A divided federal appeals court on Wednesday stripped a regional fishery management council of its ability to block the U.S. Secretary of Commerce from taking actions to manage fisheries that the panel does not support, after finding the council’s members were unconstitutionally appointed. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on 2-1 vote sided with two commercial fishermen who had sued after Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council amended a fishery-management plan to lower how much scup, summer flounder and black sea bass could be caught in their region. The fishermen, Raymond Lofstad and Gus Lovgren, challenged the constitutionality of the structure of the body, one of eight regional councils nationally tasked with developing fishery management plans, in their lawsuit. They are being represented by the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation in their lawsuit. >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:05
Tag Archives: commercial fishermen
Red king crab harvest looking ‘very good’ so far for Bristol Bay fleet
The Bering Sea’s biggest and most lucrative crab fisheries opened last week, and so far, fishing is looking good. “Fishing has been very good for the [Bristol Bay red king crab] fleet this season and the crab delivered so far has been of high quality — new shell, large size, good meat-fill,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game Area Management Biologist Ethan Nichols. As of Wednesday afternoon, about 29% of the total allowable catch (TAC), for the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery had been harvested, according to Nichols. He said so far, reports from captains and from observer catch reports show signs of productive fishing. Nichols said 14 vessels had landed about 680,000 pounds of king crab. The average weight is 6.84 pounds, and the catch rate is 35 legal males per pot. Both of those numbers are up slightly from last year. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:14
Alaska’s “Imploding” Fishing Industry Has Shed 38,000 Jobs
In an economic review requested by fishermen and processors, NOAA found that profitability dropped by half from 2021-23, and wholesale prices dropped by a quarter in 2022-23. This left the Alaskan seafood industry with a total direct loss of $1.8 billion in 2022-3 and the loss of about 38,000 jobs. “For many Alaskans the decline of their seafood industry affects their pocketbooks, presents food security concerns, and impacts their way of life, sense of place, community, and identity,” NOAA noted. “In the face of evolving climate-driven impacts to ecosystems and fisheries in the region, these recent market disruptions undermine the capacity of all segments of the seafood industry and associated fishing communities to be resilient and survive in fisheries.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:47
Burning fishing vessel presumed sunk off Cape coast – 20 crew members rscued
A large South African fishing vessel that caught alight in deep sea at the weekend is presumed to have sunk off the Cape coast, the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said on Monday. All 20 crew of the MFV Armana are safely back on shore after being rescued by another fishing vessel. The incident on Sunday night took place about 60 nautical miles south of Gansbaai in the Western Cape. Samsa said they had discontinued the search after losing sight of the stricken vessel. “[Samsa] herewith confirms the safe arrival and disembarkation of all 20 crew members of the abandoned fishing vessel, MFV Armana, at the port of Cape Town last night, as well as the discontinuation of a search for the vessel after sight was lost of it early on Monday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:01
Fisherman’s Wharf future divides SF boaters, port
The Port of San Francisco and Fisherman’s Wharf business owners agree parts of the area need maintenance and repair. That’s where the agreement ends. The Port Commission voted Tuesday to endorse the term sheet for a $550 million revitalization of Pier 45 and a parking lot currently operated by SP+ Parking, beginning progress on an effort that would construct a seafood market, food hall, and events center and performing arts space that port officials say will revitalize the wharf’s surrounding area. “As working fishing families, we can’t simply relocate for the sake of an amusement park,” Bates said. “Fisherman’s Wharf should be for fishing.” The wharf currently supports nearly 90 commercial vessels, 21 charter fishing boats and nine historic vessels. As the only sizable commercial fishing port remaining in San Francisco Bay, boats from other ports occasionally rely on its fuel, ice and bait facilities. Bates said that out-of-town crews and vessels will also take up space along the wharf during abundant salmon and crab seasons. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:42
After tough salmon season, Lower Cook Inlet fishermen say it will be a struggle to stay afloat
Alaska’s salmon season is largely over. However, commercial fishermen on the southern Kenai Peninsula are reflecting on a year marked by declining catches and higher costs. That includes first-year tender captain Theodore “Teddy” Handley, who took on the role of running his own vessel, the Julia Starr, this season. As a tender captain, he collects fish from fishing boats and delivers them to processing plants. Handley said the sheer pink salmon volume typically boosts the late-season harvest “Even though you’re paid maybe a sixth of what you get for sockeyes per pound, just the volume more that shows up in a pink run is how a lot of the fishermen make their money, and that’s how a lot of the canneries make their money too,” Handley said. Homer’s fishing community comprises generations of families who harvest salmon, halibut and other species from the waters of Lower Cook Inlet. The city is also made up of people and businesses that rely on the commercial fishing industry for income. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:40
