Saving Seafood

New Bedford scallop business celebrating 30-year anniversary in Boston

March 6, 2018 — Fresh and frozen scallop processor and distributor Northern Wind is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2018, a testament to the fortitude of the fast-growing business, according to a recent company announcement.

Based out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Northern Wind was founded in 1987 by Ken Melanson and Michael Fernandes and has since established itself as one the fastest growing seafood processing and distribution companies in the United States. The company sells scallops and seafood to customers worldwide and prides itself as a leading provider of “the freshest seafood products that have been responsibly harvested using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.”

The last three decades have seen Northern Wind build strong relationships throughout New England and around the globe, and have helped the company embrace its identity as a top direct-off loader, processor and distributor of fresh and frozen scallops, said Melanson, founder and chairman of the company.

“Over the last 30 years, Northern Wind has not only remained strong throughout many economic ups and downs, but we’ve grown the business and we now serve well over 500 customers across the globe,” Melanson said. “First, our expertise at delivering top quality, responsibly sourced and sustainable scallops and fresh seafood is paramount in our success. Secondly, is our employee’s hard work and dedication to providing superior customer service which has enabled us to attract and retain hundreds of loyal customers.”

Northern Wind deals in fresh and frozen scallops as well as Ahi tuna, North Atlantic lobster, monkfish, headfish, skate and value-added seafood offerings. The business’s 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility is certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce Seafood Inspection Program for packing of USDC Grade A fresh and frozen scallops, and also bears stamps of approval from the Marine Stewardship Council and BRC.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Gov. Charlie Baker, Massachusetts congressional delegation asks Trump administration to scrap offshore drilling plan

March 1, 2018 — Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and all 11 members of the state’s congressional delegation urged the Trump administration this week to back away from its plan to open new areas off the United States’ East Coast to oil and gas drilling.

Baker, a Republican, joined Massachusetts congressional Democrats in calling on Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to not include Massachusetts waters in the administration’s five-year drilling plan, which seeks to open areas from Florida to Maine for oil and gas exploration purposes, in a Tuesday letter.

Noting that the North Atlantic has largely not been eligible for oil and gas drilling for more than 30 years, Baker and Massachusetts congressional lawmakers said they “unequivocally” oppose efforts to open the area up for such exploration, as proposed in the administration’s National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing program for 2019 to 2024.

The lawmakers stressed that the Outer Continental Shelf’s resources and uses “are critically important to the health and well-being of Massachusetts;” support local, state and national economies; and “are intrinsic to the social fabric and heritage of our coastal communities.”

Baker and the Massachusetts congressional delegation offered, for example, that the state’s marine economy generated a total economic impact of more than $17.3 billion in output in 2015. That included revenue from tourism, marine trades and the fishing and seafood sectors, the lawmakers said.

The Port of New Bedford, they added, “continues to be the number one port in the U.S. for landings value, while Massachusetts ranks third in the nation for fisheries landings values and fifth for volume.”

Beyond the economic impact, Baker and Massachusetts lawmakers argued that the waters of the state’s coast are a vital habitat for endangered marine species and have significant potential for sustainable renewable energy, like wind power.

Read the full story at MassLive

 

NOAA leader looks to cultivate culture of collaboration

March 1, 2018 — As debuts go, Mike Pentony’s first day on the job as the regional director for NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office was a corker.

The federal government marked his ascension on Jan. 22 as only the federal government can — shutting down all but the most essential government services as a consequence of the usual congressional mumbley-peg.

“My first action was to come in and proceed with the orderly shutdown of government operations,” Pentony said recently during an interview in the corner office on the uppermost floor of GARFO headquarters in Gloucester’s Blackburn Industrial Park.

The respite was short-lived. The shutdown lasted a day. When it was over, the 53-year-old Pentony began his new job in earnest as the leader of the regional agency that manages some of the most historically productive — and at times contentious — fisheries in the United States.

