Monthly Archives: March 2025
‘Bewildered’ experts not on board for changes to fisheries management
The government’s proposed changes to New Zealand’s fisheries management mark the most substantial reforms in decades and have sparked debate over environmental oversight and public transparency. LegaSea, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and restoring the marine environment, is among those rocking the boat to halt the changes. “We are going back to the 80s, it’s neo-liberal behaviour, and if we are not careful, we will kill the goose that lays the golden egg.” The government proposed the changes last month, saying they want to streamline regulations, improve data collection, and enhance sustainability while protecting fishers’ privacy. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:20
Fishermen want to go green but say DOGE cuts prevent that
Commercial fishermen and seafood processors and distributors looking to switch to new, lower-carbon emission systems say the federal funding they relied on for this work is either frozen or unavailable due to significant budget cuts promoted by President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. The changes are designed to replace old diesel-burning engines and outdated at-sea cooling systems and are touted by environmentalists as a way to reduce seafood’s carbon footprint. Salmon harvesters in Washington state, scallop distributors in Maine and halibut fishermen in Alaska are among those who told The Associated Press their federal commitments for projects like new boat engines and refrigeration systems have been rescinded or are under review. Photos, video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:51
Vessel Review – Janneke – Versatile beamer/twin-rigger delivered to Dutch owner
Urk, Netherlands-based Werft Shipbuilding recently delivered a new trawler to local fisherman and skipper Jelle Hakvoort. Named Janneke after Hakvoort’s daughter, the Bureau Veritas-classed newbuild was designed by Dutch naval architecture firm Marimecs as a multi-functional vessel. The summer months will see it using twin-rig gear whereas beam gear will be employed during winter. Targeted species include squid, scallops, sole, langoustine, plaice, and turbot. Janneke has been registered to Belgium and will be operated out of Zeebrugge. This is because the owner believes that operating under the Belgian flag ensures that the vessel has access to a greater number of fishing grounds in areas such as the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. Photos, Specifications, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:028
Feds & NJ Rushed Offshore Wind – Now It’s Falling Apart! Court Ruling Highlights Oversight Deficiencies!
After nine months of covering offshore wind energy developments along the Jersey Coast, three glaring issues have emerged over that time—each fueling opposition to the federal and state-backed offshore wind plan: lack of due diligence, rushed approvals, and the bigger is better mentality. Governor Murphy encapsulated this ambition, declaring, “Welcome to NJ, the Nation’s Center of Offshore Wind.” But with mounting setbacks—including a recent court ruling revoking a critical permit—the cracks in this fast-tracked initiative are becoming impossible to ignore. The future of offshore wind development in New Jersey has been dealt yet another significant blow following a recent ruling from the Environmental Appeals Board. On March 14, the board decided to revoke the Clean Air Act permit for the Atlantic Shores wind turbine project, a move that U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) described as “another nail in the coffin” for the initiative. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:15
Big day for little shrimp: NL fish union hopes positive update on northern shrimp stock status translates into good news for fishery
The latest stock assessment for northern shrimp, which used a revised approach to project the health of the species off the Newfoundland and Labrador coast, is being welcomed by the union that represents the provinces inshore harvesters and plant workers. In a technical briefing on Wednesday, March 19, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) officially projected northern shrimp will be in the healthy zone, in accordance to the department’s precautionary approach to species management. For the latest assessment, DFO combined six fishing areas all along the eastern coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, collapsing them into two stock assessment regions divided by the boundary between Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Divisions 2H and 2J. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:12
Rep from American Samoa calls for opening protected Pacific waters to tuna fishing
