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Fishing Industry News

29 Nov 2023

Equinor Names California Floating Wind Project

Source: Equinor

Equinor has announced the name of its floating offshore wind project off the coast of California, Atlas Wind. The lease area, which lies 60 miles from Morro Bay, has the capacity to provide over 2GW of reliable, renewable power, enough to power 1.7 million California homes once complete.California is poised to become a growing force in the US energy transition with a nation-leading target of 25GW of offshore wind energy by 2045. Approximately two-thirds of the United States’ offshore wind energy potential lies in deep coastal waters…

03 Oct 2023

Belize to Make Biofuel from Problem Seaweed

© ENRIQUETA / Adobe Stock

Belize is developing a pilot project to convert the masses of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed swamping its pristine beaches into biofuel, its prime minister said in a statement published by regional Caribbean bloc CARICOM on Tuesday.Many Caribbean countries depend economically on drawing travelers from around the world to their white sand beaches, but since 2010 heaps of rotting seaweed have been massing on the shores for reasons scientists do not yet fully understand but suspect are related to climate change.Floating sargassum provides shelter and food for marine animals but as it washes asho

02 Oct 2023

Corvus to Equip First Hydrogen/electric Hybrid Fishing and Training Vessel

Photo caption: With Hydrogen fuel cells on board, MS Skulebas will be the world`s first zero-emission fishing vessel. Picture: Hvide Sande Shipyard

Corvus Energy, a company providing zero-emission solutions for the maritime industry, said Monday it had won a contract with Hvide Sande Shipyard in Denmark to supply a complete hydrogen fuel cell system for the training vessel “MS Skulebas.” "This marks a historic milestone for Corvus Energy," Corvus Energy said."The 35-meter fishing and training vessel has the latest technology and commercial fishing systems installed and sets an example of innovation and cooperation within the maritime and education sectors.

21 Sep 2023

Longline Fishing Company Successfully Trials Whale Depredation Solution

F/V Ocean Azul crew members release catch from a protection cage on the interior operations deck (Photo: Pesquera Azul)

Norway/Uruguay-based Pesquera Azul’s has successfully trialed an innovative catch protection cage in whale-rich waters in the southern Indian Ocean. The company says it is a potential game-changer for the longline fishing industry as it grapples with the challenge of whale depredation.The steady increase in the whale population in sub-Antarctic fishing grounds is hampering the longline fishing industry, especially for fatty fish species. Whales have learned to snatch, for example…

25 Aug 2023

Volvo Penta Expands Marine Services in Central America

(Image: Volvo Penta)

Volvo Penta announced it has entered into a new partnership with SVF Panama, part of the SVF Group, to support its customers with marine services in Panama and Costa Rica.In recent years, Volvo Penta has steadily expanded its service and support network, partnering with companies that specialize in marine operations to provide technical support, field service, maintenance operations and parts supply for its customer base across the marine leisure and commercial sectors.“SVF is an ideal partner for Volvo Penta…

17 Aug 2023

Fish Factory Vessel Leaking Ammonia in Tacoma

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

A 77-year-old fish factory vessel with a checkered history is reportedly leaking ammonia in Tacoma, Wash.The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it is responding to the incident on board the U.S.-registered Pacific Producer, a 169-foot-long seafood processing vessel with a long string of health, safety and labor violations.Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology crews in HAZMAT suits are currently working to locate leak. The vessel poses no immediate threat to the public…

05 Jul 2023

Cold Water Can Kill in Minutes

Source: MAIB

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has highlighted that, on average, crew have under 11 minutes to recover someone who has fallen overboard into cold water before they become unresponsive.An analysis of 20 accidents that occurred between 2017 and 2021 shows that the time decreases as the water becomes colder or the sea state rougher. In some cases, crew had just four or five minutes to coordinate a complex recovery.When examining the rate of successful recoveries…

09 Jun 2023

North American Lobster Industry Confronts 'Ropeless' Traps After Whale Entanglements

