Tag Archives: fisherman Jerry Matzen III
Washington Dungeness Crab season delays put fishermen in a pinch
Continuing delays caused by the marine toxin domoic acid have brought critical Southwest Washington commercial fishing ports to a standstill since December. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife currently expects an opening as early as Feb. 15. Meanwhile, the delays are forcing fishermen to go weeks without income while bills continue to pile up,,,, “I’ve been here for almost two months. It’s not good financially. It’s a lot of added stress. I’m at a point where I have to make a decision. Do I still stick around and keep losing money or am I going to go home? It’s going to make me go through a divorce.” photos, >click to read< 16:32
Boat fire sends fishermen scrambling
His boat catching fire wasn’t the hot start to the commercial fishing season Jerry Matzen III was hoping for, but the 34-year-old Ilwaco fisherman was glad his boat was saved from the flames to fish another day. Matzen’s boat was already billowing smoke from the port side when Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department arrived at about 8 a.m. Friday, May 1 to the Ilwaco Boatyard. Within minutes the fire crew doused the flames and cut out a charred chunk of wood siding to prevent the fire from spreading further. The burnt section was about 3 feet long and a foot tall. Fortunately it was above the waterline and in a straight spot before the curve of the stern, making for a less complicated repair with no structural damage, Matzen said. Matzen bought the boat in early January, his first as the sole owner. “It’s where my crab money went, to starting my own business.” 6 photos, >click to read< 17:04
“Everybody is getting paid but us,” Crabbers struggling after Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company failure
More than a week after Jessie’s filed paperwork to enter receivership, fishermen such as Teall are feeling the fallout. Teall is a crew member of the F/V Beachcomer, owned by Jim Kary, and has worked for Kary for about 15 to 18 years. Receivership documents filed by Jessie’s show the boat was owed more than $30,000 before the company closed its doors. Teall would have made about $4,500 from that last load of crab, he said. “Other than not getting paid, it’s the best season I’ve had since working for Jim,” Teall said. more, >click to read< 07:46
