Federal Fisheries Minister Chose to Re-Open Northern Cod Commercial Fishery Against Recommendation for Stewardship Fishery
The Union representing fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador have received more documents submitted by the Government of Canada in connection with the federal injunction filed by FFAW-Unifor in July, proving Minister Lebouthillier’s blatant negligence in ending the moratorium on Northern cod. These recent documents show that, despite insistence from NL Liberal MPs and DFO officials, Minister Diane Lebouthillier was presented with three options to decide a management approach for Northern cod in the 2024 season. In a document issued by the office of Deputy Minister Annette Gibbons on May 6, 2024, the recommended option from DFO bureaucrats and scientists was to maintain a stewardship fishery and maximum allowable harvest (MAH) level of 13,000t, reflecting a more cautious approach that would potentially result in less dramatic stock declines in the future and could help to avoid challenges in the management of the stock in the longer term. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:57
50 years and counting: Silver Cloud II WK 80
George Carter was born and bred in the Caithness village of Lybster, by the harbour, and he fished straight out of school, getting his skipper’s ticket in 1956 at the age of 21. His father Hugh was a fish curer with small creel boat, and his grandfather had always been keen to say that he’d never earned a penny on dry land! The Carter family have gone down in history with two record catches with the seine-net. In 1964, George’s brother Jack landed a record of 240 boxes of cod in a single drag in the Freswick grounds in the north of the Moray Firth aboard the Maid of Honour WK 30, which was built in 1950 by David Howarth of Scalloway (of Shetland Bus fame). Then George, aboard the Silver Cloud, landed 378 boxes with two drags in 1966. The 47ft Silver Cloud WK 207 was George’s first boat, which he purchased in 1962. That vessel was built at Bolson’s yard in Poole as an Admiralty MFV, and by 1951 was owned by John Watt of Fraserburgh, re-registered as FR 313. In 1952 she was sold to Tom Scott Goodlad of Scalloway and re-registered as LK 217. Tom tragically died onboard in May 1958. His brother John then took the boat. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:38
Against the Wind: Questions About BOEM’s Fisheries Analysis
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the final sale notice for the Gulf of Maine offshore wind project lease areas on Sept. 16. The agency shrunk the overall area by 120,000 acres, removing significant portions of the two northern leases off the coast of Maine, carving a transit lane between the two farthest-offshore southern areas, and shaving small portions off other southern areas. This decision did little to satisfy Jerry Leeman, a Harpswell, Maine-based former commercial fisherman and founder of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA), an organization that opposes the Gulf of Maine offshore wind area. NEFSA “remains steadfast in its opposition,” wrote Leeman in a press release, “despite the shrinking of the original areas.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:22
Fishermen Thank Governor Youngkin for Declaring “Commercial Waterman Safety Week” in Response to Growing Threats
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared this week, September 15-21, 2024, ‘Commercial Waterman Safety Week.’ The governor’s proclamation recognizes that Virginia’s more than 1,500 commercial watermen ‘risk their lives sustaining a tradition passed down through generations,’ help generate over $1 billion in economic impact for the Commonwealth, and deserve ‘access to a secure and safe work environment. The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition and the Virginia Waterman’s Association are grateful to Governor Youngkin for recognizing the vital role of Virginia watermen, including menhaden fishermen and watermen harvesting crabs, oysters, clams, fish, and other shellfish. Governor Youngkin has taken important steps to ensure Virginia’s fishermen and watermen have a safe place to work on the water. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 19:15
Trudeau Government’s Fisheries Mismanagement is Cutting Through Atlantic Canada
Clifford Small, MP for Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame and Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and ick Perkins,The Canadian Coast Guard; Rick Perkins, MP for South Shore-St. Margarets and Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Industry; John Williamson, MP for New Brunswick Southwest; Chris d’Entremont, MP for West Nova, and the Hon. Rob Moore, MP for Fundy Royal, released the following statement: “After nine years of Justin Trudeau, the Liberal Government’s job-killing agenda is cutting through Atlantic Canada. Liberal failure to stop illegal lobster fishing is delivering hardship for our coastal communities along the Bay of Fundy. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:47
F/V Capt. Jack II – Matanzas Pass Bridge shrimp boat makes it under on 3rd attempt
FDOT released a statement on Tuesday noting that the shrimp boat had made contact with the bridge sometime that morning; however, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office marine unit, there was no visible damage to the bridge. According to FDOT, the Matanzas Pass Bridge remains open to vehicle traffic. On Monday, the boat, named F/V Captain Jack Two, crashed into the bridge at around 10 a.m. before being dislodged at 1 p.m. The family-owned business just bought the new shrimp boat named Captain Jack Two from Texas and was trying to bring it home, where they have big plans for her. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:05
Will pop-up crab pots save Bodega Bay’s crabbing industry?