NEFSA Petition Urging Janet Mills to Halt Development of Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine Receives Over 2,500 Signatures
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) will be sending Gov. Janet Mills a petition with over 2,500 signatures urging her to halt the development of offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine, according to a source close to the matter. NEFSA is a bipartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to helping save the region’s commercial fishing industry and preserving it for future generations. Signatories on the petition include commercial fishermen, as well as residents of New England maritime communities. In a copy of the petition’s letter obtained by the Maine Wire, NEFSA CEO Jerry Leeman urged Gov. Mills to follow in the footsteps of Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) by asking the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM) to halt its efforts to lease property off the coast. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:52
Darien shrimpers brace for Hurricane Milton
Communities across the southeast are closely watching Hurricane Milton as it crosses the gulf, especially local counties close to the Florida border. While shrimpers in Darien brace for Hurricane Milton, they’re still recovering from the effects of Helene. Shrimping is a major industry for the area, shrimpers say any storm causes concerns for them. “It has all the shrimp boat owners and captains pretty nervous about everything,” said local shrimper Jamey Bennett. While recovering, these shrimpers say they’re preparing for what’s next. “Believe it or not, most of the boats at this dock didn’t even take the lines off from the other hurricane because we seen the other one was brewing,” said shrimper Dwight “Wynn” Darwin Gale. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:35
Rebuild or What? Florida Towns Hit Three Times by Hurricanes Face Tough Choice
It was just a month ago that Brooke Hiers left the state-issued emergency trailer where her family had lived since Hurricane Idalia slammed into her Gulf Coast fishing village of Horseshoe Beach in August 2023. For the third time in 13 months, this windswept stretch of Florida’s Big Bend took a direct hit from a hurricane — a one-two-three punch to a 50-mile (80-kilometer) sliver of the state’s more than 8,400 miles (13,500 kilometers) of coastline, first by Idalia, then Category 1 Hurricane Debby in August 2024 and now Helene. Hiers, who sits on Horseshoe Beach’s town council, said words like “unbelievable” are beginning to lose their meaning. “I’ve tried to use them all. Catastrophic. Devastating. Heartbreaking … none of that explains what happened here,” Hiers said. more, >>CLICK TI READ<< 07:03
Federal fisheries officers refusing duties because of violence on the water in N.S.
Federal fisheries officers in Nova Scotia say they’re refusing some enforcement duties because of threats to their safety, as they await Ottawa’s response to their complaints. The union representing the officers says its members have been shot at, that people have tried to steal their firearms, and that officers — and their families — have been threatened for trying to stop illegal fishing. Commercial fishers, meanwhile, are calling for increased enforcement, saying that illegal and unregulated fishing is becoming more frequent across the province. “We want real, tangible enforcement activity placed upon the illegal, black market lobster activity that’s ongoing throughout the Maritimes,” said Dan Fleck, executive director of the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association, in a recent telephone interview. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:52
Days on the water, nights at Town Office: Harpswell lobsterman advocates for working waterfront on 7 committees
Matt Gilley stood in front of a shelf in his Cundy’s Harbor home. It holds a collection of marine oddities from the bottom of lobster traps, such as unique lobster claws, a seahorse, and a full-sized clam that grew inside a Coke bottle. “The fun part of it is, you don’t know what’s going to come up,” he said. Gilley himself is a rarity in Harpswell. In a town with 216 miles of coastline and “working waterfront” on many local signs, he is one of a small group of commercial lobstermen involved in town government, spending his mornings on the water and his evenings advocating for those who work on it. “I want to see lobstering continue, and the only way for that to continue is for there to be another generation,” he said. “If I can do anything to conserve what little we have left so other people can do it, I’m going to do it.” Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:10
US fishery management council’s structure is unconstitutional, court rules
Dungeness are WA’s most lucrative seafood, but we know little about them
Dom Wilbur slammed the knife into the frozen squid, sending shattered ice flying. Nearby stacks of crab pots teetered as his dad throttled the boat past the Skagit River delta and carved deeper into the fog. As the salty mist enveloped the deck, Dom Wilbur and his cousin Alex Stewart heaved empty pots and stuffed bait traps with the squid and chum salmon. “Go ahead, boys,” J.J. Wilbur called out from the rear cab window. Dom Wilbur and Stewart tossed the buoy off the side of the boat, followed by the splash of a 65-pound pot. They would repeat this dance dozens of times on a late June afternoon and haul up a bounty of Dungeness before sunset. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:23
Lawmakers seek pause in offshore wind energy amid whale deaths
House lawmakers are seeking a pause in offshore wind energy projects amid a string of whale deaths along the coasts of Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Maine. Last week, a deceased whale beached off Maryland’s coast, the second whale carcass discovered in the area in three weeks. In 2023, 37 humpback whales carcasses were discovered along the East Coast. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) hosted a public hearing in August in which experts testified about the danger installing wind turbines poses marine wildlife. Harris called for an end to offshore wind energy in Maryland. The Government Accountability Office plans to investigate the impacts of offshore wind development after Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J) requested it look into the issues. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:48
