Massachusetts fishermen say feds are hypocritical in Gulf of Maine wind energy designation
A move to designate two million acres in the Gulf of Maine as a hub for wind energy is snagging a sharp hook from Massachusetts fishermen who say the development overlooks risks to the North Atlantic right whale. A handful of Bay State fishermen advocacy groups are teaming with counterparts from across New England in criticizing the Biden administration’s plans to industrialize the area off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Fishermen, however, say the industrialization of the two-million-acre area is “flatly inconsistent with a policy of endangered species protection.” “Fishermen are disheartened that the WEA designation favors foreign energy developers over marine mammal protection,” the Gulf of Maine Fishing Associations said in a statement last week. “This preferential treatment is in stark contrast to the federal government’s aggressive campaign to burden commercial fishing needlessly with crushing restrictions to protect whales.” more, >>click to read<< 08:43
You’re Young and Want to Make It Fishing? Good Luck
Duncan Cameron is a fisherman, like his dad and his dad’s dad before him. They count themselves among the scores of families who have made their livings on the water, pulling riches from the deep. But today, Cameron says young fishers like him are being priced out. Cameron is part of a group of fishers, conservationists and politicians who say independent owner-operators like himself are increasingly competing with big money to get a finite number of government licenses and quota they need to fish. Today, some of those licenses are worth hundreds of thousands or even more than a million dollars, something Cameron said has allowed major corporations to control a growing stake in a public resource. photos, more, >>click to read<< 07:27
Fisheries protests give rise to a new John Efford — but what’s next for the unofficial leader?
Until this month, the general public would have associated Efford’s name with his late father — the former fisheries minister who was a firebrand in his own right. But here was the younger Efford, a fisherman from Port de Grave, standing in the back of a pickup truck with a group of followers gathered in front of him. He had led them through two days of intense protests outside the house of government, and now he was the one holding the megaphone — not Fish, Food and Allied Workers union president Greg Pretty, nor FFAW treasury-secretary Jason Spingle. “Thank Jesus we’ve finally got some leadership!” a fisherman yelled from the crowd. “Isn’t it about time?” Efford quipped, garnering cheers. photos, video, more, >>click to read<< 06:16
F/V Aleutian Storm: Volunteers rally to clear Sonoma Coast beach of debris from wrecked fishing vessel
“It was a great great, great turnout, I’m so inspired,” said Cea Higgins, who helped organize the event as advocacy coordinator and former executive director of Coastwalk/California Coastal Trail Association. She estimated at least 85 people, each of whom filled two or three 30-gallon contractor garbage bags, showed up on a day threatened by rain that, ultimately, stayed pretty much away. “We’re so, so lucky, it’s primarily been sunny,” Higgins said. “We just had one little squall move through. And by the time everybody got their rain gear on, it stopped.” The 58-foot Aleutian Storm came aground late Feb. 9 and was torn apart by subsequent winter storms. 9 slides of good people, more, >>click to read<< 18:46
Linda Bean, Maine business owner and L.L. Bean’s granddaughter, dies at 82
Linda Bean, the granddaughter of L.L. Bean and heir to the company who started several businesses of her own, has died. Bean died Saturday. She was 82. Her passing was confirmed Sunday by her assistant and the general manager of her Freeport restaurant, Linda Bean’s Maine Kitchen. “Linda was known for her tremendous work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit, as well as her pride and dedication to her home state of Maine and L.L. Bean, the company her grandfather founded,” read a written statement on behalf of the L.L. Bean company provided by a close assistant to Bean. more, >>click to read<< 15:00
Maine lobstermen struggle to adapt to new electronic reporting rules. Their licenses are on the line.
