Daily Archives: May 15, 2025
Taking A Deeper Dive into the Proposed Agreement Between US Wind and Maryland
On Wednesday, we reported about a proposed $20 million investment from US Wind to support the local fishing community. Another development from that news is the offshore wind company’s plans for two properties in the West Ocean City Harbor. For months, critics have argued that US Wind’s plans to buy the two fish houses in West Ocean City Harbor would decimate the commercial fishing industry. Wednesday’s announcement, however, paints the proposed project in a different light. “Our proposal is to purchase one of the two properties that we had under contract, under option contract in the past,” said Ben Cooper, Director of Marine Affairs at US Wind. Meaning, one of the two fish houses would stay open. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<18:28
Atlantic Canada’s lobster industry stung by low prices and global economic turmoil
Lobster harvesters in Atlantic Canada aren’t thrilled with the prices they’re getting for their catches, but experts say the recent downturn comes as no surprise due to uncertainty looming over the industry. Prices typically dip in May as the spring lobster season swings into high gear and buyers anticipate a boost in supply. But this season is different, says Bernie Berry, senior fisheries adviser for the Nova Scotia-based Coldwater Lobster Association. “The big thing right now is the confusion around tariffs, whether they’re on or off,” he said in an interview. “Everybody is very nervous.” The association represents lobster fishers, most of them in southwestern Nova Scotia. That area is home to Canada’s most lucrative lobster fishing areas, which typically open for fishing in November and close in June. As the latest season started winding down a month ago, live lobsters at the wharf were being sold at a healthy $15 a pound. Since then, the price has dropped to $8 a pound along Nova Scotia’s Atlantic shore, and as low as $6.50 a pound in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland, which has left many fishers fuming. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:48
Skilled labour crisis hits Pembrokeshire’s fishing fleet, warns new national report
Pembrokeshire’s fishing industry is facing a critical shortage of skilled labour, with local skippers among the most concerned in the UK over their ability to crew boats, a national report has revealed. The 2024 Employment in the UK Fishing Fleet report, published today (May 15) by Seafish, shows that not a single Welsh skipper rated access to skilled crew as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. In contrast, nearly all described it as ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’. This bleak outlook is far worse than in other parts of the UK. In England, 11% of vessel owners reported a positive view on crew access, while in Scotland the figure was 7%. Only Northern Ireland fared worse overall,,, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:12
P.E.I. lobster fishers navigate low tides, shallow waters in North Rustico
Shallow waters in the North Rustico area means lobster fishers have been forced to watch the tides so their boats don’t hit bottom. Thomas Griffin, a P.E.I. lobster fisherman, says it’s a good idea to stay away from sailing in and out of the harbour during low tides. “It’s just a little stressful. We’ve got to keep an eye on the tide all the time,” he said. There have been 11 fishers who have ruined propellers on their boats already this year, Griffin added. The low water levels around the harbour have caused more problems than just wrecked propellers this spring. More than a dozen lobster vessels sailing in and out of North Rustico Harbour were stuck offshore for some time as they struggled to land their catches on April 29. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:14
Hull fishing heritage: Three-day millionaires
Easter week was always a high point in the fishing year in Hull’s trawling heyday, with high-grossing landings due to the longstanding tradition of eating fish on Good Friday. Good settlings after a catch had been sold meant that the trawlermen, ashore after a three- week trip to the Arctic grounds, would have lots of money to spend – though there was always the risk of ‘landing in debt’, a phrase that may well have been coined within the fishing industry. With only 72 hours in port, trawlermen gained the nickname ‘three-day millionaires’. But while the younger men had little to think of beyond enjoying themselves during their brief time ashore, the working pattern of 21 days away with only three days at home put a powerful strain on the lives of married crewmen and their families. It was certainly a treat for school-age youngsters to go down to St Andrew’s Fish Dock to see their dad’s trawler returning home and be lifted aboard over the port side of the ship. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:32
Oregon’s Democratic delegation rallies behind West Coast seafood industry
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Janelle Bynum, Maxine Dexter, Val Hoyle and Andrea Salinas have rallied behind the West Coast seafood industry. The delegation is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy Oregon pink shrimp as soon as possible to help lessen the damage from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. “Commercial fishing, seafood processing, and distribution is an integral part of the numerous small ports and rural communities that dot America’s Pacific coast,” the legislators wrote in a letter to Bruce Summers, USDA Agricultural Marketing Services Administrator. “The industry contributes hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the region’s economy, all while providing the nation with domestic, high-quality seafood that is caught, processed, and distributed by hardworking Americans.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:19
Lobster Life: Sibling Entrepreneurs See Trade Turmoil As A Business Edge
As co-founder of Lobster Boys LLC and a fourth-generation lobsterman, Justin Maderia has seen firsthand how global trade tensions ripple through local economies. With the U.S. seafood market generating over $31 billion annually—and relying on Canada for more than two-thirds of its imports—tariffs and shifting trade policies are a critical concern. The erratic nature of the trade situation doesn’t help, either. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump threatened exorbitant tariffs on China, 145% on April 10, only to slash them to 30% a month later. Whatever ends up sticking, Maderia hopes there’s a chance to build a more resilient, transparent, and self-sufficient seafood industry. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<07:08
