New Bedford Archives - Page 83 of 113

Carlos Rafael files motion of opposition to forfeiture

August 21, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Carlos Rafael filed a court motion Monday opposing the government’s motion for preliminary order of forfeiture.

The New Bedford fishing heavyweight made the request in light of “ongoing discussions” regarding the vessels and permits associated with the guilty plea he made four and half months ago.

Rafael pleaded guilty to falsifying labels and fish identification, cash smuggling and tax evasion on March 30. In the plea agreement, Rafael admitted the vessels listed in the indictment were subject to forfeiture. The agreement reserved Rafael the right to challenge the forfeitures.

Rafael took advantage of that right, citing the excessive fines clause of the Eighth Amendment and saying an order of forfeiture may not be required. The motion requested any hearing associated with forfeitures be held as needed during sentencing on Sept. 25 and 26.

“The parties have been discussing possible resolutions of the forfeiture issues that may obviate the need for briefing and hearings on those issues,” Rafael’s motion stated.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Stock assessment meeting erupts into lively talk between NOAA, fishermen

August 17, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Diagrams, life-like statues and pictures fill the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center to depict the history and future of the industry.

NOAA scientists and local fishermen filled the small building on Bethel Street on Wednesday night to discuss future stock assessments. The meeting, though, told another aspect in the story of the Port of New Bedford: the decades old tension that continues to exist between the groups.

“We all have to pull in the same direction,” Executive Director of New Bedford Seafood Consulting Jim Kendall said.

Instead a powerpoint presentation listing stock limits led to a discussion, which evolved into an argument and ended with two fishermen abruptly leaving. Russ Brown, director of the Population Dynamics Branch of NOAA, ended his presentation to meet with the fishermen outside. They spoke outside for 20 minutes before parting ways with a semblance of mutual respect.

“What we need to do is find common themes,” Brown said. “I’m a scientist. We want to find common themes within the science where we have questions and the industry has questions, and we can basically collaborate and pull in the same direction.”

Most of the discussion revolved around the methods in which NOAA is acquiring its data. Fishermen in attendance questioned the methods used by scientists to count groundfish. They also pointed out that years to correct a data point is too much time for an industry that continues to shrink.

“We understand that the management is affecting people and is having some serious consequences for our stakeholders who are depending on the resources,” Brown said. “We care about that, and we want to make sure the science is as accurate as it can be.”

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Fishing vessel sinks in New Bedford Harbor

August 17, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The fishing vessel Challenge sank early Wednesday on city’s waterfront, officials said.

The fuel spill spread about 1.5 miles into Fairhaven, the United States Coast Guard reported in a press release.

Fire Chief Michael Gomes said the Fire Department found the 65-foot fishing vessel had sunk by its stern and was leaking diesel fuel and lube oil into the harbor when they arrived. The Fire Department was notified about 4:30 a.m.

The captain from the tugboat Realist called Coast Guard Sector Southeastern watchstanders around 3:50 a.m., reporting the Challenge sunk at the pier and was actively discharging fuel, a press release from the Coast Guard stated.

Coast Guard crews are overseeing the fuel spill cleanup.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Access to Surfclam (Spisula solidissima) Fishing Grounds Studied by SCeMFiS Scientists in Research Survey Cruise Southeast of Nantucket Island

August 15, 2017 — BOSTON — The following was released by SCeMFiS:

The scientists of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS) recently completed a survey of the surfclam fishery area southeast of Nantucket Island to provide information regarding surfclam stock status and habitat to ensure continued resource access by local surfclam vessels. Surveys were successfully conducted in 4 days aboard the F/V Mariette sailing from New Bedford, MA.

Chris Shriver of Galilean Seafoods in Bristol, Rhode Island commented – “We believe this survey will assist the federal managers of the surfclam industry to preserve traditional surfclam fishing areas and to assist in opening new areas for the vessels to harvest surfclams so we can supply the public with sustainable and healthy clam chowders and clam strips, while protecting the marine habitat.”

