Tag Archives: Sam Parisi

Letter: I have never been so disappointed in our local Senators, Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Markey.

I have supported both in the past. As a retired fisherman, I am still trying to help those stay afloat. I sent a letter to both asking them to update The Magnuson Act and add wording that NOAA must compare their science, and survey to other independent science and survey before placing restrictions on fish. Under law NOAA does not have to compare them. We have many problems, monitoring cost, lost fishing grounds of Cape Cod called the canyons, and now wind farms off our coast. We need help to overcome these problems, we need our senators to step to the plate now, before it’s too late. Let’s save what is left. Thank you, Sam Parisi 17:02

A Letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren

I am Sam Parisi, a third-generation Gloucester fisherman. Recently U S Congressman Garret Graves, Senator Roger Wicker, and SenatorTed Cruz. to Modernize data used by NOAA and bring better science to the table. (Graves, Wicker Urge NOAA to Catch Better Data for Fisheries Management) We need to require NOAA to compare their science with other independent surveys and science. Our fishermen’s lives depend on how much fish is out there and we should be able to catch, without overfishing different species. We need to update the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act that would require NOAA to compare before making restrictions.  more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:58

Sam Parisi asks, How Accurate is NOAA and NOAA Fishery Survey Science?

The agency is not required to compare their results with other independent science. The unproven science may bring concern on the health of fish stocks the industry depends upon. Our Fishermen and Fishing Industry depend on sound science. We need a Magnuson Act Amendment which would require NOAA to compare their science with other independent scientific surveys before any restrictions are placed on, or allocation cuts are enacted.  Thank you, Sam Parisi. (click here to comment) 07:22

Dear Ed Markey. I called your office this morning regarding our fishermen

First let me tell you who I am. I was a commercial fisherman and in seafood supply for over sixty years. I helped Pat Fiero run for state representative, and also was former Governor Mike Dukakis chairman for Cape Ann. I have severed on many fisheries boards and presently serve on the GF Commission. You helped me get the SKG money out of NOAA’s hands by voting in favor of Senator Sullivan bill to go back to advisory panel as was in 1954. I have supported you in the past and will continue. We need help now. I am going to list our problems and would like you to come to Fisheries Meeting here in Gloucester. We meet every third Thursday of the month at City Hall. >click to read< 21:11

Cod: The New England Council has proposed a plan to restore cod by 2033

What that will mean is our fishing fleet would have to reduce their catch by whatever the council thinks will be helpful. Over the years NOAA has made reductions on cod and other species, based on their studies and science. Under law, they do not have to compare their findings. We need to update the Magnuson–Stevens Act that would require them to compare data before making restrictions on species of fish. Put this aside, if we want to bring back the cod, no fishing vessel can land cod over the next ten years. Great! So be it. Pay our fisherman to not catch cod. Farmers have a Farm Bill and pay farmers not to grow certain crops. So why can’t our government create a Fish Bill to do the same for the U.S. fishing industry? This could be paid for by increasing the duty on imported fish. This is a Win-Win solution. Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 19:27

Captain Peter Parisi, the last of three generations of Gloucester fishermen, has passed away

Captain Peter Parisi fished all his life. He passed away, unexpectedly, at age 64. Back in 1991 he was going to go shipmate with Captain Billy Tyne, Jr, on the swordfish boat F/V Andrea Gail. Fate was on his side when he got a toothache and called Billy to cancel. No one survived, He was my youngest brother along with my brother Captain James Parisi, who died ten years ago at the age of seventy. I have one brother left, Mike Parisi, who had at one time owned the Three Lantern Ship Supply. I am so sorry to lose them. My heart goes out to them, may they rest in peace. Sam Parisi. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. 09:00

S.497 would establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee within Department of Commerce

After reaching out to Senator Ed Markey and Senator Elisabeth Warren and informing them that under NOAA, the SKG Grant money was not going to our fisherman as intended. My experience of being on a panel in Saint Petersburg to evaluate the applicants for two days, I discovered that the panel was there to please the public and that NOAA has complete say of who got the money! I reported this to Bruce Schactler, and Senator Sullivan. Markey who was opposed, sent his aid to met with me. After I told her what happened Markey came on board and it will now go to the House of Representatives. I am asking all Senators to support this bill. It will set up an advisory panel as was in 1954 and give our fisherman a better chance of the funds. Please, >click to read< Best Regards, Sam Parisi

