Daily Archives: February 21, 2025
P.E.I. snow crab fishery faces deep cuts in catches as U.S. tariffs loom
P.E.I. snow crab fishers are facing a big cut in how much they can catch in 2025, with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans recommending a 33 per cent reduction in their quota in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. That number is based on concerns about the health of the crab population and comes as the threat of a U.S. tariff looms over the industry. “It kind of hits you hard because it’s a substantial amount of crab to lose and it’s a substantial income to lose,” said Alden Gaudet, who fishes snow crab out of Tignish Run and is vice-president of the P.E.I. Snow Crab Association. “I believe we’ll be dropping about 20,000 pounds per licence this year, and I believe we dropped 21,000 pounds per P.E.I. licence last year,” Gaudet said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:05
Twenty-year-old becomes first female to achieve ‘significant’ fishing qualification
A twenty-year old from Sulby has made history by becoming the first female to achieve an important qualification in the fishing industry. Isla Gale has passed her oral exams to achieve her Certificate of Competency as Deck Officer Class 2. Formerly Trainee Fisherman of the Year 2022, Isla began her career scalloping in Manx waters. Isle of Man Maritime, which supported Isla’s journey through funding assistance, says it’s an important milestone in her career and it’s ‘proud’ to celebrate her success. It adds: ‘The Class 2 Fishers qualification is a crucial certification for those pursuing a career in commercial fishing. It provides the necessary training and knowledge to operate safely and efficiently within the industry, covering aspects such as vessel operations, navigation, safety procedures, and fishing regulations. This certification enables Isla to take on greater responsibilities within the fishing sector and paves the way for future career progression. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:52
African Americans in seafood industry heart of new exhibit
Capt. John Mallette grew up fishing but didn’t come from a fishing family. Born and reared around Sneads Ferry and the Topsail area, he said his mother worked in real estate in Wilmington and his father was one of Ocean City’s original developers and bought a home there in 1950. Ocean City was established on Topsail Island in 1949 and was “the first place where Black people could have oceanfront property” in the state, Mallette recently told Coastal Review. The motel had a pier, and “I pretty much lived on the pier fishing as a little kid,” he continued. “There was a lady who had One Stop Bait & Tackle in Surf City — Betty Warren, she’s long passed away now — but she would babysit me, basically, and I would sit there and help sell seafood and head shrimp and filet flounder. And then her husband, Preston, would take me out shrimping in the waterway with him, and that’s how I got started commercial fishing and just never stopped. I just grew into it and started running boats.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:34
70-year-old giant lobster ‘Mignolet’ dies before it can be repatriated to Canada
Giant lobster ‘Mignolet’ was supposed to be the showpiece of Jo Taveirne’s brasserie in Harelbeke. Jo named the animal after Club Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. He bought the lobster through his fishmonger and had it flown over from Canada especially. ‘The intention was to put it in the homarium (i.e. the lobster aquarium) in my business,’ he told local media. But Jo was the target of considerable online abuse. Customers accused him of being an animal torturer and did not show up for reservations. So, he finally decided to send the lobster back. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:12
Master of German ‘Monster Trawler’ Faces Seven Charges in Ireland
The master of the German-registered fishing trawler MFV Helen Mary faces seven charges under sea-fisheries law following an inspection in Irish waters, marking another chapter in the vessel’s controversial history. On February 16, 2025, officers aboard a European Fisheries Control Agency’s (EFCA) Offshore Patrol Vessel detected suspected infringements during a Joint Deployment Plan operation in Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. “The charges include illegal equipment use, a non-compliant boarding ladder, and non-compliant vessel plans,” said the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) in their official statement. The master also faces charges for failing to comply with directions from a Sea-Fisheries Protection Officer. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:04