Data will be reported to the SCeMFiS Industry Advisory Board at the Fall 2017 meeting in Cape May, New Jersey, with a final report by Spring 2018 and will be considered by the National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center (“NEFSC”) Survey Design Working Group at their September meeting. If necessary, reporting will be accelerated as required to provide input to the New England Fisheries Management Council (“NEFMC”) Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2 (OHA2) decision making process. Data collected from this cruise will contribute both to ongoing efforts to (1) preserve access to the local resource by the small boat surfclam fishermen, and (2) ensure a well informed and scientifically based decision by the NEFMC concerning delineation of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) area closures.

SCeMFiS scientific projects are unique in that they respond directly to the scientific needs of the fisheries managers in collaboration with the commercial fishing industry while upholding strict quality scientific standards and procedures. SCeMFiS partnerships include academia, government agencies, non-profits, trade organizations, and industry members. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) are lead academic institutions and SCeMfiS is part of the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center program. Other participating partners include Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Bumble Bee Seafoods Incorporated, Garden State Seafood Association, Intershell International Corporation, LaMonica Fine Foods, Lund’s Fisheries Incorporated, National Fisheries Institute Clam Committee, National Fisheries Institute Scientific Monitoring Committee, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Omega Protein, Seafreeze Limited, Sea Watch International, Surfside Seafood Products, and The Town Dock.

Read the release at SCeMFiS

Despite guilty plea, Carlos Rafael continues to fish

August 14, 2017 — Gloucester fisherman and vessel owner Vito Giacalone is the chairman of governmental affairs, and sits on the board of directors of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, the umbrella organization that oversees a dozen sectors, including Rafael’s. Up until 2016, Rafael was also a coalition board member.

Giacalone believed that Rafael was simply too big to be allowed to fail, that his sector worked with NOAA to enact changes — including bringing in new board members and a new enforcement committee — that allowed them to stay in business.

Rafael’s vessels control considerable groundfish quota, up to 75 percent of what New Bedford holds, according to New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, and Rafael has said he has 280 employees.

“You don’t have to be too imaginative to see that that is an enormous collateral impact as soon as that operation is stopped in its tracks,” Giacalone said, estimating that as many as 80 fishermen would be immediately out of work.

“I wish Carlos Rafael had thought about that before he did what did,” said Hank Soule, manager of the Sustainable Harvest Sector in South Berwick, Maine. “The bottom line is New Bedford is the richest port in the U.S. The loss of his groundfish boats won’t devastate the port.”

NOAA is reportedly working with Rafael’s legal team on an agreement that would have him selling off his vessels and permits and leaving fishing forever, including scallop and lobster vessels not involved in the fish smuggling scheme.

At least 13 vessels are scheduled to be forfeited to the government as part of the plea deal and Giacalone thinks NOAA may be trying to maintain the value of the assets by keeping them fishing.

“I think it would be clumsy of the sector to cause collateral damage that could be excessive to innocent third parties,” Giacalone said.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

Using Fishermen’s Ecological Knowledge to map Atlantic cod spawning grounds on Georges Bank

August 11, 2017 — The following abstract is from a research paper on Atlantic cod spawning grounds on Georges Bank. It was written by Gregory R. DeCelles, David Martins, Douglas R. Zemeckis, and Steven X. Cadrin, all from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It was published in the July-August 2017 issue of ICES Journal of Marine Science:

The spawning dynamics of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) on Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals are not well understood. To address this uncertainty, we combined Fishermen’s Ecological Knowledge (FEK) with traditional scientific data to develop a more holistic understanding of cod spawning on Georges Bank. Data from historical reports, trawl surveys, fisheries observers, and ichthyoplankton surveys were used to describe the spatial and temporal distribution of cod spawning activity. We also collected FEK regarding cod spawning dynamics through semi-structured interviews (n = 40). The fishermen had detailed knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of cod spawning, and identified persistent fine-scale (i.e. <50 km²) spawning grounds that were often associated with specific habitat features, including spawning grounds that were previously unreported in the scientific literature. The spawning seasons and locations identified by fishermen generally agreed with information from traditional scientific data, but it was evident that seasonal scientific surveys lack the spatial and temporal resolution needed to fully characterize the distribution of cod spawning activity. Our results will help inform management measures designed to promote the rebuilding of Georges Bank cod, and also provide a basis for further investigations of cod spawning dynamics and stock structure.

