Daily Archives: June 22, 2025
What’s more Michigan than whitefish? Collapse erodes bit of state’s identity
Way back in 1710, French explorer Antoine-Denis Raudot raved about Great Lakes whitefish, writing that it “must be the best fish in the world, since all those who have eaten it say they never grow tired of it.” If anything, the affection has only grown since. The fish is also on the brink of collapse in lakes Huron and Michigan, mainly due to invasive quagga and zebra mussels that filter away nutrients, starving the fish that spawn on shoreline reefs. That’s changing our relationship with whitefish, transforming it from a mainstay of daily life to increasingly a source of nostalgia for the past. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:45
‘It’s a tough industry’: Fishermen learn lifesaving skills with safety course
For Maine fishermen, the list of things that could go wrong is far from short. That’s why lifelong sailor John McMillan of McMillan Offshore Survival Training tries to prepare his students for what they are most likely to encounter. “The emergencies would be abandon ship, man overboard, firefighting, and flooding,” he said, describing the curriculum of his fishing vessel drill conductor course.The aim of the class is not just to teach how to manage a crisis, but to train others to do so as well. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:49
50 years plus: Thom Ryan RY 170
Back in about 1985, I travelled by road through Denmark to get to Sweden by ferry (there was no bridge then), en route to Finland. A convoluted way of getting there, some will say, but it gave me the opportunity to poke about some of the Danish harbours. At that time the Danes were still selling off the old round-stern sailing ‘kotters’, as some called them – oak on oak, solidly built sailing fishing boats adapted for the Danish anchor seine. According to one boatbuilder friend, the owners were offering ‘buy one, get one free’, they were so desperate to be shot of them. Some survived to be sailing today under private ownership and are indeed lovely vessels. Of course it was the motor ‘logger’ – or ‘shark cutter’, as it was called – that killed the old sailing boats off. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
Dockside blues: Proposed house bill will hurt small fishermen By Corbett Holden
I can honestly say with my whole heart that growing up as a “fish house” kid was the best thing to ever happen to me. As a kid, growing up there was nothing like your daddy waking you up telling you to get dressed and get down to the dock. I would jump up, grab my favorite Gordon’s (Net Works) shirt, jeans, and my shrimp boots that my grandfather bought me. I’d jump in his truck and we would ride. Getting there was always so much fun. I would run to my grandpa to tell him “good morning” and he would smile real big when you came in and tell you “go ahead and start getting ice and boxes made.” I would take off out the door to help my daddy and uncle. There was just something about taking in that smell of freshly caught seafood and being with the family that captivated me. While packing shrimp, I would always sneak off… I had to climb on every boat at the dock. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:06
Canada’s Lobster industry continues to navigate tariff threats
Dave Hennerbichler is visiting Nova Scotia from British Columbia, and picking up a load of lobster before he returns home is a “must do” on his shopping list. “It’s just a specialty, and believe it or not, we can come here and get lobster cheaper than we can buy steak,” said Hennerbichler. That is likely music to the ears for Lobster Processors Association executive director Nat Richard, who began the recent spring lobster season managing high levels of fear and concern. “If we had spoken in January, there was a real possibility that we would be hit directly with significant tariffs on our two largest markets — those being the U.S. and China,” said Richard. The 25 per cent China tariff remains in place. So far, U.S. President Donald Trump has not delivered on his threat to impose additional tariffs on Canadian seafood products, which means, for now, the lobster industry is keeping its head above water. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
