Saving Seafood

Maine Marine Patrol Investigates Death of Two Kayakers

June 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Marine Patrol is working to notify relatives of two people who died yesterday while kayaking near Corea, Maine. Members of Marine Patrol responded last night after being notified at 7 p.m. that a party of three was missing after leaving for a day on the water at approximately noon. One member of the party survived and was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center.

The two deceased individuals have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s office in Augusta for an autopsy.

According to the surviving member of the party, the trio encountered rough seas at some point during their day trip, likely caused by a passing weather front.

The waves, reportedly three to five feet high, caused all three kayaks to capsize in the approximately fifty-two degree water.  After failing to return at a previously established time, the boaters were reported as overdue to United States Coast Guard authorities and Maine State Police Dispatch, which then notified the Maine Marine Patrol.

A search and rescue effort was immediately launched and involved Coast Guard vessels, Maine Marine Patrol a Maine Marine Patrol Protector vessel, a Coast Guard Helicopter, and area fishermen.

Responding from Marine Patrol were Sergeant Colin Macdonald, Officers Royce Eaton, Richard Derberghosian, Tom Reardon and Jeff Turcotte.

According to Marine Patrol reports, shortly after 8 p.m., a female victim was recovered by a local lobster fisherman.  After being transferred to a Coast Guard vessel and transported to shore, the female victim was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor by Lifeflight of Maine where she is recovering.

Approximately a half hour later, a second victim, was recovered by a local lobster fisherman and was unresponsive.  The male victim was transported to shore and pronounced dead by local EMS personnel.

At approximately 10 p.m. the third victim, a 54 year old male, was located by a local lobster fisherman. Maine Marine Patrol personnel recovered the third victim who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Marine Patrol reports, the victims were wearing t-shirts and shorts. All members of the party were wearing life jackets. The victims and survivor were recovered approximately half way between Cranberry Point and Petit Manan Island. Water temperature was in the low 50s.

Pending next of kin notification, the names of the victims are not being released at this time.

The investigation into the cause of this incident is ongoing and involves the Maine Marine Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard.

UPDATE: Coast Guard Recovers Body of Missing Fisherman off Nantucket

June 20, 2016 — The following was released by the U.S. Coast Guard:

BOSTON — Coast Guard rescue crews located and recovered the body of a missing fisherman from the 42-foot boat No Regrets Monday at approximately 1 p.m. near Nantucket.

The search lasted nearly 4 hours and included a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew and 29-foot rescue boat crew from Station Brant Point, a 42-foot rescue boat crew from Station Chatham, an Air Station Cape Cod HC-144 Ocean Sentry crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew. Other agencies involved in the search included the Massachusetts State Police, Harwich Regional Dive Team, Nantucket Harbormaster, Chatham Harbormaster, Chatham Fire Department Dive Team, and three good Samaritans.

“Our thoughts go out to the family of the victim and the entire fishing community who is affected by this tragedy,” said Cmdr. Marcus Gherardi, Chief of Response for Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England. “Anytime we are not able to accomplish our goal of saving lives, we are deeply saddened as we also take it to heart.”

Read the release at the U.S. Coast Guard Newsroom

Sen. Cantwell calls for more fishermen involvement in Coast Guard safety program

WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) — June 16, 2016 — In a letter to the Coast Guard yesterday, Sen. Maria Cantwell and a bipartisan group of 32 members of Congress called on the Coast Guard to develop the commercial fishing vessel Alternative Safety Compliance Program in coordination with the commercial fishing industry.

The Alternate Safety Compliance Program was mandated by the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2010, and fishing industry compliance is required by 2020. Sen. Cantwell’s letter expressed “increasing concern about the status, direction and future implementation of this critical safety program.” The letter also called for the Coast Guard to transmit clear timelines and to improve transparency in the rule making process.

Read the letter as a PDF

Rep. Zeldin’s Bill for Long Island Fishermen Passes House of Representatives

June 13, 2016 — On Tuesday, June 7, 2016, Congressman Lee Zeldin’s (R, NY-1) EEZ Transit Zone Clarification Act (HR 3070) unanimously passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. You can watch passage of the bill here. The Congressman’s bill, which passed the House Natural Resources Committee with unanimous support on Wednesday, March 15, 2016, would clarify federal laws governing the management of the striped bass fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between Montauk, New York, and Block Island, Rhode Island, permitting striped bass fishing in these waters.

Between New York State waters, which end three miles off of Montauk Point, New York, and the Rhode Island boundary, which begins three miles off of Block Island, there is a small area of federally controlled water that is considered part of the EEZ. The EEZ, which extends up to 200 miles from the coast, are waters patrolled by the Coast Guard, where the United States has exclusive jurisdiction over fisheries and other natural resources. Striped bass fishing has been banned in the EEZ since 1990. Congressman Zeldin’s EEZ Transit Zone Clarification Act would authorize the Secretary of Commerce to open this area to striped bass fishing.

Read the full story at Long Island Exchange

How safe is the fishing industry in South Jersey?

May 25, 2016 — CAPE MAY, N.J. — The dangers of commercial fishing were illustrated dramatically 6 miles off Cape May on April 28 when the scallop boat Last Stand collided with a 400-foot barge pushed by the tug Dean Reinauer.

Three fishermen aboard the Last Stand donned survival suits, climbed into a life raft and paddled away from the rigging as the fishing boat rolled and sank beneath the waves in just minutes.

Nobody was hurt, and the U.S. Coast Guard based in Cape May rescued the fishermen safely. The Coast Guard is investigating the accident.