Read the full paper at ICES Journal of Marine Science

MASSACHUSETTS: ‘Finest Kind’ film pays tribute to New Bedford fishing industry

August 10, 2017 — The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will host the world premiere of “Finest Kind: The New Bedford Fishing Industry” Sunday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. The screening will be held at Greasy Luck Brewery, 791 Purchase St., New Bedford. Doors open at 6 p.m.

A facilitated discussion with some of those featured in the film and director Kevin Kertscher will follow. Free parking is available on the street. The venue is wheelchair-accessible. The screening is free.

A year in the making, this original documentary was produced by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. Written and directed by Kevin Kertscher of Big Ocean Media, the film interweaves interviews, historic and contemporary footage, and photographs to provide a sense of the rich history and culture of the New Bedford and Fairhaven fishing industry.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Northern Wind gets ‘fair trade’ nod for fresh scallops in Hy-Vee partnership

August 4, 2017 — New Bedford, Massachusetts scallop distributor and processor Northern Wind has received certification from non-profit Fair Trade USA for fresh scallops. The processor has placed the scallops in stores run by the midwest grocer Hy-Vee, a longtime Northern Wind customer.

The status goes a step beyond other sustainability frameworks like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to consider social and labor aspects of trade, George Kouri, the company’s co-CEO, told Undercurrent News.

Under the concept of “fair trade,” the growing conditions of products typically seen as commodities such as coffee or bananas are monitored by a third-party and assessed to higher labor and social standards than those that would otherwise occur in the market. Small-scale producers are often paid higher wages for the products, which are marketed accordingly and carry a premium price.

In the case of scallops — which have enjoyed strong pricing lately — some of the proceeds from the fair trade system will go to fund community projects, education, the Fisheries Survival Fund and other worthy efforts, Kouri said.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Announces Premiere of Film

August 1, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the world premiere of Finest Kind: The New Bedford Fishing Industry on Sunday, August 13^th at 7:00 p.m. The screening will be held at Greasy Luck Brewery located at 791 Purchase Street, New Bedford. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to purchase a meal before the screening. The film will begin at 7:00 p.m. followed by a facilitated discussion with some of those featured in the film and director Kevin Kertscher. Free parking is available on the street. The venue is wheelchair accessible. The screening is presented free of charge.

The film was made possible with funding from a Maritime Heritage Grant provided by the National Park Service. Beginning in mid-August, the film will be shown regularly at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center as well as at the National Park Visitor Center and the Waterfront Visitor Center. Copies of the film will also be made available to local libraries and schools.

The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. For more information visit www.fishingheritagecenter.org.

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center presents Nautical Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them: Portraits by Phil Mello

August 1, 2017 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the opening of Nautical Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them: Portraits by Phil Mello. An opening reception will take place on August 10, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. during AHA. The exhibit will run until October 1, 2017. During the 2015 Working Waterfront Festival’s Nautical Tattoo Contest, contestants and attendees had the opportunity to have their portraits taken by Phil Mello and the story of their tattoo recorded. This exhibit showcases these images and stories.

There is a long history of tattoos in the maritime world dating back to the age of sail. The symbolism of many images is part of the tradition for those who have a connection to the sea. More than just beautiful artistry, tattoos often hold deep meaning for those they adorn. A tattoo can be a talisman or commemorate an important event or person. It can serve as a reminder of what has been or reflect an aspiration for the future.

In the commercial fishing community, tattoos often pay tribute to family or friends lost at sea or pledge loyalty to those left on shore. Some portray real or mythical sea creatures and others illustrate a person’s character traits or work history.

The exhibit is sponsored by New Bedford Tattoo Company and is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, Community Economic Development Center, and the Working Waterfront Festival.

The Center is open Thursday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. Located at 38 Bethel Street in the heart of the National Park, the Center is wheelchair accessible with free off-street parking.