It is, as his successor John K. Bullard would attest, a monumental task, working on a canvas that stretches geographically along the Eastern seaboard from Maine to North Carolina and west to the Great Lakes.

But the geographical sweep pales in comparison to the scope and density of the regulations Pentony is charged with enforcing.

There is the crisis of cod in the Gulf of Maine, the alarming demise of the North Atlantic right whales, the malfeasance of cheaters such as New Bedford fishing kingpin Carlos Rafael and a myriad of other issues that affect every fishing community within his purview.

There is incessant wrangling over habitat protections, the usual tug-of-war between environmentalists and conservationists on one side and fishermen on the other. It is a drama with a disparate cast of characters and Pentony is convinced the only way to address extraordinarily intricate problems — usually requiring even more intricate responses — is by forging a collaborative spirit.

“I want to try to develop a culture, not just within GARFO and the agency, but within the region, both mid-Atlantic and New England, where we’re all partners with a collective goal of healthy fisheries and healthy fishing communities.” Pentony said. “The problems and challenges are so huge that we’re only stronger if we’re working together.”

He also understands, given the varying degrees of conflict that exist among fisheries stakeholders, that achieving that collaboration will be far more difficult than contemplating its benefits.

“There’s always going to be people that find it easier to stand outside the circle and throw stones than to get inside the circle and work,” Pentony said. “If they stand outside the circle and just shout about how everything is wrong, that generally doesn’t do much to solve the problem.”

Campaign of engagement

Pentony served under Bullard as assistant regional administrator for sustainable fisheries starting in 2014. He was asked what advice his predecessor gave him.

“He told me there are a lot of people cheering and hoping for your success,” Pentony said. “Not just me personally, but if I’m successful, then the regional office can be successful and the agency can be successful. And if you tie that success to our mission, then our success would mean healthy, sustainable fisheries, healthy and sustainable resources and healthy and sustainable fishing communities.”

Pentony made his fishery management bones as a staff member at the New England Fishery Management Council prior to joining NOAA Fisheries in 2002. That experience, he said, instilled in him a solid faith in the ability of the council system to ultimately arrive at the best decision once all implications are considered.

“I’ve been involved with the council process for 20 years,” Pentony said. “It’s not perfect. But I have a ton of respect for the work and effort council members put into being informed and working through what I think is unique in the federal regulatory process. We have this incredibly unique process that engages stakeholders.”

Pentony didn’t even wait for his first official day in the big chair to begin his own campaign of engagement.

The Friday before his official starting date, he traveled to the Yankee Fishermen’s Cooperative in Seabrook, New Hampshire, to meet with David Goethel — a frequent critic of NOAA Fisheries — and other New Hampshire fishermen to give them a sense of how he plans to approach the job.

Later that day, he had lunch in Gloucester with Vito Giacalone and Jackie Odell of the Northeast Seafood Coalition. He’s also traveled to Maine to breakfast with Maggie Raymond of the Associated Fisheries of Maine and met with New Jersey fishing companies and processors while in the Garden State on personal business.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

 

Massachusetts: NOAA’s ban suffocating shoreside industry in New Bedford

March 1, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The hits keep coming from NOAA’s groundfishing ban with financial losses spreading to businesses that support New Bedford’s fishing fleet.

“No one ever really paid attention to our shoreside businesses,” manager of Reidar’s Trawl Gear and Marine Supply Tor Bendiksen said. “We’re the last of the group. We all remember when there was companies like ours up and down this entire coast. The only reason that we’ve all survived in New Bedford is because we had not only groundfishing but we have the scallop industry to support us. But this one little incident with how important groundfish is has put us all to our knees.”

It’s been three months since NOAA installed a groundfishing ban on Sector IX, which halted operations of about 80 fishermen.

Though, the collateral damage of the ban extends beyond fishermen.

Virginia Martins, the president of Sector IX, also is the president of Bay Fuel, which has sold more than 1 million fewer gallons of gas this year compared to past sales.

John Reardon, also a board member and general manager at Hercules SLR, said sales of safety marine equipment is down 50 percent since the ban.

