“Heroic” Rescue Off Nantucket: Station Brant Point Tows Disabled Fishing Boat In Rough Seas
With the sea still raging from the coastal storm that hammered the East Coast this week, a crew from Coast Guard Station Brant Point on Tuesday rescued a disabled fishing vessel southwest of Nantucket amid 15 foot waves and dangerous shoals. The call came in around 9:30 a.m. The 65-foot fishing vessel F/V Two Dukes had lost all steering and was adrift in the waters southwest of Nantucket, near Tuckernuck Island, with four crew members and one dog on board. To make matters worse, the captain was injured after a window got blown out in the heavy seas, leaving him with lacerations on his face. A four-man crew from Station Brant Point suited up and set out to take part in the rescue aboard the 47-foot motor life boat. After the long transit to the waters southwest of the island, the crew located the disabled fishing vessel as a Coast Guard helicopter hoisted two people off the boat, leaving behind the captain and one other crewman. photos, more, >>click to read<<-13:40
Galveston shrimpers being run out of business due to low prices, overseas imports
Captain Jerome Kunz
Texas Gulf shrimpers are going out of business during what many are calling the worst period in the history of the industry. “You’ll see numerous boats up and down this dock and most of them are just set here,” Nikki Johnson-Kunz said as she stood along Pier 19 in Galveston. Pier 19 was once a bustling hub for Galveston’s shrimping fleet — from the same spot a few years ago, one could watch dozens of shrimp boats running back and forth to the Gulf and then to the seafood markets along the docks to sell their catch. Johnson-Kunz married into a Galveston family that’s been fishing the waters for shrimp for more than a century. They said business has never been as bad as it is now. “Our prices that we get paid per pound are under a dollar,” she said. “It’s sickening.” Video, >>click to read<< 10:52
Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 54′ Steel lobster/ Scalloper/ Longliner
To review specifications, information, and 37 photos’,>click here<, To see all the boats in this series, >click here< – 08:50
Inshore Fishermen Seek Aid Package
The National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) has warned that its members will be forced to tie up to piers “long term” due to a combination of factors. “It would have been difficult to envisage the dire situation facing inshore fishermen currently could worsen but it did so, culminating in the almost complete loss of yet another fishery so important to our economic viability,” NIFA said in a statement. It was referring to cuts in pollack, with Area vi down 26 per cent and Area vii down by 87 per cent as a result of the EU fisheries council talks in Brussels. more, >>click to read<< 07;40
‘A perfect storm’: Beaufort, Bluffton urge Gov. McMaster to take action on shrimp dumping
The city of Beaufort and the Town of Bluffton recently became the third and fourth coastal municipalities to call for the declaration of an economic disaster due to the dumping of imported shrimp into local markets. The actions speak to a statewide concern. Fishermen warn that limited resources and an inundated market have created a “perfect storm” that without intervention could tear apart South Carolina’s shrimping industry. On Dec. 12, Beaufort and Bluffton joined Mount Pleasant and McClellanville in urging Gov. Henry McMaster to declare an economic disaster due to the dumping of imported shrimp. Van Willis, Port Royal town manager, said officials there are planning to take a similar action in January. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:29
Major ‘climate deception’ lawsuit against Big Oil voluntarily dismissed
A major years-long lawsuit alleging that Big Oil companies have waged a disinformation campaign about the impacts of climate change was voluntarily dismissed by plaintiffs in a victory for the U.S. energy industry. The California-based Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), the largest trade association of commercial fishermen on the West Coast, requested the dismissal in a filing with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The request came after Judge Vince Chhabria ruled on Nov. 1 that the case could be heard in federal court despite PCFFA’s argument for it to be tried in state court. Video, more, >>click to read<< 17:46
Commercial crabbing start pushed into 2024
Dungeness crab in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia are still only inching their way toward the proportion of meat required before commercial harvest is allowed, delaying the season again. Fishery managers decided on Dec. 18 to push out the season start to Dec. 31, Jan. 15 or Feb. 1. They will meet Dec. 20 to settle on which date crabbers will be allowed to drop their pots, with deliveries back to port typically occurring around 72 hours later. Samples gathered Dec. 17 found south Pacific County crab had 20.7% recoverable meat, up from 19.4% meat on Nov. 28. Clatsop County crab tested at 22.9%, just shy of the mandatory minimum meat recovery criteria of 23% north of Cascade Head, and up from 21.1% on Nov. 29. more, >>click to read<< 14:30
