Tag Archives: Hawaii
‘I make nothing’: Local fishers weigh leaving the industry as inflation drives up costs
Troy Pack, the captain of the Itasca, a Hawaiʻi-based longline fishing boat, had a different outlook on his job just a few years ago. “I loved being a captain. I loved my job. I love fishing, but it’s like I was making good money and it was worth it. It was worth being away from my family and worth being away and being out at sea for 25 days a month,” Pack said. After a recent fishing trip, the Itasca was docked at Oʻahu’s Pier 38. On one afternoon, Pack, some of his crew and Peter Webster, who owns the Itasca, were taking a break aboard the vessel before heading out on another fishing trip. There, Pack said he’s been rethinking his career. After 20 years of fishing, he said he couldn’t live on the pay anymore. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:09
End of an era? Lahaina fire delivers big blow to already declining commercial fishing industry
The Lahaina Small Boat Harbor was like a second home for Donnell “Andy” Tate, who for decades served as its weighmaster. But those good old days memories of the harbor for Tate, now 73, are clouded by the fire of Aug. 8, 2023, when he fled his Lahaina Shores home with only his camera gear and could only watch from a distance through a black wall of smoke as the town, the harbor, most of the boats and his life as he knew it went up in flames. The commercial fisherman and sportfishing charter operations at the harbor had suffered during COVID-19, when Lahaina became a ghost town for more than six months, forcing some fishermen out of business or to move to bluer waters. But the fire — which badly damaged the 99-slip harbor, destroyed all but 13 boats and left the nearshore waters a mess, filled with oil and debris — has been an even bigger, and perhaps more permanent blow. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:02
Rare ‘football fish’ washes up near Cannon Beach
A deep-sea angler fish, called a Pacific football fish (Himantoliphus sagamius) has been found by local beachcombers just south of Cannon Beach. Living in complete darkness, at 2,000 to 3,300 feet, these fish are rarely seen. In fact, only 31 specimens have been recorded around the world. While a handful of football fish have been recorded in New Zealand, Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile and California, this is the first one reported on the Oregon Coast to the knowledge of personnel at Seaside Aquarium, who announced the find. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:38
Biden administration plans to tee up offshore wind across the nation’s coastlines
The Biden administration is planning to boost offshore wind energy production, announcing up to a dozen opportunities for industry to bid on chances to build wind turbines in U.S. oceans over the next five years. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is slated to announce the lease sales at a conference in New Orleans. The 12 potential opportunities Haaland is announcing include sales in the central Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, the New York Bight and off the coast of Oregon, California, Hawaii and a yet-to-be-determined U.S. territory. These sales were described as potential sales that could occur rather than ones definitely slated to happen, and if former President Trump wins election, he may want to cancel them. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:56
‘Wicked Tuna’ star meets Kaua‘i fishermen, scientist eager to resume local ahi research
Reality television star Dave Marciano, captain of the fishing vessel Hard Merchandise on the long-running National Geographic series “Wicked Tuna”, has spent the last two weeks on a whirlwind tour of Kaua. The famous fisherman, who visited with his family, was on vacation. However, he was also excited to reignite a long-running initiative between local commercial fishermen and marine biologists – which has all but stopped in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of funding. The local fishermen are more than Marciano’s colleagues: They’re also some of his biggest fans. When not discussing their shared profession, some could not resist taking a selfie or getting an autograph from the avuncular East Coast captain. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:46
NOAA confirms 67 large whale entanglements nationally in 2022 – none involving the North Atlantic right whale
