Daily Archives: March 6, 2025
Offshore wind will not be allowed on Georges Bank – New moratorium is a response to calls from the fishing industry
Ottawa and Nova Scotia say they will not allow offshore wind developers to place turbines on Georges Bank, a lucrative fishing ground that is already protected from offshore petroleum development. Nova Scotia Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau says Georges Bank will be protected with a 10-year moratorium that can be renewed at the end of the term if supported by both governments. “It’s a very lucrative fishing bank, has an incredible resource there that we’re utilizing to its full potential, and this is about saying: that’s where we’re focused on, is that sector in that area,” Boudreau told reporters at Province House. Boudreau and Jonathan Wilkinson, the federal minister of energy and natural resources, announced Thursday that they have directed their joint offshore energy regulator to apply the moratorium. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:29
“Abundance Of Scallops” Prompts Town To Seek Extension Of Commercial Season
With a huge number of bay scallops in the harbor and only a small number of fishermen still on the water, the Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board lobbied the Select Board on Wednesday to extend Nantucket’s commercial scalloping season by nine days. “There’s an abundance of adult scallops in the harbor,” Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board chair Andy Lowell told the Select Board members at their meeting this week. “There are very few scallopers active at this point. The ones who do rely on this for their livelihood have missed a lot of days due to cold weather – I believe 15 or 16 days have been missed for cold weather…It was decided to extend the season, it’s simply nine more days of fishing.” The Select Board agreed, voting unanimously in favor of the recommendation from the Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board, commonly known as “SHAB.” But the measure will still require the endorsement of the state Division of Marine Fisheries to go into effect. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:55
Penzance fishing company fined for illegal crab and lobster fishing
A fishing company has been fined for illegal crab and lobster fishing offences. Rowse Fishing Limited, represented by owner and director Mark Rowse, appeared before Truro Magistrates’ Court in connection with a series of offences relating to undersize fishing and logbook offences. His son Benjamin Rowse was also in the dock for fishing and landing ‘berried’ lobsters and scrubbing off their eggs, which is illegal to do as it damages future stocks by wiping out thousands of unborn shellfish. In court the company blamed its crews. The court was told that in April last year, the Emma Louise TO60 vivier potting vessel owned by Rowse Fishing Ltd, based at the Varfell Park industrial estate in Long Rock, Penzance, landed 750kg of edible crab, 100kg of spider crab and 20kg of lobster. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:15
There’s a Fish Market Splashing into Eureka
Something fishy is moving from the Woodley Island Marina’s docks across the bay to Eureka’s Madaket Plaza, where Humboldt County will have its first fisher’s market, starting in May or June. Ashley Vellis, owner of Ashley’s Seafood, has been brewing up the idea of a local fish market since late 2019 and is now partnering with the North Coast Grower’s Association to organize it, currently working on fundraising to make the new addition to Eureka’s waterfront a reality. Taking inspiration from dockside markets in Santa Barbara, San Diego and San Francisco, Vellis says that she wants to make it more accessible for people to purchase seafood directly from the source. The vision is that local fishers will have stalls to sell their latest and freshest catch. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:25
Department of Commerce agrees to renegotiate Maine Sea Grant funding
The U.S. Department of Commerce has agreed to renegotiate funding for the Maine Sea Grant, five days after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration informed the University of Maine that it was discontinuing its funding for the grant. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has directed NOAA to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the Maine Sea Grant funding agreement after he and his office had conversations with Sen. Susan Collins, Maine’s senior U.S. senator, and her staff. According to Collins, Lutnick wants to ensure the work performed by the Maine Sea Grant focuses on advancing the state’s coastal economies, working waterfronts and sustainable fisheries. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:41
Poopdeck: Nearly a century of adventure — Part 6
Clarence Hiram “Poopdeck” Platt said he didn’t quit commercial fishing because he was too old or couldn’t handle the workload anymore. He quit because he didn’t feel like doing it anymore. In a 1992 interview with KBBI public radio in Homer, he explained his actions: “I (had) really enjoyed fishing, but all of a sudden, for some reason or other, it quit being fun. I wasn’t enjoying it. I wasn’t looking forward to it. I was dreading it … and I said that’s enough. So, I sold out to my grandson (Erik Huebsch, in 1984) my boat, permit, gear and the whole works…. I haven’t regretted quitting at all.” Despite the diminishment of joy Poopdeck felt as he entered retirement, he loved his long tenure as a fisherman. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:40
Government went against scientific advice in setting fishing quotas, court told
The Government went against scientific advice when it set maximum fishing quotas for 2024, risking the sustainability of stocks and the livelihoods of fishers, the High Court has heard. Blue Marine Foundation is bringing legal action against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), saying it acted contrary to its commitments to protect the UK’s marine environment and fishing industry. Known as the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS), the Government set eight objectives for managing the UK’s fish stocks, which include sustainability, reducing bycatch, protecting ecosystems and following scientific advice. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:03
Fishing industry watches tariff battle, counting the days till spring seasons
Like everyone, Nova Scotia’s fishing industry has been trying to parse what U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs will mean for them. “It’s too early to know yet,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. There is little lobster coming ashore right now, which buys the industry time to hope for a resolution that sees the 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products heading south dropped. Fishing will pick up later this month off southwest Nova Scotia as waters warm, and then in April seasons will start opening from Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia, with massive quantities of crustaceans coming over wharves throughout the region by May 1. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:29