Proposed wind farms ‘devastating’ for fishers
Proposals to expand planned wind farm sites off the Devon and Cornwall coast could devastate the fishing industry, fishermen have warned. It comes after the Crown Estate, which owns the sea bed, published its latest map of potential development zones. It includes thousands of square miles off Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly, currently prime fishing grounds, and an expanded zone off north Devon. Dave Stevens, who has fished off Newlyn for 30 years, said new offshore wind development would not be good for the industry. “It would be a devastating blow if that went ahead,” he said. “Everyone would be wanting to get out. “I don’t think the industry has been this challenged ever.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:35
The Deadliest Catch star Jack Bunnel’s ‘wake up moment’ that finally got him ‘clean’
During the November 1, 2023, episode of Season 19 Captain Jack Bunnell of the Barbara J shared with viewers a heartfelt story about his childhood. This highlighted the profound influence his father had on his life, along with the pivotal moment he decided to “get cleaned up” and become a fisherman. Jack’s high expectations of himself come from a lifelong ambition of wanting to be a captain, a dream he has held since he was a “little boy.” His crew aren’t the only ones Jack feels the need to prove himself to, as we see in this episode, the captain is receiving a special visitor: his father. Bunnell was born in Homer, Alaska, where he grew up with his father, who was a commercial fisherman and crabbed in the Bering Sea. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:22
NFFO Challenges Crown Estate: Food Security or Energy Production
This week, The Crown Estate unveiled an ambitious new vision for Britain’s seas, prioritising the development of offshore wind farms. The new Marine Delivery Routemap outlines plans for significant offshore wind capacity, with the potential for up to 140GW of wind power to be installed or planned by 2040. However, this massive shift towards industrialising the marine environment has sparked concerns within the fishing industry, which fears the impact on traditional fishing grounds and coastal communities. The proposed expansion will see tens of thousands of square kilometres of the UK’s waters leased for offshore wind development, raising concerns about the overlap with areas vital to food production through fishing. Fishermen, who have been working Britain’s seas for generations, worry that the scale of these developments could disrupt the industry on an unprecedented scale. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:07
Celebrate wild sockeye salmon — the harvest that powers Bristol Bay’s economy and feeds the world
It’s the time of year again when children have returned to school and seemingly endless daylight gives way to shorter days and cooler nights. In the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, it is viewed less as the end of another summer, and more as the end of another salmon season. Many weeks of hard work harvesting and preserving tens of millions of salmon to feed our families, communities and the rest of the world has come to an end. I can’t think of a better time to pause and celebrate Bristol Bay’s wild salmon. We celebrate the incredible journey every single salmon makes; traveling thousands of miles in its life to return to its birthplace and complete the cycle of life. Over the week of Sept. 9, a diverse coalition of commercial fishermen, business leaders, lodge owners, Alaska Native people and others, all from the Bristol Bay region, is bringing this celebration to the nation’s capital. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<10:15
My skipper husband thought he was indestructible
Fishermen are being warned they are putting themselves at risk of preventable illness and even death by delaying seeking medical advice. Amanda Nithavrianakis, whose skipper husband John died of cancer at the age of 52, believes his attitude of self-reliance and toughness contributed to the delay in his diagnosis and treatment. “There’s this mentality, especially among fishermen,” Amanda says. “They’re rufty-tufty. “They think nothing goes wrong with them. But it’s just not true.” John was the captain of a fishing boat based in the south of Scotland town of Kirkcudbright. In March 2016, he began struggling to swallow but delayed seeking medical help, prioritising his work over his health Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:47
New England Fishermen Stage Floating Protest at Vineyard Wind Site
I am continuing to keep an eye on the Vineyard Farms offshore blade failure near Nantucket. A few weeks ago, the facility was closed because of the failure of Vineyard Wind’s newly installed wind turbines, and the city was poised to sue. After one blade failed and ended up in the water, the beaches were cluttered with sharp fiberglass shards, which is a sub-optimum condition at the height of the summer tourist season. The vessels, hoisting anti-offshore wind flags and blasting air horns, departed early Sunday morning from ports in New Bedford, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Rhode Island and along the Cape, converging at about noon on the site of the crippled Vineyard Wind turbine. “The blade collapse was an eye-opener to a lot of people who before didn’t know that offshore wind is a disaster for the ocean,” said Shawn Machie, 54, who is captain of the New Bedford scalloper F/V Capt. John. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:36
Vattenfall in conflict over compensation with Danish fishermen
Fisherman Jens ‘Buller’ Frich believes Vattenfall is acting “provocatively” with its demand.
