January 11, 2021 — A bookkeeper who embezzled nearly USD 600,000 (EUR 493,204) from her former employer, a New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based fishing and seafood processing company, will spend up to three years in prison under a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors.
The company Howland embezzled from went unnamed in court papers and the news release. However, online searches associate her with M & B Sea Products Inc. of New Bedford.
January 8, 2021 — In 2017, Carlos Rafael was sentenced to nearly four years in prison, fined $3 million, and prohibited from ever returning to his job, all because of one thing: fish. Specifically, 800,000 pounds of mislabeled fish.
The fishing magnate, perhaps better known as the “Codfather,” had been caught illegally overfishing American plaice and selling it as haddock in order to avoid paying for larger quotas. Estimated to have caught 10% of the entire annual catch limit, Rafael had done significant damage to the plaice population by the time he was arrested.
Illegal practices like Rafael’s that threaten to endanger or overexploit marine life aren’t entirely uncommon.
As a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) points out, mislabelling doesn’t only mean the wrong species’ name appearing on the wrapper. Information about the seafood’s geographical origin and whether or not it was farmed or wild can also be misrepresented, undermining consumers’ ability to buy from well-managed and sustainable fisheries.
January 7, 2021 — Federal legislation to help mobilize the next generation of commercial fishermen cleared its final hurdle this week, creating a national grant program to identify and train young fishermen in Gloucester and beyond.
The bill, co-authored in the House by Rep. Seth Moulton and signed into law Tuesday by President Donald Trump, addresses the succession void that many traditional fisheries are experiencing as the pipeline of entry-level crew and prospective captains has dried up.
The new law provides $2 million in funding to distribute grants of up to $200,000 to support and enhance local and regional training, education and technology development for entry-level commercial fishermen.
“This important new law creates opportunities that will foster young and beginning fishermen with the education, training, and mentorship needed to overcome the steep financial costs of entering the fishing fleet, allowing them to compete within the industry while fishing in a sustainable manner,” said Robert C. Vandermark, executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network.
The legislation had significant bipartisan support in the House and the Senate from representatives of fishing communities throughout the United States, from Cape Ann to Alaska. The Senate passed its version first, with the House following suit in December before the two bills were reconciled.
January 6, 2021 — A Massachusetts delegation led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives William R. Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-08) supported the inclusion of $300 million in national fisheries disaster assistance as part of the $900 billion coronavirus relief legislation.
In the last COVID relief package, the state received 28 million in fisheries assistance via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act.
January 5, 2021 — Lawmakers representing the U.S. state of Massachusetts said on Monday, 4 January, they were thankful the USD 900 billion (EUR 732 billion) COVID relief bill – passed late last month and signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump – will include a second round of emergency funding for fisheries.
The latest spending plan sets aside USD 300 million (EUR 244 million) in relief funding for fishermen and others in the industry affected by the pandemic. That matches the amount Congress approved via the CARES Act last spring.
January 5, 2021 — The federal government has announced a new slow speed zone designed to protect right whales off New England until the middle of January.
The zone is located south of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and it will be in effect until Jan. 15. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said acoustic gear detected the whales on Dec. 31.
Mariners are asked to go 10 knots or less in the area or avoid it completely. The whales are vulnerable to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. They number only about 360 in the world.
January 4, 2020 — To protect North Atlantic right whales, regulators want to expand an annual three-month ban on the use of lobstering equipment off Cape Cod Bay to include all Massachusetts waters.
Since 2015, federal regulations have banned the use of lobstering equipment from Feb. 1 until at least April 30 off Cape Cod Bay and beyond, shutting down the local industry for the winter. The goal is to reduce the chances of whales becoming entangled in the gear.
Right whales are common in Cape Cod Bay during late winter and early spring, especially during March and April.
January 4, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.):
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives William R. Keating (MA-09) and Seth Moulton (MA-08) joined in expressing support for the inclusion of $300 million in national fisheries disaster assistance as part of the $900 billion coronavirus relief legislation that passed at the end of the year. Massachusetts has previously been allocated $28 million in fisheries assistance in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act funding.
“The Massachusetts fishing and seafood industries aren’t just part of the Bay State’s historic and cultural heritage—they are vital contributors to our working waterfronts and coastal economy,” said the Massachusetts lawmakers.“These industries have been severely impacted by the pandemic and economic crisis and deserve to be included in relief efforts. We will continue to fight for this funding to be distributed swiftly and equitably to Massachusetts businesses and then supplanted with the additional support that the fishing and seafood industries need.”
Massachusetts lawmakers, led by Senators Markey and Warren, have championed the allocation of financial aid to fishery participants. In March 2020, Senators Markey and Warren, and Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan called on Senate leadership to include support for the fishing industry in coronavirus economic relief packages. and secured a $20 million USDA procurement of Atlantic seafood. Also in March 2020, Reps. Keating, Richard Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08) called on House leadership to include fishing disaster assistance in relief packages. In April 2020, Senators Markey and Warren led a letter urging the Department of Commerce and NOAA to act swiftly, equitably, and transparently in allocating fisheries disaster assistance funding. Also in April, Senators Markey and Warren led a letter demanding immediate release of federal guidance on how fishery participants could access the $300 million in CARES Act funds, and identifying bureaucratic inefficiencies that were behind the failure to issue this guidance in a timely manner. In June 2020, Senators Markey and Warren called on Senate leadership to include additional fisheries assistance in the next coronavirus relief package.
January 4, 2021 — Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Stavis Seafoods has promoted its vice president of sales, David Lancaster, to company president.
In his new position, Lancaster will be responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the company, according to Enrique Garcia, the owner of Vigo, Spain-based Profand Fishing Holding, which acquired Stavis Seafoods through subsidiary IMV in January 2018. Garcia said Lancaster “will also be charged with executing the company’s growth strategy by driving sales, increasing operational and purchasing efficiencies and execution, expanding our brand across multiple channels, and growing our retail and national account customer base and product capabilities.”
January 4, 2021 — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:
While 2020 has been an unexpectedly challenging year, the Fishing Heritage Center is excitedly looking ahead to 2021. This coming June will mark the Center’s five year anniversary! Over these past five years, we have welcomed thousands of visitors, hosted hundreds of local students, recorded dozens of oral history interviews, created numerous exhibits, and hosted a wide variety of educational programs. We look forward to celebrating these past five years with our community this coming summer.
This year the Center will open its new, permanent exhibit, More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Commercial Fishing Industry. This exhibit will feature a replica working deck, scallop dredge, galley table, bunks, historic images and footage, and more than sixty audio clips sharing the many voices of the fishing community. The new exhibit will provide visitors with an introduction to the workings of the fishing industry as well as explore themes including labor history, immigration, sustainability, and the changing nature of work and community.
In order to install this new exhibit, the Fishing Heritage Center will be closed to the public in January and February 2021. If you’re interested in scheduling a private visit during these months, please email info@fishingheritagecenter.org. While we are closed to visitors, we will continue offering virtual programs and events. See our online calendar for a regularly updated list of virtual programs. Additionally, you can explore our online digital exhibits by clicking here. We can’t wait to welcome you back in the spring to explore our new, permanent exhibit!
In addition to our new exhibit, many of our programs for this coming year will focus on the various roles women play in the fishing industry. Stay up to date with our online calendar as we announce upcoming lectures, concerts, and documentaries that center the voices of women. You can view our online calendar by clicking here.
If you have any questions about the Center’s closure, upcoming programs, or exhibits, please contact Hannah at programs@fishingheritagecenter.org.