For nearly five years, Dungeness crabbers have watched their incomes diminish by up to 80% as the California Fish and Game Commission mandated seasonal closures, catch limits, and gear restrictions. The situation, as many crabbers attest, has driven many to their breaking points. “There’s people thinking, why even live?” said Tony Anello, fisher and owner of Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay. Much contributes to the financial and emotional strain on the fishing community: the closure of salmon season, shortened and restricted Dungeness crab seasons, devalued boats, gear and permits, and, as existential background noise, the continued menace of climate change portending rising seas, extreme weather and a warming ocean. Dungeness crab populations do fluctuate from season to season, but, overall, the population has remained steady. The problem for crabbers isn’t crabs. It’s whales. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:50
Save Our Shrimpers: Texas Fishermen In Danger
Congressman Troy Nehls believes American money is being used to endanger America’s shrimping industry and he wants to put a stop to it through the Save Our Shrimpers (SOS) Act. “Our American companies are trying to compete with this shrimp coming in from Ecuador, and it’s just killing the prices,” Nehls (R-TX) noted. He said he heard from fishermen across his district and the entire Gulf region who told him they are no longer sending out shrimping trawlers because foreign competition has driven prices too low and inflation has driven expenses so high that it is no longer profitable. “Our American shrimpers are being squeezed to the point that they’re going to lose their businesses. And many of these businesses are second, third, fourth generation,” he added. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:50
Concerned residents file second lawsuit against New Jersey offshore wind project over noise pollution
Save Long Beach Island, a community group created in opposition to a massive offshore wind project off the coast of New Jersey, filed its second lawsuit to block the construction of an Atlantic Shores South project. In its lawsuit against Atlantic Shore South Offshore Wind, Save Long Beach Island requested that the court require offshore wind developers to conduct a full “airborne noise assessment and pilot project before the project can proceed.” Bob Stern, president of Save Long Beach Island, notes how the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Atlantic Shores South failed to conduct an analysis of the project’s construction and operation on generating noise pollution for residents and beachgoers. However, the Bureau of Ocean Management did find that noise from the construction of turbines would have a negative effect on marine life. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:41
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 50′ Duffy Gillnetter, Lobster,Longliner,Scalloper
To review specifications, information, and 26 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 06:38
About that shrimp boat that struck the Matanzas Pass Bridge twice
Chris Gala had a plan for the new shrimp boat her crew picked up from Texas last week. While bringing it to dock through Matanzas Pass on Fort Myers Beach, the boat and its long outriggers was to be assisted by another vessel to get under the Matanzas Pass Bridge. The crew, which had been sidelined for four days off the Texas coast as Hurricane Francine swept in, may have “jumped the gun” as they approached shore, Gala said. A couple hours before high tide was to sweep in at noon, the boat attempted to pass under the Matanzas Pass Bridge, but its large steel outriggers got stuck against the bridge. Gala said the crew was experienced but may have gotten overly “excited” as they drew close to home. “We knew the outriggers were extra big,” Gala said. “We had a plan to push it through with a boat during low tide.” Gala said the high tide was exacerbated by a full moon which made the tide extra high. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:41
NFFO Challenges Crown Estate: Food Security or Energy Production
This week, The Crown Estate unveiled an ambitious new vision for Britain’s seas, prioritising the development of offshore wind farms. The new Marine Delivery Routemap outlines plans for significant offshore wind capacity, with the potential for up to 140GW of wind power to be installed or planned by 2040. However, this massive shift towards industrialising the marine environment has sparked concerns within the fishing industry, which fears the impact on traditional fishing grounds and coastal communities. The proposed expansion will see tens of thousands of square kilometres of the UK’s waters leased for offshore wind development, raising concerns about the overlap with areas vital to food production through fishing. Fishermen, who have been working Britain’s seas for generations, worry that the scale of these developments could disrupt the industry on an unprecedented scale. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:07