Lobster demand remains high during the holidays
Back in the 1960’s, Dartmouth resident Bruce Nickerson was a lobster fisherman. “We got 50 cents a pound,” says Nickerson, who adds, when the price jumped to 90 cents per pound, it was big news back in the day. “I thought that was great.” Those prices are ancient history. “Anything under two pounds (are) $13.25 a pound,” says Samantha Strachan, who works at The Lobster Dive store in Eastern Passage, N.S. “Two pounds and up are $15.25 a pound. Anything under two pounds (are) $13.25 a pound,” says Samantha Strachan, who works at The Lobster Dive store in Eastern Passage, N.S. “Two pounds and up are $15.25 a pound.” Video, more, >>click to read<< 12:32
The Harbor Fish Co. is Gig Harbor’s next-gen fishing family
Wild, packed with nutrients, and heart-healthy. For Gig Harbor residents, a local fishing family provides direct delivery of fresh wild Alaskan-caught salmon to your doorstep. Alex James and Zack Worrell launched their company, The Harbor Fish Co., in 2022 to connect Gig Harbor with high-quality wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Dungeness crab, and striped shrimp harvested from the pristine and icy waters of southeast Alaska. The company is anchored in Gig Harbor and Juneau, Alaska. “We started it because we wanted to get a good product to our community. Food is such a great way to bring people together,” explains Alex. Inspired by their connection to the sea, she believes their fishing business can help “nourish the community” with “wild, sustainable, and nutritious food.” She also encourages consumers to learn more about their food. photos, links, more, >>click to read<< 09:50
Atlantic halibut thrive in warming Maritime waters, study finds
Warming ocean temperatures caused by climate change will provide favourable conditions for Atlantic halibut, according to a new study, although what happens to their prey is uncertain. A paper published in the journal FACETS links an exponential increase in Atlantic Canadian landings over the past decade to warming ocean temperatures and predicts that trend is likely to continue under low- and high-warming scenarios in coming decades. “Under both of those scenarios, we see similar trends. Even in the higher emission scenario where it’s warmer, it would appear that halibut stand to gain more habitat with these warming conditions” says co-author Ryan Stanley, a Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. more. >>click to read<< 08:46
Following Legal Victory for Maine Lobstermen’s Association, State Receives $17 Million from NOAA to Improve Data on Right Whale
This federal funding comes just months after the federal court of appeals ruled in favor of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) in their lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) — a subagency of NOAA — for adopting improperly-founded regulations against the industry. In September of 2021, the MLA filed a lawsuit against the agency alleging that their efforts to protect the NARW were unlawful, as the regulations promulgated were founded upon a “simplistic and false premise” that “exaggerates and arbitrarily inflates the risk posed by the Maine lobster fishery.” The MLA stated that the NOAA’s analyses was “unlawful” as they “did not rely on the best available scientific information, made erroneous and arbitrary assumptions unsupported and contradicted by data and evidence, relied on an outdated and flawed methodology to model projections of the North Atlantic right whale population, and inexplicably failed to account for either the positive impact of mitigation measures already or soon-to-be employed by the Maine lobster fishery.” more, >>click to read<< 07:09
Christmas Comes Early: Reedville Fisherman’s Museum Gifted Historic Draketail
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum (RFM) has a special new resident at its dock. The museum was recently gifted a 99-year-old Chesapeake deadrise draketail boat with a unique dolphin nose stern by Bill and Beverly Pickens of Ware Neck, Va. Guests will have a chance to take tours on her beginning next year. Fannie is 36’ x 6’ x 2’6” and was built in 1924 by Charles Spencer. He built two boats of this style in his yard at Brick Inn on Main Street in St. Michaels, Md. One of the boats was named Fannie, after his daughter. The draketail stern, sometimes called a Hooper’s Island draketail because so many of this design was built in that area, was modeled after early motor-powered racing launches and torpedo boats. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:20
Seal overpopulation having ‘significant and damaging impact’ on Canadian fish stocks: report
