments to the Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act that will make it easier for the members of FFAW-Unifor, which represents both fish harvesters and plant workers, to take strike action, or for the members of the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) to lock them out if they cannot agree on fish prices. The amendments were read for a third time in the House of Assembly, but Royal Assent has been deferred until the two sides indicate they wish to reclaim their constitutional rights to strike or lockout. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:53New study uncovers fishy business with way feed is provided to major aquaculture operations: ‘The industry destroys food’
The fish farming industry has been using inaccurate data to downplay its role in the overfishing problem, a new report says. The fish farming industry has been drastically underreporting the amount of fish it pulls from the ocean each year to feed its carnivorous fish populations, according to Brigitte Wear of DeSmog. Salmon and trout subsist entirely on other fish and are also two of the most valuable farmed species in the world. However, according to a study by Science Advances, the industry is pulling 307% more fish from the ocean than previously reported. “What we understand about carnivorous fish farming has relied on the most optimistic data,” said Jennifer Jacquet, an environmental scientist at the University of Miami and co-author of the study. “The picture is not as rosy as previous studies led us to believe.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:20
People who fish off P.E.I. have mixed reaction to new parental leave benefits
Some lobster fishing captains on Prince Edward Island say they think there will be little interest in new parental leave benefits just announced by the federal government. On Thursday, Ottawa announced maternity and parental benefits for people licensed to fish in Atlantic Canada, saying that could encourage the next generation of harvesters to join the fishing industry and provide more flexibility to those with new families. “I don’t think there’ll be a lot of uptake on it,” said lobster captain Charlie McGeoghegan, who fishes out of Pinette on P.E.I.’s south shore. “I haven’t heard anybody even ask for it, so I’m not sure where this came from.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:26
Human remains found inside small plane pulled from the sea off the coast of Scotland
Human remains have been recovered from the wreckage of a missing German plane which crashed into the North Sea more than a year ago. The light aircraft was found in the water north-east of Lerwick, Shetland, on Friday and was brought to shore by a fishing boat on Sunday. Police Scotland have confirmed that human remains were found inside the plane. A trawler from Peterhead called the Benarkle II had hauled in a section of the plane’s fuselage while fishing on Friday and brought it to the Greenhead Base in Lerwick. Police met the trawler at the port and the plane’s wreckage was then loaded onto a truck and it has been taken for further examination. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:09
