Daily Archives: May 20, 2025
FFAW Condemns DFO’s E-Log Policy and Phone Seizure Overreach; Calls for Minister Intervention
The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) is demanding immediate action from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to address the ongoing issues with its mandatory electronic logbook (e-log) policy and the recent invasive seizure of a harvester’s cellphone, which continues to cause increasingly significant distress and disruption for Newfoundland and Labrador’s fish harvesters. FFAW-Unifor is calling for a return to a voluntary implementation, allowing the continued use of paper logs, and an end to overreaching enforcement practices. “DFO’s electronic logbook policy is a poorly executed overreach that ignores the realities of our industry. Harvesters have been vocal about these issues from the start, and our prior communications to DFO made it clear that a forced transition would lead to chaos. The department’s failure to listen has left fish harvesters struggling with unreliable systems and no support,” says FFAW-Unifor President Street. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:08
Commercial Fisherman James Joseph O’Toole, Jr., of Cape Cod, MA. has passed away
James Joseph O’Toole, Jr., of Cape Cod, MA, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2025, with his family by his side. Jim was born in New York City on April 27, 1971, to Dr. James and Patricia (Boyle) O’Toole. The eldest of five children, Jim was raised in Ridgefield, CT. Having spent significant time on the Rhode Island coast and ever drawn to the ocean, he obtained his captain’s license and pursued a career in commercial fishing in New Jersey and Rhode Island, finding both adventure and peace at sea. He received a special commendation from a coastal NJ community after risking his own life to jump into frigid waters in January to save a fellow fisherman from drowning. Jim loved good music, great food, but most of all, his family and countless friends. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:26
Devon fisherman says he’ll leave UK for Spain amid ‘collapsing’ industry
A Devon fisherman has lambasted the EU deal, revealing plans to relocate to Spain as the industry faces a ‘collapse’. Tom Parker, 37, a seasoned fisherman since the age of 16, has voiced his concerns over the industry’s future following an agreement that permits EU boats to fish in British waters for another 12 years. The pact, endorsed by Sir Keir Starmer in London today, indicates that the UK will continue to adhere to the EU’s trade standards rulebook. Describing the state of the fishing sector in Britain as “collapsing”, Mr Parker expressed his desire for change: “I am looking for a new country. It is time to leave.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:04
Trump Administration Lifts Stop Work Order on $5B Empire Wind Project
The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted the stop work order on the Empire Wind project, allowing construction activities to resume after a month-long suspension. The $5 billion Empire Wind 1 project, designed to power 500,000 New York homes by 2027, represents a significant milestone in the U.S. renewable energy sector. The project, which began construction in 2024 and is currently more than 30% complete, faced a temporary setback when BOEM ordered an immediate cessation of activities on April 16, 2025. Empire Wind also includes a potential second phase with a collective generating capacity of approximately 2.1 gigawatts. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:58
Missing Milbridge man’s family thanks community for continuing search efforts
A Downeast community is grieving as they once again search for one of their own who went missing on the water. Family members of a missing Milbridge man say they won’t stop searching until they bring him home. 51-year-old Alton Wallace went missing in the area of Narraguagus Bay Sunday. Wallace was reported missing by a family member after he did not return from harvesting clams. The Marine Patrol used Wallace’s last cell phone ping to determine a location for the search. The US Coast Guard suspended their search efforts Monday morning, but the Marine Patrol is still searching with State Police, the Maine Warden Service, and local fishermen. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:55