Canadian parliamentarians are warning that seal populations pose a danger to fish stocks and are upsetting marine ecosystems in the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans. A bipartisan report from the House of Commons standing committee on fisheries and oceans says urgent measures are needed from the federal government and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, including an increase in the humane seal harvest. “This report’s objective is to draw the attention of DFO, relevant departments and the Canadian government to important observational and empirical evidence that the overpopulation of pinnipeds on Canada’s three coasts is having a significant and damaging impact on the health and conservation of fish stocks and is creating an imbalance in our marine ecosystems,” the study concludes. more, >>click to read<< 18:00
Dungeness Crab Season Delayed Again, SF Crabbers Miss Holiday Haul
For decades, fishers have earned a living selling Dungeness crab out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. But many, like Shawn Chen Flading, have struggled over the last five years as the state has consecutively delayed the commercial season. “Every delay is difficult. Right now, I have zero income as a fisherman,” Flading said. The season, which has historically started on Nov. 15, is delayed until at least New Year’s Day to protect migrating humpback whales. Crabbers like Flading hope to catch the tail end of the holidays to recoup what they’ve lost. “It’s something people like to splurge on to create a feast,” Flading said. “But with the delay, we’ve lost all the holiday markets.” Photos, more, >>click to read<< 13:37
UPDATED: Missing shrimp boat captain’s body recovered from sunken ship
Divers recovered the body of a missing shrimp boat captain on Sunday night. Tampa police say the body of Curtis Lee Cowling was discovered inside a sunken vessel around 10:30 p.m. “Although our Dive Team members, joined by multiple agencies, all worked tirelessly in their efforts, we now share in the sorrow of this tragic outcome,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. more,>>click to read<< 17:37
Tampa police drivers found a body while searching for a missing shrimp boat captain, according to a release. The Tampa Police Department said divers found the body on board the sunken “Miss Jodi,” which is owned by Curts Lee Cowling. Cowling was last seen alive at about 11:00 p.m. Saturday, as storms began to hit the Tampa Bay area. After receiving several reports about Cowling’s boat being found submerged off Causeway Boulevard, officers found the boat at about 7:44 a.m. Sunday. more, >>click to read<< 10:39
Commercial Fisherman Peter Allen Zuanich of Anacortes, Washington has passed away
Peter Allen Zuanich was born September 3, 1946, in Bellingham, Washington. He passed away peacefully on November 24, 2023, in Oak Harbor, Washington, with his wife, Kimberly, by his side. Peter graduated from Bellingham High School and Central Washington University. Though he graduated with a degree in business, he ultimately followed in his father’s wake, working for many years as the owner and captain of commercial fishing vessels along the coasts of Alaska and California. A celebration of life will take place at 1pm on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, at The Boathouse in Zuanich Point Park. more, >>click to read<< 08:05
Rare species discovered on Long Island Sound as Maritime Aquarium pulls up abandoned lobster traps
While recovering derelict and abandoned lobster traps from the Long Island Sound, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and colleagues from Williams College and Project Oceanology came across a curious creature typically found across the pond. Known as the European nudibranch, Doris pseudoargus, the tiny yellow specimen was discovered in the Black Ledge region of the Sound, off the coast of Groton. This finding of Doris pseudoargus is the most southern discovery of the species in North America, according to the Maritime Aquarium. more, >>click to read<< 07:22
Hull survivor of Christmas Day trawler tragedy will light up sky to remember those lost, 50 years on
On December 25, 1973, the Ian Fleming was sailing towards the treacherous White Sea off the Russian coast. To avoid the worst of the weather, the skipper opted to head through the Norwegian fjords. It was here where the ship ran aground. Three men lost their lives that night: mate Terence Day, engineer Dennis Colby and George Lee. Aboard that ship was a 17-year-old deckie-learner, Jerry Thompson, who has dedicated his life to Hull’s fishing community. Jerry is the head of the Bullnose group, which operates the Hull Fishing Heritage Centre. Four years ago, the Hessle Roader and his family paid an emotional visit to the scene of the disaster. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:02
Tampa Police searching for missing boat Captain
