Tag Archives: Small business
Bay Area business hauling in, washing boats for free as fishing industry struggles
Local fishermen are getting a helping hand as they eagerly wait for the commercial Dungeness crab season. They didn’t get to fish salmon this year, and the presence of Humpback whales is delaying the crab season, causing them financial hardship. To help them, Paul Kaplan, for the first time since establishing Keefe Kaplan Maritime decades ago, is offering all Northern California fisherman hauling-in and power washing services free of charge. “They’re a vital part of our industry and supporting our craftsmen, and so I thought it was the right thing to do,” said Kaplan. Delayed starts and shortened seasons for crab fisherman have taken a toll on the livelihood of small businesses. “It’s becoming for most of us maxed credit cards and hoping that we get to go crabbing soon enough before they’re due. Everybody in the fleet is hurting,” said Brand Little. Video, more, >>click to read<< 13:11
Strong Amicus Support in Fishermen Case Challenging Chevron Deference
New Jersey herring fishermen challenging an unlawful federal regulation at the Supreme Court next fall got a boost yesterday in the form of amicus briefs supporting their case—Loper Bright Enterprises, Inc. v. Raimondo. The briefs were filed by fellow fishermen, professors, small business, industry, legal advocacy groups, public policy groups, and elected officials. A total of 44 briefs were filed by 171 amici, including 18 U.S. senators, 18 U.S. representatives, 27 state attorneys general, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. The fishermen are challenging a federal regulation that forces them to pay the salaries of government-mandated at-sea monitors who observe their operations and report to the government. The fishermen argue Congress never granted the executive branch the authority to force them to pay for monitors. >click to read< 16:05
Gurnet Trading has new owners with ties to Cundy’s Harbor
Two life-changing events convinced Brae and Scott Harley to buy Gurnet Trading Co., a popular seafood market and small restaurant in Brunswick, just across Gurnet Strait from Great Island. “It was kind of a sign,” said Brae. “My dad died the end of April (2022). We were trying to do something else before he passed. He died on a Wednesday and a week later, Scott had a stroke.” “I’m an accountant and had my own business for 30 years,” said Brae. “Scott is a lobsterman who started fishing with his father in kindergarten.” After her husband’s stroke, they needed to make a change. “This was up for sale. We thought we could be successful and so we pivoted.” >click to read< 08:07
Maine Lobstering: A Family Business Facing Challenges
“Today, we really face multiple challenges including competition for the bottom fishing ground with plans to erect windmill generators, to huge increases in the price of bait due to limiting the Herring catches. Just getting new buoys made is tough,” said Capt. Steve Train, a lobsterman of Long Island, Maine. “There is a year-long wait for new traps because there aren’t a lot of people building them. And there is the closing of the federal offshore fishing grounds with the implementation of new regulations as part of the 1973 Endangered Species Act. All these challenges are driving our costs up.” West Bath, Maine Capt. Peter Doran agrees the industry has always faced challenges. photos, video >click to read< 19:04
Hurricane Laura dealt a serious blow to the seafood industry in Cameron Parish
On a typical day in Cameron, you might see boats returning to shore with a catch of shrimp or fish. But Hurricane Laura has taken a severe toll on those who depend on seafood for their livelihood. Cameron Port Director Clair Marceaux says some have lost their boats. “Our fisheries folks have taken a really hard blow,” she said. “About a third of our fleet, estimated, has vessels that have sunk, so we’re working to get those out of the water. At safe harbor, they sunk, so it wasn’t as if they were left here and sank.” Plus she says some are also dealing with losing their homes. video, >click to read< 13:22
Fishing and football is a full life for Perry
Jimmy Perry is a hard working football coach and commercial fisherman, who was born in Naples. Always having a passion for time afloat, he has been fishing since the age of 5. He owns and operates Big Jimmy’s, a small business that provides customers from Immokalee to Okeechobee, and everywhere in between, with delicious, locally caught, fresh fish, shrimp and crabs. When asked about the perks of crabbing and commercial fishing, he said, “My favorite part of what I do is watching the sunrise every morning.” As for the hard parts,,, >click to read< 11:26
For NH’s food producers, Coronavirus sends a very mixed message
Across New Hampshire, the demand for local food is up, even as restaurants have closed or have tried to get by with takeout. The state’s small farmers are finding an unexpected benefit in the Covid-19 pandemic – there is an increased demand for their locally grown meats, vegetables, dairy, and other products.,, And for the Vernons and others, business is thriving. Demand for fish Kayla Cox, manager of New England Fishmongers, said the company’s business model for the past couple of years has been to sell directly to consumers – no wholesale. “What has changed drastically is that home delivery has completely blown up. It’s almost out of control,” Cox said. “We were doing 15 to 20 deliveries a week, and this past week we did 170. >click to read< 13:04
How do you apply for small business funds from stimulus package?
Small businesses around the country got a $370 billion lifeline in the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid bill,, But those businesses want to know what kind of relief will it provide? Dave Ketchen is the Harbert Eminent Scholar and Professor of Management at Auburn University, and he has been looking over the legislation. He said time is perhaps the biggest factor in question. “I definitely think it’s a much needed life preserver,” he said. “A big question is on the implementation side. If you throw a life preserver to somebody and they drown before they get it, it didn’t do them any good. A big question is how quickly is this money going to get into small business people’s hands.” >click to read< 14:47
Small Business Relief Tracker: Funding, Grants And Resources For Business Owners Grappling With Coronavirus
Some 30 million American small businesses are high on the coronavirus’ list of victims. Nearly half of these companies say the pandemic is to blame for unprecedented revenue declines, and with no clear end in sight, the possibility of temporary closures has become a reality for many. In an effort to help business owners find financial relief, we’ve rounded up all of the government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations that are extending support. We’ll be adding to this list as the situation develops, so check back for updates. >click to read< 13:01
Small business works to return after Harvey
Hurricane Harvey brought destruction to Crossroads businesses, stealing all the inventory of many and leaving others with collapsed structures. About 40 percent of small businesses never open their doors to customers again after a disaster, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mary and Kevin Nevarez, owners of Evelyn’s Seafood Market, are determined that won’t happen to the iconic Port Lavaca business that has been open on the bayfront since 1942. “As far as everything inside … it’s completely shattered,” The couple applied for a Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loan because FEMA doesn’t offer funds to businesses click here to read the story 14:59
Life as a lobsterman: Better times, but it’s still a struggle.
SEABROOK — After a windy morning 9 miles off New Hampshire’s coast, Charles Knowles and his brother transferred 216 pounds of live lobster with their bare hands into plastic bins on Knowles’ docked fishing boat during Wednesday’s lunch hour. Some of his catch was destined for dinner tables this weekend. A man with a winch pulled up several plastic bins from Knowles’ 32-footer at the Yankee Fisherman’s Cooperative, nestled between salt flats and Route 1A. For his efforts, Knowles will earn $4.10 a pound — or $886 for the day’s catch. Read the rest here 11:37
Dilemmas – Consider the lobsterman, By Emma Goldberg
In the 1990s, Fair Haven Lobster employed close to 50 people. Now they’re down to six. They used to fish up to 1,000 pounds of lobster daily, but because of the pesticides in the river they now get 20 pounds on a good day. Business has dropped precipitously over the years, and Mike has been forced to sell some of the boats and lay off many workers. In six months, Mike may have to close up shop. It’s getting impossible to make a living in the industry. So what’s next? I ask. He shrugs. “Can’t even really get myself to think about it.” Read the rest here
