Saving Seafood

New Jersey fishing industry to receive $11 million in pandemic relief funding

October 19, 2020 — The fishing industry in New Jersey will soon receive an economic boost in the form of grant money from the state’s government, legislators announced.

New Jersey will put $11.3 million in federal fisheries relief towards commercial and recreational fishing businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Money will be provided to businesses in the form of grants using funds allocated to the state as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Fishing businesses that have seen their revenue decline by at least 35% will be able to apply, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, DEP Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe and Gov. Phil Murphy announced Thursday.

Read the full story at The Philly Voice

New Jersey puts out $11.2 million in covid-19 fishing aid

October 16, 2020 — The state of New Jersey is making $11.2 million in financial aid available to commercial and recreational fishing businesses that have seen their income plummet during the covid-19 public health emergency, Gov. Phil Murphy and state environmental commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced Thursday.

The funding is available as grants to eligible businesses that document a 35 percent loss in revenues as a result of the pandemic. As the Garden State’s share, the funding is from a $300 million allocation for fishing industries in coastal states provided by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“Fishing is an integral part of New Jersey’s identity and a critical component of our economy,” Murphy said in announcing the grants. “This grant program will help these businesses recover losses they have incurred during very difficult times. And we can all play a role in supporting New Jersey’s fishing industry by buying from local seafood suppliers and enjoying fishing through charter boat operations and bait and tackle shops.”

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Fisheries Administration will review applications and administer financial assistance to eligible business. An online application process will start Monday, October 19, 2020, through DEP’s electronic grants management system, NJDEP SAGE at https://njdepsage.intelligrants.com

Read the full story at National Fisherman

New Jersey gains CARES Act spend plan approval

October 13, 2020 — New Jersey has become the latest state to get approval for its CARES Act spend plan, opening up USD 11.1 million (EUR 9.6 million) in funds for the purpose of offsetting fishery losses from COVID-19.

Several other states have also received CARES Act spend plan approval, which was released in May. In total, USD 300 million (EUR 255.6 million) has been made available to states, territories, and tribes in the U.S. for the purpose of aiding aspects of the seafood industry in the wake of COVID-19 related losses.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

U.S. longline captain granted bail while awaiting trial in British Virgin Islands

October 5, 2020 — After more than three months behind bars, U.S. longline fishing captain Michael Foy will be released on bail in the British Virgin Islands while awaiting trial on charges of illegal fishing and illegally entering Tortola’s port, according to his family and lawyers.

“Today was his 10th court date for an alleged illegal immigration violation,” brother Joe Foy said late Friday. “There’s all kinds of paperwork to be done, but he will be out of there (Tortola jail) on Monday.”

The captain’s movements are restricted, and he is staying with a Tortola resident who authorities have accepted as Foy’s sponsor during his bonded release, said Joe Foy.

A trial is tentatively scheduled for next week – probably another remote video hearing, as BVI is under a continuing partial lockdown to control the spread of covid-19, he said. Earlier court dates have been repeatedly cancelled or postponed.

Foy, 60, of Manahawkin, N.J., was jailed June 11, initially charged with illegal entry in violation of the island’s covid-19 precautions, then hit with a charge of illegal fishing, although he had been fishing south of his home port in Puerto Rico far away from BVI waters.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Horseshoe crabs have a vital role in the development of a coronavirus vaccine. Here’s why

September 22, 2020 — Allen Burgenson had a job, his father explained as they stood on the sand.

This was Allen’s first fishing trip, but he wasn’t going to take anything from the bay. He was to return the water’s gifts to the deep, where they’d belonged for hundreds of millions of years.

If he spotted a horseshoe crab on its back, his father said as he held Allen’s hand, that meant it was in trouble and needed Allen’s help to get home. Allen just had to flip it over. Its 10 legs could make it the rest of the way back to the crashing waves.

Allen did just that on that day in 1963 in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, when he was 3 years old. That’s what he still does today. Whenever Burgenson enjoys a stroll along the East Coast, he is still a lookout for the stranded sea creature that’s unlike anything else on the planet.

In 1963, Burgenson didn’t know that inside each of those ancient animals he saved was something that would help save millions of us during his lifetime.

In 2020, the horseshoe crab is poised to assume a vital role in a drug the whole world awaits, a COVID-19 vaccine.

Read the full story at USA Today

NJ legislators call to suspend offshore wind approval

September 16, 2020 — A trio of New Jersey legislators who have promoted offshore wind energy development have called for suspending state approval of Ørsted’s Ocean Wind project, alleging the company has so far “failed to deliver” on its promises of new jobs and economic development in the state.

In a Sept. 9 letter to state utility regulators, New Jersey state Senate president Steve Sweeney and Assembly members John Burzichelli and Adam Taliaferro, all Democrats with strong ties to construction and industrial union labor, cited pledges by Ørsted to hire all union labor, provide grants to spur business owned by minorities and women, and build monopile foundations in the state.

“We are starting to speak with our colleagues throughout the Northeast about their experiences with wind energy companies, including Ørsted,” they state in the letter. “We are asking if these companies, including Ørsted, have made the same representations in other states and have equally failed to deliver.”