Alice Mayberry and Sue Kelley spend most of their days talking to lobstermen about what they’ve hauled in. Mayberry is riffling through paper logs. Kelley is texting until 9 p.m. Then, they both log onto the Maine Department of Marine Resources’ database and plug in what the lobstermen did for the day. Over the last several years, state and federal regulators started requiring more fishermen to report what they caught, and where. A few years ago, only a portion of harvesters needed to submit that information, and it could be sent in on a piece of paper. Now, all fishermen who harvest 15 species of fish – pogies, scallops, lobster, halibut, mussels, eels and others – have to file their landings electronically. Fishermen in Maine are gradually learning what they’re supposed to do. For lobstermen, adjusting has been particularly hard. Audio, more, >>click to read<< 15:58
Eight crew members airlifted to safety after fishing boat sinks
Eight people have been rescued and flown to Sumburgh Airport after the local whitefish trawler Opportune sank to the east of Shetland earlier this morning (Sunday). The coastguard said the call came in at around 5am after the boat had reportedly taken in water at the stern and sank quickly. The incident happened around 36 nautical miles northeast of Bressay, in rough seas. All eight crew members from the 27-metre vessel are accounted for and are said to be safe and well. They were airlifted from their liferafts by the Sumburgh based coastguard helicopter and a Norwegian search and rescue helicopter. Other vessels in the area area also offered their assistance. Photos, video, >>click to read<< 14:52
Over 200,000 people without power across New England as winter storm winds down. That’s where we were. No Power!
Hundreds of thousands were without power after a storm a winter storm brought snow and heavy rain through New England Saturday. Around 50,000 customers are without power on Sunday afternoon across New Hampshire as daylong snow and freezing rain swept the region on Saturday, according to Eversource. “Crews are out working hard to restore outages as they happen,” Robert Buxton, Director of the New Hampshire Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said in a written statement. As of 1 p.m. on Sunday, over 170,000 are also experiencing power outages in Maine where a drop in evening temperatures has caused icy conditions, according to Central Maine Power. >>click to read<< 13:54
This Marine knows seafood
U.S. Marine veteran Jon Barnard loves fresh seafood. In fact, he loves it so much that he moved to the Oregon coast, bought a boat and started a commercial fishing business so he could share his passion with everyone. “There’s nothing better than coming off of the ocean to a meal of fresh seafood.” says Barnard. From his boat ‘El Desarae’ Jon fishes to order for restaurants and individual customers. “We are a custom order fish seller direct to end user. We sell today what we catch today. Our fish are individually caught, bled and iced to provide the freshest, high quality fish available. We fish seasonal catch including ling cod, nearshore ground fish species and albacore tuna.” 4 photos, more, >>click to read<< 20:04
Mystic Aquarium (the Whale People) expands offshore wind exhibit with youth in mind
In light of New London’s growing offshore wind industry, the Mystic Aquarium expanded its Renewable Ocean Energy Exhibit to educate the region on protective ocean wildlife methods this week. The expansion is in collaboration with Ørsted and Eversource, two developers of Connecticut’s first large-scale offshore wind farm. The offshore wind projects are expected to power up to 70,000 homes on Long Island when completed. The two companies gave the aquarium two grants totaling $1.25 million to study the effects of wind turbines on marine mammals and sea turtles. more, >>click to read<< 12:21
Burglary charged aboard NOAA mapping ship in New Castle
A Nashville man has been charged with stealing money and various items from a New Castle-based ship operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Anthony Christopher McCauliff, 35, faces two felony counts of burglary and a felony charge of theft by unauthorized taking for allegedly taking items from the crew aboard the Ferdinand Hassler. The theft by unauthorized taking charge, a Class A felony, accuses McCauliff of taking money “and/or” a Dell tablet, U.S. currency, a keyboard, a card reader, a power supply, a key card, a government pay card and a wallet from the Ferdinand Hassler’s crew. The “aggregate value” of the property combined was in excess of $1,500, the indictment states. more, >>click to read<< 10:59
Commercial fishermen react to MFC mullet decision
While many commercial fishermen prefer day-of-the-week closures, which the Marine Fisheries Commission voted to approve as its preferred fishery management for striped mullet, to daily trip limits, they don’t see the need for mullet regulations. “It’s a no-win situation for us one way, shape, or form,” said Mike Langowski, a commercial mullet fisherman in Frisco. “So, I’ve got to live with whatever it is they come up with.” Many commercial fishermen in North Carolina are not against the regulation of their industry, because they need a healthy, viable stock to continue to make money. more, >>click to read<< 09:36
