Missing N.L. fishing crew found safe, returning home
The crew of the Elite Navigator, the fishing vessel missing since Wednesday, has been found safe. The fishing vessel went missing off the northeast coast of Newfoundland, with the boat’s last known location about 300 kilometres northeast of Gander. Premier Andrew Furey posted to social media around 1 a.m. Saturday that search and rescue efforts had been a success. “Our entire province is so relieved to hear the crew members of the Elite Navigator have been found and are returning to safety to their families, who have been waiting so anxiously for this good news,” Furey posted. “Thank you to all the dedicated people involved in the search and rescue effort.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:57
UPDATE: Residents of New-Wes-Valley anxious for missing fishermen to be found safe, says mayor
A community on Newfoundland’s east coast is waiting for any news about a missing fishing vessel that is the focus of an intense search, says a mayor. The vessel, the 15-metre Elite Navigator, has not been heard from since Wednesday evening. New-Wes-Valley mayor Mike Tiller said the people of his community are worried and anxious for any updates, and hoping the vessel will be found. The missing vessel has a crew of seven. Five are from New-Wes-Valley, he said, one is from Centreville-Wareham-Trinity and another from the Gander Bay region. “They were out for a trip of turbot. I think they were due back in Valleyfield yesterday afternoon. And I guess when they didn’t show up of course that’s what set off the initial alarms,” said Tiller. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:41
Montauk Fisherman Gets 30 Months for Fraud
Christopher Winkler, 64, whose trawler is called New Age, was convicted last October on one count of federal criminal conspiracy, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of obstruction of justice. A federal jury was unanimous in finding the evidence convincing that between 2014 and 2017, Mr. Winkler had falsified fishing reports to sell the fluke and black sea bass well in excess of legal limits with a “conservative wholesale valuation” of $750,000, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Last Thursday, Judge Joan M. Azrack of the U.S. Eastern District Court in Central Islip sentenced Mr. Winkler to 30 months in prison with two years’ supervised release. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:24
Bristol Bay floating fish processor back at full capacity after fire
The Hannah, operated by startup Northline Seafoods, arrived in the region earlier this year. It uses super-cold spiral freezers to quickly freeze fish and then store them on board until the end of the season. But just before Bristol Bay’s salmon season hit its peak, one of those spiral freezers had an electrical fire. Because of the June 30 blaze, the Hannah has operated at reduced capacity for the last two weeks. On Wednesday, Northline announced that the freezer had been repaired. With that fix, the startup’s floating processing vessel is back to full capacity. “We definitely missed a few days of the peak, which we can’t get back. But we intend to continue to buy hopefully into the fall here,” said Northline CEO Ben Blakey. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:17
‘Bunch Of Suits Trying To Cover Their Tracks’: Beach Town Locals Slam Offshore Wind Developer For Polluting Shores
Local lobsterman Dan Pronk lamented the effects the debris has had on his business and the environment during the town hall meeting while holding a piece of fiberglass that had washed up on the beach, while also addressing Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller personally, according to another video posted on X by the Nantucket Current. “I fish 800 lobster traps right where you’re putting these tombstones, which is also the end of my business… When you apply [fiberglass]… you have to wear respirators. For what reason? Because it’s toxic. If you breathe those fumes… you’ll get higher than a rat,” he continued. “So, it is toxic. What do you have to say about that, Klaus?” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:37
Search Underway For Fishing Vessel Overdue off Northeast Coast
A search is continuing for a fishing vessel reported overdue off the northeast coast of Newfoundland yesterday. The last communication with the 56-foot Elite Navigator was around 11 p.m. Wednesday night, when they were en route to Valleyfield to offload their catch. The vessel was reported overdue Thursday afternoon, with heavy fog hampering search and rescue efforts in the area. More info as it becomes available. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:38
Task force report identifies research needs to better understand Alaska salmon problems
