Saving Seafood

MAINE: Officials identify fisherman whose body was recovered off Waldoboro

June 10, 2021 — The state has identified the 34-year-old fisherman whose body was recovered Tuesday morning following an all-night search by federal, state and local crews in the waters off Waldoboro.

The Maine Marine Patrol reported Wednesday morning that James Guptill was the man whose body was recovered at about 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. His body was found about a half mile from where other local fishermen found an empty skiff, aground and unoccupied, on Monday evening near Havener Point.

Guptill held a commercial shellfish harvester license as well as a non-commercial lobster license.

His body was taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta for an autopsy.

Maine Department of Marine Resources spokesman Jeff Nichols said the search was along the Medomak River where the boat was found.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Fishermen who died at sea remembered, as investigation continues

January 30, 2020 — The community is mourning the loss of a local fisherman and his crew member, while the U.S. Coast Guard continues to investigate the cause of their deaths at sea.

The Maine Marine Patrol identified Capt. Arnold “Joe” Nickerson IV, 60, of Arundel, and crew member Chris Pinkham, 44, of Boothbay Harbor, as the two fishermen who were pulled unresponsive from the ocean Jan. 23 after the Coast Guard received an emergency alert.

The two men and their boat, the Hayley Ann, a 42-foot ground fishing vessel based out of Kennebunkport, were located near Cashes Ledge, about 70 miles off the shore of Portland, according to Maine Marine Patrol spokesperson Jeff Nichols.

After the alert, an airplane responded, and its crew spotted the sinking vessel and a life raft floating nearby, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Zachary Hupp.

About half an hour later, two Coast Guard helicopters also arrived. A rescue swimmer, lowered to the water from one of the aircrafts, confirmed that the life raft was empty, according to Hupp. The swimmer also confirmed that there were two people in the water, both unresponsive and floating face-down.

The Coast Guard contacted a nearby fishing vessel, the Ella Christine, and its crew diverted to the scene and assisted in recovering the two fisherman.

Read the full story at SeaCoast Online

Maine fishermen who died after boat sank identified

January 27, 2020 — The Maine Marine Patrol has identified the two fishermen who died Thursday after their boat sank.

Officials say 60-year-old Captain Joe Nickerson, of Arundel, and his crew member 44-year-old Chris Pinkham, of Boothbay Harbor, were pulled from the water about 50 miles off the coast of Portland on Thursday.

The U.S. Coast Guard says a distress radio signal was sent out around 12:30 p.m. from a boat called the “Hayley Ann.”

The Coast Guard spotted an empty life raft and the Hayley Ann sinking.

Read the full story at WGME

3 charged with breaking herring fishing laws in Maine

September 20, 2019 — The Maine Marine Patrol says it has cited three men for violating laws designed to protect an economically important species of fish.

The laws protect Atlantic herring, a bait fish that has been the subject of deep fishing quota cuts in recent years. The marine patrol says it has charged fishing boat captain Glenn Robbins of Eliot with exceeding the weekly limit of 160,000 pounds of herring and failing to file accurate reports.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

A new job for Maine law enforcement: Supervising the packing of baby eels

March 8, 2019 — New controls are coming to Maine’s valuable baby eel fishery this season.

A state panel approved new requirements for the exportation of baby eels, called elvers, on Wednesday. The Maine Department of Marine Resources wants to add a requirement that baby eel exporters notify the Maine Marine Patrol 48 hours before preparing to pack and ship the eels. The officer will then witness the packing.

The new rule’s designed to deter illegal sales of the valuable fish. Elvers are almost always worth more than $1,000 per pound at docks. They’re then sold to Asian aquaculture companies so they can raised to maturity for use as food.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

MAINE: Vote Coming Soon on New Rule to Prevent Baby Eel Poaching

March 4, 2019 — A state committee is scheduled to make a decision this week about whether to tighten controls in the Maine baby eel fishery to prevent poaching.

Baby eels are one of Maine’s most valuable marine resources. They almost always sell for more than $1,000 per pound to dealers. The Maine Department of Marine Resources wants to add a requirement that baby eel exporters in the state notify the Maine Marine Patrol 48 hours before preparing to pack and ship the eels.