Editorial: Ottawa must answer the bell on lobster poaching
The federal government must do more to address complaints about out-of-season fishing and lobster poaching in the Bay of Fundy – issues that have come to public attention in the last couple of weeks as fishing operators in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia plead for better enforcement. Clearly something is amiss when you have local business owners threatening to take matters into their own hands by pulling up illegal gear – an action that may spark confrontations on the water or at wharves along the Fundy coast. The Nova Scotia fisheries minister has lent further credence by writing to his federal counterpart, warning of an underground fishery and reports of threats and intimidation for speaking out. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:18
Fishers want ‘incredibly important’ Georges Bank protected against offshore wind development
As Nova Scotia rushes to establish an offshore wind industry, some fishers are calling for explicit protection for the rich fishing ground on Georges Bank. The cabinet minister in charge of developing renewable energy projects says he will keep turbines off the bank, but not by changing a piece of legislation that is now moving through Province House. Ian McIsaac, president of the Seafood Producers Association of Nova Scotia, brought his concerns to a legislature committee Monday as it reviews a new bill that, if passed into law, would enable offshore wind development. McIsaac said Bill 471 doesn’t update the Georges Bank moratorium that’s been in place against offshore petroleum development since the 1980s “We feel this is a technical error,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:42
Matanzas Pass Bridge hit again by the same shrimp boat
The Florida Department of Transportation has reported that the Matanzas Pass Bridge was hit again by the same passing shrimp boat that struck it a day before. FDOT released a statement on Tuesday noting that the shrimp boat had made contact with the bridge sometime that morning; however, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office marine unit, there was no visible damage to the bridge. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<, >Video here< 10:37
25 years after the Marshall Decision, some say more must be done to uphold treaty rights
On the 25th anniversary of the Marshall Decision, a landmark court ruling that affirmed First Nations’ treaty right to fish, hunt and gather in pursuit of a moderate livelihood, some say there’s still a long way to go to properly uphold it. The Supreme Court ruling involved Donald Marshall Jr., a Mi’kmaw man from Membertou, N.S., who was arrested and charged with selling eels without a licence outside the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regulated season in August 1993. On Sept. 17, 1999, the court ruled that Marshall was justified in doing so in pursuit of a moderate livelihood, under the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in the 1700s. What became known as the Marshall Decision affected about three dozen Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik First Nations in the Maritimes and the Gaspé region of Quebec. But the court did not clearly define “moderate livelihood,” even in a subsequent clarification. In the decades since, this has contributed to tensions between First Nations fishers, the commercial industry and DFO. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:09
Breakwaters have protected Galilee from storms for over a century. Now repairs are needed
On a recent overcast morning fisherman Mike Marchetti boards his vessel Mister G, a 50-foot lobster boat converted into a scalloper, and gently pulls out of the Port of Galilee’s UU dock. The slate water reflects the sullen sky, but Mister G chugs along pleasantly past the docks, through the breachway and out to the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge. That name – “Harbor of Refuge” – is at risk of becoming a misnomer to Marchetti. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge in the early 20th century when it constructed a series of breakwaters to protect the port from hazardous sea conditions. These days the sea is winning. As Mister G nears the main breakwater – a v-shaped 6,970-foot-long wall of massive boulders – Marchetti looks out the starboard window and points at wide gaps in the breakwater. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:45
Why Did That Boat Crash Into The Matanzas Pass Bridge?