Bendiksen, a Sector IX board member, said sales at Reidar’s are down 30 percent. Reidar’s, which employs 14 people, manufactures fishing nets. In the past, a fisherman’s net would be in his shop at least once a week. Since November, they’ve done three total.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Massachusetts: Senate candidate Geoff Diehl talks with SouthCoast fishing industry

February 28, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Geoff Diehl cruised around the Port of New Bedford in an RV Tuesday that maneuvered in and out of small entrances and exits. The red, white, and blue mobile home featured the slogan of the Republican U.S. Senate candidate, “The Real Diehl,” as he looked to learn the reality of the fishing industry in the area.

“If I’m going to be voting on any legislation that affects any industry,” Diehl said, “I better darn well be listening to the people who work in that field.”

Diehl made four stops in the area, which began with Mayor Jon Mitchell and concluded with a meeting with three members on the board of Sector 9 as well as the sector’s lawyer.

He spoke with the sector for more than a half hour as the members provided details of ban installed by NOAA that’s prevented about 80 fishermen from groundfishing since November.

“This thing that happened here showed how tragic it is for the support businesses,” Tor Bendiksen, manager of Reidar’s Trawl Gear and Marine Supply, said.

Diehl questioned what incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Warren has done to facilitate discussions between NOAA. The sector said it’s only met with U.S Rep. Bill Keating’s office, while it’s incurred challenges trying to meet with the Warren and Sen. Ed Markey.

“This is one of the most important industries in Massachusetts,” Diehl said before promising to look into the issue immediately.

Following Diehl’s meeting with Mitchell, the current state representative serving Plymouth’s 7th District stopped at New England Marine Engineering and Supply Inc. There, he spoke with President Paul Nosworthy, who emphasized that fishermen aren’t destroying the ocean.

“They’re blaming it all on the fishermen,” Nosworthy said. “But when you stop and you think about what the chemical companies and the sewer treatment guys, what they’re putting in the ocean is killing, literally killing (marine life).”

From North Front Street in New Bedford, Diehl crossed the the port and even waited in a bridge closure delay before discussing commercial fishing with Patrick Hughes II at Blue Harvest Fisheries in Fairhaven.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Bipartisan Legislation Seeks Sustainable Growth for Fishing and Farming $50 Million Bond Bill to Support Local Food Production

February 26, 2018 — BOSTON — The following was released by the Office of Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr:

With an eye toward supporting two major food producing industries, Senator Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester), has authored a bill intended to stimulate research and development, innovation, and energy efficiencies to support and strengthen expand fishing and farming in Massachusetts.

The bill creates two innovation funds, one for fishing the other for agriculture, and each is  designed to foster economic growth and sustainability by prioritizing the awarding of grants and technical assistance for; fuel efficiency, carbon emission reductions, sustainable practices, safety equipment, research and development, and food processing.

Designed to accelerate the direct application of recent advances in technology, food processing techniques, and changing market condition, the bill establishes funding mechanisms which will distribute grants to support farming and commercial fisheries.

“From Cape Ann to Cape Cod and from Boston to the Berkshires we are experiencing a rise in interest in conserving and protecting our natural resources, yet the people responding to that interest need our help.  By carefully targeting state funds we can help those traditional local business to survive while creating sustainable environments for them to grow,”said Tarr.

“Hardworking fishermen and farmers have played a pivotal role in our economy for generations,” said Rules Chairman Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford).  “I am pleased to join Senator Tarr on this bipartisan legislation to better support our local fishing and agricultural industries so that they may continue to strengthen our economy in the face of increasing pressure and burdensome regulations.”

“Farmers and fishermen have been the backbone of our agricultural economy here in Massachusetts for centuries,” said Senator Gobi (D-Spencer), Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “With this funding and further technological enhancement across these industries we can ensure that our producers stay ahead of the curve while maintaining a sustainable level of growth and development.”

