Wicklow TD Calls For Ministers To Compensate Wicklow Fisherman
Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady speaking at the Dáil Petitions Committee following evidence given by Arklow Fisherman CJ Gaffney, has called on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to intervene directly in the issue of the MV Mary Kate in order to cut through the wall of obfuscation constructed by Ministers Charlie McConalogue and Eamon Ryan. Following years of frustration and false leads and unnecessary roadblocks put in place by government Ministers CJ Gaffney continue with the fight to find justice for their case. more, >>click to read<< 11:46
Canadian scallop quota valued at $200M sells to 3 Nova Scotia companies
In a blockbuster seafood deal, St. John’s-based Ocean Choice International (OCI) has sold its Canadian offshore scallop quota, worth an estimated $200 million, to three Nova Scotia companies. Ocean Choice held 16.77 per cent of the offshore scallop quota, which is fished mostly on Georges Bank off southern Nova Scotia. A key driver in the sale was the sinking of the company’s factory trawler Atlantic Destiny on Georges Bank in March 2021. CEO Martin Sullivan says they opted not to replace it. “We were looking at our options and we talked to these three Nova Scotia companies that have been industry partners of ours for a long time.” more, >>click to read<< 08:08
War On Maine’s Lobstermen?
If you want an emblem of the “man’s man,” larger than life, daring and doing, self-reliant, depend-on-nature, a make-it-happen guy, who rises with the dawn, works hard, asks little, wants little, values independence, and will never fly a desk… that’s the Maine lobsterman or woodsman. Now, they are being scapegoated for wind farms – or some other cause – apparently killing Right whales. Go figure. A more cynical irony is hard to imagine. The wind subsidy crowd, sure they will make money off the taxpayer-funded “green wave” with gold at the end of a government-funded rainbow, has decided – in Washington and “activist cells” around America – to hit Maine’s lobstermen. Wrong. more, >>click to read<< by Robert B. Charles 07:17
Russia pointlessly rips up deal allowing British fishermen access to their waters
Fishing boss Mike Cohen poked fun at Russia over the “outlandish” claim that 40 percent of the diet of the average Briton consists of fish. Vladimir Putin has pulled the plug on a decades-old deal which allows British fishermen access to its seas in response to the UK’s decision to impose sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. However, a spokesman for the British fishing industry has pointed out that no British crews have worked the icy waters of the Barents Sea since the 1960s – dismissing the move as “domestic political theatre” “I cannot see any way in which this will affect British fishermen or British consumers.”. more, >>click to read<< 06:23
F/V Cape Cordell: Fishing boat that ran aground near Fortune Harbour returns to dock
A fishing boat that had been grounded near Fortune on Newfoundland’s south coast is back in the water after a week of efforts to return it to safety. The ship, called the Cape Cordell, ran aground just outside Fortune Harbour last Wednesday as a blustery winter storm hit much of Newfoundland and Labrador. Blain Trainor, the Canadian Coast Guard’s acting deputy superintendent of hazard response, said crews successfully got the boat back to Fortune Harbour on Thursday morning. “The biggest challenge for us out here was the weather,” more, >>click to read<< 17:41
Assembly introduces bill to further restrict commercial fishing in California
A new bill introduced in the California State Assembly would significantly limit gillnet fishing in the state, and end trafficking of certain species of fish. Would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt and enforce regulations requiring any commercial fishing vessel operating with a validly issued permit from the State to have an independent third party on board the vessel when operating within the State fishery. The party’s observer will need to be taken. The bill also states that all incidental exceptions to the catch of giant sea bass and great white sharks would also. A complete ban will be imposed on commercial fishing of both these species. Finally, the use of gill nets and gill nets will be completely banned in all ocean waters off California beginning January 1, 2025. more, >>click to read<< 15:38
“Not For Sale”: Ocean City Firmly Rejects US Wind Offer
Ocean City officials have issued a resounding public rejection of offshore wind company US Wind’s Community Benefits Package offer. The Community Benefits Package, which was extended to various Delaware Coastal Towns as well, included up to $2 million disbursements to communities over a 20-year period. According to Ocean City, in exchange for the commitment, US Wind expects local government officials to refrain from commenting negatively or objecting to US Wind’s offshore project. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan says US Wind approached him in December with the Community Benefits Package offer. more, >>click to read<< 12:53
Senate committee hears setnet buyback bill
A Senate committee on Monday considered legislation that would give Cook Inlet’s east side setnet fishermen the opportunity to retire their fishing permits through a volunteer, lottery-style buyback program. The bill, which still needs to pass in both the Alaska House and Senate in the next 12 weeks, would create the program, but not fund the buyouts. That money would need to come from outside groups. The bill, S.B. 82, is named the East Side of Cook Inlet Set Net Fleet Reduction Act and is sponsored by Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski. The bill aims to make Cook Inlet’s east side setnet fishery more economically viable and to reduce tensions between fishery user groups by reducing the amount of fishing gear in the water and giving permit holders an opportunity to exit the fishery. more, >>click to read<< 10:24