High tide, a swirling current, and a captain who misread the height of the bridge could have been the causes but until the United States Coast Guard completes its investigation it’s all speculation at this point. What we do know is that a commercial fishing vessel called F/V Capt. Jack II out of Port Arthur, TX got caught under the Matanzas Pass Bridge late Monday morning. Not long after the crash, the Florida Department of Transportation with an assist from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department closed the bridge in both directions while an FDOT engineer traveled from Tampa to Fort Myers Beach to inspect the bridge. Four hours later the bridge was determined to be safe and was reopened. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:17
Oregon Tribes sue federal government to stop offshore wind auction
The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians are suing the federal government in an attempt to stop Oregon’s first-ever offshore wind energy auction scheduled to take place next month. The lawsuit, filed late on Friday, challenges the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s environmental analysis and decision to proceed with the sale of leases for two offshore wind energy areas totaling nearly 195,000 acres, one near Coos Bay and the other near Brookings. The wind energy areas are within the tribes’ ancestral territory. The tribes say they contain critical fish and marine wildlife habitat, viewsheds of significant cultural and historic significance and key tribal and commercial fishing grounds. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:27
More calls for Canada’s Fisheries Minister to resign
There are growing calls for Canada’s fisheries minister to step aside from her role. Around 50 lobster fishers from across southern New Brunswick gathered in Saint Andrews on Saturday for a peaceful protest. The fishers said they are fed up with continued mismanagement of the industry and failure to address critical issues. The protest was organized by the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association, which represents fishers in Lobster Fishing Area 36. The association claims there is a lack of enforcement in the fishing area, which extends from Alma to St. Stephen, leading to illegal fishing and buying activities. Fishers are calling on the minister to acknowledge the mismanagement, provide a solution and step aside from her role. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:39
Biden-Harris Administration’s First Offshore Wind Lease in Maine
The Department of the Interior today announced it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale on Oct. 29, 2024, for eight areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. If fully developed, these areas have a potential capacity of approximately 13 gigawatts of clean offshore wind energy, which could power more than 4.5 million homes. The announcement follows the Department’s recent announcement that it has approved more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects since the start of the Biden-Harris administration- equivalent to half of the capacity needed to achieve President Biden’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.”The growing enthusiasm for the clean energy future is infectious. Today’s announcement – which builds on the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease in Maine last month – is the result of years of thoughtful coordination between our team, the Gulf of Maine states, industry and the Tribes and ocean users who share our interest in the health and longevity of our ocean,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. more, (if you can stand it,) >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:05
As Terrebonne recovers from Francine, some residents worry about its future
Recovery efforts continued Thursday in Terrebonne Parish, where thousands remained without electricity a day after Hurricane Francine made landfall there. While the Category 2 storm brought less severe property damage than recent storms, it left some residents with greater worries for the area’s future. Among them is Terrebonne Parish Councilwoman Kim Chauvin, who spent much of the day looking for and clearing clogged storm drains. One of the few remaining shrimpers in Louisiana, Chauvin and her family operate shrimp boats, a fuel and ice dock, a shrimp processing plant and seafood shop. Her home and businesses lost power when the storm approached, and she was still without electricity as of 8 p.m. Thursday. Entergy Louisiana reported less than 22,000 of its customers in Terrebonne Parish were powerless as of 7 a.m. Friday. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:23
Will Reviving the Cod Industry Doom It Yet Again?
It’s been thirty-two years since the federal government first closed the northern cod fishery. It was historically the colony’s main trade for centuries, but that changed, nearly overnight, in 1992, after a press conference at the downtown Radisson Hotel in St. John’s, when then federal fisheries and oceans minister John Crosbie announced a complete halt. Fishery workers would be compensated for ten weeks, at the rate of $225 a week, and then go on employment insurance. The meagre amounts were seen as an insult to the workers whose labour was responsible for a $700 million per year industry (almost $1.35 billion in 2024 terms)—and who recognized, in the mass layoff, the spectre of their culture on the brink of extinction. Of course, fishery workers weren’t the only people who would suffer from the shuttering. With fishing boats now idle, fuel sales dropped. Schools amalgamated across communities as young families moved elsewhere and school districts struggled to fill classrooms. Those of us who lived through it will remember how local businesses offering small luxuries—restaurants and cafeterias, hair salons, cinemas—all felt the sting of a laid-off workforce. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:48
OPINION: Reel them in – Regional fisheries councils violate constitution and hurt accountability