Fishery protests ’embarrassing for the province’, says head of producers’ association
Fish harvesters gathered in protest at Confederation Building from Wednesday to Friday this week, calling on the provincial government to change capacity limits for harvesters and allow them to sell their catch to out-of-province buyers. A deal accepting those demands was reached Friday afternoon. “Personally, I found it embarrassing for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. That type of signal that we’re sending to the markets, that that’s the level of stability and co-operation we have as the major industry partners, is really unfortunate,” Loder said Friday. photos, video, more, >>click to read<< 08:07
Balloon debris recovered by Alaskan fishermen was ‘in the ocean for well over a year,’ Pentagon says
Balloon debris recovered off the coast of Alaska earlier this month appears to have been in the water for “well over a year,” a Pentagon official said Friday. The remnants of the object were discovered by commercial fishermen, who notified the FBI of their find before bringing it back to shore. “Initial inspection of the balloon debris indicates that the material has been in the ocean for well over a year,” a spokesperson for the Department of Defense told reporters. “Some material has been transferred to US government facilities for further examination and analysis,” the official added. Photos, links, more, >>click to read<< 06:57
Sonoma County’s fishing community facing uncertain future with potential salmon season closure
In 2024, California’s ocean salmon fishing industry stands at a critical juncture. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), cognizant of the challenges salmon populations face due to years of drought and environmental pressures, has laid out three potential paths for the salmon fishing season off California’s coast. Dick Ogg, president of the Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Marketing Association, explains. “They need to come up with three options, each impacting us differently. Some options might leave a little room for commercial activity, but it’s all quite uncertain,” underscoring the dire straits faced by those who rely on the sea for their livelihood. The potential for another season of deep cuts or complete shutdowns looms large, posing not just an economic challenge but a threat to a way of life cherished by many generations. “This cuts to the heart of Bodega Bay,” Ogg said. “We’re a real working fishing community.” more, >>click to read<< 18:17
“We got ‘er done” – Fish harvesters reach deal with N.L. government to allow catch to be sold to outside buyers
John Efford Jr. fought back tears as he announced the news to hundreds of fish harvesters standing before him — they’d struck a deal with the Newfoundland and Labrador government to end days of protests. According to Efford — the de facto protest leader — and members of the fisheries union, the provincial government has agreed to let fish harvesters sell their catch to buyers from outside the province, regardless of species. They also said they have commitments on moving caps on processing to promote competition within the industry. “We got ‘er done,” Efford told reporters afterward. “Free enterprise for every species.” more, >>click o read<< 13:22
Alitak District setnetters scrambling after OBI dismantles area’s salmon market months before summer season starts
OBI Seafoods announced earlier this month [March 8] that it would not be buying salmon from the setnet fleet in Kodiak’s Alitak District. The decision does not affect the area’s seine fleet. Less than three months before the commercial season opens, dozens of fishers are reeling from the surprise announcement. On a Friday evening earlier this month [March 8], leadership from OBI Seafoods called individual fishers in the Alitak District letting them know the company would not be buying salmon this summer, effectively dismantling the market for that area of the island. Kevin Fisher is the President of the Alitak District Setnet Association which represents almost 70 permit holders, some of whom live in the Lower48 and come up to Kodiak Island to fish in the summer. Others live at their fish camps on the southern end of the island or in Kodiak year round. He said as of March 20, only about half of the area’s permit holders have committed to fishing this season. more, >>click to read<< 12::23
Fewer shrimpers are hitting the water in North Carolina
You remember what Forrest Gump says after he becomes a shrimp boat captain: “Shrimping tough! “Well, that’s certainly true in North Carolina, where shrimp is the second-most commercially harvested seafood. The total dockside value of shrimp in the state in 2022, what seafood dealers pay before it gets sold wholesale, was about $10 million. That’s down from about $30 million in the 1980s and 1990s. The slip in value has led to a decline in the number of licensed shrimpers hitting the water, to the lowest on record in 2022. Reporter Johanna Still looked into what’s behind it all. more, >>listen or read<< 10:55
