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Tuesday, January 01, 2008 Read an article about Captain Lou (click
here)
A) A 60 foot powerboat and a 30 foot sailboat collided in Buzzards Bay on Friday afternoon resulting in one person falling overboard and drowning. The 60-foot powerboat is named Reasons and Coast Guard documents show its homeport is Gloucester. The 30 foot sailboat is named the Padanaram and had two persons on board. The skipper on the powerboat called a mayday. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched two cutters, a 25-foot response boat from Station Menemsha, and a
helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod. The crew aboard the 25-foot boat recovered the person in the water and transported him a waiting ambulance in New Bedford. He was identified as 64 year old David J. Walsh, a South Dartmouth resident. Doctors at St. Luke's Hospital pronounced David Walsh dead. His crewmate was also being treated at St. Luke's Hospital, but officials said he escaped serious injury because he was in the cabin below when the accident happened. The powerboat and its crew of three were met by the New Bedford Police and the Massachusetts Environmental Police who are conducting the investigation. Both boats were towed to the Fairhaven Shipyard and Marina and hauled out of the water. While it was unclear what led to the collision, a friend of the sailors told reporters that it was his understanding that the powerboat ran up over sailboat's stern.
B) Twenty-eight passengers and five crew members were ordered off the Capt. John & Son party fishing boat when heavy black smoke came pouring out of the engine room. At the time, the boat was about six miles off the Gurnet Lighthouse in Plymouth. Initial reports said the 85-foot-long vessel was on fire, but that wasn't the case. Many of the passengers who were transferred off to a Capt John whale watch boat decided to go on the whale watch trip instead of fishing. However, all the passengers were given a credit to go aboard on another fishing trip. No injuries were reported, and the Coast Guard escorted the distressed vessel back to its dock.
C) The 22nd annual Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament sponsored by the Boston Big Game Fishing Club got underway this weekend despite protests from the Humane Society. 201 boats registered for the tournament at $1,375 per boat, making it the largest shark tournament in the world, and Steven James, the organizer of the tournament, estimated the three-day event brings about $3 million to the Martha's Vineyard economy. James said the environmentalists come to the tournament just to raise money and push their propaganda without having the facts. A spokesperson with the NOAA's fisheries division said that the three species of sharks taken in the Martha's Vineyard tournament - porbeagle, threshers and mako - are under no federal prohibitions, and all shark tournaments are sanctioned and scrutinized by the National Marine Fisheries. By the way, this weekend's winning shark was a 399-pound thresher shark caught by the boat named Waterbury.
D) Scientists confirmed that it was indeed a great white shark that washed up on a beach in Nantucket earlier this week. The 6½-foot-long female shark is the first great white to come ashore on a Massachusetts beach in at least two decades according to a state official. A necropsy was performed to determine the cause of the shark's death. Marine biologists said they also counted the rings on a section of the shark's backbone to determine its age and analyzed its stomach contents to see what it was eating.
E) The Coast Guard began searching for the owner of an adrift paddle boat after it was found off the coast of Maine by a passing boater. Inside the boat was a backpack and two books which gave the appearance that a person might have fallen overboard. The next day, the Coast Guard received a call from the owner of the boat reporting that her boat had broken loose from its mooring. She had no idea the Coast Guard had found her boat and was searching for her. Officials said all mariners should check their vessels whenever severe weather strikes. Many vessels end up reported as unmanned and adrift after storms go through an area, and the Coast Guard responds to those reports just like all other distress calls.
F) According to the latest numbers reported by NOAA Fisheries, recreational fishermen caught more than 468 million fish in 2007. That is down slightly from last year's historic high of 475 million fish, but still the second highest recreational catch total in the last ten years. However, of the 468 million fish caught, 272 million fish were released back into the wild. The numbers show that recreational fishermen are catching about 27 percent more fish than a decade ago, but are releasing more fish than they keep. NOAA's Fisheries Service claim these statistics were compiled from in-person and telephone interviews with recreational fishermen.
G) For the eighth year in a row, New Bedford is America's number one commercial fishery port based on the dollar value of fish caught by New Bedford fishing boats. A total of 268 million dollars of fish were landed last year, down slightly from 2006. Officials say the high value of scallops is what keeps New Bedford number one. Five of the country's top 10 ports were in Alaska, and by the way, Gloucester was ranked number 14 in the nation.
H) And in a related story, the latest report on seafood consumption showed Americans ate slightly less seafood in 2007 compared to the previous year - 16.3 pounds of fish and shellfish per person, down from 16.5 pounds. Americans' favorite seafood was shrimp. Canned tuna was America's second favorite.
Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou Sunday mornings from 11 - 12 noon on radio station 95.9FM WATD in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and around the world on www.959watd.com. You can also listen to the most recent show anytime during the week at www.nauticaltalk.com.
* Winner of Massachusetts/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW" - 2003
* Recipient of Joshua James Lifesaving Coin for public service from Commanding
Officer Coast Guard Station Point Allerton - 2003
* Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY PRESERVATION
AWARD" - 2002
* Winner of Boston's Achievement In Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" AWARD
* Nominated Boston's A.I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM" |
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