That is the position in which many fishermen find themselves. They share a desire for sustainable fisheries and support some of the federal efforts at regulation. But they oppose certain federal water catch limits and allocations between commercial and recreation sectors that are set by regional fishery management councils made up of members who aren’t accountable through elections or to elected officials. Pacific Legal Foundation is representing these individuals and small businesses in courts around the country, making what we think is a simple argument based on the text and purpose of the Constitution. Specifically, that it requires that executive branch officials with significant authority be appointed by the president or a member of his cabinet. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:40
The Future of Fishing – Island Institute launches new initiative to support Maine’s lobster industry
Island Institute is proud to announce a $1.4 million award from the Small Business Administration to support Maine’s lobster industry and enhance the economic resilience of the coastal communities dependent on this vital fishery. This Congressionally Directed Spending request championed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King will launch the Future of Fishing, a collaborative effort designed to expand economic opportunities for Maine’s coastal communities, building on Island Institute’s longstanding partnerships to advance a diversified, climate-forward marine economy in Maine. Maine’s fishing communities face historic challenges such as rapidly warming waters, more frequent and severe storms, costly regulatory changes, and rising business costs. These communities, and the men and women that work on the water, are the backbone of Maine’s seafood sector; a sector responsible for more than $3 billion in total economic output and more than 33,000 jobs statewide. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:28
Shipping up to Boston: N.L. opening trade office in Massachusetts
Newfoundland and Labrador is dropping anchor and opening shop in Boston. On a trade mission to the Massachusetts state capital this week, Premier Andrew Furey announced the province would be opening its first international trade office in the city. Furey said the province and Boston have connections in the seafood and marine industries, and across the biotechnology and energy sectors. “It’s important to have a presence in the United States right now,” he said. Furey said there are companies in Boston involved in wind projects and biotechnology that are looking for partners, research and product development. With Boston’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and New York, Furey said it made sense to open an office across the border. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:03
Lobster harvesters ready to ‘take matters into their own hands’
Local lobster harvesters are prepared to patrol waters themselves and haul up illegal gear, which could spark confrontations with poachers, according to Amanda Johnson, executive director of the Fundy North Fishermen’s Association, which represents 150 lobster fishers from St. Stephen to Alma. “It could lead to a lot of violence on the water,” Johnson said at a protest held in Saint Andrews Saturday in support of local fishers and their families. Maine and New Brunswick poachers are now taking to Lobster Fishing Area 36, which runs along New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy coast from Alma to the American border, ahead of its November season, Johnson said. Deer Island fisherman Dale Mitchell claims lobster catches have dropped 30 per cent in the last seven years since the start of what he called an “illegal summer fishery” in the region. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:06
Four men charged after tonne of cocaine found on fishing boat
Four men have been charged with drug offences after officers from the National Crime Agency discovered a tonne of class A drugs on board a fishing vessel off the Cornish coast The boat, named Lily Lola, was stopped at sea by Border Force officers on Friday afternoon (September 13). On it, they found approximately a tonne of cocaine which was being brought into the country. A Jon Paul William spokesperson for the NCA said Michael Kelly, aged 45, of Portway, Manchester; Jon Paul Williams, aged 46 of St Thomas, Swansea; Patrick Godfrey, aged 30, of Danygraig Road in Port Tennant, Swansea and Jake Marchant, aged 26 and of no fixed address, were all charged with importation of a controlled Class A drug. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
New Brunswick fishermen fill St. Andrews Wharf Saturday as they call for change on the water
It’s not what you expect to see in St. Andrews but mixed in amongst the whale watching boats and small vessels, dozens of lobster fishing boats docked along the wharf Saturday. Local fishermen from Lobster Fishing Area 36, which covers waters from Alma to the American boarder including Deer Island and Campobello Island, and their families filled both the water and the wharf as they called for change out on the water. The protest is against what they believe is inaction by the government and a collective call for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Diane Lebouthillier, to resign. “We believe that she is not capable of protecting our fishery and protecting our resource,” said Fundy North Fishermen’s Association executive director, Amanda Johnson. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:26
Ready for the future
Den Helder fisherman and industry activist Dirk Kraak remains optimistic for optimistic. The family business recently had one of its vessels, HD-66, completely refitted to meet the latest demands. ‘We can now go forward for at least another ten years,’ he said. Both his grandfathers fished for shrimp and herring, his father for flatfish. So for third-generation fisherman Dirk, a future in fishing was the obvious choice. At sixteen he joined Jac Bakker en zonen, fishing on Ennie en Appie HD-24, as he wanted to gain experience outside the family business. ‘We fished with a beam trawler for sole and plaice in the German Bight. I learned a lot there. I still use that knowledge today.’ Photos, 2 parts, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:55
