Saving Seafood

Daniel Cohen, founder of Atlantic Capes, wind farm, sustainability champion, dead at 63

November 23, 2018 — Daniel “Danny” Cohen, the founder of Atlantic Capes Fisheries, one of North America’s largest scallop, clam, oyster and finfish harvesters and processors, and a major champion of wind farming and sustainable fishing practices, has passed away at the age of 63.

Cohen, who died in Cape May, New Jersey, heroically battled cancer for an extended period of time, an obituary published by Saving Seafood confirms.

The Fall River, Massachusetts-based company Cohen started in 1976 after graduating from Cornell University, in New York, with a degree in architecture, has grown into a fully integrated seafood company operating out of three states — Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey —  with more than 400 employees, 25 harvesting vessels, two unloading facilities, three processing plants and a fleet of delivery trucks, based on details contained on the company website.

Scallop industry executives, including those at competing companies, expressed their sadness on Wednesday.

“His passing marks the end of an era. He was a pioneer of the scallop industry, one of the men at the roundtable,” said Rob Rizzo, a commodities manager and longtime scallop industry professional at Eastern Fisheries, in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

“He was always professional, always a gentleman. He was a selfless champion of sustainable fishing and the scallop industry, standing up for everyone in the industry. And he treated everybody from the captains and crew of his vessels to the truck drivers and the workers in the processing plants as if they were equally important to his organization,” he said.

“It’s a very sad day. He will be greatly missed.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Jeffrey Bolton replaces Daniel Cohen as CEO of Atlantic Capes Fisheries

October 19, 2018 — Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based scallop firm Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., has appointed its longtime employee, Jeffrey Bolton, as its new chief executive officer.

Bolton, 57, has served as COO of the processing, sales, and marketing subsidiary of the company since 2003 and has worked in the seafood industry for 37 years.

Atlantic Capes’ primary product is scallops, though it also harvests, processes, and markets surf clams, lobster, crawfish, catfish, and other Mid-Atlantic species for retailers, distributors, and foodservice operators in the North American market. It has its own fleet of 17 sea scallop vessels and has sourcing agreements with an additional 50 independent boats, giving it an estimated 22 percent of all U.S. sea scallop landings. The company also owns Galilean Seafoods, a surf clam plant in Bristol, Rhode Island that produces Marine Stewardship Council clams shucked by hand.

David Cohen, the founder of Atlantic Capes, is stepping down as CEO but will continue to play an active role in the company as chairman of its board of directors. In a press release, he said he “will oversee the expansion of the board and its advisors to expand the diversity of advisors available to assist the new CEO.”

“Jeff joined us in 2003, and very simply, he has been a transformational figure here. Every step of the way, he led the growth and evolution of ACF from seasonal harvester of commodity shellfish to a world-class food company – a year-round supplier of finished products sold to multiple end-user channels,” Cohen said. “His execution made it possible for us to increase sales many times over and to create an organization that provides a gainful living to many hundreds of people. I am confident in Jeff’s abilities and excited for the future of the company under his full leadership.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NEW JERSEY: Gov. Murphy signs bill for marine fisheries management

August 13, 2018 — A bill to provide an extra $1.2 million to the state Bureau of Marine Fisheries for shellfish and fisheries management was signed into law Friday by Gov. Phil Murphy.

It’s an increase to the $2.468 million allocated in the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2019 budget, said bill sponsors, bringing the total appropriation to $3.668 million for the coming fiscal year.

The Bureau of Marine Fisheries in the state Department of Environmental Protection is charged with protecting, conserving and enhancing marine fisheries resources and habitats.

“This will undoubtedly provide a big boost for tourism and for fishermen in South Jersey,” said co-sponsor Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak, D-Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland.

He said the bureau’s work to ensure sustainable fisheries will allow tourism and commercial and recreational fishing to thrive.

The bill was also co-sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblymen Bruce Land, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic; and Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic; and in the Senate by Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

Fishermen rescue 7 from sinking boat miles off Cape May, NJ coast

August 7, 2018 — Fishermen came to the rescue of seven people whose boat sank Saturday several miles off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The seven were aboard a boat called “Beach Runner,” when it started “rapidly taking on water” about nine miles off shore in the area of Cape May reef, the Coast Guard said.