NOAA Fisheries has released the National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2022. In 2022, there were 67 large whale entanglement cases – a slight decrease from 2021 and slightly below the historical average. The majority involved humpback whales and there were no confirmed entanglement cases with the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Over 85 percent of all confirmed live whale entanglement reports were observed off the coast of four states: California (34.3 percent), Massachusetts (20.9 percent), Alaska (14.9 percent) and Hawaii (14.9 percent). links, more, >>click to read<< 09:15
Man sues business partner over fishing boat
A man has sued a business partner over the purchase of a shrimp trawler. Abraham Nguyen filed his complaint October 30 in federal court against F/V Kim Thu and TNL Fishery. In the lawsuit, Nguyen says Loi Hang “wanted to purchase a shrimp trawler in Louisiana and wanted Nguyen to convert it into a long-line tuna boat capable of operating off the coast of Hawaii.” Hang is one of two owners of Hawaii-based TNL Fishery along with Cindy Nguyen, who is not related to the plaintiff. Nguyen, who is a welder, previously had converted another shrimp trawler for Hang, the suit states. >>click to read<< 10:37
Maui Wildfire Photos And Updates, Lahaina And Kula
The number of people killed in the Maui wildfires increased to 93 on Saturday, with two of them identified, according to an update from Maui County. The fact that only two people were identified underscores the difficulties facing search and recovery crews who must carefully pick through rubble as more than 2,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged. Maui officials urged people with missing family members to go to do a DNA test for authorities. The county has set up a family assistance center at the Kahului Community Center to coordinate efforts to find people who remain unaccounted for. “We need to find your loved ones,” Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said earlier Saturday during a news conference at which the death toll was raised to 89. “The remains we’re finding is through a fire that melted metal. We have to do rapid DNA to identify every one of these 89.” >click to read< 09:36
Hawaii fires: At least 36 killed as flames sweep through Maui
At least 36 people have died as fast-moving wildfires tear through the Hawaiian island of Maui, officials say. The deaths in the city of Lahaina, the island’s main tourist destination, came as strong winds from a distant hurricane fanned the flames. The fire is one of several ongoing blazes that have burnt entire neighborhoods to the ground. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes and a state of emergency has been declared. A huge search and rescue operation is under way, with some people still unaccounted for. The fires earlier drove people to jump into the city’s harbour to escape the flames and smoke. Fourteen people were rescued after jumping in, officials said. Video, photos,>click to read< 08:01
The legend of Lahaina artist ‘Captain Kenny’ Neizman continues to grow
Kenneth Roland Neizman was born in 1932 and died in 2003. He grew up on Maui, and after graduating from high school worked at Pioneer Mill Company as a laborer in the sugar cane fields. Neizman eventually quit the harsh work in the fields and landed a job on a commercial fishing boat. He loved being out on the water and was fascinated with the undersea world and all of its creatures. Through dedication and hard work, Neizman eventually saved up enough money to buy his own fishing boat and truly became “The Captain” in the mid-1960s. One of his favorite sayings was: “IN GOD WE FISHING!” Cash was rolling in from selling fresh fish in Lahaina, but Neizman wasn’t good at bookkeeping or paying his taxes on time. He was also fond of “relaxing” at the bars in Lahaina after unloading his day’s catch. >click to read< 08:12
Have you tried the other white meat? … Swordfish
Hawaii’s commercial fishing industry is asking Hawaii families to consider (or reconsider) a fish that’s fallen out of favor over the years. While Hawaii is known for its ahi and other tuna, swordfish is actually a big part of the commercial fishing industry in the islands. So much so that the Hawaii Longline Association says its fleet provides about half the country’s demand for swordfish, caught more than 1,000 miles north of Hawaii. But while more than 80% of the fresh fish sold in Hawaii stays here, that’s not the case for swordfish. “It’s kind of reverse, most goes to the mainland instead of retain here locally,” said Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association. Video, >click to read< 08:49
Kauai Fishermen Bring Deep-Sea Shrimp Back to the Dinner Table
