Daily Archives: May 2, 2025
P.E.I. harbours need major dredging, not ‘putting little bandages on it,’ DFO is told
Some P.E.I. fishermen are calling for more thorough dredging of the Island’s harbours after a challenging start to the lobster fishing season on the North Shore. More than a dozen North Rustico lobster fishing boats were stranded offshore by a combination of sandbars, high winds and an extremely low tide on Tuesday afternoon, and issues were also reported in Naufrage and Milligan’s Wharf. That led some fishers to hit the water early Wednesday, with some rushing through their gear to ensure they made it back into the harbour before low tide. “Personally, myself, I missed two full days due to wind and because of the tides,” said Blake Buote, who has been fishing in North Rustico for about 25 years. “I missed about a third of a day because we had to rush the hauled gear to get in before the tides were too low.” Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:26
Split decision in EU-UK fishing rights dispute as post-Brexit debate rumbles on
An arbitration panel has delivered a split decision in a post-Brexit fishing rights dispute between the UK and the European Union, according to the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The ruling adds another layer of complexity to the UK’s attempts to recalibrate its relationship with the bloc. At the heart of the disagreement was a British ban on sandeel fishing in its North Sea waters, a measure the EU argued violated the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. A three-person tribunal found the ban disproportionate in English waters, directing the UK to take the necessary steps to comply with their decision. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:49
Bill seeks to exempt Alaska commercial fishers’ insurance pools from tighter regulation
To avoid high insurance costs, some groups of commercial fishers in Alaska have formed cooperatives to collectively pay liability and damage claims themselves. A bill passed April 25 by the Alaska House of Representatives would exempt these cooperatives from regulation under the state’s insurance laws. The House voted 37-0 to pass House Bill 116, which now goes to the Senate for consideration. The bill was carried on the House floor by Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, but came from the ideas of a legislative task force assigned to study the commercial fishing industry, she told the House. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:21
Jazz Fest bucks national trend by serving real gulf shrimp, new testing shows
Amid growing concerns nationwide over seafood fraud, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has emerged as a rare bright spot in the murky world of shrimp sourcing. A new round of genetic testing found that nearly every shrimp dish sold at this year’s Jazz Fest was made with genuine U.S. wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf — a striking contrast to most restaurants across the South. The study, conducted by SeaD Consulting using its RIGHTTest genetic analysis tool, examined 19 shrimp-based dishes from vendors at the 2025 festival. Of those, 18 were verified to contain authentic Gulf shrimp. Only one dish, from a vendor whose other offerings passed the test, was found to use imported shrimp. The test was funded by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a national advocacy group for domestic shrimpers. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:14
Lobster fishers raise alarm about low Canadian prices, some giving up on season
Lobster fishers around Atlantic Canada are speaking out about this year’s prices, with some saying it’s unfairly low this season. Prices haven’t officially been announced yet, but some fishers are saying they’ve heard it could be “dollars” lower than 2024’s figures. “I would say the prices have never been lower than this, when you recognize the extreme upswing in costs to harvest lobster,” said Colin Sproul with the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association. “I hear reports of our membership in southwest Nova Scotia giving up on the season and landing their traps, because they can’t fish at the prices that are being offered to them.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:52
