Tag Archives: commercial fisherman
North Carolina: Decision on gill nets delayed, officials say more information is needed
No decision was made Thursday by the Marine Fisheries Commission on whether or not large mesh gill nets will be allowed in North Carolina. The decision was delayed because board members said they want more information. Commissioners are torn about two things, if these nets should be used above ferry lines and whether they should be phased out of southern flounder fishing. For many fishermen like Jerry Schill, commercial fishing with large mesh gill nets have been a way of life. He doesn’t want them to be banned. Video, >click to read< 08:41
Overboard California Fisherman Swims Five Hours to Safety
After being thrown overboard, and as he watched his boat drift away from him, a fisherman knew that his only chance of survival was to swim his way out. “I looked up at the sky and I was like ‘Really?!’” he said. “Like really, this is how I’m going to die.” He began to think about his family: his wife their two little girls and their older son and motivated himself to keep swimming. “There was a lot of the drive,” said Thompson. “Just thinking ‘Oh my god, they’re going to grow up without me.” Video, >click to read< 10:05
Sole survivor of Galway Bay fishing tragedy among those feared drowned off Newfoundland
One of the fisherman feared dead when a Spanish fishing vessel sank off the Newfoundland coast earlier this week was the sole survivor of another maritime tragedy in Galway Bay over two decades ago. In October 2000, Ricardo Arias Garcia, a native of Marin in Spain, was plucked from the Skerd Rocks in outer Galway Bay by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter operating from Shannon. Last Tuesday, he was one of 24 crew on board the trawler Villa de Pitanxo when it sank 280 miles off the coast of Newfoundland in rough seas. Named by Spanish media as one of the fatalities, Mr Arias Garcia lost all of his fellow crewmates when the F/V Arosa sank in a storm off Galway Bay on October 3, 2000. >click to read< 11:06
California Fisherman Survives Harrowing 5-Hour Swim After Falling Overboard
Scott Thompson, a commercial fisherman, took his boat out on the Santa Barbara Channel around 5 p.m. on Jan. 26. Five hours of swimming later, he wound up on an oil platform with no boat. On his way back, he stood up on the side of the boat but rough waters took hold of the vessel. Thompson lost his balance and fell. That left him stranded in the water and watching his boat drift away. He attempted to swim and catch up to it but was unsuccessful. Eventually, around 10 p.m., Thompson found his way to oil Platform Gail. >click to read< 20:16
Video: Commercial fisherman medevac’d 58 miles southeast of Nantucket, Mass
The Coast Guard conducted a medevac of a fisherman 58 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England watchstanders received a notification from the fishing vessel F/V Jean Marie, reporting that a crewmember was having trouble breathing, and were requesting assistance. Video, >click to read< 09:38
WWII Veteran, Commercial Fisherman Stanley J. Dykovitz of Southampton has passed away
Born on Christmas Eve 1921 to parents Stanley and Sophie Dykovitz, Stanley was raised in East Marion. He graduated from Greenport High School and liked to tell people he attended “Corn Cob College.” He was a proud U.S. Navy veteran and could vividly recall stories of his time in the Seabees during World War II (or as he called it, “The Big One”). He was a commercial lobsterman on his boat, the F/V Hazel E out of Montauk. He transitioned to conch fishing on the F/V Miss Stephanie in the Peconic Bay, though he was always a lobsterman at heart. >click to read< 16:43
Commercial Fisherman Dusten William Abbott of Manteo, N.C, has passed away
Dusten William Abbott, 40, of Manteo, N,C, passed away suddenly Thursday, January 27, 2022. Dusten was born September 30, 1981 in Edenton, NC. He was the son of Ray Abbott, Sr. and Michelle Congleton. Dusten had great love for being on the water. He grew up beach fishing with the whole family. Dusten’s love of fishing led him to become a commercial fisherman. He did everything from long lining to working on trawl boats. But most of all, he was always ready to go shrimping, which he enjoyed tremendously. Dusten had a heart of gold. >click to read< 17:14
Lifelong Waterman Thomas Edward Haddaway, Sr. has passed away
