Daily Archives: January 17, 2025
Public Hearings on ASMFC Northern Shrimp Draft Amendment 4
Hello Northern Shrimp Stakeholders. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section approved for public comment Draft Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Northern Shrimp. The Draft Amendment considers options for setting multi-year moratoria and implementing management triggers. Management trigger options include biologic and environmental triggers comprised of indicators that would signal improvement in stock conditions and the potential to re-open the fishery. There are three public hearings scheduled for Maine stakeholders. info, links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:46
Trump Could Put an End to Biden’s Offshore Wind Vanity Projects
One of the early decision points to be faced by incoming President Donald Trump will be what to do about the Biden administration’s costly and destructive offshore wind vanity projects in the northeastern Atlantic. The Biden White House decided to make federal subsidization of and rapid permitting for a growing array of these big industrial installations a top priority early in the administration, and the results thus far have been halting, and in some cases disastrous. Acting to suspend the installation of hundreds of gigantic wind turbines in the midst of known whale habitats and prime commercial fishing waters is apparently a priority for Trump and his team. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R.-N.J.) announced on Monday that he has been “working closely” with Trump to draft an executive order that would invoke a 6-month moratorium on offshore wind construction with an eye towards a permanent suspension. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:25

Big Abe’s Net
One calm September morning in 1971, Big Abe LeBlanc got ready to go fishing on Lake Superior. This was something he often did in secret, under the cover of darkness, hiding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. But on this particular day, Big Abe called the DNR before he left. “I just remember him saying that, you know, ‘This is where I’ll be, and if you want me, come get me,’” said his son, Sonny LeBlanc. It was 1971. And Big Abe, who’s Ojibwe, was preemptively turning himself in for two crimes, at least according to Michigan law. The first crime: commercial fishing without a license. The second: fishing with illegal equipment. After Big Abe hung up, he went out on the lake, set his nets and waited for the officers to come. What happened next changed fishing in the Great Lakes forever. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:45
Trump’s tariff threats loom large over Newfoundland’s crab fishery
Even though Newfoundland and Labrador’s snow crab season at least eight weeks away, Doug Trainor is hard at work getting ready for this year’s fishery. His boat, D.R.A Enterprises, is hoisted up on dry ground in Petty Harbour, where he’s replacing the engine and working with his son on other upgrades. It’s a big investment – tens of thousands of dollars – but after last year’s unrest in the crab fishery, which saw big protests at the Confederation Building in St. John’s, he says he felt like this season would be more predictable, safer and profitable. “We figured it would be good this year, this was going to be the year,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, Trump came out.” U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threats of steep tariffs on Canadian products entering the United States has stirred a lot of industries in the country, but Newfoundland’s fishery is particularly susceptible. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:43
Canada’s largest fishing vessel arrives home
Inuksuk II didn’t get off to an easy start. Handed over to its owners at the end of September, it sailed from Yalova in Turkey in October but suffered a main engine malfunction a few days into its delivery trip. The new trawler was towed to port in Greece, before a second tow took it back to the yard in Turkey for the main engine problems to be addressed. Now it has made a belated landfall in Canada and is being prepared to start fishing operations a few months later than had originally been planned. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:47
Video: Take a look inside Canada’s newest — and largest — fishing vessel – >>CLICK TO WATCH<<