Tag Archives: gloucester daily times
Ray Lamont, former longtime editor and staffer of the Gloucester Daily Times, has died
Ray Lamont, former longtime editor and staffer of the Gloucester Daily Times, died Thursday after a long illness. He was 67. Lamont, who came to Gloucester in 2008 and retired last year, fully embraced the role of newspapers in serving their community. He was far more than a writer, caring deeply about Cape Ann and its residents. The Gloucester Daily Times earned numerous state and national journalism awards under his tenure, including several Newspaper of the Year awards. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at a later date. >click to read< 21:17
This is a story of a long-haul lobster – we’ll call him Larry
Rockport lobsterman Larry Stepenuck was hauling traps aboard his F/V Amie. The 46-year-old, Essex-built wooden boat was sitting in about four fathoms of water at the southeast tip of Straitsmouth Island, just off the coast of Rockport. As one trap broke the surface and came to the rail, Stepenuck saw what appeared to be a larger-than-average male lobster nestled among a group of females. “It was a big boy,” Stepenuck, 73, said. “It was borderline,” Stepenuck said. “I think it was just under 5 inches. I still decided to throw it over.” But then his attention was drawn to a greenish plastic tag that encircled a knuckle,,, >click to read< 10:20
Last of the Eastern Side Wooden Draggers “Little Sandra”
When the distinctive white-tipped orange mast of the fishing vessel Little Sandra slipped below the ocean’s surface 18 miles off the coast of Rockport beyond Thacher Island this past weekend, the intentional sinking marked more than just the end of the line for the 63-foot-long vessel. It was the end of an era for Gloucester’s historic fleet of eastern-rigged trawlers as well. Original post June 5, 2013. The art of Gloucester’s Paul F Frontiero Jr listed on e-bay is linked, as well as the GDT article about the end of an era. Photos and links here. 22:28
Captain Paul Cohan, Gloucester: NOAA’s latest data doesn’t pass smell test
I smell a rat,,,, NOAA and its National Marine Fisheries Service stinks to high heaven,,,, If there was ever any doubt about the catastrophic effects of “catch shares” it should now be dismissed. Sectors, ITQ’s, Closures, and Consolidation, have not created conservation — instead devastation of all, well most, involved, both fish and fishermen, as well as those who depend upon them. As much at fault, perhaps more so are the environmental non-government organization — or ENGO’s. For it was their infiltration of NOAA at the highest levels that facilitated this debacle. GDT letter <Read more here> 07:28
Paddling with our Hands
I’ve been meaning to write something about the not so new pay-wall that was erected to drive users to pay for access to the newly formatted Gloucester Daily Times online website that at one time was open accessed. Here it is. Throw me a line, will ya? 15:35
A couple of articles at GDT – Meeting on fishery aid distribution set for here …and Sounding off on Magnuson
The state’s first public meeting on the spending plan for Massachusetts’ $14.5 million portion of the federal groundfish disaster funds is scheduled for Gloucester on July 14. That meeting, the first… The final word fell to Gloucester fisherman Paul Vitale, the last speaker of the day at the Fisheries listening session on the reauthorization of Magnuson-Stevens, held yeterday at City…Pay-Wall. www.gloucestertimes.com 08:31
My View: Feds cannot ignore other fisheries data
On the morning of June 5, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center hosted a Pre-TRAC meeting at the New Bedford Public Library. The TRAC is an international agreement between the United States and Canada under which yearly catch limits for George’s Ban,,, Read more if you can. Pay-wall. http://www.gloucestertimes.com/ 07:52
Seafood waste plant eyed for city
The landscape is littered with amendments, as the Massachusetts Legislature moves through the arduous task of piecing together the state’s fiscal year 2015 budget. One particular amendment, if passed, could begin making life easier for Gloucester se,, Pay Wall Ahead 16:20
Gloucester Daily Times Opinion: Innovative S-K bids deserve funding
One $200,000 proposal, from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, in conjunction with four Gloucester fishermen, would seek to expand the harvesting of whiting off our shores. more@GDT 12:42
Dear Senator Warren,,,Captain Paul Cohan of Gloucester responds to the Senator’s op-ed
Dear Senator Warren, I personally do not share your optimism about our individual, yet collective futures. Every day fishermen are sinking deeper into debt. Every day more fishermen are forced to come to the conclusion that they will have to sell the boat just so they can come up for air. The point that seems to escape those who feel that “you guys can just go pound nails for awhile until things rebound” is that our hammer is our boat, and a boat can’t support itself in any other manner than that for which it was built – fishing Read more here op-ed here
Gloucester Daily Times Editorial: NOAA ‘openings’ hardly the help fishermen deserve
The announcement by NOAA Northeast Administrator John Bullard that the agency is looking to open up portions of long-closed groundfishing areas primarily off Cape Cod and Nantucket area may seem like a viable gesture in the wake of the job- and industry-killing Gulf of Maine cod limit cuts and the tight clamps on other stocks that took effect May 1. continued@GDT
From the Moderator – Let’s be fair John Bullard, You’re the Master of Folksy Feel Good Babble
John Bullard, NE Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, which is his official title, began his comments at the NEFMC meeting this Tuesday morning recalling his interactions with Richard Gaines, Staff Reporter, Gloucester Daily Times The recollections of Bullard of a relentless technician of journalistic excellence were interesting, and are telling of the new revisionist history era that we are entering. , continue here scroll down
Richard Gaines, Staff Writer, Gloucester Daily Times
Richard Gaines, Staff Reporter, Gloucester Daily Times
For years, we found his byline under the headline of every major fishery article that we read at the Gloucester Daily Times. It told us to read on for the truth and an unbiased perspective that a great journalist presents regarding our livelihoods.Richard’s articles provided the information to the public of the complexities that made up the convoluted issues surrounding the stories of the New England ground fishery — something that was just about impossible.
