Saving Seafood

Safety net: What’s missing in mental health for fishermen

August 9th, 2019 — Depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide are not uncommon in any fishing community no matter which coast you are on. It is an isolating, dangerous occupation full of uncertainty and expenses; it costs time, money, and many sacrifices to be a fisherman.

There are numerous mental health resources that exist for farmers and ranchers. A quick Google search of “mental health resources for farmers” offers about 128 million results. Surely, not all these results are relevant, but the first dozen is specific to resources for farmers and include articles about how current stresses in the environment and policy are affecting the mental health of farmers.

A search for “mental health resources for fishermen” does not yield the same results. This search only elicits about 7.5 million results and the first dozen barely apply to commercial harvesters. In fact, one of the articles listed is “Why taking a fishing trip is good for your mental health.” I’m guessing that’s not for the guys heading out to sea for a couple of months to deal with all kinds of weather and uncertainties and risk their lives to bring home some seafood.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New nationwide coalition seeking to unify commercial fishing interests

November 16, 2015 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group with strong New Bedford ties is creating a national coalition of commercial fishing interests to boost outreach and communication for the industry, which supporters claim often can be overmatched by unified environmental groups that promote competing interests.

“America’s fishing communities and seafood industry have been maligned by special interest groups working in collusion, who have slandered hard-working Americans with outrageous claims and misrepresentations,” Bob Vanasse, a New Bedford native and executive director of Saving Seafood, said in a Monday news release. “We’re aiming to bring the entire supply chain of fishermen, shoreside businesses, processors, markets and restaurants together to join this effort to move the national conversation in a positive direction.”

The Saving Seafood release said the nonprofit, formed in 2009, is conducting a membership drive for its new National Coalition of Fishing Communities (NCFC). Vanasse said the coalition, so far, has about 60 members across the country, including New Bedford’s Harbor Development Commission.

The NCFC will formally launch in Washington in January, during the next U.S. Conference of Mayors event. Vanasse said New Bedford Mayor Mitchell will be chairman of the coalition’s mayors’ group, reaching out to municipal leaders in Seattle, Honolulu, Atlantic City and other cities with strong commercial fishing ties. Coalition members already include commercial fishing associations from Hawaii, Oregon, North Carolina, New Jersey and more.

“I believe there needs to be a stronger voice for fishing communities in the halls of Congress,” Mitchell said.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard -Times

 

Coast Guard rescues 2 Maine fishermen whose boat sank

September 25, 2015 — BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — Two fishermen were rescued Friday after their boat sank 50 miles east of Portland.

The Coast Guard said it received an emergency beacon signal about 3:30 p.m. from the fishing vessel Jeanne C.

The Coast Guard said it was unable to raise the crew by radio, so it dispatched two cutters, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Boothbay Harbor and a helicopter from Cape Cod. The crew from Boothbay Harbor spotted a life raft with two men on it and took them to the pier in Boothbay Harbor, where they were met by an ambulance.

Read the full story at Portland Press Herald

 

Fishermen rescued from burning boat off Maine coast

August 27, 2015 — PORTLAND, Maine —Two Maine fishermen were safely rescued Wednesday evening from their burning boat about six miles from Jeffreys Ledge off the coast of Maine.

The Coast Guard said a crew member of the Gretchen Marie, a 40-foot fishing boat based out of Portland, contacted the Coast Guard around 7:40 p.m. to say there was a fire on board and heavy smoke was coming from the boat’s pilothouse.

Station South Portland sent a motor boat to the area and removed the fishermen from the boat. The fishermen used their own equipment to put out a fire in the boat’s engine before the Coast Guard arrived, according to Petty Officer 1st Class Kurt Hein.

Read the full story at WMTW

NEW TIMES AND LOCATIONS: JULY 22 MEETINGS FOR FISHERMEN ON GROUNDFISH OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENTS

July 20, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries: 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Hosting Outreach Meetings on July 22 on Groundfish Operational Assessments. The NEFSC is holding outreach meetings on July 22 in Portland, Gloucester, Woods Hole, New Bedford, and Hampton, NH for fishermen interested in the upcoming operational assessments for 20 stocks of Northeast groundfish.

Information on meeting times and locations has been updated, with New Bedford and Woods Hole meetings from 10am-12noon, Gloucester and Portland meetings from 2-4pm, and a meeting added in Hampton, NH from 6-8pm.

Assessment analysts will be on hand to meet with interested fishermen, and to learn more about recent observations from the fleet that might help focus future research to improve assessments. 

There will also be a short webinar on the timeline for the assessments, what new information will be considered, and how the results will be reviewed before they are sent into the fishery management process.

Questions? Contact Teri Frady at 508-495-2239 or email teri.frady@noaa.gov.