Each fund will be supported by an advisory committee appointed by the Governor and comprised of experts and industry leaders from diverse perspectives and geographic locations.  The commercial fishing advisory committee will include experts in marine sciences and will include representatives who fish with different gear types including trawls, hooks, gillnets, and traps; the panel will be led by the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries.

“This legislation is a light at the end of the tunnel, “said Angela Sanfilippo President of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association, a non- profit organization which promotes New England fishing industry. “Fishing is difficult, there are so many regulations and it’s tough to stay afloat and keep the boats and keep the infrastructure up to date. We need to revitalize our infrastructure that’s in place now and this bill will help us to do that and be ready as fishing regulation will allow us to catch more fish for consumers to keep them healthy.”

The Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources will chair a 13 member panel of farmers representing horticulture, crop raising, cranberry growing, dairy farming, and the livestock raising sectors of the state, under provisions of the bill.

“Agriculture changes over time and is continually faced with new challenges,” said Ed Davidian, President of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau.  “The funding proposed by Senator Tarr in this bill will help ensure that Massachusetts farmers remain leaders in innovation, and can continue to provide fresh, healthy food to the people of the Commonwealth.

“As the Commonwealth seeks to develop, incentivize and grow new industries, it cannot turn its back on the traditional economic foundations of our society. In working to create jobs in emerging technologies, we cannot abandon those who have worked the land and the sea for generations,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D- Gloucester).  “This bill seeks to guarantee the Commonwealth’s prominence as a leader in a diversified economy, respecting the labors of all its citizens.”

“We lead the nation in public and private marine research and our contributions to the country’s agricultural heritage are renowned; it’s vital that we support these industries, which go all the way back to our colonial history,” said Tarr.  “Farmers and fishermen work hard, we should support them with capital and by connecting them with resources to help them prosper and grow.”

According to a report by UMass Dartmouth, the state’s maritime economy is responsible for more than 90,000 jobs.  The report points to the need for infrastructure improvement to expand capacity and growth.  With 2,000 miles of coastline, annual sales of fish and other seafood in Massachusetts top more than $2 Billion.

The state also claims more than 8,000 farms which generate more than 16,000 jobs.  Agricultural activity ranging from dairy farming, cranberry growing, fruit and vegetable farming, and raising livestock and poultry take place over hundreds of thousands of acres requiring vast resources to operate efficiently and effectively.

The bill was filed today in the Senate with bipartisan support.

More from Senator Tarr is available here.

 

New Bedford Standard-Times: Building trust with fishermen is key for wind energy companies

February 26, 2018 — There’s a lot of buzz in New Bedford these days about the offshore wind industry — and for good reason.

Blowing in with the massive turbines will be the promise of good-paying jobs; new activity along the waterfront; and even the prospect that SouthCoast could become a training center for those interested in offshore wind careers.

Indeed, New Bedford could once again become the city that lights the world (or at least much of Massachusetts) with clean, renewable energy.

Amid the hubbub, however, we can’t lose track of the industry that has made New Bedford the most lucrative seafood port in the nation for 17 years in a row. The city’s hard-working fishermen — beset by changing regulations, dwindling catches, competition from foreign fleets and the ever-present hardship of storm-tossed seas — must be given serious consideration in any changes that could affect the waters where they ply their trade.

If both industries are to thrive together in the marine economy, they must communicate openly in the months and years ahead.

At a Feb. 12 meeting with wind energy developers, some members of the fishing community expressed frustration that little progress has been made to date.

But “it’s not too late,” noted David Pierce of the state Division of Marine Fisheries. And thankfully, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has structured its wind application process to give fishermen a voice.

Each company bidding for a wind-energy contract must have a representative to the fishing industry, as well as a fisheries liaison. The fisheries liaison for DeepWater Wind, for instance, is longtime fisherman Rodney Avila, while the city’s Harbor Development Commission is acting as the company’s fishing representative.

HDC Director Edward C. Anthes-Washburn explained the importance of keeping fishermen engaged. There are legitimate concerns, he said, and “we’re committed to making sure they (fishermen) understand what’s happening.”