Hawaii’s sweeping variety of seafood is the stuff of greatness. But consumers know some local seafood is hard to come by. A Kauai-based vessel is now pursuing one such delicacy of the deep: “amaebi,” certain marine shrimp belonging to the genus Heterocarpus. “They’re more delicate than other shrimp you can buy,” said Devin Silva, who sails out of Nawiliwili Harbor with his father Vinnie Silva. “They’re very juicy … they’re coming up from (1,500 to 3,000) feet deep.” Amaebi are indeed prized for their sweet flesh and large size. However, only a handful of boats now participate in the Hawaii fishery. Devin persuaded his father to hunt the little-known crustacean in late 2021, after learning the craft from Kauai’s last-known shrimper, retired commercial fisherman Ernest Caires. Photos, >click to read< 13:31
The Honolulu Fish Auction Celebrates Its 70th Anniversary
Commercial fishing in Hawai’i was banned during World War II and slowly resurfaced by the early 1950s. The United Fishing Agency launched the Honolulu Fish Auction on Aug. 5, 1952, and it celebrated its 70th anniversary this year at Honolulu’s Pier 38. The agency says it’s the only fish auction in Hawaii and the only large-scale tuna auction in the Pacific this side of Tokyo. Michael Goto, who has been running the auction for a decade, says seafood is a much bigger industry in Hawaii than many people might realize. >click to read< 10:42
Hawaii Longline Fishery Achieves Global Sustainability Certification
The Hawaii Longline Association’s swordfish, bigeye, and yellowfin tuna fishery has achieved certification for sustainable fishing practices, the Marine Stewardship Council announced today. The fishery is the first Hawaii fishery to enter the MSC program. The MSC Fisheries Standard is a globally recognized standard used to assess if a fishery is well-managed and reflects the most up-to-date understanding of internationally accepted fisheries science and management. The certification follows a rigorous 16-month review carried out by third-party assessment body Control Union UK Limited. >click to read< 16:09
Cause Of Fire Aboard F/V Blue Dragon Determined By NTSB
No injuries or fatalities were reported in connection with the fire that resulted in more than $500,000 in damages to the vessel. The F/V Blue Dragon was under way conducting longline fishing operations in the North Pacific Ocean when the vessel caught fire. The six crewmembers and a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) observer unsuccessfully attempted to fight the fire. They abandoned the vessel and were rescued by a Good Samaritan vessel. The F/V Blue Dragon was later towed to San Pedro, California. On Oct. 25, 2021, the F/V Blue Dragon left Honolulu, Hawaii, to fish for swordfish and tuna. On Nov. 9, while the crew were preparing to retrieve fishing gear, the NMFS observer discovered a fire in the wheelhouse under the console. >click to read< 08:57
State Supreme Court: Hawaii Longline Industry’s Use of Foreign Crews OK
A new Hawaii Supreme Court decision upholds the local longline fleet’s reliance on some 700 foreign fishermen who can’t legally leave the dock when their boats arrive in Honolulu Harbor. Specifically, the opinion, released Thursday, ruled that it’s OK for state officials to grant commercial licenses to those fishermen confined to the pier, even though they have no legal status in the U.S. It’s permissible, the court said, because Hawaii’s fleet of 140 or so longline vessels fish for ahi and other fresh seafood only in the deep ocean, not in the state-designated waters closer to shore. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Longline Association said it was pleased with the Supreme Court opinion. >click to read< 18:47
Day without Ahi affects restaurants and customers
A Manoa Poke Shop is back in business after an Ahi shortage forced them to close for a day earlier this week. “I got a call from the guy who goes to the auction for us. He said there was no boats in that day. So, I called my staff and told them there’s no boats, which means there’s no fish. Which means we are closed that day,” said Off the Hook Poke Market co-owner JP Lam. “We’ve seen this maybe once a year. Maybe less than that. Maybe 3 or 4 times over the last 5 years.,” said Lam. “I wouldn’t think the cause was ocean conditions or atmospheric conditions. It’s more of the uncertainty of fishing itself. The fish are not always where we think they are,” said Hawaii Longline Fishing Association President Sean Martin. >click to read< 09:50
Hawaii fishermen on the hook for high costs as seafood prices continue to rise
