Daily Archives: December 28, 2024
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