At approximately 7:42 a.m. on Sunday, December 17, 2023, the Tampa Police Department received multiple reports of a shrimp boat being submerged underwater in the 2600 block of Causeway Boulevard. Tampa Officers arrived on the scene and located a 63 ft vessel named “Miss Jordi” underwater. The vessel also leaked thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into the water. The boat’s captain, Curtis Lee Cowling, was last seen on 12/16/2023 at 11:00 p.m. Cowling is now listed as “Missing and Endangered.” Currently, officials are unable to confirm the captain’s whereabouts. more, >>click to read<< 13:39
An 89-foot fishing tender helped Haines’ wrestling team reach the state tournament in Anchorage
The Haines wrestling team hadn’t even arrived at the state tournament yet, and it already had its back to the mat: Pinned down by a blizzard and unable to leave Haines, the Glacier Bears were in jeopardy of being disqualified from competing at state. But a local fishing boat owner offered to get the team to Juneau and, despite some choppy seas, helped deliver the Haines team to state. Brent Crowe, whose son is an eighth-grade wrestler in Haines, heard about the team’s difficulties. He offered to shuttle the team to Juneau on the Pavlov, his 89-foot tender. The team got the OK from school administrators and took the trip overnight into Thursday morning. Winds were still high but the team and coaches left around 6 p.m., traveling overnight in what was about a 12-hour voyage. The Pavlov encountered some high winds and 6- to 7-foot waves, and one wrestler experienced a little seasickness, according to Hale, but the team made it to Juneau in time to catch a flight. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 12:27
CHAMPION DELIVERS THE GOODS
‘Champion is an exciting new concept in trawl door manufacture, and we are thrilled that it has performed so well during fishing operations,’ said Morgère’s managing director Pascal Reverseau, describing the new Champion doors as being among the most powerful demersal on the market, providing excellent spread, good fuel economy and ease of operation. ‘This is a door that offers many benefits – and skippers particularly like its ease of operation, which is particularly important when fishing in challenging sea conditions,’ he said, adding that skippers fishing with these new doors have been delighted by the performance, praising its stable operation and simplicity in use and setting up. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 09:39
Federal fisheries managers hold Bering Sea pollock quota steady
The total amount of pollock allowed to be scooped up by trawlers in the Bering Sea will stay the stotal allowable catchame in 2024. In its Dec. 9 meeting in Anchorage, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council moved to keep the total allowable catch for pollock at its current level of 1.3 million metric tons, a move that has generated criticism from conservationists, tribes, and the trawling industry alike. Alaska’s pollock fishery is responsible for the vast majority of salmon bycatch in the region. And amid alarming declines in returns of multiple species of salmon to Western Alaska rivers, the pollock trawl fishery has faced increasing criticism for its perceived role driving the crisis. But federal fisheries managers and the trawling industry pushed back, asserting that the claims are unfounded. more, >>click to read<< 08:12
Pollack fishing: Setting quota to zero ‘damaging’ to South-West industry
A decision to set the pollack catch quota to zero will be “damaging” to the fishing industry, those working in South-West England have said. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the quota had been reduced to preserve stocks. It said it recognised the “impact” the decision “may have” and was working to “explore potential mitigations”. Ben George, who fishes from Sennen Cove in Cornwall, said he never once “dreamed it could be a total ban”. “It’s particularly damaging for the small inshore fisherman, because they can’t diversify easily now to anything else,” he said. more, >>click to read<< 06:19
Fisheries New Zealand Seeks Feedback on Proposed Catch Limits for 2024
Fisheries New Zealand is asking for feedback on proposed changeson proposed changes to catch limits and other settings across a range of Aotearoa New Zealand’s fisheries as part of its twice-yearly sustainability review. Every six months, Fisheries New Zealand reviews a range of fish stocks and develops proposals focused on their long-term sustainability. “When the information suggests more fish can be harvested sustainably, we look to increase catch limits,” said Marianne Lukkien, acting director of fisheries management. “On the other hand, if the information suggests a stock isn’t as healthy, we propose reducing the catch limits or other changes to help the fishery recover.” In this review, options include increases to catch allowances for six fish stocks where information suggests more fish can be sustainably harvested. more, >>click to read<< 18:36