A legal formality has created a deep rift between Danish fishermen and Swedish energy company Vattenfall,,, A demand that frustrates Thomas Rahbek Sloth, chairman of the association’s committee on marine environment and offshore installations. He calls it an “unnecessary bureaucratic process.” “Vattenfall is playing the fishermen against each other. The fishermen supported the turbines. We thought we were supposed to be partners. Now Vattenfall is acting provocatively. They want every single fisherman to seek compensation. That’s clever. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:56
After 32 years of family ownership, Point Loma’s commercial fishing marina drifts toward a port takeover
Tom Driscoll’s commercial fishing wharf at the north eastern tip of America’s Cup Harbor in Point Loma is falling apart. The marina’s four, fixed piers — home to as many as 120 fishing boats in their prime — appear to be on the brink of collapse. The business model gave way long ago. The substandard conditions will remain suspended in time until the Port of San Diego assumes control of the facility at some future date. The agency is pushing Driscoll out of the marina that has held the family name for 32 years, but also forcing him to stay put for now. Port commissioners considered and rejected two formal redevelopment proposals from Driscoll, the first in 2017 and the other in 2022. Then, in late 2022, the agency declined to renew Driscoll’s lease, opting instead to move forward with its own takeover and redevelopment plan for what it’s now calling the Shelter Island Commercial Fishing Wharf. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:39
JMT tragedy: Looking for answers – and an apology
I’m writing this after my annual trip to sit at Rame Head and look over the spot where my son Michael and his colleague Shane Hooper died nine years ago. Shane was 33 when he died, and Michael was 22. I’ve been fighting since then for some kind of justice, and for changes that will prevent other needless deaths at sea. The fundamental issue that saw my son go to sea in a boat that was certified as safe, but most certainly was not, has never been addressed. Michael was fishing at the age of 14, whelking as soon as he was able to leave school and work full-time, and well used to weights on deck. He wanted to go scalloping, and I found what was advertised as the ideal boat for him. The boat, called JMT, was an under- 10m scalloper, and had just passed its MCA survey, then conducted through Seafish. If I had had an additional independent survey done (this haunts me to this day), it would have been deemed unsafe immediately. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:01
Hollywood put this New Bedford store on the map, but locals already knew this gem existed
New Bedford Ship Supply was put in the national spotlight when Tommy Lee Jones wore a blue hat with the name of the store on it in the movie The Finestkind. According to store personnel, the person in charge of props for the movie bought some hats, shirts and other merchandise at the store prior to its filming in early 2022. One of those hats ended up being worn by Jones in the movie. After the release of the movie, people came to the shop to buy the hat Jones wore. But while the buzz from the movie put the store in the national spotlight, local fishermen have been relying on the store and its products for decades. Peter Sousa, who has worked at New Bedford Ship Supply for 30 years, said they are proud to be one of the oldest businesses of its kind. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<09:48
‘Paris has the Olympics, Menemsha has scallop-shucking’
Around 20 commercial fishing vessels pulled up to the docks stern in. They were supposed to be in by 2 pm but most of them were in by noon, Edmundson said, alluding to an eagerness amongst participants. They had more boats actually than they’d anticipated, both from the Island and mainland. The docks and surrounding area were crowded from 3 pm to 7 pm Thursday with roughly 200 people in attendance. Some gathered to check out the fishing fleet and others stood in line at the raw bar, manned by Quinn and Grady Keefe of Outkast Oyster Company. The brothers, who grew up shucking at the Homeport Restaurant, served Menemsha Creek Oysters for a suggested $3 donation. 7 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
Santa Cruz salmon fishermen facing challenges keeping afloat