Fishery managers overseeing Alaska’s faltering salmon runs should be able to rely on a more comprehensive and holistic approach to science that considers all habitat, from the middle of the ocean to freshwater spawning streams far inland, according to a task force report on salmon research needs. The report was issued last week by the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force, a group established through a 2022 act of Congress to identify knowledge gaps and research needs. The task force comprises close to 20 members and includes scientists, fishers, Indigenous community representatives and agency managers. In addition to those members, the effort included a special 42-member working group focused on salmon problems in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River drainages. The report follows a year’s worth of meetings and consultations. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:34
North Atlantic right whale seen off Ireland for first time in 114 years
Holidaymaker Adrian Maguire, from Co Tyrone, glimpsed the large, dark body of the whale on the surface of the water while out fishing for mackerel. “I just looked in amazement at the size of it,” said Mr Maguire. “I’ve never experienced that in my life.” watch video here He described how he let his boat drift while he, his wife and two friends watched the whale for about an hour in McSwynes Bay, Co Donegal, off the north-west coast of Ireland. “The sound of the blowing — it’s great to hear that in real life,” said Mr Maguire. It is the first sighting of a North Atlantic right whale off Ireland in 114 years, said Conor Ryan, honorary research fellow at the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Short Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:26
Free fish and smiley faces won’t reverse Ottawa decision to unleash draggers on northern cod (although blockading St. John’s harbour would)
The FFAW regularly goes through protest motions, but its resolve to stand up for inshore boats is forever suspect when the union is conflicted by also representing offshore draggers, and onshore plants — and collects a paycheque from the feds. Now that Ottawa has opened the door to offshore dragging the inshore wants in on it too. Some Labrador (2J) harvesters have asked DFO to be allowed to drag for cod this year, and some 3K (northeast coast) and 3L (east coast) harvesters are right behind them with the same request. The union’s resolve against dragging for northern cod is sure to weaken. Exchanging cod for signatures won’t cut it. Blockading St. John’s harbour might be a bit extreme, but there should be a sweet spot somewhere the middle. Harvesters themselves must take a stand, like they did last spring with the snow crab price on the steps of Confederation Building. Now is the time for John Efford to rise again. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:35
Trawler-Crabber For Gulf Of St Lawrence
Gaspé shipbuilder Chantier Naval Forillon is about to deliver a new trawler/crabber designed by Navanex for Pêcheries Michel Turbide. The new San Marco VII measures 23.99 metres and is built in steel with an aluminium superstructure. It is expected to fish for redfish in the Gulf of St Lawrence, alternating this with fishing for snow crab during the season, with crab traps handled over the starboard side. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:49
Vineyard Wind Turbine Failure: Incident Details, Regulatory Response, and Industry Implications
On July 13, 2024, an offshore wind turbine at the Vineyard Wind 1 project experienced a significant blade failure, leading to debris washing up on Nantucket’s beaches and prompting a federal shutdown of the wind farm. This incident raises obvious questions about the safety and reliability of offshore wind projects, as well as the regulatory framework governing this emerging industry. In the days following the incident, debris from the broken turbine blade began washing up on Nantucket’s south shore beaches. Residents reported finding pieces of green and white foam, along with larger pieces of fiberglass, stretching from Madaket to Nobadeer. In response to the incident, the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) ordered Vineyard Wind to shut down operations “until further notice”. The BSEE, which oversees offshore energy projects, sent a team of experts to work closely with Vineyard Wind on analyzing the cause of the incident and determining next steps. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:22
U.S. Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery Achieves RFM Certification
The Certified Seafood Collaborative (CSC) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery (white, brown, and pink shrimp) for all five Gulf states and federal waters has achieved Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification. This is the first shrimp fishery certified to the RFM Standard. RFM Certification requires fisheries meet RFM Standard criteria which evaluate fisheries in four key areas: A) the fisheries management system; B) science and stock assessment activities, and the precautionary approach; C) management measures, implementation, monitoring, and control; and D) serious impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem. Third-party certification body Global Trust awarded the certification after a thorough evaluation of the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp fishery as reported in the Final Assessment Report. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:16
A Fishing Vessel Ran Aground at the Sonoma Coast. Could It Have Been Saved?