U.S. Congresswoman Amata Radewagen, who represents American Samoa, has urged the Trump administration to reopen most of an enormous marine protected area in the Central Pacific Ocean to industrial fishing while also recommending the reopening of other Pacific MPAs. In a Jan. 23 letter to President Donald Trump, Radewagen called for his administration to open the vast majority of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument (PIH) to commercial tuna fishing. PIH, which is larger than the U.S. state of Texas, is an area of exceptional biodiversity. Radewagen’s letter called reopening it an “immediate need” that would benefit the country’s economy and challenge “Chinese fishing dominance.” She also sent Trump a background document that, among other requests, called for an executive order to open all Pacific marine national monuments and national marine sanctuaries to tuna fishing and to withdraw the U.S. from efforts to develop large marine protected areas in international waters. Map, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:40
N.S. chief tells DFO it has no authority over Mi’kmaq, will pursue own elver fishery
Millbrook First Nation has informed Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) the Mi’kmaq are entitled to the entire elver fishery should they choose to pursue it, rather than the 50 per cent on offer from the federal government. In a March 5 letter to elver review director Jennifer Ford, Millbrook Chief Bob Gloade elaborates to say federal fisheries officers have no authority over its membership, that as the stock of juvenile American eels is healthy, they won’t accept any federal government limitations on what they catch, and the Mi’kmaq traditional territory extends to all Nova Scotia rivers. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:22
Harvesters Applaud Long-Overdue Changes to Northern Shrimp Assessment; New Model Moves Species into Healthy Zone
FFAW-Unifor welcomes the updated Northern Shrimp assessment model, which officially shifts the species into the healthy zone under revised stock areas, assessment model and reference points. FFAW scientist Dr. Erin Carruthers participated in the assessment process, along with shrimp harvesters Chris Rose and Heather Starkes, who praised the innovative and collaborative approach to align the assessment process with ecosystem realities. “This is a long overdue recognition of the ecological realities in Newfoundland and Labrador marine ecosystems. We appreciate the considerable efforts to solve this long-standing issue and the commitment of shrimp harvesters and Dr. Erin Carruthers, to see this effort through to the end,” says FFAW-Unifor President Dwan Street, adding that, “the next step, of course, is to ensure inshore fleets’ access and allocations reflect the change in stock status.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:29
Trump EPA saves the whales (and consumers) by nixing NJ offshore wind farm
Offshore wind farms are one of the biggest threats to the critically endangered Atlantic Right Whale. They are also a threat to the livlihood of commercial fishermen and to coastal tourism. Offshore wind turbines are one of the most expensive ways to make electricity and raise electric rates substantially to consumers. Making electricity with offshore wind turbines is generally four times as expensive as conventional sources. Thus, there were many groups cheering when the Trump EPA blocked the permit for New Jersey’s massive Atlantic Shores planned offshore wind farm. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:25
Good Samaritan Vessel Rescues 19 Fishermen After Vessel Fire off Chile
19 fishermen have been rescued from a raft in the South Pacific after their vessel caught fire and sank. The Galician longliner F/V Pico Tresmares got under way from Vacamonte, Chile on February 23, bound for sea. On the morning of March 17, the vessel sustained an engine room fire at a position about 1,000 miles off the coast of La Serena, Chile. A nearby fishing vessel, the F/V Playa Muino Vello, reported the fire to shipowner Pesquera Guadalquivir. The alert was passed to Spanish SAR authorities in Madrid. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 38′ Calvin Beal Lobster Boat, 476HP Cat C9 Diesel
To review specifications, information, with 14 photos, >click here<. To see all the boats in this series >click here< 05:53
‘It made me feel crazy’ | Filipino fishermen spent nearly 2 months trapped aboard fishing vessels in Westport
In the Pacific waters off Washington’s coast, fishermen work 18-hour shifts, hauling fish that can weigh up to 80 pounds. Commercial Albacore fishing was what drew Reyner Dagalea, Ray Sevella and Norberto Zebrele and dozens of other men to the United States from the Philippines. They agreed to work a contract with a U.S. fishing company in the summer of 2023. After spending time at sea, fishermen contracted by U.S.-based McAdams Fish and its Filipino counterpart Pescadores docked in Westport. There were 24 men, in all, across multiple boats. U.S. law does not require that foreign fishermen have visas to work aboard vessels owned by U.S. companies. But once the boats docked, the men were told that if they got off the ships, they would be arrested, fined and then deported. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:50