The abrupt end of salmon season, announced on April 10, has left commercial fishermen across the Central Coast grappling with economic fallout and seeking alternative income sources. “It’s frustrating to see, and I’m losing faith that we might ever even have salmon season again,” said Heidi Rhodes, CEO of H&H Fresh Fish Market. “It’s just been honestly catastrophic. We’re all waiting, just trying, hoping some federal disaster relief will come. It’s been really hard to stay afloat,” added Rhodes. In February, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an allocation of over $20.6 million in fishery disaster funding for last year’s closure. “The disaster relief doesn’t make anyone money; it’s a band-aid on a wound that can’t stop bleeding,” said local fisherman Tim Obert. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:19
This Florida fisherman worries about the industry’s future
Commercial fishing is vital to Florida’s culture and identity. Today, Florida fishermen like me land $209 million worth of fish and shellfish in dock-side value alone. The economic impact of the commercial fishing industry ripples up the supply chain generating $8.7 billion. Hundreds of millions of tourists travel to Florida to enjoy fresh seafood in the Sunshine State. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) “Status of the Stocks” report that was recently released would have you believe that everything is rosy. But let me tell you what’s really happening – what you don’t see in that federal report – from the perspective and experience of someone who makes a living on the water in the Gulf of Mexico. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:29
Fishermen Who Were Forced to Pay $700 Per Day to Government-Mandated Observers on Their Boats Get Big News from SCOTUS
Members of the 18th-century British Parliament, unelected by American colonists, tried to take money from those colonists without their consent. Hence, the American Revolution ensued. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 40-year-old ruling that had allowed unelected federal regulators, acting the part of the British Parliament, to commit such travesties of justice as requiring fishermen to pay for government-mandated regulators on their boats — a requirement that, according to CBS, could cost the fishermen more than $700 per day. The true magnitude of Friday’s ruling, however, involved far more than fishing boats. In fact, it struck at the heart of American progressivism by eviscerating the insidious claim that federal “experts” know best. In so doing, it took one small-but-crucial step towards dismantling the permanent federal state that actually governs in Washington, D.C. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:18
Agreement reached in fishermen’s suit against Golden Ray
Federal lawsuits filed by commercial fishermen and charter fishing captains against the owners and operators of the Golden Ray were dismissed after an agreement was reached by all sides. A joint stipulation of dismissal filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of Georgia said the “parties have resolved this litigation.” Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The Golden Ray capsized on its port side in the early hours of Sept. 8, 2019, while heading to sea with 4,161 vehicles and an estimated 380,000 of fuel in its tanks. Shrimpers like Johnny Bennett, captain of the Dora F, told The News in September 2022, when the lawsuit was filed, that he and his peers had been pulling up car bumpers and other parts from the water in their nets after the shipwreck. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:17
Norway: Protection zone’s unexpected consequences hit local fishermen
Norway’s Directorate of Fisheries is being urged to issue a dispensation allowing commercial fishermen to fish for wrasse and crab inside a newly created conservation area for lobster near Stavanger. The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association (Norges Fiscella) believes that such a dispensation can be made without any negative effects on conservation. These measures were introduced to protect over-exploited lobster stocks, but this has had unforeseen consequences for local fishermen, as Norges Fiskarkag and local association Sør-Norges-Fiskarlag have taken the initiative in drawing attention to this issue. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:54
‘We need it desperately’: Great Lakes Commercial Fishermen look for help as industry shrinks
Commercial fishing on the Great Lakes began 150 years ago, and fishermen once numbered in the thousands. Now, only a handful of businesses are still at it, and many are aging out and looking for help. Jamie LeClair represents the fifth generation involved in her family-run commercial fishing business. Titus Seilheimer, a fisheries specialist for the Wisconsin Sea Grant, said the industry needs to start training the next generation of commercial fishermen. “There are concerns. A lot of folks I work with are getting older, and the fleet is getting grayer,” said Seilheimer. “That’s an issue here in the Great Lakes, but really any fishery.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:57