Hoyle’s Bill to Support Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Act Passes
This week 4th District Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s “Supporting Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Projects Act” passed both the House and Senate as part of the Maritime Administration Reauthorization Act. A release from Hoyle said President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law. Hoyle said H.R.4618 will ensure ports can apply for infrastructure grants that support commercial fishing, bolster jobs and drive the economies of coastal communities. Hoyle said current law does not make it explicitly clear whether ports can apply for Port Infrastructure Development Program grants that support commercial fishing, often leaving it up to interpretation that can overlook commercial fishing communities who are the backbone of coastal economies. more, >>click to read<< 14:44
One giant leap for fishermen’s mental health
In Dec. 2021, representatives of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and NAMI Maine published a column in the Portland Press Herald headlined: “We need more awareness of mental health stresses on Maine’s fishermen.” This week, nearly two years to the day, Sens. Susan Collins, Edward Markey and Dan Sullivan introduced the Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act to better address the range of occupational safety and health risks facing fishermen, including worker fatigue and substance use disorder. MCFA is thankful to the senators for spearheading this effort, and to our colleagues at the Fishing Partnership Support Services and New England Young Fishermen’s Alliance who champion and advocate for efforts to support the health, well being and safety of commercial fishermen. more, >>click to read<< 09:34
‘Saved a big catastrophe’: Coast Guard and lifesavers come to aid of fishing trawler
Holiday beachgoers were surprised to see a 20m fishing trawler stuck in the shallows at Mooloolaba Beach on Saturday. Coast Guard and lifesavers got to the boat just in time and pulled it back out to sea. Coast Guard Mooloolaba crew skipper Bill Asher said they were first notified about the vessel by the crew of a nearby charter boat. “They said the trawler was drifting towards to the beach,” he said. “We tried to call the vessel but we couldn’t raise them and we saw on our cameras that they were only 150m off the beach.” photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:16
Lobster prices rise as catches fall: ‘They’re all fighting for that product’
The price of lobster is up compared to last year, says the Lobster Fishers of P.E.I. Marketing Board. Live lobster is selling for as much as $11.50 a pound, said Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of the board, up from $6.50 to $7.50 last year. The jump in price is partly because catches are down now for fishers in New England, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, he said. Catches in New England specifically are down about 16 per cent over the five-year average, he said. photos, more, >>click to read<< 06:48
Canada plans crackdown as trade data shows elver exports were 4 times the legal catch in 2022
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) plans to crack down on the illegal fishery for baby eels, also known as elvers, in the Maritimes next year by creating separate possession-and-export licences to track the catch from river to airport. The effort comes as newly reported trade data shows a huge surge in elver exports leaving Canada, reaching an all time high of 43 tonnes in 2022 — four times the authorized Canadian total allowable catch. To avoid a repeat of the chaos and deter the illegal trade, DFO wants new regulations in place by March 2024, ahead of the spring elver migration and fishing season. photos, more, >>click to read<< 14:32
Compact Twin -Rig Trawler from Parkol
Built by Parkol Marine Engineering at its Teeside yard and completed alongside in Whitby, Seraphim PD-170 is the latest in a long line of Ian Paton designs for owners in Scotland. The 21.29 metre LOA, 7.70 metre breadth Seraphim packs a lot of functionality into a boat with a waterline length of 16.40 metres. This is a twin-rig trawler targeting both prawns and groundfish, laid out with the option of working as one half of a pair team if required. Built with a steel hull topped by an aluminium wheelhouse, masts and full-length shelterdeck, the new trawler was ordered by father and son Andrew and Joshua Buchan of Lighthouse Fishing Company, in partnership with P&J Johnstone. The boat was lifted into the water at the Teesside yard in late August before heading for Whitby. At the end of October Andrew and Joshua Buchan steamed home to Peterhead to collect trawl gear and carry out final sea trials before starting fishing in earnest. photos, more, >>click to read<< 12:12
