Door County News

Although the number of fishermen who make a living on the waters of the Great Lakes is much diminished from a half century ago, the region's commercial whitefish fishery continues to be viable and profitable.Henriksen Fisheries is one of about a dozen commercial entities in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan, focused on trap netting whitefish in Green Bay and the waters surrounding the Door Peninsula.Charlie Henriksen started his family-owned fishing business in Door County in 1987.Originally from Illinois…

Washington Island Ferry Line (WIFL) has been the essential link between the residents, business and visitors of Washington Island and Wisconsin's Door Peninsula for more than eight decades.Picturesque and peaceful Door County isn't named for some intrepid settlers named Door. The name has a more ominous meaning. It's derived from the treacherous passage between the peninsula and Washington Island that mariners called Porte des Mortes, or Death's Door.A unique combination of environmental…

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) says it will upgrade its shipyard equipment and facilities this year as it prepares to assist with work on the Navy’s new guided-missile frigate FFG(X) program.FBS is partnering with its sister shipyard Fincantieri Marinette Marine, who was awarded the $795 million contract for the Navy’s first-in-class frigate April 30, 2020. Building a quality ship in Wisconsin will afford the Navy the opportunity to exercise options on the original contract for nine additional ships and services valued at $5.5 billion.

Lake Assault Boats, part of Fraser Shipyards, placed a 28-foot vessel into service with the Town of Gibraltar Fire Department located in northern Door County, Wisconsin. The craft provides emergency response and firefighting services for a large section of shoreline and islands located on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay. The purchase of the boat was funded entirely through the Gibraltar Fire-Rescue Association, a local non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.Placed into service earlier this summer, the boatis designed to respond to a wide range of on-the-water emergencies.

Washington Island Ferry Line signed an agreement with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding of Sturgeon Bay to construct the Madonna, a year-round boat transporting passengers and vehicles across Death’s Door Passage, the waters between the island and Northport Pier — the tip of the Door peninsula.The new ferry will be named Madonna, measuring 124 feet in length with a 40-foot beam and 10-foot, 8-inch draft. It will have capacity for as many as 28 vehicles and 150 passengers.The new ferry will be the largest in the ferry line fleet. It is scheduled for delivery in late May 2020.“We are pleased to build what is our third ferry for Washington Island…

U.S. Representatives from U.S. Coast Guard, the city of Sturgeon Bay and the Door County Maritime Museum dedicated the Coast Guard’s last operational 41-foot utility boat, Tuesday, during the Sturgeon Bay Maritime Festival. The dedication ceremony, held at the Door County Maritime Museum, was attended by Thad Birmingham, mayor of Sturgeon Bay; Capt. Amy Cocanour, commander of Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, and Capt. John Little, chief of staff of the Ninth Coast Guard District, as well as numerous local Coast Guard units.

A Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter that was on Washington Island after the crew made an emergency landing on Sunday was recovered Monday and is being transported back to Air Station Traverse City, Mich., to undergo necessary repairs. A six-member recovery team from the air station arrived on Washington Island on Monday morning to begin the process of recovering the helicopter. At about 5 p.m. CST, the crew loaded the trailered aircraft onto the Washington Island Ferry, Arni Richter, for a 30-minute transit back to Northport Pier in Door County, Wis.

According to a report from the Door County Advocate, workers without contracts from Bay Shipbuilding Co./Fincantieri in Sturgeon Bay are forming an informational picket line outside the company to draw public attention to the union’s inability to reach agreement with Bay Ship on a contract to replace the one that expired April 30.   Source: Door County Advocate