Some of the articles would leave the public confused, but industry insiders knew exactly what he was bringing up. At times, these controversial to insider articles would erupt, causing some noses to get out of joint, generating lively, pointed, and sometimes fierce debate.
Those were my favorites, and I know what Richard wrote was on the money, even though some would disagree, of course.
To those people I say, some of these issues will be raised again, because there has been no closure.
There’s a lot of unfinished business to be settled, and our literary warrior, Richard Gaines, forever rides with many of us in our hearts and minds. Many of us that will attempt to keep those issues alive.
There are some that won’t share in our feelings regarding our beloved friend and beacon of justice for the small boat fishermen, and for fishermen in general, and we understand this.
ENGO’s and the “too big to fail” fishing conglomerates and even the bureaucracy of NOAA/NMFS, that includes OLE/OGC, may be breathing sighs of relief, or are even content to know that Richard Gaines won’t be watchdogging them.
While such agenda bound groups might find temporary relief in Richard’s passing, his crossing the bar merely reaffirms to us that we must each continue the struggles that are easier to walk away from than to stand and fight back. To those bad players, we’ll steadfastly say, “As long as we draw a breath of existence, let it be known that our loss will not be your gain.”
I also realize that many who do understand what I’m trying to say are battle weary. For many, it’s been a decade’s long continuous fight, but it is a worthy one.
Richard Gaines created a standard that we all now expect in the esoteric arena of fishery journalism; but sadly, there is no one individual to carry on the legacy he left for us. During this time of awakening to this cruel reality the question becomes, “How do we continue Richard’s work that still demands greater accountability to the resource and the public?”
We must find the way. Richard would want us to; and his bright beacon will forever guide us to that home harbor where truth and conscience tie up to the dock alongside integrity and grit.
“It’s like a light has been extinguished — a light that always kept looking for the truth,”
photo credit Jim Kendall
On many a morning, Richard Gaines would walk through the front doors of the Gloucester Daily Times, exchange a few brief hellos, and then walk briskly to his desk in the far left corner of the newsroom, sit down and make the first of what would seem like hundreds of phone calls. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times“I going to cause some trouble today,” he’d proclaim. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times
Times’ journalist Gaines, 69, found dead – By Ray Lamont Editor
Richard Gaines, the award-winning 40-year New England journalist who spent more than a decade as staff writer with the Gloucester Daily Times and carved out a national niche with his local coverage of the commercial fishing industry, was found dead Sunday afternoon in the swimming pool outside his home in his beloved Bay View section of the city. His coverage helped spotlight efforts by fishermen and lawmakers alike to challenge the actions of NOAA — particularly its law enforcement wing — leading to a federal Inspector General’s investigation and findings of wrongdoing in 2010. continued @ Gloucester Daily Times
Gloucester journalist, voice for the region’s struggling commercial fishermen, found dead @ The Republic
One scandal of the National Marine Fishery Service, unknown but for Richard Gaines
Who in the Hell is Richard Gaines?!!
Richard Gaines, Staff Writer, Gloucester Daily Times.
Read it here with two video interviews by GMG’s JoeyC
Editorial: Don’t forsake present in pressing for fishery’s dire needs – Gloucester Daily Times
The simple fact is that NOAA officials — right to the top and credibility-flawed General Counsel Lois Schiffer, while both NOAA and the Department of Commerce embarrassingly flounder without even acting chief administrators — have adopted the mantra of the agency’s bullying agents who, according to documentation, told workers at the former Gloucester Seafood Auction during an unauthorized, 2005 after-hours raid, that they were, in fact, “accountable to no one.” And all the municipal and state ideas in the world will be hard-pressed to break through that mentality until congressional lawmakers stand up and use NOAA and Commerce budgetary cuts and other actions to break up or into the agency itself. continued
Fisherynation thanks Ray Lamont, Editor, Gloucester Daily Times
Ray, thank you for keeping this obscene issue in the mainstream in the persuit of justice.
October 13, 2012
Why Did My Newspaper Do That? Keeping up pressure — and coverage — of overdue report
Why Did My Newspaper Do That? Ray LamontGloucester Daily TimesThe Gloucester Daily TimesSat Oct 13, 2012, 12:00 AM EDT
Our front page today includes a story about the latest update regarding the so-called second Swartwood report — essentially the findings of an in-depth look by a special investigator into some 66 cases of alleged abuse and excessive enforcement by NOAA policing personnel against New England and other Northeast fishermen. By my count, and according to our archives, this is the 16th news story on the report, which was completed and submitted to the Department of Commerce in March. And there have been a handful of editorials about its status as well. Yet the basic core nugget of news is the same – that Commerce officials still have not released the report, and will not provide a time frame for when they will. So is it really news? If there is, on the most basic level, no hard news to update, is it even worth updating? Why, you might ask, would your community’s newspaper keep doing that?,,,,,,,,,,,,Read More
