Tag Archives: Gloucester Fisheries Commission
Limits on ratio of fisherman decried
Gloucester Capt. Salvatore “Sam” Novello who has fished the waters off Gloucester for most of his life, is saying while he can fish, some foreign-born fishermen cannot. A member of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission, Novello said this week the U.S. Coast Guard has recently begun to strictly enforce a rule that limits the number of immigrants who are allowed to fish. The measure, the 75-25 rule, requires that 75% of those crews fishing must be American while only 25% can be foreign. In other words, for every four fishermen, three must be native born and only one can hail from another country. Novello blasted the rule as burdensome, saying it only contributes to a slew of other regulations and fishing limits already imposed by NOAA Fisheries that hamper the fishing industry. “Today, all fishing operations can’t find enough help to go fishing,” he said. “ >>click to read<< 07:21
Gloucester celebrates its finest kind
The launch of Gloucester Fisheries Heritage Month in the city’s 400+ anniversary year in front of the Fishermen’s Memorial on Stacy Boulevard on Tuesday evening celebrated the finest kind of the nation’s oldest fishing port. About 200 people cheered for the fishermen ages 80 and older who sat in the front row of chairs, and who were given a commemorative Gloucester 400+ medal as a way to honor them. “I couldn’t think of any better way to kick off this month than to honor the gentlemen here in front of me. I just want you to know you are all very near and dear to my heart,” said Al Cottone, a commercial fisherman and the executive director of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission. “You blazed the trail for what this industry is and hopefully what it will be in the future, and I just want to say thank you all, and today is for you.” 6 photos, >click to read< 07:47
Fishermen: Haddock limits to lead to shutdown
In two tows during a fishing trip in March, Gloucester fisherman Joe Orlando caught what could have been almost his entire allocation for Gulf of Maine haddock under catch limits proposed for fishing year 2023, which begins May 1. Orlando harvested 7,000 pounds in those two tows, about a half day’s worth of fishing, Jackie Odell, executive director of the Northeast Seafood Coalition pointed out to members of the New England Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries and others in an email. His allocation for the upcoming fishing year is expected to be 8,000 pounds. >click to read< 07:57
Rule change calls for monitoring of all groundfish trips – Not everyone is on board.
The most significant proposed change is a monitoring coverage target of 100% aboard eligible trips, which is higher than present monitoring levels. The change is meant to remove uncertainty surrounding catch. This and other changes, known as Amendment 23, to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan were developed by the New England Fishery Management Council. According to a NOAA Fisheries fact sheet, the changes, if approved by NOAA Fisheries, would give groundfish vessels the choice of a human observer or using one of two types of electronic monitoring to meet the increased monitoring requirements, provided the sector has a corresponding approved monitoring plan and a contract with an approved service provider. >click to read< 12:37
Massachusetts Seafood Collaborative calls for sanctions on Russian fish imports
The Boston-based Massachusetts Seafood Collaborative, which has several Gloucester members, is calling for sanctions to take a bite out of Russian fish imports because of the war in Ukraine. The collaborative, which counts the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association as a member, said that in 2021, the U.S. imported $4 billion worth of Russian fish for processing, leading directly to jobs and paychecks for Massachusetts residents. “Though Russia blocks imports of American fish,” the collaborative said, “our commitment to free trade and open markets allowed this one-sided relationship to bear fruit. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has forced our industry and our nation to decide between our ideals and our wallets.”>click to read< 08:42
Senate Candidate Joe Kennedy was in Gloucester Friday to hear Fisherman and Industry member concerns
This morning in Gloucester at 9 am, Joe Kennedy met with fishermen, industry representatives, and local politicians to discuss with them, their concerns about the fishing industry. Topics of discussion included Offshore Wind Farms, Imported fish from Iceland, Fishery Observers and Monitoring, NOAA science, and the need for a U.S. Farm Bill tailored to the needs of the unique and varied fisheries of the nation, including timely fishery disaster relief aid. Sam Parisi, photo’s, >click to read< 19:19
