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Captain Lou's Nautical News Headlines

Watch Capt Lou with Mike Borrelli (Metan Marine) and John Greviskas on "Ship Shape TV" on the NBC Sports network. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZWnGLRW0Yk CAPT LOU'S NAUTICAL NEWS 12/2/18 REPORT DECLARES BOSTON FLOUNDERS TUMOR FREE How far behind are scientists’ reports when it comes to studying the ocean? A study published last week in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution declared that flounder in Boston harbor are now tumor-free. They said it is a complete turnaround from the late 1980s, when more than three-quarters of flounders in Boston Harbor were found to have signs of liver disease and cancerous tumors. However, in reality, Michael Moore, the Woods Hole biologist who authored the study, said his team hadn’t found a tumor on a flounder in over 14 years. Why the big delay in the report? FISHERMEN REFUSES COAST GUARD INSPECTION OF NET The former captain of a New Bedford fishing boat named Bulldog, owned by Carlos "the Codfather" Rafael was just sentenced in federal court in Boston for interfering with a Coast Guard inspection of his fishing net. Fifty-seven year old Thomas D. Simpson of South Portland, Maine, was sentenced to four months of home confinement with electronic monitoring, two years probation, and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. Simpson plead guilty to one count of destruction or removal of property subject to seizure and inspection after he released the net from the cable towing it, rather than allowing the Coast Guard to inspect the fish in the net. After the net separated from the steel towing cables and sank to the bottom, the cables snapped back across the boat endangering the lives of his crew mates and the Coast Guard boarding team. The Coast Guard and NOAA hired a salvage company, at a cost of approximately $15,000, to retrieve the net which after being hauled up was determined to be in violation of the law. BOATS BURN IN MARBLEHEAD Six boats and three trailers stored at a boatyard in Marblehead caught on fire and caused an estimated half million dollars in damages. A neighbor called the fire department shortly after midnight after hearing an explosion. The Marblehead fire department arrived in minutes and quickly extinguished the flames before they got out of control. Salem and Swampscott fire departments also assisted. The state's fire marshal and arson squad are investigating the cause of the fire which they believe started in a 23 foot open boat on a trailer. No injuries were reported. BOWDITCH LEDGE MARKER IS SALEM FALLS DOWN For hundreds of years, a granite block marker in Salem Harbor kept boaters from running aground on to Bowditch Ledge. Last week the Bowditch Ledge daybeacon marker collapsed and now just a part of it can be seen at the lowest of low tides. Nobody is quite sure when the 30 foot tall daybeacon was built. It is believed to have been built in the 1800s. Rumor has it that Nathaniel Bowditch's great grandfather wrecked his ship on the ledge and that is why it was built and how it got its name. With the daybeacon gone, the Salem Harbormaster is worried that a commercial boat will hit the ledge. He said the Coast Guard will put a temporary obstruction buoy, hopefully one with a light, out there until a permanent marker can be installed. Some are hoping that the concrete block marker will be rebuilt. FISHERMEN AND NOAA HAVE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION Fishermen met with NOAA officials in New Bedford for a round table discussion about ground fish quotas and were quickly told by NOAA's Northeast Regional Administrator Mike Pentony that NOAA is not capable of making quick changes. The turnout at the School of Marine Science and Technology was one of the best the meeting has ever seen. Fishermen told NOAA that they spend more time getting away from the fish than catching the fish. A video on a cell phone made by scientists from UMass Dartmouth showing all the fish was passed around the table. Pentony said unfortunately the earliest any change NOAA could make would not happen for one or two years. Commercial fisherman Ed Barrett argued, “We just can’t continue the status quo.” One idea offered by fishermen to help NOAA better understand ocean temperatures was to pay fishermen to record water temperatures from the sensors on their boats. NOAA Administrator Pentony liked that idea. FIVE COMPANIES ISSUED PERMITS TO BLAST SEISMIC AIR GUNS The National Marine Fisheries Service issued Incidental Harassment Authorizations permits to five private companies to harm marine mammals with seismic air gun blasting. Seismic airguns are used to probe the ocean floor in search of oil and gas deposits. They produce blasts that are so loud that they can be heard underwater up to 2,500 miles away, disturbing, injuring and potentially killing whales, dolphins and other marine animals all along the east coast from Maine to Florida. Fishermen believe the blasting could do more harm to the fish than changing sea temperatures. MORE MONEY FOR DREDGING INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY Last week, the Trump administration released its Fiscal Year 2019 dredging maintenance budget for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway that totaled just under $24 million. That amount is one of the largest funding increases to the waterway's budget in years and is a major boost for recreational and commercial marine traffic. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway goes 1100 miles from Norfolk, Virginia to the Florida Keys. It generates billions of dollars for the economy and is the primary route for recreational boaters heading south and north. BARGE CAPSIZES IN NEW BEDFORD SERIOUSLY INJURING WORKER A Tisbury Towing and Transportation barge being filled with sand capsized in New Bedford Harbor, seriously injuring a tug boat worker. The owner of the tug boat company said the barge that capsized was one of two that were tied together while secured to a bulkhead. The crew mate suffered injuries to both his legs as a result of being pinned between the two barges. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. No further word on his condition was released and the Coast Guard is investigating the accident. 27 YEARS ON RADIO STATION WATD 95.9 FM Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew Sunday mornings 11-noon (Boston time) on radio stations 95.9FM and 1460AM WATD. Also streamed around the world on www.959watd.com. Listen anytime to replay of recent shows at at www.NauticalTalk.com.  Recipient of 2018 Mass Boating & Yacht Clubs "Gannett Award" Winner of MASS/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW" Winner of Boston's Achievement in Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" award Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY" award Recipient of Coast Guard's Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service Nominated Boston's A,I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM" Judge of IBEX Innovation Products Judge of NMMA's Progressive New England Boat Show's Exhibitors 25 Year Retired Status U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary  Member of Boston Harbor Islands National Park Advisory Council Member of South Shore Harbormasters Association Member of Mass Marine Trades Association Member of Quincy Bay Race Week Member of Mass Boating and Yacht Club Association Member of Stellwagen Bank Charterboat Association Member of Boat Writers International Member of Boat/US Life Member of Mass Striped Bass Association Life Member and Past Commodore of Metropolitan Yacht Club

 

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS ON RADIO STATION 95.9FM WATD"

Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew, Sunday mornings from 11 - 12 noon (Boston time) on radio station  95.9FM WATD, streaming around the world on www.959watd.com. You can also listen to a replay of recent shows anytime during the week a www.NauticalTalk.com.

* Winner of Mass/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW"
* Winner of Boston's Achievement In Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" AWARD
* Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY AWARD"
* Recipient of Coast Guard's Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service
* Nominated Boston's A.I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM"
* Judge of IBEX Innovation Products
* Judge of New England Boat Show's Best Exhibitors
* Member of Boston Harbor Islands National Park Advisory Council
* Member of South Shore Harbormaster Association
* Member of Quincy Bay Race Week Association
* Member of Stellwagen Bank Charterboat Association
* Member of Boat Writers International
* Life Member of Mass Striped Bass Association
* Life Member and Past Commodore of Metropolitan Yacht Club