Daily Archives: June 17, 2025
NCFA Update for June 17, 2025: W/ Part2, Contact Senators. Urgent Call to Action – Trawel Ban has passed Commitee
An amendment to H.B. 442 has passed Committee and will likely be passed by the full Senate with language to ban shrimp trawling in all inside waters and ½ mile off the beach! This trawl ban has been fast tracked, and we need you to contact your House of Representative members right now! This Bill is very likely to pass in full Senate either by the time you read this or by the end of the day tomorrow (Tuesday)! We ask as many of you as possible to also be ready to head to Raleigh and face this issue head on before it goes before the House of Representatives for a final vote! Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:30
Part 2 Add On-CONTACT SENATORS!!!!!!!! Contact your Senator from your county and let them know you oppose this bill! Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:10
Strength in Numbers: American Food Industries Join Forces to Fight Unfair Competition
The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) has partnered strategically with other domestic food producers facing similar trade challenges to advocate together as a coalition. Last week, SSA joined representatives from the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) and the Catfish Farmers of America (CFA) for meetings in Washington D.C. to seek stronger enforcement against unfair foreign competition devastating the U.S. honey, catfish, crawfish, and shrimp industries. The ad hoc coalition met with the offices of Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) (featured in a social media post), Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) to present the substantial economic impact these industries have on the economies of Alabama and Mississippi and how that value has been eroded by foreign competitors’ unfair trade practices. Senator Tuberville identified the common challenges faced by Alabama catfish, honey, and shrimp producers in a recent Newsweek editorial. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:22
‘Slap in the face’: Lennox Island reacts to second seizure of moderate livelihood fishery traps
Following a second seizure of lobster traps tied to Lennox Island First Nation’s moderate livelihood fishery, the P.E.I. Mi’kmaq community continues to consider its legal options. On June 8, DFO seized 58 traps related to the community’s self-regulated fishery. That was in addition to about 300 traps seized on May 18. In a statement to the Journal Pioneer, Lennox Island Chief Darlene Bernard (who has since retired as chief as of the community’s June 14 election), said her nation is using the same number of traps as it did last year and has been voluntarily following DFO harvesting regulation since the moderate livelihood fishery started in 2022. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:24
Opponents of wind energy farms off Morro Bay win another round
Opponents of wind energy farms off the coast of Morro Bay won another round when the House approved a version of Trump’s big, beautiful bill known as Inflation Reduction Act that includes a timeline for subsidies that make the projects less likely to happen. In addition to the wind farms, there are plans to industrialize Port San Luis and the Morro Bay Harbor. The support systems on land would include massive piers and could require new breakwaters and dredging. The House’s version of the Inflation Reduction Act repeals tax credits for projects that don’t start construction within 60 days of the bill’s passage. The proposed bill also requires companies to eliminate Chinese goods from their supply chain before the end of the year and then began operating by the end of 2028. more. >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:32
Dewey Hemilright advocates for US commercial fishing fleet
Dewey Hemilright has spent more than 30 years on the water as a commercial fisherman. Along the way he has become an outspoken, sometimes harsh critic of how commercial fishing is regulated in the United States. He is forceful in expressing his opinions, his language sometimes colorful, but the knowledge is deep, insightful and earned through a lifetime in the commercial fishing industry. He’s a longliner, fishing from his 36-foot-long boat, the F/V Tarbaby. Longlining has become the least environmentally harmful method of commercial fishing, although “25 years ago, it wasn’t, but for the U.S. now, we’re the Mother Teresa,” Hemilright said describing the improvements regulators demanded and the changes the fishing industry made — or at least the changes have been made in the U.S. fishing fleet, which is one of Hemilright’s biggest complaints. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:37
Johnson wins fastest working lobster boat at race season opener
Robert Johnson of Harpswell won Fastest Working Lobster Boat at the Charlie Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races in Boothbay Harbor June 14. The day’s races marked the start of the 2025 Maine Lobster Boat Race season. Johnson reached a top speed of 48.7 miles per hour on Miss Ava Elaine, formerly Starlight Express II, to win the race. Jeff Eaton, the 2024 fastest working boat winner, took second with La Belle Vita. Jim Koehling took third with Brown Eyed Girl. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<
Boothbay Harbor Lobster Boat Races: Once again, the newspaper is grateful to professional photographer Mike Leonard for providing his photographs from an area event, this time, the Charles Begin Memorial Lobster Boat Races held Saturday, June 14. Lots of photos! >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