You may be seeing trouble when you pull out your wallet to pay for fish and seafood, but it’s the fishing industry that’s threatened right now. As fisherman Paul Dodder prepares to once again head out to sea. Expenses are on his mind. “Fuel prices are always the number one expense,” said Dodder. Diesel fuel we’re told is up 50%. But there are other costs as well. “Baits and supplies for your crew, all of that has increased 40%-50%,” said Hawaii Longline Association Executive Director Eric Kingma. Those costs on top of increasing demand are driving prices up. Video, >click to read< 19:34
Alaska Commercial Fisherman Paul Richard Harder has passed away
Paul Richard Harder died unexpectedly at home in Hawai’i on Dec. 13, 2021 of a heart attack. Paul was born Aug. 22, 1951, in Seattle to Ole and Mary Harder. Paul started commercial fishing in Alaska with his father at 12; they were shipwrecked four days his first season but that didn’t deter him. He was a successful fisherman throughout Alaska. One of his Kodiak seining highlights was making a set of more than 40,000 pounds of red salmon; he had to radio his dad to load both of their boats. Paul’s big smile and sense of humor will be greatly missed. Paul’s Celebration of Life is deferred to a later date. >click to read< 21:15
Support Small Boat Fishermen By Making It Easier To Buy Fresh Off The Boat
The pandemic changed many things in Hawaii, including access to fresh fish. The swift departure of hundreds of thousands of tourists and the consequent closure of many hotels and restaurants eliminated the bulk of the demand for fresh fish literally overnight. One major fish wholesaler resorted to curbside sales at Pier 38 in Honolulu Harbor just to keep the lights on, and some large commercial fishing vessel owners shut down to avoid their extensive costs of operation. Creative solutions for distribution quickly surfaced. >click to read< 08:25
Hawaii’s Fishermen Are Worried About China’s Fleet. So Is The Military
Hawaii’s commercial fishermen and the U.S. military have a potential threat in common, China’s fleet of government-subsidized ships that has been straying into more distant waters in search of seafood and more influence. Local longliners have reported seeing increasing numbers of Chinese vessels near the islands, accusing them of overfishing and intimidation tactics. Sometimes the ships are fishing, sometimes they’re making their way into the eastern Pacific and sometimes they’re seemingly just sitting at sea, says Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association. >click to read< 08:05
Kona fisherman snagged by large hook credits Coast Guard with saving his life, shows his gratitude
Kenton Geer says he was hauling gear aboard his boat the F/V Vicious Cycle last Tuesday when he was snagged by a massive hook and dragged across the deck. The 39-year-old commercial fisherman has worked on the water more than two decades. He says without the help of the Coast Guard he might not have made it back to shore alive. “I think that there was a real possibility, I could have bled to death,” Geer said. “Or be talking about not having a hand.” A helicopter trip to the hospital is a ride no fisherman ever wants to take. After five days at Honolulu’s Queen’s Medical Center 
and two surgeries, the fisherman is back in Kona and on the mend. But before going home, he made an important stop to thank the Coast Guard crew who saved him. >video, click to read< 14:50
Honolulu mayor announces new ‘fish-to-dish’ program to help Hawaii’s struggling fishing industry
“We have an incredible longline fishing industry,” said Caldwell during a news conference at Pier 38, “and local fishermen who go out every day in grueling conditions, catching fish and bringing it back to feed our residents and visitors.” But the longline fishing industry has lost an estimated $10 million, or about 60% in revenue, since mid-March lockdowns went into effect due to the pandemic, Caldwell said. In an effort to help, he said the city is committing $2.6 million in federal coronavirus funds to help the fishing industry get back on its feet. The “fish-to-dish” program will work in partnership with the Hawaii Longline Association, the United Fishing Agency, which runs the fish auction, and Hawaii Seafood Council to distribute fish to the community.>click to read< 08:23
Hawaii’s impact from Corona-Local Fishermen
Aloha Kakou, I am a small commercial fishing/charter boat owner and wanted to bring awareness to our local micro-industry’s condition due to Coronavirus and lack of need for our product. I saw a report regarding the Hawaii long-liner fishing industry, but wanted to express how our local independent fishing and charter boat business have been gravely impacted. So many local fishermen whos sole income is from fishing and selling their catches as well as the charter fishing industry have lost 90-100% of their income due to tourism shutdown and Covid restrictions. >click to read< Mahalo for your time and interest in this information. Capt. Jerry Gillgren, F/V Jovan Lee 16:05
