Saving Seafood

US Department of Justice indicts Florida seafood company over alleged price-fixing

September 12, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Justice recently filed an indictment accusing multiple individuals at five different seafood companies of price-fixing and antitrust actions.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida alleges Dennis Dopico, the vice president of unnamed “Company 1” with headquarters in Miami, Florida, and co-conspirators at four other unnamed companies joined in a price-fixing conspiracy against fishermen harvesting stone crab and spiny lobsters in Florida.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: WHY FISHING FAMILIES MATTER MORE THAN EVER

August 29. 2025 — Dear Editor:

The Florida Keys are known for their turquoise waters, coral reefs and laid-back charm — but beneath the surface lies a deeper story. It’s the story of the men and women who built this place with salt on their skin and generations of knowledge in their bones: our commercial fishing families.

For over a century, these families have been the heartbeat of our islands. The historic commercial fishing families didn’t just fish — they shaped our economy, our culture and our identity. They taught us how to live with the sea, not just beside it. From the spongers of Key West to the crawfishers of Marathon, their legacy is woven into the fabric of our communities.

But today, that legacy is slipping away.

The truth is hard to ignore: commercial fishing in the Keys is disappearing. Not because we lack demand or dedication, but because the very conditions that allow us to exist are vanishing. Working waterfronts are being replaced by luxury developments. Affordable housing is out of reach for the next generation of fishermen. Gentrification is pushing out the families who’ve sustained this region for decades.

We’re not asking to expand our industry. We’re not seeking to increase our environmental footprint. What we want is simple: to preserve the generational families who continue this tradition with care, skill and respect for the ocean.

We understand the need for balance. We support conservation. We believe in responsible harvesting and gear innovation. But we also believe that the cultural heritage of the Keys must include those who’ve lived by the sea — not just those who vacation beside it.

If we lose our fishing families, we lose more than jobs. We lose the stories, the stewardship and the soul of the Florida Keys.

So we ask our neighbors, our policymakers and our visitors:

Support working waterfront protections.

Demand and choose local seafood.

Teach your children about the people behind the catch.

The future of the Keys should include the voices of those who’ve weathered its storms, hauled its traps and kept its traditions alive.

The tide is changing — but our story isn’t over yet.

Sincerely,
Jerome Young
commercial fisherman & executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association

FLORDIA: ARE ICE, TARIFFS & IMPORTS THREATENING FLORIDA KEYS LOBSTER INDUSTRY?

August 22, 2025 — In the Florida Keys, immigration enforcement and changing international markets are draining the lifeblood of the island chain’s lobster industry. And locals are sounding the alarm.

For more than four decades, commercial fisherman Bruce Irwin has made his living on Keys waters. Working more than 100 hours per week to provide for his family, at the age of 63, today he said should be enjoying retirement. Instead, these days he’s back on his boats, filling the space of legal, documented immigrants at risk of being detained by immigration enforcement operations.

In early August, a social media post by Customs and Border Protection boasted of an arrest of “4 illegal aliens from Nicaragua” aboard a commercial fishing vessel in Marathon.

“Don’t try it … We are watching!” the post said. “Another win for #BorderSecurity.”

While the post generated a fair show of support, other comments from Keys locals weren’t so inviting.

Read the full article at the Keys Weekly

FLORIDA: Restoring Habitat, Bolstering the Economy, and Supporting Jobs in Florida

August 20, 2025 — Coastal restoration might bring to mind images of wetlands, sand dunes, and tidal marshes—but there’s another impact of this work: jobs and economic growth.

A new economic analysis shows that community-led restoration contributes broadly to local, state, and national economies. It finds that $72.5 million invested across 12 habitat restoration projects in Florida is estimated to support jobs and wages and increase both spending and economic activity. In total, more than $100 million will be added to the economy.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Hurricane Erin churns up dangerous waves and closes beaches along US East Coast

August 19, 2025 — Hurricane Erin churned slowly toward the eastern U.S. on Tuesday, stirring up treacherous waves that already have led to dozens of water rescues and shut down beaches along the coast in the midst of summer’s last hurrah.

While forecasters remain confident the center of the monster storm will remain far offshore, the outer edges are likely to bring damaging tropical-force winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents into Friday.

Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Florida to the New England coast, and the biggest swells along the East Coast are expected over the coming two days. Rough ocean conditions already have been seen along the coast — at least 60 swimmers were rescued from rip currents Monday at Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina.

New York City closed its beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. Several New Jersey beaches also will be off-limits.

Read the full article at the Associated Press 

Where Steel and Concrete Meets Sea: Artificial Reefs Along the Atlantic Coast

August 14, 2025 — Beneath the Atlantic surface, concrete pyramids, stripped subway cars, and massive steel skeletons of vessels lie purposefully placed across the ocean floor repurposed into bustling undersea metropolises. These are artificial reefs, human-made sanctuaries giving new life to marine ecosystems and new opportunities for anglers.