© norrie39 / Adobe Stock

An emerging technology to fish for lobsters virtually ropeless to prevent whale entanglements is exciting conservationists, but getting a frigid reception from harvesters worried it will drive them out of business and upend their way of life.Injuries to endangered North Atlantic Right Whales ensnared in fishing gear have fueled a prominent campaign by environmental groups to pressure the industry to adopt on-demand equipment that only suspends ropes in the water briefly before traps are pulled from the water.The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch…

15 Mar 2023

Western Baltic Unveils New Trawler Design

(Image: Western Baltic Engineering)

Lithuanian ship designer Western Baltic Engineering (WBE) has unveiled its latest trawler design, engineered to meet the demands of the modern fishing industry with an emphasis on high performance, large cargo capacity and crew comfort.WBE’s senior sales manager, Chris Cowan, said, “We’ve created a ‘workhorse’ of a trawler that doesn’t sacrifice crew comfort.”The trawler has a large cargo capacity of 1300m3, LOA of 49,50m and a speed of 12 knots. Designed for 16 crew members, all have single cabins…

12 Jan 2023

Lobsters Versus Right Whales

© karenfoleyphoto / Adobe Stock

Lobsters versus right whales: The latest chapter in a long quest to make fishing more sustainableMaine lobster fishermen received a Christmas gift from Congress at the end of 2022: A six-year delay on new federal regulations designed to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.The rules would have required lobstermen to create new seasonal nonfishing zones and further reduce their use of vertical ropes to retrieve lobster traps from the seafloor. Entanglement…

07 Dec 2022

First US Floating Wind Auction Closes

© picsxl / Adobe Stock

Five developers selected to build the first floating wind farms in U.S. federal watersTo support the California Energy Commission’s planning goals of 2-5 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045 as well as a federal target to deploy 15 GW of floating wind by 2035, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has concluded the auction date for five 33-year leases offshore California. Exhibit 1 summarizes the outcome of the auction and estimates the potential of the lease areas using BOEMs standard power density formula of 3 MW per square kilometer…

17 Nov 2022

U.S. BOEM Seeks Public Comments for Eight Wind Energy Areas Off Central Atlantic Coast

©BOEM

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Wednesday announced eight draft Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore the U.S. central Atlantic coast for public review and comment. The draft offshore wind areas cover approximately 1.7 million acres offshore North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware The areas' closest points range from about 19 to 77 nautical miles off the U.S. central Atlantic coast. “As BOEM moves forward to identify wind energy areas in the central Atlantic…

07 Nov 2022

USCG Needs to Do More to Improve Fishing Vessel Safety - GAO

© David J. Shuler / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Coast Guard must do more to improve safety in the extremely dangerous commercial fishing industry, according to a new report from watchdog agency the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).Commercial fishing has one of the highest industry death rates in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since fiscal year 2011, multiple commercial fishing vessel safety requirements have been enacted. As the principal federal agency for ensuring marine safety, the U.S.

19 Aug 2022

Sunken WW2 German Warships Exposed by Low water Levels on Danube

Copyright BGStock72/AdobeStock

Europe's worst drought in years has pushed the mighty river Danube to one of its lowest levels in almost a century, exposing the hulks of dozens of explosives-laden German warships sunk during World War Two near Serbia's river port town of Prahovo.The vessels were among hundreds scuttled along the Danube by Nazi Germany's Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from advancing Soviet forces, and still hamper river traffic during low water levels.However, this year's drought…

16 May 2022

Rogue River Dredging Set to Start in June

Aerial photo of the Port of Gold Beach, Ore. entrance, Jun. 24, 2020. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels, including jet boats, fishing guides and sport fishermen. (Photo: USACE)

Dredging of the Rogue River at Gold Beach, Ore. is scheduled to begin in June, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.In March, Army officials announced the Corps had awarded a $5.3 million contract to Tacoma, Wash.-based American Construction for the dredging operations. Corps staff anticipates dredging will run from June 1 through October 31, depending on weather.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels…

30 Mar 2022

Bunker Vessel Delivered to Hai Soon Diesel & Trading

(Photo: Hai Soon Diesel & Trading)

