fishsmith
01-21-2014, 03:08 PM
COAST GUARD SEEKS PUBLIC’S HELP
The Coast Guard is seeking the public’s assistance to identify the caller or provide additional information about who made multiple hoax distress calls last week in Maine. Using the Rescue 21 Radio System, investigators were able to determine the location of the mayday call and are zeroing in on a possible suspect. Last week’s calls are believed to be associated to the same male caller who made at least 12 other hoax calls in the past three years from the same general area, resulting in more than 50 hours of search time by Coast Guard at a cost of more than $188,000. This is what transpired. At 6AM, a 911 phone call was relayed to the Coast Guard. The reporting source stated a 23-foot sailboat was taking on water and that a passenger had swam ashore for help. The person said they were making a trip from Massachusetts to the Bristol, Maine area. A 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, an MH-60 helicopter and an HC-144 Casa Airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod were launched. Vessels from the Maine Marine Patrol and Bristol Fire Department also responded as well as up to seven local fishing boats. By 3:20 in the afternoon, 831 nautical miles had been searched without finding any debris or persons or vessel in distress. A Coast Guard officer said even with minimal information, we search with the intention of saving lives. Hoax calls put first responders in danger, waste valuable operational hours, and come at a heavy cost to taxpayers. Under federal law, knowingly and willfully transmitting a hoax distress call is a felony, punishable by up to six years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the Coast Guard for all costs incurred while responding to the call. There is a cash reward to be paid for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person involved with these hoax calls.
FISHERMEN AWAIT DISASTER MONEY
The New England fishery was declared a disaster by Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank in September of 2012, but so far no funds have yet been made available. That might change, because as of last week, both the House and Senate have approved a bill that makes $75 million available for fisheries disaster assistance. The New England congressional delegation was asking for $100 million in disaster relief funds, but settled for the lesser amount. New England commercial fishermen welcome this news, but wonder how and when the money will be distributed. Previous money allotted for the fishing industry stayed within the government in order to improve their data collection.
PROVINCETOWN ELIMINATES MARINE PATROL UNIT
The board of selectmen in Provincetown eliminated their marine patrol unit after cutting $47,000 from the police department’s budget. The majority of voters at a Special Town Meeting agreed with the town’s harbormaster that the marine patrol unit, which consisted of police officers, was not needed. The Provincetown’s harbormaster said police presence at the pier created more problems than it solved and was not in the best interest of taxpayers. Furthermore, they required special training which took away funds needed to pay assistant harbormasters.
CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS CATCH NOROVIRUS
Dozens of passengers on a Miami-based cruise ship became sick during a four-night Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean International said 66 guests and two crew members aboard the Majesty of the Seas suffered gastrointestinal illness believed to be norovirus. During the cruise, which stopped in two Bahamian ports and Key West, workers did extra cleaning to try to keep the illness from spreading. When the cruise ended Friday, the ship and the terminal at PortMiami got “an extensive and thorough sanitizing” to keep the suspected virus from making future passengers sick.
EPA SOLICITS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ETHANOL
Late last year the EPA announced its proposal to modify the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and to reduce the amount of ethanol required to be blended into the nation’s fuel supply. As required by law, the EPA is now soliciting public comments on its proposal before rendering a final decision. If you want the EPA to reduce the ethanol mandate and to modify the RFS, or otherwise want to comment, you can quickly do so via a form set up by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. All comments are due to the EPA by Tuesday, January 28.
EDITOR OF “SAIL” MAGAZINE RESCUED BY COAST GUARD
Charlie Doane, an editor for Sail magazine, returned home last week after he and three others were rescued from a disabled sailboat floating adrift 300 miles off the coast of Virginia. The journey began Jan. 8, when Doane said he went to help deliver the 42-foot sailboat called “Be Good Too” from New York to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The first two days of the trip were easy sailing, but then the weather changed and the wind began increasing in strength. It didn’t take long before the sea built to 15 – 20 feet and the wind blew 50 plus knots. A couple of massive waves hit the boat, causing damage to the boat’s rudder and steering gear. That problem combined with engine and battery failures left the crew with no choice but to call the Coast Guard which sent a Jayhawk helicopter and an airplane to the rescue. Everyone was hoisted into the helicopter and returned to shore. Doane said the abandoned boat was left to drift unmanned at sea. The boat was just purchased by a couple from Indiana for $500,000 who were planning to spend their retirement on sailing. Unfortunately, their boat will probably end up sinking. Although the loss was heartbreaking, Doane said the owners were calm throughout the ordeal.