N.L. succeeding in finding markets outside U.S. at seafood expo in Boston, minister says
Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says efforts to diversify to markets beyond the United States have been successful at Seafood Expo North America in Boston but isn’t ready to share exactly where provincial products could be going. Byrne is part of a Newfoundland and Labrador delegation attending the ongoing seafood expo, which includes unions, plant representatives and more. Representatives from 50 countries make up the largest seafood gathering on the continent which is giving Canadian operations the chance to explore new markets as the threat of tariffs from the United States and China loom. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:03
EPA Halts Atlantic Shores Wind Farm Construction as Trump Administration Reviews Projects
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has suspended permits for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project off New Jersey’s coast following a January 2025 Presidential directive that ordered an immediate halt to offshore wind development. The Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) granted EPA Region 2’s request to remand permits for the project, which had previously received approval to construct up to 200 wind turbines capable of generating 2,800 megawatts of power – enough electricity to power one million homes. The suspension comes amid broader industry challenges, including Shell’s recent withdrawal from the project with a $996 million impairment and the cancellation of New Jersey’s fourth offshore wind solicitation. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:38
Maritime seafood industry officials looking for new buyers at Boston expo
The Seafood Expo North America is the largest event of its kind on the continent. With importers, exporters, wholesalers and hotel operators from 50 countries in attendance, it’s the perfect place to pitch Nova Scotia seafood to the world. “I was expecting doom and gloom when I came down here and it is not that. There’s a lot more optimism for the demand for our product and will be able to get through this storm,” says Fisheries Minister Kent Smith. Smith says Nova Scotia companies have a deal with a new contact in the Philippines and one is in the works with an existing importer in Spain to expand that market. Lobster seller Shawn Landry has been busy, too. “Singapore was one of the ones that we talked with. Southeast Asia, Italy, and Europe,” he says. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:47
Boat tours and ash scatterings help beleaguered California salmon fleet stay afloat
“The bills keep going, whether I’ve got a fishery or not,” said Smith, who runs Riptide Sportfishing in Half Moon Bay, California. “There’s no season on when people die.” California’s sport and commercial fishermen have been walloped by two years of salmon closures and are bracing for a potential third, which they blame on a years-earlier drought and state and federal water management policies they say have made it tough for the species to thrive. The closures have taken a toll on people’s livelihoods in coastal communities where salmon, fishermen say, is a special fish. “We are people that are hardworking and it’s our jobs on the line,” said Sarah Bates, a commercial fishing captain in San Francisco. She said local markets have been devastated by the salmon closures and Bay Area restaurants aren’t snapping up halibut or other catch as they did salmon. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:36
Icelandic seafood industry on edge as tariff concerns loom at Boston Expo
Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, Iceland’s Minister of Industry and Trade, is attending the Seafood Expo North America 2025 in Boston, where she is meeting with key stakeholders to discuss trade relations and the potential impact of U.S. import tariffs on Icelandic seafood. During her visit, Friðriksson emphasized the strong partnerships between Icelandic exporters and their American buyers, highlighting their shared interest in preventing tariffs from being imposed on Icelandic seafood. “It’s inspiring to witness the strength of these companies—whether well-established fishing enterprises, innovative startups, or even a team from Reykjavík University presenting fresh ideas. There’s so much vitality here,” she said while touring exhibition booths at the event, which runs until Tuesday. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:52
Fisherman rescued after 95 days adrift eating turtles
A Peruvian fisherman who survived 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean by eating turtles, birds and cockroaches has been rescued and reunited with his family. Maximo Napa Castro, 61, set off for what should have been a two-week fishing trip from the coastal town of Marcona, on the southern Peruvian coast, on 7 December. Ten days in, a storm blew his boat off course, leaving him adrift with dwindling supplies. It was not until Wednesday that the Ecuadorian patrol vessel Don F found him 1,094km (680 miles) from the coast, dehydrated and in a critical condition. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50
