Two influential senators from opposite coasts, each hailing from states with rich maritime traditions, hold the key to passing crucial legislation aimed at overhauling inspections and safety standards for America’s fishing fleets. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and…
Another tragedy has struck the Alaska fishing fleet. The KATMAI, a 93-foot head and gut fishing vessel capsized and sank in the Aleutian Islands early in the morning on Wednesday, October 22. It now appears that only four of the KATMAI’s eleven crewmembers survived. The last communication from the KATMAI was an e-mail reporting incursion…
BoatLaw has being fighting to improve fishing vessel safety for 30 years. We have fought hundreds of lawsuits to penalize vessel owners for negligence and unseaworthy conditions. To date governmental regulation has been limited. For decades industry lobbyists have opposed inspection of fishing vessels and license requirements for shipboard personnel. The fishing industry and fishing-related…
Fishermen believe that they observe large gaps in the biological data that is to be used in the updated Atlantic King Mackerel stock assessment. The new stock assessment does not line up with what we are observing, states Kelly Schoolcraft, a fisherman from North Carolina. The new stock assessment is scheduled for review and completion…
The owners of the ill fated fishing vessel the Alaska Ranger have begun legal maneuvering to avoid liability for the deadly ship sinking in March. The lawyers for the Fishing Company of Alaska (“FCA”) have invoked an archaic piece of maritime law that limits the amount of money that can be sought by survivors or the…
The ALASKA RANGER, a 180 foot factory trawler owned by the Fishing Company of Alaska sank in the Bering Sea on March 23, 2008. Five crewmembers perished and 42 were rescued in a heroic effort by the U.S. Coast Guard and the crew of a sister ship, the ALASKA WARRIOR. The tragedy will be investigated…
The captain of the Alaska crabber SEABROOKE recently wrote an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal. He extolled the benefits of the recently adopted quota system in the Bering Sea crab fishery. He states: “In 2010, commercial fishing once again topped the list of deadliest jobs in the U.S. According to the Bureau of…