2024 Scottish Skipper Expo: Aberdeen industry showcase set to break its own records
The 2024 Scottish Skipper Expo in Aberdeen is looking to be the biggest yet, and the decision to make this an event taking place every second year has ensured that companies don’t want to miss out on what is expected to become a unique showcase for the UK fishing sector. ‘We are delighted with the response to this year’s event, with companies from around the world eager to secure their stand space to ensure that they are part of the bi-annual event,’ said Mara Media’s Commercial Fishing Manager Sharon Boyle. more, >>click to read<< 09:20
N.L. protest cause rooted in price-setting systems for fishers and processors
The protest that erupted Wednesday outside the legislature in Newfoundland and Labrador has its roots in a complex, years-long struggle between independent fish harvesters and processors over the price-setting system, industry observers say. Sean Cadigan, a professor of history at Memorial University, said in an interview Thursday that one underlying factor in the tensions is the plunge in prices for snow crab, the province’s most valuable seafood export. From highs of over seven dollars per pound during the pandemic, the price fell to about two dollars per pound last year, creating hardships for harvesters at a time harvesters’ expenses are rising. He said that has combined with long-standing suspicions that harvesters have toward the small group of companies that dominate fish processing in the province. more, >>click to read<< 07:40
Russians destroyed their trawler “Captain Lobanov” during exercises in the Baltic Sea
Three crew members were killed and four injured when a Russian missile hit the fishing trawler Kapitan Lobanov during a Baltic Fleet exercise on March 19. The missile that hit the trawler was fired during a Baltic Fleet exercise. Before the incident, the crew members of the Captain Lobanov were about to go to bed when a missile fell on the captain’s cabin. Local authorities say that a fire broke out on board the trawler, and the cause of the incident is still unknown. In addition, the authorities report only one death. Russian media reports that during the March 19 exercise, a Boykoi corvette fired its onboard artillery. more, >>click to read<< 06:43
Snow crab price talks have broken off, FFAW says
Protest leader John Efford Jr. grabbed a megaphone Thursday to told the crowd that negotiations for a new crab price-setting formula had broken off ahead of the upcoming season. “There’s no agreement to be made,” he told the cheering crowd. “And how can you make an agreement when you’re trying to make an agreement with a colluded cartel that has the support of the government?” While the price-setting process has been controversial in the past, it hasn’t been at the core of the protests outside the province’s legislature this week. The Fish, Food & Allied Workers union and the Association of Seafood Processors have been working with the provincial government to establish a new formula to determine the price. more, >>click to read<< 17:12
Wind turbines and a shadow over Island fishers
Their boat is named Redemption. And as seventeen-year-old Tegan Gale walked onto the lobster boat docked at Tashmoo landing on a warm March Day, he was thinking about what the boat meant to him and about his future. Tegan says he loves being out on the water, and he wants to keep the family tradition alive, but he’s up against what he sees as big business and a lot of uncertainty. And now, there’s another layer of uncertainty: the new offshore wind industry. Tegan isn’t alone. Several Island fishermen say the new industry has the potential to disrupt their work for years to come. They have questions about the impacts of underwater cables extending from the turbines and dragging nets over the high-voltage wires. They also have fears about the impact to sea life during construction of the offshore wind farms. more, >>click to read<< 13:26
Fisherman is seriously injured when boat runs aground in Santa Barbara
A fisherman suffered a serious head laceration and was taken to the hospital Wednesday evening after his lobster boat ran aground in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. Only one person was aboard the 25- to 30-foot Martha Jane, which ended up on the shoreline below Mesa Lane, fire Battalion Chief Jim McCoy told Noozhawk. The details of the incident were unclear, McCoy said, but the man apparently became trapped somewhere on board and was unable to control the vessel, McCoy said. more, >>click to read<< 11:17
Sorting out the details of offshore wind compensation plans
Owners of commercial fishing vessels or permits can now sign up for compensation to cover economic losses attributed to the region’s offshore wind installations. Millions in funds are available, but the process can be complicated. Vineyard Wind entered an agreement with Massachusetts in 2020, establishing a $19 million fund to compensate affected fishermen and shoreside businesses that provide goods or services to the fishing industry. But we’ve got the processes explained in simple terms, with step-by-step graphics on the two projects currently underway — Vineyard Wind and South Fork Wind. As for captains and crew, the owners and operators are “strongly encouraged to share annual compensation payments” with them, but the program does not require it. more, >>click to read<< 09:01