Nearly all of these reef structures have roots in the Sport Fish Restoration Act, paid by manufacturers of fishing tackle and a tax on motorboat fuel. State agencies utilize these Sport Fish Restoration federal excise tax funds and funds from state fishing license sales to create a network of artificial reefs that dot the Atlantic coast.

New Jersey: Reefs from Rust and Rubble

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) began their artificial reef program in 1984 and has since created 17 artificial reef sites. Creating the reefs takes science, ingenuity, and often recycled materials. Artificial reef building materials have ranged from concrete reef balls to decommissioned New York City subway cars, and even retired Army tanks. Before entering the water, artificial reef materials go through a rigorous process stripping the material down to ensure no impact to water quality. Recycled building materials are inspected. Old Army tanks are stripped of fuel and oils. Subway cars lose their windows and wiring. What’s left is bare concrete or metal that is durable and colonizable by marine life.

Once these reef materials are deployed to the ocean bottom, Mother Nature wastes no time. Drop reef material, and within weeks, algae take hold. Months pass, invertebrates and fish begin to settle in. Within a year or two, the reef is real in every biological sense. “New Jersey’s reef sites are a hot spot for anglers with sportfish species like sea bass, porgy, tautog, and summer flounder calling the sites home,” said Pete Clarke from the NJDEP’s Artificial Reef Program.

New Jersey’s reefs are strategically located along the coast so that sites are within easy boat range of New Jersey ocean inlets making the sites accessible to anglers. Some reefs lay within two miles of the coast while others are 23 miles offshore offering users a variety of trip lengths and sport fish species to encounter. Reef communities can also vary depending on the season. “These reefs are important waypoints for migrating sport fish along the Atlantic Coast,” adds Clarke. Along this waypoint network of artificial reefs, it is common for state agencies to collaborate with other state agencies to share information or access to large reef building materials. “I know that an old New York City subway car utilized for a reef in South Carolina or concrete reef balls deployed in Delaware benefits the entire network of artificial reefs, ultimately it helps New Jersey’s reefs and anglers.”

Read the full article at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Are Gulf sharks really an ‘overwhelming problem’? It’s complicated, experts say

August 12, 2025 — Florida anglers say sharks are snatching their catches at unprecedented rates, calling it an “overwhelming problem” and blaming a boom in Gulf shark numbers.

But scientific research paints a more complicated picture.

Scientists who study sharks acknowledge that depredation — the act of fish being eaten by an underwater predator while on a fisherman’s line — is a growing concern in some areas, especially Florida. They cite several potential drivers of increased shark-human conflict, including climate change-related shifts in shark behavior and rebounding populations of some species.

But they note that changes in human behavior — such as more people fishing and heightened awareness of shark encounters through social media — may also play a role.

Now, researchers are working to learn when and why these encounters happen and how to prevent them.

Matt Ajemian, an associate research professor studying the issue at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, cautions against calling shark depredation a crisis, noting that historical accounts show similar encounters have long occurred.

“I don’t call it a problem,” he said. “I try to call it a challenge.”

Read the full article at the Bradenton Herald

FLORIDA: Florida hotels sourcing more local seafood in response to guest demands

August 8, 2025 — Hotels in the U.S. state of Florida are sourcing more seafood – particularly local species – for their restaurants and group events.

“When guests come to Florida, they expect to enjoy an abundance of fresh, local seafood. With the state surrounded by water, we’re fortunate to have access to an incredible variety of regional seafood, which we source through local purveyors,” Conrad Orlando Culinary Director Stephen Ullrich told SeafoodSource. “Guests are increasingly seeking out lighter, more sustainable options, and seafood fits that need perfectly.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Destin charter captain says shark resurgence in the Gulf impacting livelihood of fishermen

August 7, 2025 — Sharks seem to be making their way closer and closer to shore nowadays. They’re stripping some fishermen of their livelihoods.

Sharks are snapping up fish before they can even be reeled in. Shark depredation is happening all along the Gulf. Some say this could have a negative impact on Florida’s whole tourism industry, which relies heavily on fishing.

John Pouncey is a Destin charter boat captain. He takes clients out to catch all types of sea life, but now more than ever, he says sharks are ruining the fun.

“And nothing can be any more heartbreaking than having these people come out here with the determination to catch these fish, you get them all the way up to the boat, and then all of a sudden, you know, a 300-pound bull shark just crushes it and rips it in half,” Pouncey said.

Read the full article at WEAR

FLORIDA: Increased launch cadence impacts commercial fishermen on Space Coast

August 7, 2025 — Florida’s Space Coast is closing in on 70 launches this year, with more than 100 expected by year’s end. But what’s a boom for the space industry is creating new concerns for commercial fishermen.

Bob Zales, the Executive Director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association told us, the Coast Guard issues a restriction on navigation for the area where the launch is going to take place. He added, “ generally that restricted area comes into play several hours before the launch is scheduled.”

Those restricted zones impact everyone on the water — from cruise ships to charter boats. Capt. Joey Spoerle with Canaveral Kings Sport Fishing Charters said, “When there’s 15, 20, 25 launches a year, not a big deal.

Read the full article at WFTV