Hai Soon Diesel & Trading (HSDT) has taken delivery of the third and final tanker in a series of bunker vessels constructed at Zhejiang Shenzhou Sunshine Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. Built to ABS class, the three 6,060 dwt oil tankers join HSDT’s 21-strong fleet to provide bunkering services to the fishing industry.“Hai Soon is committed to providing bunkering services at high seas and in ports with the highest standards of safety and service quality. We are happy to work closely with ABS in our business expansion with the addition of more energy-efficient vessels to our fleet…

25 Mar 2022

U.S. to Hold Offshore Wind Lease Sale for Two Areas in the Carolinas

For illustration -  ©Ian Dyball/AdobeStock

The U.S. will hold a wind energy auction for two lease areas offshore the Carolinas on May 11, the U.S. Department of the Interior said Friday, as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed its environmental review.The lease areas cover 110,091 acres in the Carolina Long Bay area that, if developed, could result in at least 1.3 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, enough to power nearly 500,000 homes, the Department of the Interior said."The Biden-Harris administration is committed to supporting a robust clean energy economy…

23 Mar 2022

Foss to Develop Offshore Wind Terminal in New Bedford

(Image: Foss)

The Port of New Bedford in Massachusetts will add another base of operations and terminal logistics facility to support offshore wind projects off the northeastern coast seaboard.Foss is partnering with key local investors of New Bedford’s Cannon Street Holdings LLC (CSH) to develop the 30-acre site, currently home to the decommissioned Cannon Street Power Station in the city’s central waterfront. The former Sprague/Eversource site was selected for its proximity to offshore wind blocks located approximately 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket islands.

23 Feb 2022

Running on Hydrogen – Can it Work?

© magann / Adobe Stock

Hydrogen as fuel was in the spotlight during the last two weeks. The Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on February 10 looking at H challenges in the transportation, utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors.A week later, the US House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology held a hearing titled "H2Success: Research and Development to Advance a Clean Hydrogen Future."Also, of note, the US Department of Energy published two hydrogen RFIs - "requests for information." One on "Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing…

17 Dec 2021

US Fishing Industry Teams Up with Oil Lobby to Fight Offshore Wind

© Fokke / Adobe Stock

Members of the U.S. commercial fishing industry are teaming up with an oil industry-backed lobbying group to fight offshore wind energy development on the East Coast, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and interviews with people involved.The unusual alliance reflects the breadth of opposition President Joe Biden faces as his administration pushes to expand offshore wind power and other clean energy sources dramatically to combat climate change.The fishing industry believes offshore wind farms will interfere with vessel navigation and hurt crucial stocks like squid and scallops…

01 Nov 2021

Fishing Row: UK Tells France to Back Down in 48 Hours or 'We Get Tough'

Britain gave France 48 hours on Monday to back down in a fishing row that threatens to spiral into a wider trade dispute between two of Europe's biggest economies or face tortuous legal action under the Brexit trade deal.Post-Brexit bickering over fish culminated last Wednesday in the French seizure of a British scallop dredger, the Cornelis Gert Jan, in French waters near Le Havre. Paris has threatened sanctions from Nov. 2 that could snarl cross-Channel trade.The measures could include increased border and sanitary checks on goods from Britain and banning British vessels from some French ports."The French have made completely unreasonable threats…

27 Oct 2021

U.S. Offshore Wind Expansion: Here’s How Officials Decide Where Turbines May Go

Credit: bphoto/AdobeStock

The Biden administration has announced ambitious plans to scale up leasing for offshore wind energy projects along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. In an announcement released on Oct. 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Interior stated that it will “use the best available science as well as knowledge from ocean users and other stakeholders to minimize conflict with existing uses and marine life.” University of Massachusetts Boston public policy scholar David W. Cash, who worked at senior levels in state government for a decade…

12 Oct 2021

Racing for 30GW—and a Piece of the US Offshore Wind Pie

© DJ / Adobe Stock

“30 by 30” is the rallying cry for all concerned with the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind business. In Spring 2021, the Secretaries of Energy, Interior and Commerce resolved to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generated from offshore turbines by 2030. Consultants McKinsey, in a recent article frame the value proposition for this clean fuel source, writing: “During the industry’s 30-year evolution, costs have fallen so sharply that offshore wind now compares favorably with competing energy sources.” For vessel owners, renewable energy brings opportunity.The thrust of near-term U.S.

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