NEW NOAA ASSISTED ADMINISTRATOR APPOINTED
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, acting NOAA administrator, appointed Eileen Sobeck as assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. She replaces Samuel Rauch, who has served as acting assistant administrator since 2012. As assistant administrator, Sobeck will oversee the management and conservation of recreational and commercial fisheries, and the protection of marine mammals, marine protected species, and coastal fisheries habitat within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Previously, Sobeck had worked as a trial lawyer in the NOAA Office of General Counsel from 1979-1984, and then served at the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division until 2009. From 2009 to now she has served as deputy assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior.
PILGRIM NUCLEAR TO REPORT WHALE SIGHTINGS
Officials at the Pilgrim nuclear power station in Plymouth said they are not required to report any whales swimming near the plan, but will do so anyway. If a worker sees a whale, a whale expert will be called to identify the species and a report will be sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Authority. The National Marine Fisheries Service has stated that the power plant has no impact on the right whale’s critical habitat. Last year, a hundred or so North Atlantic right whales were seen swimming in Plymouth, not too far from the plant. The Pilgrim power plant is one of the oldest operating nuclear power plants in the U.S. It went online in 1972.
LARGE INCREASE IN CHINOOK AND SOCKEYE SALMON
Fisheries officials are projecting the largest chinook and sockeye salmon run since 2004 in the Columbia River on the west coast. They are also projecting coho salmon numbers to be up from last year. This is good news for consumers who buy wild salmon for its healthy omega 3 oil
CANYON TWICE AS DEEP AS GRAND CANYON DISCOVERED
And last on today’s nautical news, do you think the Grand Canyon is big? British scientists working in Antarctica on a charting expedition have discovered a subglacial trench that is deeper than the Grand Canyon. The scientist who discovered it said that this just goes to demonstrate how little we still know about the surface of our own planet. The trench was created tens of millions years ago and has been hidden beneath a layer of ice more than a mile thick. Using ice-penetrating radar, scientists have charted the under ice canyon to be 186 miles long , 15 miles wide, and in some places, 1.8 miles deep. That compares to the Grand Canyon which has an average depth of about 1 mile.
The Coast Guard is seeking the public’s assistance to identify the caller or provide additional information about who made multiple hoax distress calls last week in Maine. Using the Rescue 21 Radio System, investigators were able to determine the location of the mayday call and are zeroing in on a possible suspect. Last week’s calls are believed to be associated to the same male caller who made at least 12 other hoax calls in the past three years from the same general area, resulting in more than 50 hours of search time by Coast Guard at a cost of more than $188,000. This is what transpired. At 6AM, a 911 phone call was relayed to the Coast Guard. The reporting source stated a 23-foot sailboat was taking on water and that a passenger had swam ashore for help. The person said they were making a trip from Massachusetts to the Bristol, Maine area. A 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, an MH-60 helicopter and an HC-144 Casa Airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod were launched. Vessels from the Maine Marine Patrol and Bristol Fire Department also responded as well as up to seven local fishing boats. By 3:20 in the afternoon, 831 nautical miles had been searched without finding any debris or persons or vessel in distress. A Coast Guard officer said even with minimal information, we search with the intention of saving lives. Hoax calls put first responders in danger, waste valuable operational hours, and come at a heavy cost to taxpayers. Under federal law, knowingly and willfully transmitting a hoax distress call is a felony, punishable by up to six years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the Coast Guard for all costs incurred while responding to the call. There is a cash reward to be paid for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person involved with these hoax calls.
FISHERMEN AWAIT DISASTER MONEY
The New England fishery was declared a disaster by Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank in September of 2012, but so far no funds have yet been made available. That might change, because as of last week, both the House and Senate have approved a bill that makes $75 million available for fisheries disaster assistance. The New England congressional delegation was asking for $100 million in disaster relief funds, but settled for the lesser amount. New England commercial fishermen welcome this news, but wonder how and when the money will be distributed. Previous money allotted for the fishing industry stayed within the government in order to improve their data collection.
PROVINCETOWN ELIMINATES MARINE PATROL UNIT
The board of selectmen in Provincetown eliminated their marine patrol unit after cutting $47,000 from the police department’s budget. The majority of voters at a Special Town Meeting agreed with the town’s harbormaster that the marine patrol unit, which consisted of police officers, was not needed. The Provincetown’s harbormaster said police presence at the pier created more problems than it solved and was not in the best interest of taxpayers. Furthermore, they required special training which took away funds needed to pay assistant harbormasters.
CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS CATCH NOROVIRUS
Dozens of passengers on a Miami-based cruise ship became sick during a four-night Caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean International said 66 guests and two crew members aboard the Majesty of the Seas suffered gastrointestinal illness believed to be norovirus. During the cruise, which stopped in two Bahamian ports and Key West, workers did extra cleaning to try to keep the illness from spreading. When the cruise ended Friday, the ship and the terminal at PortMiami got “an extensive and thorough sanitizing” to keep the suspected virus from making future passengers sick.
EPA SOLICITS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ETHANOL
Late last year the EPA announced its proposal to modify the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and to reduce the amount of ethanol required to be blended into the nation’s fuel supply. As required by law, the EPA is now soliciting public comments on its proposal before rendering a final decision. If you want the EPA to reduce the ethanol mandate and to modify the RFS, or otherwise want to comment, you can quickly do so via a form set up by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. All comments are due to the EPA by Tuesday, January 28.
EDITOR OF “SAIL” MAGAZINE RESCUED BY COAST GUARD
Charlie Doane, an editor for Sail magazine, returned home last week after he and three others were rescued from a disabled sailboat floating adrift 300 miles off the coast of Virginia. The journey began Jan. 8, when Doane said he went to help deliver the 42-foot sailboat called “Be Good Too” from New York to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The first two days of the trip were easy sailing, but then the weather changed and the wind began increasing in strength. It didn’t take long before the sea built to 15 – 20 feet and the wind blew 50 plus knots. A couple of massive waves hit the boat, causing damage to the boat’s rudder and steering gear. That problem combined with engine and battery failures left the crew with no choice but to call the Coast Guard which sent a Jayhawk helicopter and an airplane to the rescue. Everyone was hoisted into the helicopter and returned to shore. Doane said the abandoned boat was left to drift unmanned at sea. The boat was just purchased by a couple from Indiana for $500,000 who were planning to spend their retirement on sailing. Unfortunately, their boat will probably end up sinking. Although the loss was heartbreaking, Doane said the owners were calm throughout the ordeal.
NEW NOAA ASSISTED ADMINISTRATOR APPOINTED
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, acting NOAA administrator, appointed Eileen Sobeck as assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. She replaces Samuel Rauch, who has served as acting assistant administrator since 2012. As assistant administrator, Sobeck will oversee the management and conservation of recreational and commercial fisheries, and the protection of marine mammals, marine protected species, and coastal fisheries habitat within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Previously, Sobeck had worked as a trial lawyer in the NOAA Office of General Counsel from 1979-1984, and then served at the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division until 2009. From 2009 to now she has served as deputy assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior.
PILGRIM NUCLEAR TO REPORT WHALE SIGHTINGS
Officials at the Pilgrim nuclear power station in Plymouth said they are not required to report any whales swimming near the plan, but will do so anyway. If a worker sees a whale, a whale expert will be called to identify the species and a report will be sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Authority. The National Marine Fisheries Service has stated that the power plant has no impact on the right whale’s critical habitat. Last year, a hundred or so North Atlantic right whales were seen swimming in Plymouth, not too far from the plant. The Pilgrim power plant is one of the oldest operating nuclear power plants in the U.S. It went online in 1972.
LARGE INCREASE IN CHINOOK AND SOCKEYE SALMON
Fisheries officials are projecting the largest chinook and sockeye salmon run since 2004 in the Columbia River on the west coast. They are also projecting coho salmon numbers to be up from last year. This is good news for consumers who buy wild salmon for its healthy omega 3 oil
CANYON TWICE AS DEEP AS GRAND CANYON DISCOVERED
And last on today’s nautical news, do you think the Grand Canyon is big? British scientists working in Antarctica on a charting expedition have discovered a subglacial trench that is deeper than the Grand Canyon. The scientist who discovered it said that this just goes to demonstrate how little we still know about the surface of our own planet. The trench was created tens of millions years ago and has been hidden beneath a layer of ice more than a mile thick. Using ice-penetrating radar, scientists have charted the under ice canyon to be 186 miles long , 15 miles wide, and in some places, 1.8 miles deep. That compares to the Grand Canyon which has an average depth of about 1 mile.