NCFA WEEKLY UPDATE for March 17, 2025
Last week the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) met in Kitty Hawk for their quarterly meeting. There was a good turnout from the public as well as a lot of good public comments. Even though the meeting ran into the evening comment session, I think it was good for everyone there to experience the process firsthand. I hope we can continue having a lot of public turnout! This was a very contentious meeting with almost every decision resulting in a 4-5 vote. I am certain we will be discussing these votes in more detail but for this week I just wanted to provide links to the full meeting and update everyone on the votes passed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:11
Federal environmental permit gets yanked from N.J. offshore wind farm
In what may be the most striking blow to an offshore wind farm since President Donald Trump took office, a project for New Jersey’s coast had a critical federal environmental permit yanked away Friday. Judge Mary Kay Lynch, in an Environmental Appeals Court, issued the ruling to remand Atlantic Shores’ Clean Air Act permit, which the developer had been issued this past fall. The latest setback for the company comes after a challenge from a group of residents — as part of the local group Save Long Beach Island or “Save LBI” — and is being sent back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for further review. “This is a significant event because to my knowledge it is the first time that a federal approval for any offshore wind project has been overturned,” Bob Stern, who leads Save LBI, said in a statement Saturday, “and it highlights the lack of full disclosure and questionable science and mathematics that has characterized other applications and approvals.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Tariff fears and high stakes for Atlantic Canada at the Boston Seafood Expo
Seafood industry reps from more than 50 countries are in Boston for what is usually an exciting three days of meetings, showcases, and networking at the annual Seafood Expo North America. This year, though, the stakes have never been higher for Atlantic Canadians. Fears of potential industry-rocking tariffs from the United States and China are overshadowing everything happening on the show floor. The expo is playing out during a moment of potential crisis for the Canadian seafood landscape, as economic tariffs that would apply to seafood loom large, along with uncertainty about what will happen if the new charges do happen.Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:12
Shane Jones: Cameras on fishing boats is ‘state surveillance’
Shane Jones cites the dangers that come with “the court of TikTok” as the reason he wants to keep footage collected on fishing boats out of the public’s hands. The Fisheries Minister is proposing a range of changes to the Fisheries Act to “remove unnecessary regulations that impede productivity and the potential of the sector”. One of the proposals aims to prevent the release of what’s filmed on commercial fishing vessels through the Official Information Act. Jones told Q+A he didn’t agree with having on-board cameras in the first place, but that he had lost that argument. “I do not accept state surveillance of industry,” he said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:56
Fight of his life: Well-known NL advocate must travel to Toronto to await lung transplant
Merv Wiseman is literally fighting a battle for his life, but he still wants it to be about finding a way to help others. The retired Canadian Coast Guard employee has spent his life leading the advocacy charge on several fronts, including issues affecting wild commercial fisheries, the fur industry, search and rescue services and agriculture. Now, the 71-year-old is dealing with worsening symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis, a condition he was diagnosed with several years ago, which has rapidly progressed within the past year. Wiseman, whose mobility these days is hampered by having to constantly be connected to an oxygen tank, is still at his home in North Harbour, Placentia Bay, but is hoping to be in Toronto by the end of March. He has no idea when he will get the double lung transplant, he requires, but needs to be close to Toronto General Hospital for when a matching donor does become available. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:04
William Leslie Hebard, fondly known by friends and family as Burgie Bill, has passed away