It was nearing midnight and too dark for captain Chris Fox to see the land or determine how far offshore he was. But he knew he was too close. The water was shallow. The F/V Aleutian Storm was on a sandbar. Fox needed help. The engine and all other onboard systems were still working, but Fox knew he could hold the 57-ton fishing vessel only so long before the waves drove it ashore. Fox radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for help, which wasn’t immediately forthcoming—not in the way he had hoped, at least. The February loss of the Aleutian Storm is the latest controversy surrounding the Coast Guard’s local response to grounded vessels. While the details of each emergency are unique, they are viewed with similar frustration and pain by some who believe more could—and should— have been done to save them from breaking apart on land. Still, critics like veteran Fort Bragg fisherman Chris Iversen, a friend of Fox’s, sense déjà vu in the pattern of lost vessels—each briefly in a position for a possible save only to later run aground. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:34
New Trawler Heads For Iceland
The new trawler built for Icelandic fishing company Ísfélag is now on its way home to Iceland from the Celiktrans Shipyard in Turkey. New triple-rig trawler Sigurbjörg was originally ordered by Siglufjörður company Rammi, which merged during the new vessel’s construction with one of Iceland’s largest operators, the Westman Islands-based Ísfélag. Despite the ownership changes, there were no alterations made to the 48.10-metre, 14-metre breadth trawler, other than a change of colour scheme and the addition of the Ísfélag emblem. Sigurbjörg is designed as a demersal fresher trawler with four trawl winches, offering options for working a variety of multi-rig gear, up to towing three trawls in a triple-rig configuration. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:42
Shrimp season reopens in the Gulf of Mexico, Aransas Pass fleet heads that way
Shrimp season is back in full swing at Conn Brown Harbor now that state and federal waters have reopened to commercial shrimping. It’s a busy time for shrimpers after being closed for over two months. “Boats are coming out of Palacios, Aransas Pass, Brownsville, Galveston. All the different ports,” Aransas Pass local Cecil Robles said. An armada of shrimp boats is off to the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to fill their nets with tiny treasures. Robles works at Conn Brown Harbor, where he fuels shrimp boats for Erickson and Jensen seafood packers. “The next few days, we’ll start to hear from them about what they’re catching and how abundant the fish are,” Robles said. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:59
Broken Offshore Wind Blade Debris Washes Up in Nantucket
Investigators are probing the cause of a damaged offshore wind turbine blade that sent debris washing ashore at Nantucket Beach and shut down swimming in the area. The incident occurred Saturday evening at the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project under construction near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, prompting the probe by federal officials, developers Avangrid Inc. and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S, and GE Vernova Inc., which manufactured the Haliade-X turbines used at the site. Operations at the site have been suspended while investigations are underway, and authorities closed Nantucket’s south shore to swimming for three days. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:46
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 78′ Steel Shrimp Trawler, Caterpillar 3412TA Diesel
To review specifications, information, and 18 photos’, >click here< To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 07:12
MAIB Launch Investigation Into Fatal Man Overboard from Kingfisher
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is to investigate a tragic incident occurred which approximately 30 nautical miles east-northeast of Wick, Scotland, resulting in the fatality of a crew member from the UK-registered fishing vessel Kingfisher (DH110). The unfortunate event unfolded on Friday 12 July 2024, when a crew member went overboard while the vessel was conducting routine fishing operations. Despite immediate efforts by the crew to rescue their colleague, the situation ended in tragedy. The Kingfisher, an 18.35-metre fishing vessel, was operating in the North Sea when the incident took place. The crew quickly initiated a man overboard protocol, deploying life-saving equipment and issuing distress calls to nearby vessels and maritime authorities. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 05:53
Local shrimpers set to rally this weekend to raise awareness against imports