Gloucester Police Department investigating apparent attempt to sink family’s fishing vessels
Officers responding to a report of vandalism at Captain Joe’s Marina at 95 East Main St. found three boats with holes drilled into their hulls, according to the Gloucester Police Department. Police say a vandal cut the padlock off of a cabin door on one vessel and sabotaged an array of pumps, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Mark Ring, chairman of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission, says he is shocked and baffled by the incident because the boats belong to two well-respected brothers. Video, >click to read<19:36
Gloucester: Lobstermen push against whale rules – ‘We’ve borne the brunt’
The evening began with a presentation from NOAA Fisheries’ Mike Asaro and Colleen Coogan that offered a historical backdrop on the status of the North Atlantic right whale stock and an explanation of the specific protectionist measures adopted in April by the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team.,, In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, lobstermen are tasked with reducing their vertical lines by 30 percent. In Maine, where there has been significant pushback by state officials and the nation’s most formidable lobster fleet, the target is significantly higher — 50 percent. Then came the comment period and the usual choosing of the sides. Photo’s, >click to read< 22:04
Sam Parisi is asking all fishermen to attend the Gloucester Fisheries Commission meeting December 14th
I recently had a letter I wrote printed in our local paper. This was regarding a commitment the Mayor of Gloucester, Sefatia Romeo Theken made when she was running in 2016. That being, to hire a Fisheries Director part time and than look down the road for full time. She kept her word. In my letter I said we need to now hire someone full time. Not to take anything away from our director Al Cottone, he has done a good job, but you can not expect him or anyone else to do this effectively on a part time basis. click here to read the story 15:07
Gloucester: City needs full-time fishing director
The need for a full-time fisheries director is now. Back in 2015, then interim Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and the Gloucester Fisheries commissioners agreed there was need for a full-time director. It has been almost 20 years since we had someone full-time. They also agreed the job was horrendous and time-consuming. In 2016, at a mayoral debate that I attended, I asked both candidates, Paul McGeary and Romeo Theken if they would support a full-time fisheries director. click here to read the story 20:11
Gloucester Fisheries Commission opposes limited access to the historically open-access whiting fishery
A mere two days after the NEFMC received its first look at the proposals being generated by its whiting advisory panel and whiting committee, Gloucester commission members raised concerns over the impact the proposals could have on the city’s whiting fleet — particularly the small boats. “We should not allow any other species to go under limited access,” said commission member Angela Sanfilippo, also the president of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association. “This is a healthy stock and I am totally against limited access.” Sanfilippo’s views were echoed by member Joe Orlando and Chairman Mark Ring. The three proposals to potentially limit access to the fishery are contained in currently being developed by the council. The council’s whiting committee hopes to furnish a more finished product at the council’s next meeting in late January. The city fisheries commission, however, wasn’t waiting around for the council staff’s final analysis. It voted 6-0 to oppose any attempts to limit access to Ipswich Bay for the local whiting fleet. Read the story here 08:49
Gloucester Fisherman Al Cottone to serve as city’s fisheries director
Al Cottone, 50, a longtime Gloucester fisherman and a staunch advocate for the commercial fishing industry, is filling the newly re-created job, Chairman Mark Ring announced at Thursday night’s Fisheries Commission meeting at Gloucester High School. The position has been dormant for several years, but Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, in consultation with the Fisheries Commission, reignited a belief that the city and its fishing industry would greatly benefit from re-establishing the position to serve as the city’s liaison to state, regional and federal fishery managers and regulators. Cottone currently serves as a voting member of the Fisheries Commission, but his status will shift to a non-voting member once he assumes the new position July 1. Cottone, Gloucester born and bred, is a familiar face and respected voice at fishing-related meetings of the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries, the New England Fishery Management Council and NOAA. Read the story here 08:34