Our hearts are breaking as we mourn the passing of Thomas Edward Haddaway, Sr. Born in Tilghman on Aug. 17, 1941 to Frances and Edward Haddaway, Tommy was the backbone and strength of his family,,, A lifelong waterman, Tommy loved nothing better than to be on the water in his workboat crabbing, tonging or fishing. After “retiring” he totally looked forward to steering the boat for his son, T, while they were patent tonging. He enjoyed cutting up and carrying on with his watermen friends and adding to the many tall tales and delightful stories that were often heard at Fairbank Tackle. >click to read< 09:20
Commercial Fisherman Benjamin Eric Boyok has passed away
Benjamin Eric Boyok set sail for the last time on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, in Cloverdale. Benjamin was born July 7, 1978, to Philip (Otis) Boyok and Paula (Parmelee) Boyok. He attended East High School in Sioux City. He then moved to Oregon and worked as a commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea for over 20 years where he was well respected by his peers. He was the loving and devoted father of his son George and daughter Otilja. >click to read< 19: 47
Ryan Phillips, sparking welds for fishermen and mariners
Ryan Phillips always knew he wanted to be his own boss when he grew up. Originally from the Sunshine Coast, Phillips was raised and immersed in the family business, now he runs his own welding workshop in Port Edward. His father, a commercial fisherman, would regularly take his sons out to sea. Phillips’s new customer base knew he was a commercial fisherman and had confidence in what he was doing. “I’ve prawn fished. I’ve halibut fished. I’ve tuna fished. I’ve salmon fished, long-line and crab fished,” he said, also adding shrimp fishing to his list of work. “If you’ve done all the fisheries, you get to learn how a boat should be set up for every fishery.” “When you do that, you know how a boat has to be, and that’s why I immediately did well here.” Great story! >click to read< 14:41
Commercial Fisherman Timothy J. Moore of Homer, Alaska, has passed away
Timothy J. Moore, age 65, of Homer, Alaska, passed peacefully from this world into the loving arms of Jesus, the Great Fisher of Men on Dec. 2, 2021. After his family, Tim enjoyed hunting and sport fishing, but commercial fishing was his passion. his first fishing experience was set netting for salmon on his Uncle Pat McElroy’s sites as a skinny 13-year-old during a summer visit to Alaska in 1967. In 1991 the acquisition of the F/V Iliamna Bay allowed him to expand his herring fisheries to include Togiak and to participate in the halibut fishery during those crazy “derby” days before IFQs. The F/V Iliamna Bay was also the beginning of his Prince William Sound salmon seining career where he made many memories fishing with the family and some amazing crew. >click to read< 15:19
My Friend’s Stage IV Cancer Diagnosis Showed His Remarkable Strength
Tom Hoxsie, captain of the fishing vessel North Star, sat cross-legged beside a woodstove in his toolshed. It was late February in coastal Rhode Island, gray inside and out,,, The last phase of his life had begun in pain and misjudgment. Tom was used to discomfort; his hands were a mass of calluses and scars; he labored in an industry of endless punctures, cuts, and strains, where the mentality is to wrap a wound in electrical tape and get back to it.,, This meant cancer crept up on a man with high tolerances for hardship and pain. He had had a chronic cough since at least early 2018, But that summer, he delayed getting a chest X-ray because, in the inshore fishing business around here, the warmer months are when a commercial fishing operation makes much of its money. “We were working,”,,, >click to read< 15:41
Commercial Fisherman Michael F. Champlin, of Narragansett, R.I. has passed away
Michael F. Champlin 70, of Narragansett, passed away on Thursday, November 18th, 2021 at home. Mike was a Commercial Fisherman for many years and retired from the Bait Company in 2015 after 20 years of dedicated attention and care. Michael had the “old school” work ethic, get the job done and get it right. >click to read< – The Funeral Service will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Pt. Judith Fishermen’s Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 386, Narragansett, RI 02882 or Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, 249 Roosevelt Ave, S uite 201 Pawtucket, RI 02860 12;48
‘Not work, it’s a passion’: Commercial fisherman Santo La Macchia still hooked at 101