“The industry is as cautious as they can be. They are prepared. They’re not careless. They’re not reckless,” said Gregory DiDomenico, president of the trade group Garden State Seafood Association.

DiDomenico said the sinking shows how preparation and training made a difference in a crisis. By comparison, he said, many times more recreational boaters die in accidents each year.

“When you consider all the regulatory measures and Coast Guard inspections and the amount of technology and electronics on board today … they want to come home at the end of every trip,” he said.

Read the full story at Press of Atlantic City

Four rescued miles off Plum Island

May 23, 2016 — NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Four fishermen were rescued roughly 28 miles off Plum Island on Saturday afternoon after their 25-foot Wellfleet capsized.

The boat was righted by a TowBoat U.S. crew and brought back to its port of origin in Rye, N.H. No one was injured, according to a U.S. Coast Guard official.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Times

New Bedford fishing vessel disabled off Nantucket, towed back to port

May 23, 2016 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Discovery, an 84-foot commercial fishing vessel based in New Bedford, and its crew of seven became disabled early Friday about 100 miles off Nantucket, the Coast Guard reported.

Crewmembers aboard the Discovery contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern’s command center at 2:30 a.m. Friday, reporting they had a disabled rudder and needed assistance.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Maine Marine Patrol Receives Prestigious National Accreditation

May 20, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Marine Patrol has earned accreditation from the leading national safety organization for boat operations and training. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) recently recognized the Marine Patrol for complying with its national standard of readiness for law enforcement and emergency response boat crews in the United States.

The Maine Marine Patrol became the thirteenth organization in the country to implement this standard in all aspects of their operations and training.

“This is a prestigious accreditation that recognizes the Maine Marine Patrol’s commitment to the highest standards of operation,” said Colonel Jon Cornish.

The Boat Operations and Training (BOAT) Program, established by NASBLA, is recognized by the US Coast Guard as the national standard for training and boat operation. “Agencies that choose to adopt this standard assure their ability to conduct missions on the nation’s waterways safely and effectively, and to operate seamlessly with federal, state, county, tribal and local maritime partners,” said Colonel Cornish.

Areas evaluated included training, documentation, safety and first aid, knowledge of knots and terminology, common crew tasks on large and small vessels, use of police and VHF radio, navigation, and operation of the Protector class patrol vessel, an extremely maneuverable rigid hull inflatable boat often used in search and rescue operations.

“I’m extremely proud of our Officers, Sergeants and Lieutenants for their adherence to this nationally recognized standard of operation,” said Colonel Cornish. “Coordinated by Sergeant Matt Talbot, the evaluation process to achieve this certification was extremely thorough. I appreciate Sergeant Talbot’s dedication to ensure that the Maine Marine Patrol achieved this important certification.”

“The citizens of Maine and of this country can be assured that this agency and its officers are true force multipliers and capable of inter-agency operations within our maritime homeland security and recreational boating safety framework,” said Mark R. Dupont, NASBLA’s Director of Boat Operations and Training.

Coast Guard hopes hotline leads to fishing scofflaws

March 5, 2016 —  This week, as the Carlos Rafael saga unfolded in New Bedford and in federal court in Worcester, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a release asking anyone with information on illegal fishing activity to report it to a confidential hotline.

Coincidence? Hardly.

A Coast Guard spokeswoman said the hotline has been used in the past, but the Coast Guard is publicizing it more extensively now and one of the reasons is the Rafael case. The New Bedford fishing mogul is facing federal charges of conducting illegal fishing operations, conspiracy and falsifying fish-reporting documents.

“Is it partly because of the case? Definitely,” Lt. Karen Kutkiewicz said Friday.

Kutkiewicz said the hotline, which is manned by Coast Guard personnel, already has received numerous tips on illegal fishing from callers in the New Bedford area and Boston. She did not specify if any related directly to the Rafael case.

She also said the hotline will continue operating as long as tips keep coming in.

“We really want to make sure that the guys that are out there fishing legitimately have the best shot,” she said. “We want the playing field to be level.”

She urged anyone with information on illegal fishing activities to call the line at 1-844-847-2431.

Read the full story at Gloucester Daily Times

ALASKA: New Life Raft Regulations for Fishing Boats No Longer Required

February 26, 2016 — Commercial fishermen scrambling to buy life rafts for their boats this winter can rest a little easier. Congress has changed a new law that would have required life rafts for fishing boats traveling at least three miles off shore.

Less than two weeks ago, U.S. Coast Guard officials were in Petersburg explaining new safety requirements announced in January: that fishing boats under 36 feet would have to carry life rafts if traveling more than three miles off shore. The law was supposed to take effect Feb. 26. Also, larger boats over 36 feet needed to upgrade their life rings or floats to life rafts by Nov. 1. But all that’s changed.

“It’s all been put on hold,” said Steve Ramp, Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner for the Coast Guard based in Sitka. He said Congress decided to repeal the change in safety requirements earlier this month.

“For some reason Congress, the Senate and the House, put some riders on a Coast Guard appropriation bill to change the implementation of these increased survival craft rules,” Ramp said.

The President signed the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 on Feb. 8. It now calls for a formal rule making process before any new regulations can take effect. Ramp said the process is quite lengthy. It includes publishing in the federal register, a public comment period, a review period, and then formalizing the law into a regulation.

“That process we anticipate will take a year or more,” said Ramp.

That means it will be at least a year before survival craft requirements will change for commercial fishermen.

Read the full story at Alaska Public Media