The DMR Advisory Council is expected to vote on the proposal on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Augusta.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at U.S. News

Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund grant improves Marine Patrol surveillance abilities

November 2, 2018 — AUGUSTA — With a $3,200 grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and matching funds of $2,339.50 from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Maine Marine Patrol has purchased binoculars that will improve officers’ ability to conduct surveillance for enforcement and search and rescue.

The new 14×40 Fujinon Image Stabilization binoculars have been distributed to the Marine Patrol’s fleet of large patrol vessels throughout the state, replacing previous models that had only 7x magnification.

“The enhanced magnification allows Marine Patrol officers to survey more area in greater detail,” said Marine Patrol Colonel Jon Cornish. “This is especially important as more fishing activity is moving farther offshore.

Read the full article on Bangor Daily News

MAINE: Woman’s Body Recovered Off Shore of Biddeford Pool

August 28, 2017 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine State Police/Marine Patrol Dive Team has recovered the body of a woman who was on-board a recreational fishing boat today approximately 10 miles off Biddeford Pool.

The woman was among four people fishing when their 21 foot boat was capsized by a wave at approximately 10:30 a.m. Three of the people were rescued by a good samaritan who heard a hand gun fired by one of the occupants of the boat as a distress call.

A search was begun in the vicinity of the boat as soon as it was determined that one of the party was missing.

Involved in the search were the Maine Marine Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Scarborough Fire Department, the Biddeford Pool Police Department, and the Saco Fire Department. Several private citizens also took part in the search.

No one on the boat was wearing a life jacket, according to the Maine Marine Patrol.

The woman’s body was recovered at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Names of the deceased and survivors are being withheld until notification of next of kin.

Maine Marine Patrol to Focus on Boating Under the Influence

June 29, 2017 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Marine Patrol will be on heightened alert for those violating Maine’s boating under the influence laws during the national Operation Drywater weekend, June 30-July 2.

Operation Dry Water is a national awareness and enforcement campaign coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) that focuses on deterring boaters from boating under the influence (BUI) of drugs or alcohol.

“Marine Patrol Officers will be conducting patrols on Maine’s coastal waters from Kittery to the Canadian border focused on boaters who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Maine Marine Patrol Major Rene Cloutier.

“They will also be taking every opportunity possible to provide information on safe boating practices and the importance of wearing life jackets.” According to US Coast Guard statistics, 83 percent of drowning victims in 2016 were not wearing a life jacket.

Nationally, alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. According to the US Coast Guard, in 2016, where the primary cause was known, alcohol use was the leading factor in 15 percent of boater deaths.

“Boating under the influence is a 100 percent preventable crime,” said Major Cloutier. “The Maine Marine Patrol strongly encourages boaters to stay safe by staying sober while boating.”

“Environmental stressors such as wind, noise, and the movement of the boat while on the water intensify the effects of alcohol or drug use on an individual while boating. Boaters can become impaired more quickly on the water than on land.”

Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher is against the law in Maine. BUI laws pertain to all vessels, from canoes and rowboats to the largest ships.

In 2016, 538 local, state, and federal agencies participated in Operation Drywater. Over the three days law enforcement officers contacted 131,054 boaters, made 367 BUI arrests, and issued 18,659 citations and warnings for safety violations.

In 2016 the Maine Marine Patrol participated in Operation Drywater details in the Saco River, Portland Harbor, the Sheepscot, Kennebec, St. George, and Penobscot Rivers, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Swan’s Island, Frenchboro, and Bass Harbor.  A total of 115 boats were checked with 305 people on board.

“Fortunately we didn’t have to remove anyone from the water for BUI,” said Major Cloutier. “But it provided us with an opportunity to communicate with a lot of people about the importance of boating sober and safely.”

For more information on Operation Dry Water, please visit operationdrywater.org.

Maine Marine Patrol Searching Penobscot River after Report of Abandoned Vehicle on Bridge

June 22, 2017 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Marine Patrol this morning is searching the waters beneath the Penobscot Narrows Bridge after a report of an abandoned vehicle on the bridge.

The Marine Patrol received the report at approximately 6:00 am this morning and began searching shortly after 7:00 am. The report indicated that the vehicle was discovered at approximately 3:30 am.

The State Police is investigating this incident.