They had issued a distress call on radio Channel 16, which prompted an “Urgent Marine Information Broadcast” to alert boaters in the area.

The signal worked: Two other nearby fishing boats, the Miss Addison and the Porgy IV, rushed to the scene to pluck the seven fellow boaters from the ocean.

Read the full story at The Courier Express

Delaware Bay ferry sunk for artificial reef

June 20, 2018 –The 320’x68’ ferry Twin Capes, former flagship of the Delaware River and Bay Authority’s fleet linking New Jersey and Delaware, is now a destination for fishermen and divers after it went to the bottom of the ocean Friday.

The double-ender vehicle and passenger ferry was emplaced on the Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Reef site, in 120 feet of water 26 miles southeast of Cape May, N.J., where the former Coast Guard cutter Tamaroa was likewise put to rest in May 2017. Contractor Colleen Marine, Norfolk, Va., handled the Tamaroa project and did a repeat performance with the Twin Capes, towing the old ferry away in August 2017 to clean and prepare it for the reef deployment.

Built in 1974 at Todd Shipyards, Houston, the Twin Capes was the biggest vessel on the 17-mile run between Cape May, N.J., and Cape Henlopen, Del., with capacity for 895 passengers. But over the years its higher operational costs compared to the authority’s three other vessels became a handicap.

Read the full story at Work Boat

New Jersey: Lund’s Fisheries Promotes, Hires as Part of Domestic Expansion

December 4, 2017 — CAPE MAY, N.J. — The following was released by Lund’s Fisheries:

Lund’s Fisheries is pleased to announce a series of promotions and new hires as part of its expansion into innovative product lines and markets. Our reorganized team will focus on adding additional value-added products such as seafood mixes, sauces and gourmet meals to the company’s overall product mix, while further developing Lund’s long-standing product lines such as fresh and frozen seafood and bait products.

As part of this new focus, Wayne Reichle will be promoted from Vice President to President of Lund’s Fisheries. Wayne has worked with the company for 23 years, and has experience in all aspects of the industry, from commercial fishing to sales. As part of our expansion into value-added products, Wayne will manage all factory and fleet operations and Lund’s Fisheries’ domestic and foreign seafood trade.

David Gray will become Vice President of our Value-Added Division. In this role, David will use his expertise in product development to create products that appeal to new markets – both domestic and international. Having worked for many years in the scallop business prior to coming to Lund’s, David developed innovative techniques to ensure a quality product to meet the toughest retailer requirements. He will play an integral part in creating Lund’s Fisheries’ new value-added line of products.

A recent hire, and the new Director of Sales, Randy Spencer will focus on developing a more robust sales team, and will manage that team along with overseeing Lund’s Fisheries’ domestic sales. Randy comes with a wealth of experience within the industry, having spent the last 20 years working with many species of fish and shellfish. A chef by trade, Randy also brings a strong culinary and product development background to Lund’s. Randy’s new role will focus on positioning Lund’s products and directing the firm’s efforts into an effective, domestic growth strategy.

Jeff Reichle, who is yielding the presidency to Wayne, will remain at Lund’s as Chairman of the Board.  Jeff will pursue long-term growth opportunities for the business. Jeff has been yielding responsibility to Wayne over the course of the past 10 years in order to prepare for this transition in roles. Starting at Lund’s in 1974, Jeff was hired to oversee sales and manage dock operations. In 1987, the opportunity arose to buy the business from the Lund family. He finalized the purchase in 1997 and served as President of Lund’s Fisheries until Wayne’s promotion.

About Lund’s Fisheries

Since 1954, the Lund’s Fisheries’ brand and products have inspired trust and confidence worldwide. With locations on both the east and west coasts of the United States, we are able to offer our customers a wide range of high-quality fresh and frozen seafood products produced by our company-owned fishing vessels and the many independent vessels we deal with. Lund’s is a leader in cooperative fisheries research and management to ensure we have a long-term sustainable supply of products for our customers. We believe that fisheries must be managed based on sound science and work hard to be sure our resources are available for generations to come. Never satisfied or complacent about setting a standard, our team works continuously to improve and raise the quality of our products for the benefit of our customers.

 

 

Delaware Bay gets first artificial reef on New Jersey side

November 28, 2017 — ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — The state’s first artificial reef in the Delaware Bay will be centrally located for recreational fishermen from Fortescue to Cape May.