Wolastoqey fishers say proposed elver fishery shutdown infringes on treaty rights
Some Wolastoqey fishers say closure of the fishery for baby eels, or elvers, this year will infringe on their treaty rights and impact their right to earn a moderate livelihood from fishing. Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) issued letters to commercial licence holders that it will not renew licences ahead of the elver season that typically starts in late March. DFO shut down the elver fishery in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia last April because of conservation and safety concerns, after reports of violence and overfishing by unauthorized harvesters. Tyler Sabattis, a lobster and scallop fisherman, said he got into elver fishing last year to earn extra income for his family and community in Bilijk (Kingsclear First Nation), near Fredericton. more, >>click to read<< 09:34
Bacher: CDFW salmon info webinar to discuss 2023 returns, 2024 ocean abundance estimates
Will there be salmon seasons this year on the ocean waters off the California Coast and on the Sacramento and Klamath rivers? We will get an idea of the potential for recreational and commercial salmon seasons this year when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) holds its annual Salmon Information Meeting via webinar at 10 a.m. March 1. The meeting will provide informational presentations on topics including last year’s spawning escapement, estimates of forecasted ocean abundance and management goals for 2024 ocean salmon season. Last year all ocean recreational and commercial fishing and river recreational fishing for salmon was closed in California. more, >>click to read<< 07:58
Fishermen rescued from sinking boat after capsizing in strong winds
RNLI’s Oban lifeboat was tasked by Stornoway coastguard after a 17-metre fishing boat began taking on water south of the Garvellachs on Wednesday afternoon at around 1pm. When the lifeboat arrived, they discovered two members of the crew on a life-raft while two others had remained on board in a bid to stem the flow of water coming in. The Prestwick-based Coastguard helicopter Rescue 199 and a local workboat were standing by, however, strong winds and a heavy sea made it impossible to transfer across members of the lifeboat crew to the fishing boat with a salvage pump. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:42
F/V Aleutian Storm: Wind and waves claim most of grounded fishing boat near Bodega Bay
No one thought it would happen this fast, but the fate that everyone feared for the once proud Aleutian Storm has come to pass. Stranded on Sonoma Coast State Beach amid powerful storms and thrashing waves just 12 days ago, the 58-foot fishing boat has been reduced to little more than a gashed and battered hull. The vessel has been torn apart piece by piece — the mast, the pilot house, the cabin, the decking — resulting in a debris field that now encompasses much of North Salmon Creek Beach, as well as the south. Bits of foam rubber and Styrofoam are scattered far and wide. The boat also appears to have leaked all or most of the diesel fuel still left on board after an attempt to drag it out of the surf and onto the beach failed on Friday. Video, Photos, more, >>click to read<< 19:48
Putin launches war on Britain’s fishermen: Russia signs off plan to ban UK trawlers from its cod and haddock-rich waters
Vladimir Putin today declared a Cod War on Britain as he tore up fishing rights for UK trawlers that have existed since 1956. His compliant parliament ended an agreement signed by the Soviet Union allowing British vessels to fish in the Barents Sea. The move to hit Britain’s fish and chips is revenge for the UK handicapping the Russian economy with sanctions over the war in Ukraine and supplying missiles to Kyiv. It is Putin’s idea to hit at the British, says one of his closest henchmen. The 71-year-old dictator’s warships could now be used against any trawlers seeking to catch cod on Putin’s doorstep. In Moscow, the ploy is seen as a masterstroke personally decreed by Putin, hitting the Brits where it hurts. photos, more, >>click to read<< 16:54
CJ Gaffney Presents FV Mary Kate Case Before Joint Committee on Petitions
In a significant development, CJ Gaffney is set to appear before the Joint Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsman tomorrow, Thursday 22 February at 1:30 pm to discuss the case of the fishing vessel ‘Mary Kate’ WD-30. This live session will be televised and accessible via the Oireachtas Website Committee Room 1. CJ Gaffney, representing the concerns related to the fishing vessel Mary Kate which he bought from Germany in 2009, will have the opportunity to present the details of his case in person. This marks a crucial moment as the Gaffney family case becomes the sole petitioner scheduled to be heard live during this session. Includes a link to the live broadcast, more, >>click to read<< 12:32
Richmond seafood processing company fined $40,000 for undersized crabs
A routine inspection of commercial seafood processing plants by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fishery officers in January 2023 resulted in a fine of $40,000. On December 6, 2023, Tenshi Seafood Limited was handed down the fine in after pleading guilty to the possession of undersize crabs by a commercial business, which is a violation of Canada’s Fisheries Act. This is the second significant fine for Tenshi Seafood Limited, which was also fined $75,000 in January 2020 for obstruction and ordered to comply with various conditions. more, >>click to read<< 11:18
Maine Lobster Community Alliance donates $10,000 to help coastal communities rebuild