William Leslie Hebard, fondly known by friends and family as Burgie Bill, passed away suddenly at his home in Southern Humboldt County on January 29, 2025. Bill was born in Roseburg, Oregon on July 10, 1950 to William Leslie Hebard Sr. and Pat-Calista Hebard At an early age, his family moved to Eureka, where he became a fisherman and a bass player. In the early 1970s, Bill became a member of the Shelter Cove “Mosquito Fleet,” commercial fishing for salmon, tuna and crab on his boat the Burgie, from which he got his name, Burgie Bill. He fished the Cove for over 45 years until he retired in 2022. Bill’s life was one of profound love, adventure, laughter and freewheeling. He was kind, caring, articulate and funny. He was always willing to help out a friend or neighbor in need and wouldn’t hesitate to give a hitchhiker a ride or pull over to help someone with car trouble. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:34
Canadian crab, lobster industry officials look for answers in Boston
Canadian crab and lobster industry representatives, including some from New Brunswick, will be looking for answers and opportunities at a seafood exhibition in Boston. The goal is to develop relations with other industry players as Canada faces tariff troubles with both the U.S. and China. The expo attracts many countries. Major seafood exporters set up booths at the show. “It’s going to be very difficult to settle on prices given that we have to build in that the tariffs are happening,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. The expo attracts many countries. Major seafood exporters set up booths at the show. “I’ll be looking to see what they do, how they do it, how they pay for it, and try to bring that home, and once again attempt to come up with a marketing strategy for all Canadian seafood,” said Irvine. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:05
Nova Scotia (Canada) Identifies Five Areas for Offshore Wind Development
The Nova Scotian government has identified five areas it considers suitable for installing wind turbines in offshore wind farms. The government issued a statement Friday indicating that the next step is to solicit input from Nova Scotians before granting official designations, a process that will conclude on April 14. “Canada, with the world’s longest coastline, a stable regulatory environment, and decades of experience in offshore wind development, is well positioned to enter the trillion-dollar global offshore wind market,” the provincial government stated in a discussion paper released Friday. The province’s goal is to license up to five gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:50
Fishing industry sues over offshore wind farm, says the DOI didn’t properly permit Vineyard Wind
When one turbine on the Vineyard Wind project near Marthas Vineyard began supplying electricity to the grid in January 2024, the project stood as the first step in the Biden administration’s plan to develop 30 gigawatts of offshore wind along America’s coastline by 2030. Since then, the project experienced a blade failure that dumped a football-field sized blade into the ocean and littered the beaches of Nantucket with sharp and toxic debris. Nantucket-based activists ACK 4 Whales sued over the permitting of the project, arguing that the Department of Interior (DOI) wasn’t factoring cumulative impacts into its environmental assessment of the project. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:36
As Alaska’s crab industry struggles, herring fishermen are losing their market
Captain Dan Veerhusen and Jan, his wife, run the F/V Taurus, one of the few remaining boats that still fish herring in the Bering Sea. Last summer, in Sand Point, the couple were preparing the 58-foot seiner for what would be Veerhusen’s 30th-or-so season. He’s been fishing herring since 1988, when Unalaska’s Port of Dutch Harbor was at the center of a multimillion-dollar crab boom. “I love herring fishing. It’s real fishing.” he said. “It was a regular, competitive fishery back then. But these days, there’s ourselves, another boat, maybe three boats out there.” The herring fishery in the Bering Sea boomed in the early 20th century but struggled after World War II as Americans lost their appetite for the fish. Demand increased again in the 1970s when the Bering Sea crab industry took off, creating a demand for herring as baitfish. links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:50
Fishermen could face stricter catch limits as Trump slashes NOAA
On a recent Wednesday, many crews on New Bedford’s fishing piers were doing gear work for their next trip, as Eric Hansen repaired the cabinets in the galley of The Intrepid, one of his two scallop boats. People on the docks have known for weeks about the mass firing at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but Hansen said most people don’t realize how it will affect them yet. “Some are welcoming the cuts, saying that the government has been their downfall and there’s too many regulations,” Hansen said. “And I don’t share that opinion.” Hansen, a former captain from a fishing family where five consecutive generations entered the industry, said that’s because he remembers when the scallop fishery hit rock bottom. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:54
American Lobster Board Approves for Public Comment Draft Addendum XXXII to Repeal Gauge and Escape Vent Measures of Addendum XXVII
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