Offshore wind farm will take thousands of acres of rich fishing grounds from our fisherman

The offshore wind farm off Cape Cod will take thousands of acres of rich fishing grounds from our fisherman. Where are our Senators and Congressmen on this important issue?!! We know President Biden, and Governor Baker are in favor, but I have not heard from our local politicians. Our fishermen have enough problems as it is, let alone having more fishing grounds being taken away and reallocated to ocean industrialization. I would like to know if the offshore wind farms will save our homeowners any money on their electric bills, and if so, how much savings will there be if there are any savings at all?!! We the citizens need answers now, and not after they are installed. Thank You, Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Massachusetts. 07:28

New Leadership at the Helm

Gloucester, Massachusetts, one of the oldest seaports in America has a new Mayor. Mayor Greg Verga was elected to take the helm of the City, and is aware of our problems and wants to help. He is reaching out to those in the seafood industry and will see what we can do as a team, I supported him and am confident he will help. He is the son of Antony Verga, who was our Fisheries Commissioner, and Massachusetts state representative that did a lot to help our fisherman. Regardless of who is in office we need to unite. Together we can do better. Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Massachusetts. 13:25

Another Stab in the Back

Reinstatement of excluding commercial fishing in Obama’s Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument by Joe Biden is another stab in our backs. It will hurt fishermen from Maine to Rhode Island. As if we don’t have enough problems with losing ground. Lobstermen and crab fishermen will also be excluded in 2023. A huge mistake has been made, based on the lack of evidence that fishermen have damaged reefs, corals, or hurt any whales. I fished those waters for twenty years, and never saw a piece of coral. The depth is 2.000 feet, but we’d set our nets at 600 feet, never touching bottom. This situation is not good, and will put more fishermen out of business. I don’t know what can be done to overturn this, but something needs to be done. Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 16:17
A Proclamation on Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument>click to read<

I am not happy. Jackie Odell was not appointed to serve on the NEFMC.

About the Council Seat. I to am not happy, and am very disappointed that Jackie Odell was not chosen to serve on the NEFMC council. She is more than qualified for that position. She was passed over, as Governor Baker chose recreational fishing stakeholder Michael J. Pierdinock, instead. Is it possible that his campaign donations since 2016 to the Baker campaign, have finally paid off? We all know that money talks and bullshit walks. The New Bedford Mayor is also unhappy with the council pick. Is this another example of being not chosen, based on your expertise, but about political contributions? The system stinks, and need to be fixed. So, put up or Shut up. Sam Parisi, Gloucester. Mass. 14:04

Here is another nail in our Commercial Fishing coffin. Offshore wind farms.

Our fisherman are having enough problems as it is, starting with NOAA, Monument area’s, Monitoring, SK Grant money not going to our fishermen, closed fishing grounds to save the whales, and politicians that are ignoring the issues of the fishermen, all of the fishermen, including the boots on deck fisherman that earns only a share for his skills, loyalty, and labor. The proposed Vineyard Wind 1 area off of Cape Cod is about 18,000 acres of rich fishing grounds. Fishermen from Maine to Rhode Island fish on those grounds. The President and Governor Baker are for it, but it still needs to go to Congress. Together we could stop this. >click to read< Thank you, Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 18:33

Gloucester whale protest

Today about forty lobster boats went by my dock in Gloucester to protest against rope entanglement. They were headed to the Fisherman statue in town. They must have gone by over ten times hoping their message would get the presses attention. I can understand their their frustration. Photos, >click to read< Sam Parisi 19:15

As the New Year is on the horizon, please consider implementation of a U.S. Fish Bill

Greetings to all commercial fishermen, fish processors, equipment suppliers, politicians, and citizens, that are interested and supportive of creation of a U.S. Fish Bill. I mentioned it in a letter to the editor, Letter: Can a fish bill, like Farm Bill, aid fishermen? on January 9, 2015, and have continued posting about, hoping the idea will gain industry wide support. I have tried to get our local politicians to help me draft a U.S Fish Bill, which would serve the U.S Fishing Industry, like the U.S. Farm Bill does for the agriculture industry. >click to read< Sam Parisi, Gloucester 09:11

Helping those in need – Sam Parisi

This letter is to ask for donations to the Gloucester Fisherman’s and Seaman’s Widows and Orphans Society Fund. I have been on the board of directors for more than 40 years. We are a nonprofit group, and our directors and President John Cunningham are not paid. We give the widows and orphans a monthly check, which is very little, as we can only give what we receive in interest. I would like to increase those benefits but need your help to do this. >click to read< 08:12

