Saving Seafood

DELAWARE: Retired fishing vessel sunk as artificial reef off Delaware

August 24, 2026 — Delaware has sunk a retired 180-foot menhaden vessel on its flagship offshore artificial reef, the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced Aug. 18.

The Calcasieu Pass, a former offshore oilfield supply boat that went on to spend more than 30 years in the Atlantic menhaden reduction fleet out of Reedville, Va., was placed on Reef Site 13, better known as the Del-Jersey-Land Reef. DNREC said the vessel went down after environmental remediation and approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Coast Guard for environmental cleanliness and safety.

Ocean Harvesters, which operated the vessel, said in a separate announcement that the sinking took place Wednesday, Aug. 12, at a site roughly 26 miles off Indian River Inlet.

The boat measures 180 feet with a 40-foot beam. Built in 1982, it supported offshore oilfield work until 1989, when it was converted to an Atlantic menhaden fishing and processing vessel. Its name comes from Calcasieu Pass, a bend in the Calcasieu Ship Channel near Lake Charles, La., an area DNREC noted for liquefied natural gas production.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: Gloucester honors Lily Jean crew at Fisherman’s Memorial

August 13, 2026 — Six months after the F/V Lily Jean sank off Cape Ann, Mass., the Gloucester fishing community gathered Saturday, Aug. 8, to remember the seven people lost aboard the vessel and other mariners who died over the past year.

The annual remembrance at Gloucester’s Fisherman’s Memorial carried particular weight this year following the Jan. 30 sinking of the 72-foot Gloucester-based groundfish trawler Lily Jean about 25 miles off Cape Ann.

All seven people aboard were lost: Capt. Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short, Sean Therrien and NOAA fisheries observer Jada Samitt.

Family members, state officials and members of the community gathered Saturday at the memorial, where generations of Gloucester fishermen lost at sea are remembered.

“It feels like every time they do something like this, you relive it, that day in January,” Tiffany Leigh, girlfriend of Short, told WCVB.

State Sen. Bruce Tarr also spoke about how deeply the loss has affected a community accustomed to the dangers of working at sea.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: Navy says it can’t help recover wreckage of Gloucester fishing boat Lily Jean

August 6, 2026  — In a letter to Gov. Maura Healey, the US Navy said it will not be able to help with the recovery of data and remains from the wreckage of the Gloucester-based fishing vessel Lily Jean, which sank off the coast of Cape Ann in January, with seven people aboard.

“We are deeply sympathetic toward the families affected by this tragedy,” read the letter dated July 27, which was received by the governor Wednesday. “However, the U.S. Navy is unable to fulfill your request for salvage and recovery.”

The response comes months after Gov. Healey wrote to the US Navy asking for assistance in investigating.

According to the Boston Globe, Healey wrote to the Navy in May that the boat had a hard drive and video recorder that the manufacturer believes might have information if recovered.

The US Navy, in its letter from Acting United States Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, said that it remains in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is leading the investigation into the sinking, alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.

The letter said, “It is our understanding both the USCG and the NTSB have the requisite information to conclude the investigation.” It is unclear if the two organizations found any evidence of what caused the sinking.

Read the full article at Boston.com