Daily Archives: January 25, 2025
For awareness: Maine advises fishermen in Jeffreys Ledge area to use one endline
Please be advised: Maine state officials have requested fishermen with gear in this area to use one endline. See excerpts from Maine Department of Marine Resources below: “A large number of endangered North Atlantic right whales remain off the western edge of Jeffreys Ledge. As many as 90 individual right whales have been identified in this area over the past couple of weeks. The most recent information suggests the whales may be feeding within Jeffreys Basin and the largest overlap of gear and whales appears to be in depths greater than 300 feet. I am strongly urging any lobster fisherman with trap gear set in greater than 300 feet of water inside the following area of Zone G to remove gear completely or drop one endline in order to reduce the number of vertical lines being fished. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:50

Leonilda – Argentina’s Veraz Group welcomes new coastal trawler to fleet
Argentine shipbuilder Astillero Naval Federico Contessi Cia recently completed construction on a new coastal trawler ordered by local fishing company the Veraz Group. The newbuild has been named F/V Leonilda after the late Leonilda Novelli de Contessi, wife of company founder Federico Contessi. Construction of the vessel was completed in compliance with RINA class rules. Leonilda boasts steel/aluminum construction, a length of 20.95 metres (68.73 feet), a molded beam of 7.5 metres (25 feet), a draught of 3.3 metres (11 feet), and advanced navigation, manoeuvring and processing technologies to enable it to meet the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency. The vessel is a variant of an earlier Contessi-built shrimp trawler. Photos, Specifications, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:10
Lobsterman/Army Veteran Emerson Fobes Spurling Jr., known to all as “Tucker,” of Southwest Harbor has passed away
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Emerson Fobes Spurling Jr., known to all as “Tucker,” on January 20, 2025, at the age of 89. Born on December 7, 1935, in Ellsworth, Maine, Tucker spent much of his life on the coast of Maine, first in Manset and later in Windham. He was a hardworking man with a big heart, a quick wit, and a generosity that made everyone who met him feel like family. After his military service, Tucker returned home to Mount Desert Island, the island he loved so much. He continued to work the waters off of Southwest Harbor for decades on his lobster boats, first the wooden boat he built with the help of his father and Ralph Stanley, the Bette S. Into his seventies he decided a wooden boat was a lot to maintain, instead of retiring he bought his brother’s fiberglass boat. She was a sturdy vessel he proudly renamed after his only granddaughter the Evi Lynn and fished until his retirement at the age of 82. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:15
Increasing Jonah crab numbers a problem for lobster fishermen in parts of Nova Scotia
A burgeoning Jonah crab population is proving a challenge for some Nova Scotia lobster fishermen. Dan Fleck, executive director of the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association, says the crabs are having a significant impact on the lobster catch in certain areas, particularly in lobster fishing area 34, which stretches from Yarmouth to the Bay of Fundy. He said fishermen in some areas are reporting a drop of 20 to 25 per cent in their lobster catches. Jonah crabs are a valuable bycatch in lobster fishing area 34 and can be kept for use as bait or for sale if they measure at least 130 millimetres, Fleck said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:14
Fishing vessel pulled free from rocks, Coast Guard begins investigation
Unalaska’s U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit is investigating a fishing vessel that ran aground near Iliuliuk Bay. The F/V Northern Endurance was partially beached about three miles from downtown Unalaska, near Little Priest Rock on Thursday and was pulled free by the emergency response and salvage company Resolve Marine Friday morning around 9 a.m., according to Commanding Officer Lt. Lawrence Schalles.The City of Unalaska Fire Department initially responded to the incident Thursday afternoon, before handing operations over to the local Coast Guard team. “The on-scene commander contacted the vessel captain and confirmed there were no injuries to crew members aboard, as well as no additional hazardous conditions,” the Fire Department said in a statement. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:06