Kerry Mitchell and her husband know the challenges that come with shrimping for a living. Her husband Michael is out dragging his net off Dauphin Island. The couple owns “Salty Pirates Seafood” — and will tell you — the money is not like it used to be — mainly due to the U.S. market being flooded with shrimp from overseas. “We don’t have a level playing field. Even the government is financially supporting it,” said Kerry. The Save Our Shrimpers Act, a federal bill introduced in April of this year aims to stop that. The rally is this Saturday at the “Shrimp Lady” restaurant in Satsuma (5523 Highway 43) from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. They’ll be local shrimpers, live music — as well as boiled Gulf Coast shrimp for those in attendance. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:29
UPDATED: ‘Three large blade pieces.’ Vineyard Wind wind turbine blade snaps. Search underway
A blade on one of the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore turbines was damaged over the weekend, prompting an investigation by the blade’s manufacturer. In a statement released Monday afternoon, the offshore wind developer referred only to “an incident involving blade damage on a wind turbine” in the offshore energy area south of Martha’s Vineyard. According to the company, the undisclosed damage happened on Saturday evening. No employees, contractors or fishing vessels were in the vicinity of the turbine at the time. No details were given as to the nature of the damage, how long the blade has been in place, or whether it was on an already operating turbine or one under construction. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:45
Shrimpers on the Coast struggling as season continues
Shrimpers on the Coast say this season hasn’t been too good to them. Quality Seafood in Biloxi says it’s hard to get fresh shrimp right now because there aren’t many fishermen at the docks selling. Manager Troy Rosetti said they’ve had to go to Louisiana and Alabama to get most of the shrimp that they have. “Kind of a falling out, we don’t have as many boats and shrimpers as we used to,” Rosetti said. “We have plenty of shrimp. It’s not a shortage here at our place. It just makes it a lot harder for us to get them.” Chris Lyons is a dock manager in Biloxi who said this shrimp season has been worse than in 2023. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:19
Perry’s Lobster Shack fully reopen after recovery from storm damage
Perry’s Lobster Shack, an iconic coastal restaurant in Surry, has transformed since damage was done in March 2024 after intense storms. “When people think of Surry, I want them to think of Perry’s Lobster Shack,” said Seth Cote, the owner of Perry’s Lobster Company. After keeping his family legacy thriving, the storms put things on halt, and Cote didn’t know what was in store for the future after the wharf was completely wiped out. However, progress has been made. After keeping his family legacy thriving, the storms put things on halt, and Cote didn’t know what was in store for the future after the wharf was completely wiped out. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Decaying, dangerous wharves to be fixed under $70M plan for N.B. harbours
Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier announced the money at a news conference in Caissie Cape, a 30-minute drive north of Moncton and one of the harbours in need of repairs. “They’ve been waiting for this for four years,” said Marc Gallant, president of the Caissie Cape Port Authority. “It’s good news for us because, like I said, we need it to be able to maintain and keep the fishing industry going.” The repairs to the wharf in Caissie Cape will also address a serious safety concern, he said. As is the case with many decaying habours in the province, conditions at Caissie Cape are also dangerous for local residents and tourists who regularly visit. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:49
We’re not ‘sinister’: Menhaden fish processers want lawsuit dismissed
As it said it would, Cooke Inc. has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed in a federal district court that claims the seafood company is defrauding the U.S. in the operation of the last East Coast menhaden processing facility. Known colloquially as pogies and bunker, menhaden fish kills have occasionally caused a stink at the Jersey Shore. The Canadian-based outfit said in its motion to dismiss that the two private citizens who brought the case against them are trying to make them appear “sinister.” “From the moment we became aware of this case, we have been eager to show that the allegations are inaccurate. Our legal filing underscores several key misstatements from the complaint and offers concrete evidence that they are false,” Cooke Inc. said in a prepared statement to the press. “We look forward to the court process and further opportunities to prove that the allegations are baseless.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:42
Professor Makes Stunning Discovery: ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, Offshore Wind Kills Whales’