“Fishermen had been requesting one for quite some time,” said Peter Clarke, fisheries biologist and artificial reef coordinator for the Department of Environmental Protection. “We were finally able to do it.”

Construction is due to start in early December, he said.

Party boat captain Mike Rothman, of the 65-foot Bonanza II in Fortescue, said the reef will be beneficial for his business and for the bay’s recreational fishery.

“This give us more of an option,” said Rothman, who operates out of the Fortescue State Marina and is a Downe Township committeeman.

Read the full story at The Press of Atlantic City

High scallop prices see New Jersey port’s catch value rocket

November 28, 2017 — The fishing sector in a county in the East Coast US state of New Jersey is worth $85 million, reports Press of Atlantic City, citing a recently released federal report.

High prices for scallops are a big driver. In 2016, fishermen landed 47 million pounds of seafood at the Cape May port, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Southern Cape’s commercial fishing worth $85 million, report says

November 27, 2017 — Southern Cape May County’s commercial fishing industry is worth $85 million, according to a recently released federal report.

The combined port of Cape May and Wildwood is the ninth largest commercial fishing port in the United States and the second biggest on the East Coast, measured by dollar value.

In a county known as a tourism hub, commercial fishing — and especially the scallop trade — is a big part of the area’s economy, those in the industry say.

“It trickles down through the whole economy,” said Tom McNulty Jr., 36, of Middle Township, who captains a pair of scallop boats.

Commercial fishermen landed 47 million pounds of seafood at the Cape May port in 2016, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That’s 30 million pounds less than the port pulled in the year before, but in terms of dollars, the 2016 catch was worth about $13 million more, according to the report. The Cape May port ranked ninth in the country both years.

Since 2013, the county’s commercial fishing industry has grown by $50 million, despite fluctuating pound totals.

Read the full story at the Press of Atlantic City

 

SCeMFiS Announces Funding for Two Research Projects Impacting Fisheries Management

November 27, 2017 — CAPE MAY, N.J. — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Industry Advisory Board (IAB) of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS) has allocated $26,467 in funding for two research projects during the Fall IAB Meeting held October 31-November 1, 2017 in Cape May, New Jersey. The awards span the broad mission of the SCeMFiS and include research on marine mammals and continued funding for the omnibus stock assessment proposal for Atlantic herring.

Funded projects are as follows:

  • Independent Advisory Team for Marine Mammal Assessments – Phase V – this team addresses uncertainties in slow growing marine mammal populations and the interactions between marine mammals and fishing operations. PI: Paula Moreno, USM
  • Stock Assessment Team – stock assessment teams provide external support to NMFS for benchmark assessment working groups with a focus in 2018 on the Atlantic herring. PI: Steve Cadrin, UMass Dartmouth

This fall marked a trend to include industry sponsorship of social events and hold meetings close to prospective new members in an effort to attract and showcase research projects. The Cape May oceanfront provided a beautiful venue for the Fall IAB Meeting. Lund’s Fisheries Inc. and Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc. graciously provided food, beverages and evening social events on the Cape May Whale Watcher as well as Cold Spring Village/Brewery and The Grange Restaurant.

Jeff Reichle, President of Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. commented, “It was an honor to host the Fall IAB Meeting of SCeMFiS in the port of Cape May. The fishing industry in New Jersey, both commercial and recreational, has a huge impact on our coastal communities and we are very pleased to be part of this science based organization focused on cooperative research with NMFS and other fisheries management bodies to ensure that we have healthy, sustainable fisheries now and in the future.”

The Industry Advisory Board of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS), supported by the National Science Foundation I/UCRC Program, provides research related to major challenges in fisheries management and brings participants from industry, government, and other organizations in need of science-based solutions into contact with academic scientists capable of providing that expertise.

The SCeMFiS Industry Advisory Board is composed of members from the shellfish and commercial finfish industries and the NMFS-Northeast Fisheries Science Center. The organizational structure provided by the Center permits members to control the science agenda in exchange for financial support under the sponsorship of the NSF.

For a list of the SCeMFiS research projects already underway, please click the following link, http://scemfis.org/research.html. The Industry Advisory Board will review each of its funded projects at its next meeting to be held April 24 & 25 in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.