Menhaden fishermen, jet ski protestor clash leads to a bill with “teeth”
The Virginia General Assembly has passed HB 928, a bill designed to protect commercial fishermen and their boats from harassment at sea. The bill passed, 38-1, by the Senate, and, 99-0, by the House and signed by the speaker of the House on March 5 and president of the Senate on March 7. Gov. Glenn Youngkin is expected to sign it into law and the “Governor’s deadline action period” is by April 8. HB 928 was prompted by a dangerous engagement between a jet skier and an Ocean Harvesters menhaden fishing crew, reportedly occurred on Sept. 23, 2023, and was documented in a video by a menhaden spotter pilot. more, >>click to read<< 07:26
Police don riot gear as Furey’s Liberals make 2nd attempt at budget amid protests
It’s deja vu at Confederation Building in St. John’s on Thursday morning, as police and protesters have shown up in large numbers ahead of the Newfoundland and Labrador government’s plans to introduce the 2024 budget. By 6 a.m. NT, dozens of Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers — some in riot gear — were standing guard in front of the main entrances to the building and a growing number of fish harvesters were arriving on scene. Police were seen having a cordial conversation with protest leaders, urging them to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s raucous events — particularly with a court-ordered injunction now in place that prohibits protesters from blocking safe access to Confederation Building, which is both home to the legislature and the main government complex. Protest leader John Efford Jr. addressed the crowd a few minutes later. Photos, Video, more, >>click to read<< 06:24
Maritime elver fishery closure penalizes legal fishers, committee hears
The committee heard from the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the RCMP, the Canadian Committee for a Sustainable Eel Fishery, and a legal elver fisherman with Shelburne Elver. “I lost my partner to cancer a few months ago,” Zachary Townsend, the elver fisherman, told the committee. “It’s been hard and unbearable at times. But to now be unemployed and facing an uncertain financial future is simply a challenge I didn’t need. “And I don’t share such sad news to vote your pity, but instead to remind you that each of us 1,100 [Maritime elver fishers] has a story and a unique set of circumstances now made worse by the minister.” The elver fishing season was cancelled in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick after Fisheries and Oceans Canada admitted it couldn’t control poaching or the export of baby eels, which sell for thousands of dollars a kilogram. more. >>click to read<< 16:42
Scallop wallop – Japanese imports are taking a bite out of New Bedford’s lucrative seafood industry at a time when the region’s shellfish are in shorter supply.
Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, landed a deal to supply U.S. military bases in Japan with scallops and other Japanese seafood products. Japan is an ally, he said, and it is important to support one of their major industries in a challenging moment. “In America we have a saying about being a good neighbor,” Emanuel said, according to the military news service Stars and Stripes. “This is being a good neighbor.” The recent spike in Japanese scallop imports is a complex political tangle. But in the U.S. seafood trade, distributors aren’t buying Japanese scallops to be neighborly, as Emanuel put it. “It’s business,” said Drew Minkiewicz, a D.C. attorney who represents commercial fishing and shipping interests. “Japan’s government is making a targeted effort to push as many scallops as they can into the U.S. That competes directly with our scallops here.” more, >>click to read<< 12:36
N.L. government seeks injunction against fishermen amid tense protest at Confederation Building
The Newfoundland and Labrador government has gone to the Supreme Court to seek an injunction against fish harvesters who swarmed Confederation Building on Wednesday as part of an ongoing protest over fishery regulations that has led to the postponement of the provincial budget. The government announced the postponement after protesters blocked entrances to the building, refused to let government workers inside and had physical confrontations with police officers and horses. A protester complaining of leg pain and a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer have been taken from the scene in an ambulance. Protest organizer John Efford Jr. called the budget cancellation historic.”And I have a feeling it may be cancelled again tomorrow, the next business day and the next business day until we get what ? Free enterprise,” he said. Video’s, Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:53
