Daily Archives: May 23, 2025
Fishermen pushed to the brink of a cod war that could destroy their livelihoods
Steering his fishing boat towards his home port of Wick, Andrew Bremner’s darkening mood scarcely matched the sunlight dancing off the flat calm waters of the Pentland Firth. He and his ten-man crew should have been buoyed up by a successful 16-day stint at sea catching cod, haddock and whiting. But like all those whose lives and livelihoods rely on the bounty beneath the waves, there was little joy to be found in their return home. For the scatterings of communities who still cling to Scotland’s craggy coastline and hope for the future of its fishing industry were left reeling by last week’s announcement of a new trade deal between the UK and the European Union. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:38
Are you paying for authentic Gulf shrimp at restaurants?
When it comes to buying seafood, most of us want to know exactly what we are paying for and where it comes from, especially if it comes at a higher price. The company SeaD Consulting recently found a correlation showing some restaurants may be providing imported shrimp, but advertising and selling it as authentic gulf shrimp. “If you sell gulf shrimp, you get an average of $14 per plate. If you sell imported shrimp and claim, its Gulf shrimp, you get a similar average of about $14 a plate. If you sell shrimp and label, it properly as imported shrimp, you only get on average $10 a plate,” said founder of SeaD Consulting David Williams. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:59
EU dangles lobster deal in bid to ease Trump-era tariffs
The European Union is considering extending a tariff-free deal on American lobsters in a bid to de-escalate renewed trade tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump. Two officials told the Financial Times that the European Commission is open to prolonging the lobster agreement as part of a broader package to roll back tariffs imposed by Trump since his return to office in January. Negotiations have gained momentum, with both parties exchanging detailed documents last week. Talks cover a range of contentious issues, including the EU’s trade surplus in goods, investment opportunities, and US concerns about regulatory barriers. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:27
‘We’re trying to hold onto hope’: Search continues for missing Milbridge fisherman
Authorities and locals continued their search of a missing Milbridge fisherman Thursday. Alton Wallace, 51, went out on his skiff from Milbridge Public Boat Launch Sunday morning to harvest clams. He has been missing ever since. “Early afternoon, he failed to return,” explains Wallace’s sister, Sheila Wallace. “From there, we notified each other, then of course notified the agencies that he was missing and didn’t return.” Officials were able to locate his undamaged skiff off Pinkham Island Sunday afternoon. Since then, it has been all hands on deck searching for Wallace by air, land, and sea. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:09
Feds buys $16M of Oregon seafood to offset industry losses
In a regular season, commercial fishing boats off of the Oregon Coast set out at the beginning of April to catch Pacific pink shrimp to then be canned or frozen at a local processing facility. This year, those plans got delayed. “They decided to wait and put it off two weeks at least,” said Nick Edwards, the secretary of the Shrimp Producers Marketing Cooperative — he also commercially fishes Dungeness crab and pink cocktail shrimp. Processors were waiting, following trade uncertainty after the Trump administration imposed sweeping 10% tariffs on all imported goods to the U.S. In response, countries from the European Union, one of the biggest overseas buyers of Oregon pink shrimp imposed a 25% retaliatory tariff on goods from the U.S. The list included coldwater shrimp. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:20
Trump Isn’t the Godsend That Fishermen Had Hoped For
In 2024, even in blue areas like coastal Massachusetts, fishing boats were festooned with Trump flags. Conspiracies about the elite agenda of the environmental movement run rampant in fishing communities, and fishermen don’t tend to feel that government is on their side. They hoped Trump would make their lives better by easing regulations. Instead, he’s brought chaos and uncertainty to an already challenged industry. It’s one of many examples of how thin Trump’s commitment is to America’s hardest-working people, even in industries that have fervently supported him. Reflecting on life before Trump, Sarah Schumann, a commercial fisherman who works in Rhode Island and Alaska, told me she had been frustrated with “regulations layered upon regulations. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:35
Atlantic Canada’s lobster industry faces economic pinch as global turmoil bites
Atlantic Canada’s lobster industry is grappling with a perfect storm of economic challenges, as low prices, shifting global trade dynamics, and geopolitical tensions converge to unsettle one of the region’s most vital industries. Lobster harvesters across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are expressing deep concern over this year’s prices, which are reportedly among the lowest in recent memory. Some fishers are even opting to forgo the season entirely, citing unsustainable economics. The lobster industry in Atlantic Canada is facing a perfect storm of challenges, amplified by escalating international trade tensions and rising operational costs. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:28
