Tag Archives: Crab boats
New England lobster, crab boats could begin using experimental ropeless gear with federal permits
Henry Milliken supervises a prototyping program for the so-called “ropeless” gear at the Northeast Marine Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole. “Our goal is to work with the fishermen, get them experienced with the gear outside of the closed areas, outside of the times when the right whales are present, and then when everyone is experienced, everyone is comfortable, then permit them to fish in the closed areas,” Milliken says. Most Maine fishermen dismiss the technology as unworkable in the state’s diverse fishing grounds. But a handful are quietly trying it out. >click to read< 19:36
F/V Scandies Rose: Investigation Takes a New Look at Crab Boat Stability
Last week’s hearings on the tragic sinking of the ill-fated fishing vessel Scandies Rose have raised questions about the stability booklet requirements for crab boats, which are routinely exposed to severe freezing spray in Alaskan waters. Many crab boat sinkings have been blamed on ice buildup and loss of stability over the decades, but the U.S. Coast Guard design standard for ice accumulation relies on an IMO rule that was not formulated with crab vessels in mind, leading several naval architects who testified last week to question whether it is time for a revision. >click to read< 09:19
Winds stymie crab fishery on east coast of province
Since the arrival of Europeans on the shores of Newfoundland, harvesting of the fisheries has been heavily controlled by one major factor, Mother Nature. Winds, tides, and ice conditions determines when and where harvesting of the resource occurs. Modern day fisheries are no exception. Last year harvesting of snow crab was hampered by the arrival of ice on the northeast coast. For several weeks the ice packed into the various crooks and crannies that dot our bays and inlets keeping crab boats secured to the wharves. Harvesting was delayed as the ice drifted to and from the coastline. Photo’s >click to read<
Cantwell’s legislation provides regulatory relief for smaller vessels like crab and salmon boats
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Fishing and Small Vessel Relief Act (S.2194) to extend protections for fishermen and small vessel owners from adhering to costly requirements that do not tangibly protect or improve water quality for vessels of their size. An EPA study found that incidental discharges from these small vessels do not generate a significant threat to our waters. The bill will extend a current moratorium that exempts fishing vessels and vessels under 79 feet from incidental discharge permitting requirements mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These vessels have been continuously exempt since 2008 under a temporary moratorium as they do not pose a serious environmental risk. click here to read the story 21:35
Hijinks on the high seas – Crab boats allegedly work extra pots
PACIFIC OCEAN — Looking out over the rolling swells of the Columbia Bar on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 9, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer Dan Chadwick strained to find an orange and blue buoy that bobbed at the bottom of a trough of water. “It’s like finding a needle in a haystack,” Chadwick sighed. That buoy was just one of more than 400 such “needles” that Chadwick and his fellow Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers needed to find and count before the tide went out around mid-day. Read more@chinookobserver 14:38