The Maine Lobster Community Alliance (MLCA), a non-profit based in Kennebunk whose mission is to foster thriving coastal communities and preserve Maine’s lobstering heritage, announced today that it is donating $10,000 to the Working Waterfront Support Fund. The fund was established following January’s devastating storms and historic flooding that caused widespread destruction and millions of dollars of damage in communities up and down the Maine coast. “Lobstermen can’t get to work if they don’t have access to working waterfront,” said Amber-Jean Nickel, president of the MLCA. “Right now, so many hardworking families who live in our coastal communities are suffering and trying to pick up the pieces. more, >>click to read<< 10:18
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 68′ Fiberglass Dragger, 3408 Cat, /State and Federal Permits
To review specifications, information, and 38 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< 08:52
Response to ASP Grievance on Crab Tie-Up – What the Decision Means and Next Steps
Statement from Greg Pretty, FFAW-Unifor President – February 21, 2024 – The 2023 crab tie-up was an extremely difficult time for the entire province and our members in both fishing and processing. Unfortunately, fish harvesters felt they had to act but outdated legislation makes it illegal for harvesters to strike, as well as illegal for the Union to ‘authorize or declare a cessation of business dealings’ It is this specific language where the arbitrator found FFAW-Unifor liable. Instead of helping to resolve the catastrophically low-price in spring of 2023, ASP sat back and watched the fishery fall – only later deciding to take legal action 6 months after the issue was resolved and fishery complete. more, >>click to read<< 08:14
Fish skin, scales touted as future economic boon for Mich., Great Lakes
The fillets that depart Motor City Seafood Co. are tidy, ready to be packaged, shipped and prepared fresh at a Metro Detroit kitchen. They don’t start that way. The Highland Park seafood distributor mostly imports whole fish. Workers fillet them by hand or send them through a system of machines that remove the scales, heads, organs and bones before they are skinned and packed away. Motor City Seafood is left with packages of carefully cut fillets and a big green bucket of the rest — skin, scales, heads, guts. While unsightly when piled in the bucket, those offcuts could be a wellspring for the region’s commercial fish industry. more, >>click to read<< 07:14
FFAW broke collective agreement by telling crab fishermen to keep boats tied up, arbitrator rules
An arbitrator has ruled the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union broke its collective agreement with the Association of Seafood Producers by telling crab harvesters to keep their boats tied up at the start of last season amid a price dispute. In his decision, shared by the producers’ association Tuesday, arbitrator David Orsborn concluded the union declared a “cessation of business dealings,” which violated the terms of the agreement and the Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act. The tie-up lasted six weeks, and was fuelled by calls for better prices for harvesters. The price of snow crab was originally set at $2.20 per pound — where it remained when the tie-up ended — but rose to $2.60 per pound by the end of the season. Video, more, >>click to read<< 17:52
Grants available for municipal and regional projects in coastal communities
The Department of Marine Resources’ Maine Coastal Program (MCP) and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) are seeking applications for coastal planning grants totaling approximately $300,000. Funding for these planning grants comes from the Maine Coastal Program’s annual grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In response to the significant impacts of recent storms experienced by Maine’s coastal communities, the FY 2025 Coastal Community Grant Program and Shore and Harbor Planning Grant Program are being combined into one grant program. The matching fund requirement has been eliminated and the application process has been modified to include a Letter of Intent, followed by a final application by invitation only. Lots of links, and information. more >>click to read<< 16:39
Janet Mills announces Sears Island as preferred site for offshore wind power port
Gov. Janet Mills announced Tuesday that her administration has selected Sears Island in Searsport as the preferred site for development of a large, offshore wind port designed to jumpstart the clean energy economy in Maine and the transition away from fossil fuels. Selection of the site follows a public stakeholder process led by the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Port Authority to consider several potential options in the Port of Searsport, the Port of Eastport and the Port of Portland. Nearly four years ago, Gov. Mills identified the Port of Searsport as the leading site in Maine to “support the transportation, assembly and fabrication of offshore wind turbines.” She also called for further study of the port’s assets and future needs. This story will be updated. more, >>click to read<< 14:15
An era ends: Wanchese seafood operation to close in March
Started as a small business 88 years ago by a native Outer Banks fisherman, the Wanchese Fish Co., now a global behemoth, is closing the doors of its production fish offloading and packing operations here. The fish operation on Mill Landing Road in this historic fishing village on the south end of Roanoke Island will be shuttered March 29,,, Wanchese Fish Co., located along the wharf in Wanchese Marine Industrial Park, was purchased by Cooke Seafood USA in 2015, part of the Cooke family’s international aquaculture and seafood company. The Wanchese company had maintained its family-owned operation after the sale. Wanchese Trawl & Supply Co., a marine and fishing equipment retail store that Wanchese Fish Co. started in 1976, will remain open, Richardson said. Also, Shoreland Transport USA, an associated cargo and freight company based in Suffolk, will continue to operate its Outer Banks route. more, >>click to read<< 10:57