Anthes-Washburn admitted such details as precise turbine locations have been scarce, but much more information will be forthcoming throughout the design phase. And fishermen will need to make their concerns known before construction, he said.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Massachusetts: Post-Rafael, New Bedford fishing industry looks to move forward

February 22, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — For perhaps the first time, at least publicly, fishermen on Carlos Rafael vessels sat in the same room Wednesday as John Bullard, the former regional administrator for NOAA, who implemented a groundfishing ban for those vessels.

Bullard, wearing a blue NOAA jacket, sat in front of a four-person panel brought together by Rhode Island Public Radio. The fishermen, wearing baseball caps and New Bedford Ship Supply sweatshirts, sat to the left of the panel, which discussed fishing in New Bedford after Carlos Rafael at Star Store.

“It’s an issue that’s near and dear to my heart, not just because I was the regional administrator of NOAA Fisheries to close the sector, but I care about this,” Bullard said. “This is my hometown.”

Bullard, now retired from NOAA, declined to comment specifically on the groundfishing ban, which went into effect in November.

However, Cassie Canastra, marketing director of BASE seafood, and Dan Georgianna, economist and professor emeritus at SMAST, are each on the board of the fishing division that’s affected by the ban. They said Sector IX plans to meet with Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office to propose a new operational plan. If approved, it would end the ban, however, Canastra said no date for a meeting has been determined.

Neither offered more insight into negotiations to end the ban.

Canastra and Georgianna were joined by Laura Ramsden, co-owner of Foley Fish, and John Quinn, chairman of the New England Fishery Management Council, offered a smorgasbord of insight regarding fishing in New Bedford.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Sea Star crew thanks Coast Guard for rescue

February 21, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The fishermen aboard the vessel Sea Star, which sank last week, expressed their appreciation Tuesday to those who rescued them as they returned to work.

Chad Maguire, the managing member of Old Testament Fisheries, sent his “sincere and very heartfelt thanks” to the Coast Guard through a news release.

“Without the outstanding response by these brave Coast Guard men and women, the crew of the Sea Star may have had a much different experience,” the release said.

Aircrews from an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and HC-144 Ocean Sentry arrived about 18 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard to find the Sea Star taking on water on Feb. 15.

The Coast Guard ordered the four fishermen to abandon and a rescue swimmer pulled each person up to the helicopter.

“Old Testament Fisheries is elated that the crew were quickly and safely reunited with their families,” the release said. “It is clear the significant impact that the crew’s drills instruction training played in their successful rescue.”

Atlantic Capes Fisheries owns the Sea Star through which it charted it to Old Testament Fisheries. A spokesperson for Old Testament Fisheries said it’s a common practice for companies to finance vessels acting as a bank for fishermen.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

 

Don Cuddy: SMAST codfish counting innovation looks promising

February 20, 2018 — Last December the New England Fishery Management Council voted to increase the amount of cod available to commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Maine by 39 percent for the 2018 fishing year.

This is welcome news. New England fishermen have endured some lean years since 2013 when the cod quota was slashed by 78 percent after new data incorporated into the 2011 assessment indicated that the stock was lower than previously estimated — obviously a great deal lower.

Estimating how many codfish might be out there at any given time is the greatest challenge facing fishery managers and the numbers have been the subject of much controversy, with fishermen continually decrying the “best available science” as inadequate.

The quest for better fisheries data has been receiving invaluable assistance from SMAST here in New Bedford.

UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology has developed a groundfish sampling survey using video technology. A deep sea camera, with lights, is mounted inside the net on a commercial fishing vessel and provides a live feed to the wheelhouse while towing. At the same time, four GoPro cameras in the net capture and record images of every fish passing through. The cod end of the net is left open, allowing the fish to swim away unscathed — a huge bonus — and without the necessity to haul the net back, a much larger area can be swept on each tow. During the survey, a small number of tows were also made with the net closed to verify the video data.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times