Australia’s oldest commercial fisherman, and his son, “Young Bobbie”, planned to have left their mooring in Avalon’s Careel Bay about 1pm on Monday, pointing their 70-year-old trawler Joyce towards the prime squid fishing waters off Patonga on the Central Coast.,, “We like to do the afternoon shift,” explains “Young Bobbie” (to distinguish him from Santo’s late father who started the fishing dynasty in 1924). “Young Bobbie” joined his father on Joyce in 1972, and now trawler, licence and trading company are in his name. So which of them is skipper? “He is,” says Santo, pointing at his son. “But sometimes, when he does something wrong, I’m the skipper.” >click to read< 07:50
Fishermen feel “railroaded” – Standoff at sea sours fishermen, US Wind relations
After an on the water standoff between commercial fisherman Jimmy Hahn and a US Wind survey boat, Rep. Andy Harris met with area fisherman to discuss encroachment into fishing areas. The closed meeting Wednesday, also attended by state Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, included more than 12 fishermen primarily from Ocean City,, “If these wind mills are allowed to be placed out here, we’re out of business. You’ll no longer see any fresh seafood coming into Ocean City,” Hahn said.,, “It means a great deal having Rep. Harris listen,” he said. “You have to have someone to speak up. We’re just getting railroaded and we don’t have any say at all.” >click to read< 14:50
Watermen Meet Elected Reps Over Conflict – Conch Pots Destroyed By Offshore Wind Farm Survey Vessel
Last week, a US Wind vessel surveying offshore was outside the designated lease area and ran through a setup of conch pots and destroyed some of the commercial vessel’s equipment. Captain Jimmy Hahn, whose conch pots were destroyed, briefly confronted the survey boat Emma McCall,,, US Wind representatives explained how the survey vessel was out of the lease area and ran over the pots accidentally. For his part, Hahn believes the incident was a symptom of a much larger issue that is only going to get worse. Last week’s incident has captured the attention of the area’s elected officials. On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman Andy Harris and Senator Mary Beth Carozza held a closed-door meeting with local watermen.>click to read< 12:30
Naches fishing captain buys time with his family by spending his summers in Alaska
Imagine being 36 years old and having spent every single summer of those 36 years fishing in Alaska. Every. Single. Summer. This is Joe Rosenkranz’s way of life,, When Joe was almost 22 years old, he purchased his first boat and began commercial fishing for himself in the summer of 2006. In 2018, Joe bought a larger, newer fishing boat, which helped his business exponentially. He named it “The Salmon Barry,” after his dad. photos, >click to read< 17:04
Commercial Fisherman Leroy “Roy” Wilbur Cabana has passed away in Homer, Alaska,
Leroy “Roy” Wilbur Cabana passed away peacefully at his home in Homer, Alaska, surrounded by his family on Oct. 22, 2021, at 10:22 p.m. Even in his final moments he was still full of his quick wit and banter. Some of his final words were “turn it loose,” which was a tribute to his life as a commercial fisherman. Through his employment as a longshoreman, bus driver, body shop co-owner, professional hunter/trapper, or his later careers of a boat builder, catcher/processor, vessel owner, crabber and commercial fisherman, the legacy of his life is the fishing enterprise that he and his wife started for his children and grandchildren and future upcoming great grandchildren. >click to read< 21:20
Roberto Gonzalez of Key West, Florida has passed away. He found and lived the American dream
Born to his parents, Maria Paula Oliva and Pedro Gonzalez on the 31st day of March, 1933, in Quiebra Hacha, Cuba. At the tender age of 2, he lost his beloved mother, and, shortly after his father followed, leaving him an orphan at the age of 6. At the age of 23, Roberto met his love Benedicta Herrera. Building their home together in Key West, where he worked as Commercial Fisherman for Stock Island Lobster along side of Peter Bacle. After hard work and sacrifice, in 1979, Roberto purchased his pride and joy, a 43ft. Torres, The Thunderbird, which is still up and running, and one of the most well known boats among the industry. >click to read< 10:39