The state Board of Public Utilities, which in June 2019 approved use of renewable energy credits for the Ocean Wind project, should ask regulators in other states if wind developers’ economic guarantees have borne fruit yet, say the legislators, who sponsored a 2010 law requiring that wind developers provide certain economic benefits to the New Jersey economy.

“If these concerns are validated, we request that you terminate the award and immediately commence a new and more transparent process for offshore wind project applicants,” they wrote. “This is of the utmost importance given the significant amount of public money being utilized to fund this project.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman

NEW JERSEY: Offshore Wind Promised New Jobs and Economic Development. Where Are They?

September 14, 2020 — With New Jersey ramping up its efforts to develop a robust offshore wind program, new doubts have been raised over when and whether the projects will deliver the significant economic benefits and jobs touted by developers.

The issue became public Wednesday when the state opened a second solicitation to build offshore wind farms off the Jersey coast and prominent legislators unexpectedly called on state regulators to immediately suspend its review of the first and only offshore wind project to be approved by the Board of Public Utilities.

It follows a letter from a group representing commercial fishermen in New Jersey sent to the BPU and state Department of Environmental Protection, urging the agency to establish a five-year moratorium on the development of offshore wind projects, citing concerns over their impact on New Jersey’s lucrative commercial fishery industry. A similar letter subsequently was sent to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the federal agency overseeing offshore wind development, echoing a call for a national moratorium.

These issues have been bubbling for months in behind-the-scene discussions among lawmakers, administration officials and Ørsted, according to participants. The focus has been over the $1 billion, 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project located 15 miles off Atlantic City, according to Assemblyman John Burzichelli, a powerful Democrat from South Jersey, who signed the letter to BPU with running mates Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro and Senate President Stephen Sweeney.

Read the full story at the NJ Spotlight

Trial delayed for U.S. captain held in British Virgin Islands

September 11, 2020 — Michael Foy, the U.S. longline captain jailed in the British Virgin Islands since June 11, has seen his trial postponed on Tortola until Oct. 1 as the island goes through another round of covid-19 partial shutdowns, according to Foy’s family.

Foy, 60, of Manahawkin, N.J., was initially charged with illegal entry in violation of the island’s covid-19 precautions, then with a charge of illegal fishing, although he had been fishing south of Puerto Rico.

Foy and his local attorney arrived in court as scheduled Sept. 9 only to be told the hearing was rescheduled, according to his brother Joe Foy.

Responding to urgent requests from his lawyers in Tortola and the U.S., the National Marine Fisheries Service produced 27 pages of documentation from Foy’s vessel monitoring system, with data showing he fished far from BVI waters. They have that evidence in hand for when they do get a court hearing, according to Joe Foy.

Michael Foy’s vessel Rebel Lady was laid to offshore June 8, waiting for customs clearance to enter the port of Road Town as he had done many times before, but Foy was arrested after BVI authorities instructed him to follow a customs vessel into the harbor.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Here’s What 99 Wind Turbines Will Look Like Off the Jersey Shore

September 3, 2020 — Massive turbines, with blades as long as football fields, will one day spin in the Atlantic Ocean off the Jersey Shore.

The first wind farm off New Jersey is expected to begin generating clean energy by 2024, according to Ørsted, the Danish company that received New Jersey’s initial permit for an 1,100-megawatt project last year. It will generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.

The company has released a first look at what the farm’s 99 turbines will look like from the beaches of Atlantic City and Stone Harbor once they are up and running. The “virtual reality tour” also provides a view from one of the turbines, which will be roughly 15 miles out to sea and in an area off southern New Jersey between Cape May and Atlantic City.

Read the full story at NBC 4

Supporters seek U.S. government help for jailed longline captain who faces half-million-dollar fine

September 2, 2020 — Family and friends of an American longline captain are pressing the U.S. government to help free him from jail and return his boat that was seized after he was led by customs officers into a British Virgin Islands port.

Michael Foy, 60, of Manahawkin, N.J., has been jailed in Tortola since June 11, initially charged with illegal entry in violation of the island’s covid-19 precautions, then with a charge of illegal fishing — although he had been fishing south of Puerto Rico, far away from BVI waters.

Foy’s family says his vessel Rebel Lady was laid-to offshore June 8, waiting for clearance to enter the port of Road Town as he had done many times before. He and his crew were approached by BVI authorities and instructed to follow their boat into port. Foy was under the impression that he was getting customs clearance. Instead, to his surprise, he was taken into custody by officers at the dock, and the Rebel Lady was impounded.

Initially charged with illegal entry, Foy was also charged a few days later with not arriving at an “authorized port,” and with operating an unlicensed or unregistered fishing vessel — a move that suddenly jacked up potential penalties to $511,000.

Foy’s family and other fishermen have pressed the U.S. State Department for action, invoking a 1970s law called the Fishermen’s Protection Act. According to a summary of its provisions, the law requires that the federal government, “after a U.S. vessel has been seized by a foreign government, to take such steps as are necessary to protect the vessel and the health and welfare of its crew; to secure the release of such vessel and the crew; and to determine the amount of any fine, license fee, registration fee, and any other direct charge that is reimbursable.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman