Saving Seafood

NORTH CAROLINA: Trump moves to curb wind farms, part of North Carolina’s clean energy plan

January 22, 2025 — The fate of North Carolina’s offshore wind farms, both active and planned, is in question after President Donald Trump took executive action to halt offshore wind energy production on his first day in office.

The order halts offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf and prohibits new or renewed permits, leases, and loans for wind energy projects, both onshore and offshore. The sweeping action has drawn sharp criticism from clean energy advocates in North Carolina, where offshore wind was poised to play a significant role in the energy transition.

It was one of dozens of executive orders signed Monday by Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year absence. Trump signed other executive orders related to climate, too, removing the U.S. from the Paris Climate treaty and pushing back on Biden-era mandates on electric vehicles.

“We’re not going to do the wind thing,” Trump said during an event at Capital One Arena on Monday hours after being sworn in.

The Biden Administration approved 11 commercial-scale offshore wind projects in the past four years.

Trump is a proponent of expanded drilling for oil and fracking. He said Monday that the U.S. has more oil and gas than any other nation.

Read the full article at WRAL

NORTH CAROLINA: Coastal Federation’s lost fishing gear recovery underway

January 13, 2025 — The 20 commercial fishermen and women hired for this year’s Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project headed out Wednesday to begin collecting crab pots from the northeastern and central coasts.

In its 11th year, the North Carolina Coastal Federation coordinates the project, which aims to locate and remove displaced fishing gear that can pose a threat to boaters, wildlife and the fishing community.

The 2025 project is focusing on Marine Patrol Districts 1 and 2, the waters between the Virginia-North Carolina border and the N.C. Highway 58 bridge to Emerald Isle.

Recovered crab pots will be recycled as much as possible. The pots retrieved from the Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound region will be available for rightful property owners to reclaim after the project ends, the organization said.

The project takes place each year during the annual closure Jan. 1-31 that prohibits using crab, eel, fish and shrimp pots.

Since beginning in 2014, more than 23,000 lost crab pots have been recovered. Last year, the combined efforts of the commercial fishers and North Carolina Marine Patrol resulted in 2,463 pots being recovered across along the coast.

Read the full article at CostalReview.org

NORTH CAROLINA: Commercial watermen needed to help with annual Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project

November 14, 2024 — The North Carolina Coastal Federation is set to begin its 11th year of the Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project in January 2025. But before the effort can get underway, the Federation needs the help of commercial watermen and women along the northern and central coast to sign up to help us find and collect lost crab pots.

Every year, crab pots and other fishing gear are lost in our sounds in a variety of ways. Lost gear can get hung up or drift into channels, creating serious hazards for boaters, wildlife, and fishermen. Since 2014, the Federation has led the Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project to remove lost crab pots from North Carolina sounds and waterways.

Read the full article at the Island Free Press

NORTH CAROLINA: Online tool maps NC’s blue economy businesses, resources

November 13, 2024 — Want to see the blue economy in action in North Carolina?

There’s a map for that.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and EntreprCostalReview.orgeneurship has launched an interactive map pinpointing key blue economy businesses, startups, assets and resources in an effort to boost economic activities in the state that are related to oceans and waterways.

“The goal is to create a comprehensive database that supports entrepreneurs, fosters collaboration, and inspires North Carolinians to engage with and expand their efforts in the Blue Economy,” according to a university news release. “This tool provides a visual snapshot of NC’s potential to become a national leader in sustainable, ocean-focused innovation.”

The university has cited the World Bank’s definition of the blue economy as “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.”

Read the full article at CostalReview.org

 

US East Coast states select firms to run offshore wind development compensation fund for fishers

November 12, 2024 — A coalition of U.S. East Coast states have selected two firms to manage the Offshore Wind Fisheries Compensation Fund, a mitigation program built to compensate commercial and recreation for-hire fishers for revenue lost due to offshore wind developments.

The fund is a collaboration between the governments of 11 East Coast states – Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina – to provide financial compensation for economic loss caused by offshore wind projects along the Atlantic Coast. The states launched a competition earlier this year to select an administrator to run the new fund.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Richmond firm to oversee fishermen compensation related to offshore wind farms

November 6, 2024 — Richmond claims resolution firm BrownGreer PLC and London’s The Carbon Trust have been tapped to design and roll out a regional fisheries mitigation program on the East Coast.

The program is aimed at providing financial compensation to the commercial and recreational for-hire fishing industries related to the impacts of new offshore wind farms.

BrownGreer and The Carbon Trust will work with 11 East Coast states and their respective fishing industry communities on the program. The groups have established a design oversight committee and a for-hire committee to provide advice and guidance from respective parties on the program.

The involved states include Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.

Read the full article at Richmond Inno

Ocean Harvesters, Omega call for increase of wind facility buffers

November 6, 2024 — Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein are calling on the federal government to increase the buffer for wind energy facilities from 6 miles to 15 miles, stating their operations are incompatible with wind turbine arrays and  critical adjustments are needed to protect the menhaden fishing industry.