Washington attorney general charges seafood wholesaler with felonies over failure to report purchases
Tacoma wholesale fish dealer Westlake Seafood has been charged with multiple felonies for allegedly failing to report thousands of dollars’ worth of sea urchin and Dungeness crab purchases to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The business, which operates a warehouse in the Dome District at 2615 E. N St., was formed in 2017 and on its website claims to export 90 percent of its live products to China and sell the rest in local and domestic markets. According to charging documents filed Thursday, an inspection of its warehouse and financial records in March last year discovered four unreported fish-receiving tickets amounting to $13,760.90 worth of purchases from fishermen. more, >>click to read<< 09:22
Commercial Fisherman in Northern California Takes Legal Action to Challenge Dock Prices
In the commercial fishing industry, rising costs, particularly fuel prices, have long been a major concern for fishermen across the United States. However, one commercial harvester in Northern California has taken a different approach to address the issue by bringing the matter to court. Recognizing the significant impact of dock prices on their livelihood, this fisherman has decided to challenge the current pricing structure through legal action. While many others have voiced their concerns about rising costs, this individual has taken a proactive stance by seeking legal remedies. By challenging the dock prices through legal means, this fisherman hopes to encourage a wider dialogue about the financial hardships faced by those in the fishing industry. more, >>click to read<< 07:59
F/V Aleutian Storm: Unified Command transitions authority of response for the grounded vessel near Bodega Bay
The U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (CDFW-OSPR) transitioned the authority of lead responding agency to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA’s GFNMS) Monday. NOAA’s GFNMS will lead the oversight of salvage operations in coordination with state and local agencies and the vessel’s owner. The Unified Command determined that pollution removal operations would be unsafe due to weather conditions and the degraded condition of the vessel. With the current safety concerns, the determination was then made to shift to salvage operations. more, >>click to read<< 06:42
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’
When a seafood processing plant in Alaska shut down in the middle of crabbing season, fishermen found themselves in a pinch. Under the state’s quota system, harvesters can only catch a set amount of crab each year. And they must deliver 90% of their catch to a processor with a corresponding quota With the Peter Pan Seafood facility closed this winter in King Cove, there was no one to process their catch. That’s when Keyport, an Edmonds-based company, stepped up to the plate. “When Peter Pan announced they were shutting down, a lot of fishermen came to us asking for help,” Keyport CEO Mark Pedersen said. more, >>click to read<< 16:18
NCFA WEEKLY UPDATE FOR February 19, 2024
Proposed shrimp trawl area closures to “protect” submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Once again, the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will be discussing adopting further regulations for North Carolina’s shrimp trawl fishery. At the February MFC meeting they will be reviewing recommendations from the Division of Marine Fisheries to close numerous areas to shrimp trawling to “protect” SAV. While the NCFA shares fishermen’s concerns over the areas DMF wants to close to trawling our primary concerns are not with the specific areas DMF wishes to close. Our concerns are, first, are the areas closures, any of them, necessary, and second, is the process proposed for implementing these closures, specifically proclamation authority, legal? Are these closures necessary? more, >>click to read<< 13:03
“You saved someone’s life,”- Commercial Fisherman makes dramatic rescue
Near sunset last Nov. 6, commercial fisherman John Genther of Madison was steering his boat back home after a day of catching whelk when he spotted a bright blue object about a half mile ahead in the water. As he maneuvered closer, he realized it was a man wrapped in winter clothing, without a life preserver, clinging to the side of an overturned skiff in 55-degree water. Genther immediately recognized the signs of hypothermia and knew what to do, thanks to a first aid training he completed less than two weeks earlier. “You saved someone’s life,” said Nick Lajoie, commander and chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, speaking to Genther and a roomful of attendees at a ceremony on Feb. 8 honoring the heroic act. “It’s a big deal.” more, >>click to read<< 10:22
New Zealand: Rollout of cameras on fishing boats under review
The future roll-out of cameras on fishing boats is back on the table on Monday. Top fishing company executives and senior officials from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will meet to discuss challenges and future options for the programme. Labour brought in the regime to put cameras on commercial fishing vessels to improve under-reporting around bycatch of species like penguins, dolphins and seals. Cameras been installed on about 300 in-shore vessels already, but the future of the roll-out may be up in the air. more, >>click to read<< 09:12