Benedicta Herrera de Gonzalez – She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. Together they voyaged into freedom, Although, she and Roberto separated they remained family, involved in their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren’s everyday lives, celebrating all their events together. They were a forever family. >click to read< 11:47
William D. Stinson, Sr., of Owls Head, Maine has passed away
William D. “Bill” Stinson, Sr., 78, died peacefully at home with his beloved wife and daughter by his side. Born in Stonington, August 8, 1943, he was the son of Norman and Gladys Smith Stinson. Bill lived his whole life in Owls Head, Following graduation, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Providence. Returning home, Bill married the love of his life, Mary Myrick in 1972. Throughout his life, Bill worked tirelessly to provide for his family so that his wife could stay at home and raise their two beautiful children. He had a love of the ocean, and worked for many years, fishing for FJ O’Hara’s aboard the vessel captained by his father Norman Stinson. When not out on the water, he worked for a lobster buying business, a bait business and as a night watchman. >click to read< 20:51
Stephen P. Ryan, 63, Commercial Fisherman, Photographer, and Craftsman
Stephen Paul Ryan died on Sept. 9, 2021 at his home in North Truro. He was 63. His death, of natural causes, was confirmed by his sister Nancy. The son of the late John J. and Isabel (Shea) Ryan, Stephen was born the eighth of nine siblings in Milford and raised in Medway. He began work as a commercial fisherman, serving as mate on several boats, including the F/V Susan Lynn, and F/V Rolex. He worked on one of the tuna boats featured in the television series Wicked Tuna, and he tried his hand as a lobsterman. He was a longtime mate on the F/V Sea Wolf, Capt. Tommy Smith’s strike-net boat of bluefish fame. “He loved nature,” explained Capt. Smith, “and during slack time he would photograph the sunrise.” He would also carve quahogs into the shape of whales’ tails, Smith added. He made “really nice stuff.” >click to read< 11:43
Commercial fisherman rides out Hurricane Ida in his boat before 140 mph winds flipped it
Kimothy Guy, 57, is one the few people who did not evacuate from the coastal shrimping, crabbing and fishing community ahead of Ida’s arrival Aug. 29. He and three others in the immediate vicinity rode out the storm on their fishing boats in an attempt to save their livelihoods. Instead, the commercial fishers barely lived to tell the tale, as their boats snapped free from the ropes tying them to the shore and flipped over during the Category 4 hurricane. “We had four of us, me and three others, that had stayed to try to save our boats, but we didn’t save none of them,” Guy said, 
noting that if he knew then what he does now, he would have evacuated. “Now I know we don’t have nothing to stay for. We don’t have no more house. We don’t have no more boat.” “I ain’t got no choice. I have to stay,” Guy said. “That’s all I ever did all my life, commercial fish. That’s what I do for a living. I’m a water person. I need the water to survive.” photos, >click to read< 17:13
Massachusetts man rescues woman from burning Rowley home
A Massachusetts man who lost his wife and two young children in a fire 20 years ago is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a neighbor from her burning home in Rowley. Commercial fisherman Mark Collum says he heard a woman screaming for help at about 5 a.m. Sunday. He ran outside and noticed his neighbor’s house on Wethersfield Street was on fire, which prompted him to call 911. He then ran into the home and was able to get his neighbor, Deb Shanahan, out of the fire. Shanahan was hurt, but her injuries are not believed to be serious. In January 2001, Collum’s wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Lindsay and 5-month-old Carly, died after a fire ripped through their Ipswich home. >Video, click to read< 17:50
George Carter: Former Caithness skipper has passed away
Caithness skipper George Carter, who witnessed the aftermath of wartime tragedies, landed 378 boxes of cod in one day, and once caught a great white shark in his nets, has died aged 86. He first went to sea as a child and was fishing with creels from his boat Streaker until days before his death. George had also been a Justice of the Peace, was a trustee of Waterline Heritage Centre, Lybster, chairman of Lybster Harbour Society and Wick branch chairman of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association. >click to read< 16:19