The Reedville companies made those statements as part of their public comment to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which was soliciting feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Read the full article at News On The Neck

Weird Science: NOAA lab in Beaufort celebrating 125th year of research in eastern North Carolina

October 24, 2024 — The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science lab in Beaufort is celebrating its 125th year in November.

Waves lap at the shoreline of the shallow, calm waters of the Pamlico Sound in Beaufort, where the NOAA lab has stood for more than 120 years. It began as a U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries field station in 1899 — originally on Front Street — and moved to its current location on Pivers Island in 1902.

It is the second oldest federal marine laboratory in the U.S., after Woods Hole.

Dr. Larisa Avens is a sea turtle research biologist at the lab. Part of her work involves necropsies – autopsies on animals, often sea turtles that have died along the eastern North Carolina coast.

There are no outward signs of how old a sea turtle may be, so Dr. Avens uses a saw to cut into the humerus – a bone in the front flipper.

“The bones have growth rings in them that are similar to tree rings that we can count to estimate how old they are, and then, of course, each of those rings is related to a calendar year,” Avens explained.

Read the full article at Public Radio Coast

NORTH CAROLINA: Cooke Seafood’s Family of Companies Provides Crucial Ice Shipment to Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts in Western North Carolina

October 10, 2024 — The following was released by Cooke Aquaculture Inc:

Wanchese Fish Company and Shoreland Trucking, proud members of the Cooke Seafood USA family, have taken swift action to help those in need in Western North Carolina following damage from Hurricane Helene. The company delivered a full 18-wheeler semi-trailer truckload of ice to support relief efforts in Marion, North Carolina, a key hub for disaster assistance in the metropolitan Asheville area.

The North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA) had reached out to companies in the seafood industry, including Wanchese Fish Company and Cooke Seafood, requesting help with hurricane relief. Following widespread power outages in the region, access to ice became critical for preserving food, baby formula, and other perishable items. Wanchese Fish Company responded immediately, not only offering a full truckload of ice but also delivering it directly to the affected area.

“We knew that ice was needed urgently in Western North Carolina, and our team was ready to help,” said Jon Steeves, Director of Operations at Wanchese Fish Company. “North Carolina’s inland residents have always supported us when coastal communities have been hit by storms, so it’s our turn to return the favor. We’re glad we could contribute and help those in need.”

The Shoreland Trucking 18-wheeler semi-trailer was packed at Wanchese Fish Company’s facility in Suffolk, Virginia. The delivery included pallet totes filled with bulk ice, as well as a pallet of plastic bags and shovels. This equipment ensured that anyone without coolers could still transport and store the ice. The truck was dispatched to the Asheville area and arrived at Marion’s disaster relief center early in the morning last Friday, allowing for the immediate distribution of the much-needed supplies.

Historically, North Carolina’s seafood industry has mobilized to provide ice in times of crisis. This time, Wanchese Fish Company took it a step further by coordinating directly with NCFA to streamline logistics and avoid delays.

“Usually, coastal regions are hit hardest by storms, and we’re used to helping in those areas,” said Jerry Schill, NCFA’s Director of Government Relations. “This disaster affected the western part of the state, where seafood companies aren’t as common. But our commitment to help in times of need extends to every community across North Carolina.”

In coordination with NCFA and other organizations, additional truckloads of ice from several companies were also provided as part of the larger disaster relief operation.

About Wanchese Fish Company
Wanchese Fish Company was founded in 1936 and has grown to become a leading supplier of seafood products in North America and Europe. As a vertically integrated seafood operation, Wanchese Fish Company is capable of supplying over 4,000 tons of wild scallops, shrimp, oysters, southern king crab, and other seafood products each year. Our fishing partners process and freeze on board to lock in the freshest of flavors. The Wanchese headquarters and state-of-the-art processing plant is located in Suffolk, Virginia.

About Cooke Inc.
Cooke’s core purpose is ‘To cultivate the ocean with care, nourish the world, provide for our families, and build stronger communities’. The Cooke Inc. family of companies includes global aquaculture and wild fishery divisions, with operations in 14 countries and nearly 13,000 employees. Cooke ships fresh True North Seafood branded products worldwide. www.cookeseafood.com

NORTH CAROLINA: Blessing of the Fleet pays tribute to commercial fishing families

October 8, 2024 — It was a picture perfect day Sunday as the sun glistened on the rippling waters of Beaufort Inlet for the the 27th annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony, held at Radio Island between Morehead City and Beaufort.

Twenty-five commercial fishing vessels slowly made their way by Radio Island as wreaths were thrown into the water. Each wreath represented a commercial fisherman or family member who had died.

Read. the full article at the NEWS-TIMES