Sam Parisi: Remembering the F/V Andrea Gail, and the loved ones left behind

On October 28,10991, we lost six fishermen during the Perfect Storm aboard the F/V Andrea Gail. Captain Billy Tyne, David Sullivan, and Robert  Shatford of Gloucester, Dale Murphy and Michael Moran, both of Bradenton Beach, Florida, and Clifford Pierre of New York City. My heart goes out to those families, and loved ones, may they not be forgotten. I can still remember the boat and the owner Bob Brown, also called “Suicide” Brown. He was the first lobsterman to fish off the Canyons over a hundred miles from land with his forty five foot lobster boat. >click to read<  17:24

Opinion: Been a lot about the Observer Program out there lately. My question is, why are they needed?!!

When our boats come to unload their catch, NOAA people are there to report their landings, and if they caught too much haddock, cod or flounder, or other species that are not allowed, the owner could face a fine. Of course, Electronic monitoring is an alternative to that. This would show what they caught each and every tow, thus not needing an observer that many can’t afford, and second it should be a NOAA financial obligation, not placed on our fishermen. There are so few of them left. There is a lot to think about, but the bottom line is, it should be a financial obligation of the government to harvest the government required data. Thank You, Sam Parisi, Gloucester 19:15

Rooting for fishermen

I am a retired commercial fisherman from Gloucester, and I am very concerned regarding these fishing grounds of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts. Back in the 60s, I fished for whiting there with may dad. We had a 90-foot vessel. The canyons are about 100 miles from land. We would go through the canal and than head east to the canyons. It would take us all day to get there. I remember seeing a small lobster boat fishing off shore next to us and remember my dad said, quote, “What a nut to be out here in March with such a small boat.” That was Capt. Bob Brown of Swampscott. He was the first lobster boat to set traps in the canyons, and he did well. >click to read< 08:54

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

Trump Memo On Lobster Aid Leaves Industry Wondering What’s Next. How about a U.S.Fish Bill?!!

In a memo, the president urged Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to consider taking appropriate action “to provide assistance to fisherman and producers in the U.S. lobster industry that continue to be harmed by China’s retaliatory tariffs.” He also asked the secretary to consider including lobster and other segments of the seafood industry in future assistance to mitigate the effects of the tariffs. But none have heard details on what Perdue might do to offset the impact on the industry of Trump’s trade war with China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also mostly quiet. >click to read< 10:01 – A reminder from Sam Parisi to those interested in creating and implementing a U.S. Fish Bill – Greetings to all commercial fishermen, fish processors, equipment suppliers, politicians, and citizens, that are interested and supportive of creation of the U.S. Fish Bill. >click to read< 10:06

NOAA – Their mission

Back in the sixties when I was fishing with my dad we would fish about a one hundred miles east of New Bedford for whiting in the spring. We had a ninety foot dragger. And there were Russian vessels there that were three hundred foot  and they were using a small mesh net that caught everything in the water. At the time there was no 200 mile limit. The Russians and other foreign vessels could come into our waters and were restricted to within fifteen miles of our coast. Today  no one knows how much damage they did but our fisherman would eventually pay the price. Finally in 1978, we enacted the 200 mile limit. That was great so we thought, but we created a monster. That being NOAA. >click to read< Thank You, Sam Parisi 08:52

Letter: Shaheen stands by fishermen

Commercial fisherman up and down the coast are fortune to have Jeanne Shaheen on our side. When you take into consideration that her home port is New Hampshire, a small fishing state, you ask why does she come out fighting. I tell you why she cares — after a fisherman from her state took the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to court and lost regarding paying for monitoring, she came out swinging to help him and others. >click to read< 09:09

Sam Parisi: Its 2020 and time to move this industry forward!

Here we are again, at the end of the year, and decade for that matter, as 2019 is ending, and its time to move forward. As some of my fellow Fisherynation readers know, I am motivated to try improving the U.S. fishing industry for our country’s working U.S. fishermen. I have reached out to my Senators Markey, and Warren, and also to Congressman Moulton to help draft a US Fish Bill. This is an opportunity for everyone in this ridiculously diverse industry from sea urchin, and scallop divers, to clam dredgers, and every faction of the industry, traditional, and exotic, to have personal input into a bill built for you, built by you, and built by your fellow industry members. >click to read< 16:50

Sam Parisi Sends Holiday Greetings to all Fishermen, Everywhere. Merry Christmas!

To all my fellow readers, and fellow contributors to Fisherynation.com. My family and I wish all of you and your family’s a Merry Christmas, and a safe and prosperous New Year. We are grateful for the blessings of the day, and look forward to a better fishing industry next year. To all of you who are still trying to make a living fishing, you are very important to us, and our economy. We need to keep this industry alive. I will continue to fight for you, and the industry. I am offering a special tribute to those fisherman that were lost at sea this year. God is with you and we will always remember you and your hard work at sea. Forever. Thank You and Merry Christmas! Sam Parisi, Gloucester, Mass. 16:44

Blackmore’s Night – I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day;  >click to play<

Its going to be up to people in the fishing industry to save our fishing industry by Sam Parisi

We ALL need to step up to the plate before this industry goes under because of absurd regulations, pandering politicians, and environmental groups. I have reached out to my Senators and Congressman, whom have actually responded after utilizing Fisherynation to get their attention, for which I am grateful, with little success from those elected officials regarding the issues I have continuously contacted them about. As usual, they disappoint with no action. Senator Markey did support an issue I asked him to, which was about supporting Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan’s S-K bill, which he did, and I thank him for that. >click to read< 16:50

Letter: We need to find new markets for lobsters

To the editor, At one time I sold thousands of pounds of live lobsters. I shipped not only in the states but also abroad. Twenty years ago we had an advantage here on the East Coast. The Canadians did not allow lobstering in the summer months and would open their season in November. Back then our local boats would call it quits because the lobsters here would go in deeper waters because the water inshore was too cold. So the Canadians would benefit since our lobsterman would wait to spring to trap again. Sam Parisi >click to read< 06:11

Fishermen look to DC delegation for aid, Fish bill like farm bill touted, but monitoring costs biggest concern

Former fisherman Sam Parisi appeared before the city Fisheries Commission on Thursday night to tout his campaign for national legislation to help fishermen as the federal Farm Bill helps farmers. “We need someone to draft a fish bill like the farm bill,” Parisi told the commission members at City Hall.,, The commission members, in the end, decided the best course is to work with Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken to set up a meeting — a fish summit of sorts,,, >Click to read< 13:06

December 15, 2017 – Lets meet and build a consensus to have Congress enact a U.S. Fisheries Bill – Sam Parisi >click to read Sam Parisi’s posts<

A reminder from Sam Parisi to those interested in creating and implementing a U.S. Fish Bill

Greetings to all commercial fishermen, fish processors, equipment suppliers, politicians, and citizens, that are interested and supportive of creation of the U.S. Fish Bill. It is important that we create an atmosphere of unity and inclusion for all to reach out to their political representation, and inform them of need for a major Bill supporting all segments of the U.S. Fishing industry, and ask that they get involved. I am asking Senator Bruce Tarr, and Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante to attend. The meeting will be held at the Gloucester City Hall November 21 at 7 pm. For developing info, and input of idea’s, please call me!  Thank you, and best regards! Sam Parisi, Gloucester Mass. at 978 491 7722 06:45

Sam Parisi remembers the Captain and Crew of the F/V Capt. Cosmo

Forty one years ago, Gloucester fishing family’s lost six fishermen, Cosmo Marcantonio, know as Capt. Cosmo, along with five other Gloucester crew members ranging in ages from sixty to twenty one, due to an unexpected storm. The vessel sank about one hundred and eighty miles east of Cape Cod. Normally in September, the weather at that time year is pretty good, not like the winter months. I grew up with Cosmo, >click to read< 22:09

Sam Parisi invites “Good Morning America” to Bring America Back to Gloucester and New England!

Good Morning America did a nice little story about Captain Joe Piscatello, and his family, the people of the Fishing Vessel American Eagle, which is Sam’s family, and their story of choices that found the vessel sold and converted into a wind jammer (around 1986) video.,,, Good Morning America was in Gloucester, May 13, 1992, and it was shot on the day the NEFMC was cutting days at sea for conservation. video,  The issues from fish shortages to whale issues haven’t changed much. Sam would like to invite Good Morning America back,,, Under the circumstances of the issues that continue to cause stress and uncertainty for New England fishermen, lobstermen, and their support infrastructure, perhaps it is would be a good time to get Good Morning America to come back to New England. >click to read< 20:18