Coronavirus: Hawaii Fishermen Are Stuck In Port As Federal Aid Falls Short
With tourism all but shut down due to Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s 14-day quarantine and restaurant service reduced to takeout for social distancing purposes, there’s less demand for fish. Prices have dwindled to the point where going out on the water can be more expensive for fishermen than the price of the catch coming in. State and federal governments have done little to help out, despite the fact that fish are a critical source of protein for the islands’ residents. “We are the largest food producing industry in the state by a tremendous margin,” said Michael Goto, who’s the auction manager for United Fishing Agency in Honolulu. “If we saw a complete shutdown of fishing effort that would be devastating.” >click to read< 16:23
Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry completes at-sea fisheries enforcement patrol off Hawaii
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124), a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in Honolulu, recently completed a 10-day patrol of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Hawaiian Islands region. They conducted six boardings on Hawaii-based, U.S.-flagged long-line fishing vessels and issued eight safety and fisheries regulations violations.,, On Dec. 19, while conducting a boarding of a U.S.-flagged longline fishing vessel, the boarding team suspected a foreign national was acting as the vessel captain and operating the vessel. click here to read the story 18:13 
How a father’s shipwreck launched a message across an ocean to his grieving daughter
A chain of ocean currents that connects Alaska’s Prince William Sound to a beach on Hawaii’s Big Island delivered a piece of a 3-year-old shipwreck to a grieving family. The improbable voyage of a plastic fishing gear identification tag also had human help in the person of Alaska engineer Andy Baker, whose curiosity and diligence completed the connection. An expert on floating debris called Baker’s successful investigation “a very remote chance.” “It really is a very difficult thing to do,” oceanographer Curt Ebbesmeyer said. “It takes a lot of luck, a lot of effort and a lot of time. One thing out of a thousand is traceable. That tag you are writing about is a remarkable bit of serendipity.” In this case, the luck connected a father to his daughter after his death. click here to read the story Four posts about F/V Fate Hunter from 2013 click here to review 14:02
Two companies have proposed offshore wind farms in Hawaii
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the agency that would decide whether to approve ocean leases for the projects, held a meeting about the proposals Monday. Among concerns raised so far is the potential danger that whales or submarines could bump into the cords anchoring the turbines to the ocean floor, said Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land, a Hawaii nonprofit organization. “Do you want to really turn the ocean into the next industrial site?” Curtis asked. Some fishermen are concerned about the possible impact on birds flying over the sea. “The best fish spotters we have are birds,” said Ron Tam, secretary of the Hawaii Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition. “And then, are we going to be able to fish in and about and through these floating machines? We don’t know…That has a definite economic impact.” Read the rest here 11:42
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Address Hawai’i, American Samoa, Protected Species Issues
HONOLULU (18 March 2015) The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council
concluded the second day of its three-day meeting in Honolulu yesterday with recommendations for federally managed fisheries in Hawai’i and American Samoa as well as protected species. Federally managed fisheries operate seaward of state waters, which generally encompasses waters 0 to 3 miles from shore. Read the rest here 08:03
Guest: Pacific Island fishing culture is under attack – Edwin Ebisui Jr. and Kitty Simonds
The president’s final action, announced on Sept. 25, formally proclaimed 490,000 square miles of these waters as part of the PRIMNM. This modification reduced, but did not remove, the harm to our fishermen and communities who depend on these waters for their livelihoods and sustenance and to supply legal, reported and regulated seafood to U.S. consumers. Read the rest here 08:19