Jason Daniel Campbell has passed away
Jason Daniel Campbell, 60, was born to Daniel and Barbara Campbell August 12, 1960, in Coos Bay. He died September 16, 2020, at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Graveside services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Reedsport Masonic Cemetery, where we will share stories of his life. Jason commercial fished much of his life. Beginning as a deck hand for his father from a very young age, then having his own vessel for a while before moving to work as a deckhand, including on Alaskan fishing vessels for a few years. He worked on one of the fishing vessels that was showcased on Deadliest Catch, prior to the first season. >click to read< 09:05
Robert “RJ” Cericola, A well-respected member of the N.J. fishing community has passed away
RJ Cericola lost his valiant battle with cancer on August 18, 2021. A well-respected member of the fishing community, RJ was born in Point Pleasant Beach and raised in Lavallette. He resided in Brick Township for the last 25 years. He always had an affinity for the ocean, bay and rivers that surround our area. A master sailor and accomplished outdoorsman, RJ owned and operated his business, F/V Backwash, since 1988. >click to read< 15:43
Legendary Commercial Fisherman Michael D. McHenry has passed away
“You can have that boat if you want to re-float it.” That was all Michael had to hear. He began his fishing career at age 15, fishing in the summers until he graduated from Half Moon Bay High School in 1961. After that, he went full time on the water going down to Three Rocks every day and coming in with a boat full of ling cod. In 1965, Michael bought the F/V Pescadero and continued his career, now as a salmon fisherman. When his abilities outgrew that boat, he built the Merva W and launched her in 1971. The legendary “Blue Boat” was named after his mother, Merva Wilson. She is a steel, 65-foot salmon/crab/albacore fishing boat. He made a name for himself throughout coastal California and Oregon as a fun-loving Irishman and a salmon fisherman extraordinaire. Fishermen were drawn to him as a natural leader and he led a following of fishermen nicknamed “The Z Squad.” >click to read< 18:47
Commercial Fisherman James “Punkin” Gaspard, Sr., of Bordonville, La. has passed away
James “Punkin” Gaspard, Sr., age 77, passed away at his home in Bordelonville surrounded by his loved ones on Saturday, August 14th, 2021. He followed in the footsteps of his father as a commercial fisherman for greater than 60 years. His favorite past-time was fishing on his pier with his grandchildren, spending countless hours in his shed, and spending time with those closest to him. >click to read< 09:50
Lobster Fisherman Is New Brunswick’s Newest Millionaire
Atlantic Lottery says Clovis Roussel heard someone in his community had won and found out it was him when he went to the store. Roussel says his five children are also in the lobster fishery and one of his sons couldn’t believe he was a winner. “I walked in and told my son that I was going to buy myself a new truck and pay for it in cash,” Roussel said. “He didn’t believe me, so I told him it was because I had won $1million.” “’You’re lying,’ he says! Congratulations, Clovis! >click to read< 10:31
Wing Slashes Shrimp Trawling Fuel Costs and By-catch Rates
Randy Skinner’s Wing Trawl System has been through a few generations of development, each tested and put through its paces on board his own shrimper, the 65′ (19.80m), twin-engine F/V Apache Rose, working across the seasons to try out the Wing Trawl under all weather conditions as well as across the range of depths the shrimp fleet operates. He set up Environmental Trawling Solutions as a company to continue to develop and produce the WTS. ‘There are no drawbacks that I’ve been able to find,’ he said. The results have been startlingly successful, as the Wing Trawl has 
returned lower fuel costs – plus a significant reduction in by-catch, demonstrated in a comparative trial carried out with the University of New Orleans. The drop in by-catch is a major advantage that hadn’t been anticipated at the outset, as his initial goal was to develop gear that would be more economic to run. photos, videos, >click to read< 20:42
This Wing Will Fly! Wing Trawling System Wins Ocean Exchange Neptune Award – October 21, 2017, The winner of the Ocean Exchange Neptune Award in the amount of $100,000 USD is Wing Trawling System or WTS (USA-AL). >click to read<