For the best part of half a century, a 41-foot humpback whale named Luna swam up and down the East Coast. Then on Jan. 30, 2023, Luna washed up dead on Long Island, New York. He was the tenth whale to strand on beaches in New York and New Jersey in nine weeks. Environmentalists, politicians, and ordinary citizens loudly wondered if the construction of offshore wind turbines was killing them. Apostolos Gerasoulis, a Rutgers professor emeritus of computer science who co-created the search engine that powers Ask.com, now says the answer is yes. ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, offshore wind kills whales,’ he says. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is responsible for protecting marine animals and their habitats insists there is no connection. Charts, graphs, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:48
Coast Guard to remove Maine fishing boat that sank in January storm
According to a memo from Harpswell Harbor Master Paul Plummer dated July 9, the owner of the decades-old wooden fishing vessel, the Jacob Pike, “has made no attempt to recover the vessel and is currently involved in the judicial process for abandonment of watercraft.” “The [Coast Guard] and its contractors are hoping to have the vessel removed in the coming weeks but are currently waiting for the salvage plan to be finalized,” the memo states. The harbor master’s office will be present for the removal. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:40
The siting of an offshore wind port raises new conflicts in Maine
Ron Huber rifled through a thick folder full of decades of state environmental records outside a community hall in the tiny coastal Maine town of Searsport. For the longtime local conservation activist, the scene inside was a familiar one: Dozens of neighbors, workers, and environmentalists mingled over pizza and coffee, discussing the merits of a proposed industrial project that has potential to transform the local economy, but at the expense of a locally beloved natural area. “We’ve seen these things rise and fall many times,” Huber said outside the event late this past spring. Conservationists have celebrated over the decades as plans for a coal plant and a liquefied natural gas terminal on Sears Island came and went without success. This latest proposal presents a new kind of conflict. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:22
Salmon disaster relief applications for permit-holders due August 24
Federal disaster aid is on the way for some commercial fishing permit-holders in Haines and throughout the state, though many may be too wrapped up in the current season to apply for it right away. Applications for crew and subsistence users are currently available online. Unique applications for permit-holders and processors from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission were mailed out on June 26 and are due August 24. Once completed the application can be mailed back to the commission or uploaded online. There’s also aid for vessel crew, and those applications are not due until September 28, but they may be harder to find. They’ll also need an affidavit from the permit holder or vessel owner they worked with to apply. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:10
‘Deadliest Catch’ Survived Its Biggest Battle Yet
At the start of Season 19, Deadliest Catch was enduring an obstacle that could have sunk the entire program. When the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game canceled the entire season due to the population of winter snow and red king crab shrinking, production decided the show must go on. Deadliest Catch Executive Producer Aaron Starr-Paul told Deadline, “Fans can anticipate another great season of Deadliest Catch where we will document our captains as they participate in other sustainable Bering Sea crab and pot fisheries, such as Golden King Crab, Bairdi, and Cod.” For many fans, the type of catch holds little bearing. For the men and women braving the conditions, it certainly does; but what a difference a year can make! Season 20 of Deadliest Catch kicked off with the Red King Crab fishery reopening, leading to a derby-style race between the captains. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:09
Santa Cruz salmon fishermen facing challenges keeping afloat
The abrupt end of salmon season, announced on April 10, has left commercial fishermen across the Central Coast grappling with economic fallout and seeking alternative income sources. “It’s frustrating to see, and I’m losing faith that we might ever even have salmon season again,” said Heidi Rhodes, CEO of H&H Fresh Fish Market. “It’s just been honestly catastrophic. We’re all waiting, just trying, hoping some federal disaster relief will come. It’s been really hard to stay afloat,” added Rhodes. In February, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an allocation of over $20.6 million in fishery disaster funding for last year’s closure. “The disaster relief doesn’t make anyone money; it’s a band-aid on a wound that can’t stop bleeding,” said local fisherman Tim Obert. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:19
