Daily Archives: May 9, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: Trump To Sign Executive Order ‘Unleashing’ New England Fishing Industry
President Donald Trump continues his record-setting pace of issuing executive orders, and his latest, which he’s scheduled to sign later today, is designed “to unleash commercial fishing in the Atlantic, advancing the America First Fishing Policy. President Trump is committed to removing unnecessary restrictions on American fishermen in order to strengthen the U.S. economy, support coastal communities, and restore fairness to an industry disadvantaged by overregulation and unfair foreign competition,” according to a White House fact sheet obtained by NHJournal. “I don’t know much about fishing, but I love what they do, and they’re brave people,” Trump told a Concord, N.H. crowd during a 2024 campaign stop. “I’ll fight for the fishermen like never before.” On Friday, Trump is expected to sign an order rolling back prohibitions on commercial fishing in a 4,913 square mile area that President Barack Obama declared the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. more, <<CLICK TO READ<< 18:50
Commercial Fisherman Robyn James Parks of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, has passed away
Robyn was born at the Prince Rupert General Hospital on June 2, 1950 to Jennie (Pallister) Parks and Bob Parks. Robyn had a lifelong love for the outdoors and sports, especially hockey, with his loyalty to the Montreal Canadiens never wavering. A passionate athlete, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, basketball, curling, golf, swimming, and weightlifting. Later in life, he became known as “The Wanderer” for his love of walking. Robyn coached his daughters in soccer and basketball, was an avid “fan” of dance and enjoyed bringing them skiing on the weekend. Robyn was very proud of his girls and the life they built for themselves. They were his pride and joy. For nearly 40 years, Robyn worked as a commercial fisherman on seiners, draggers, gillnetters, and trollers along the coast. He loved fishing and the people he met and worked with over the years. He especially loved his work as beach man and skiff man. He was one of the last fishermen on the coast to row a wooden skiff to tie up and could spot a jumper a mile away. In his younger years, he spent the off-season in Mexico with his “crew”. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:04
MEDIA RELEASE: ASP Cartel Resorts to Intimidation & Bad Faith as Industry Control Slips
FFAW-Unifor, representing over 13,000 professional fish harvesters and processing workers in Newfoundland and Labrador, is condemning the actions of the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) and its member companies for escalating intimidation tactics. In recent days, ASP has blocked Newfoundland and Labrador harvesters from offloading snow crab in other Maritime provinces and pressured a non-member buyer to disclose private business information and comply with baseless demands. “ASP’s recent actions expose a desperate cartel struggling to maintain its grip on an industry opening to competition,” says FFAW-Unifor President Dwan Street. “Their attempts to undermine an independent buyer and their blatant threats to companies against purchasing from Newfoundland and Labrador harvesters reveal a corrupt system fighting to suppress fair market practices.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:20
Shrimp demand is growing, and tariffs could help local industry
Americans are buying more shrimp these days, and U.S. tariffs could help the local industry, experts say. “Americans love shrimp, and shrimp is taking an increasing share of U.S. seafood consumption,” said University of Florida professor Andrew Ropicki, who specializes in marine resource economics. Ropicki was part of a group that met this week in Mayport to take stock of issues in the industry. The meeting was led by the Northeast Florida Regional Council. Cassidy Taylor of NEFRC explained that the group has a grant to conduct a shrimping industry market study and has been holding public meetings for the past seven months to get input. Fourth-generation shrimper David Cook from Fernandina Beach liked the idea of a cooperative, but his main concern was infrastructure for the industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:35
From Seafood Harvesters of America: NOAA Sign-on Letter
Hello – We are contacting you because you have received periodic updates from Seafood Harvesters of America and are asking for you to sign a critically important NOAA letter. Seafood Harvesters of America is coordinating a U.S. seafood industry letter advocating for functional, stable NOAA/NMFS funding. Our industry’s current operations, and our fishing future, are at risk. We are hearing loud and clear from both sides of the aisle that having the U.S. seafood industry coalesce around a set of priorities is not only compelling but also very effective. As you know, projected budget cuts jeopardize programs, staff, and services critical to the safe and successful harvest, processing and distribution of U.S. fishery resources. Together, we can provide our nation’s leaders with a unified, streamlined vision for a thriving U.S. seafood sector. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:53
Fishermen battling with changing oceans chart new course after Trump’s push to deregulate
Virginia Olsen has pulled lobsters from Maine’s chilly Atlantic waters for decades while watching threats to the state’s lifeblood industry mount. Trade imbalances with Canada, tight regulations on fisheries and offshore wind farms towering like skyscrapers on open water pose three of those threats, said Olsen, part of the fifth generation in her family to make a living in the lobster trade. That’s why she was encouraged last month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order that promises to restore American fisheries to their former glory. The order promises to shred fishing regulations, and Olsen said that will allow fishermen to do what they do best — fish. But the support for deregulation is not unanimous among fishermen. Some say strong conservation laws are critical to protecting species that fishermen rely on to make a living. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:32
