Several salmon setnetters at the Igushik River, on the west side of Bristol Bay, are suing Trident Seafoods and others over the sinking last summer of the tender Lone Star.
The sinking caused a fuel spill that forced a shutdown of the setnet fishery.
A tender is a vessel used to haul fish to a processing plant. The Lone Star was working for Trident.
In a lawsuit filed in state Superior Court at Dillingham, the setnetters are seeking compensation for lost fishing income and other damages.
The plaintiffs also allege that during salvage of the vessel, salmon off the tender was allowed to wash up on the beach, attracting bears that gorged on the fish and then ransacked setnetter cabins.
Click here to read a press release and the lawsuit.
Showing posts with label Lone Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lone Star. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
A subpar season in Bristol Bay
Well, we're now well past the traditional season peak at Bristol Bay, and the catch stands at a fairly dreadful 13.7 million salmon.
Coming into the season, the state had forecast a weak harvest of 16.6 million sockeye. Now it appears unlikely gillnetters will be able to scratch up enough fish to meet even that modest projection.
And so, Deckboss imagines the docks, canneries and bars in Naknek, Dillingham and elsewhere are becoming more lonely by the hour as folks head home.
I'm guessing no one is more dejected than the setnetters at the Igushik River, where persistent fuel leakage from the sunken fish tender Lone Star has kept the fishery in that area closed for days now.
Still no word on the base price processors are paying fishermen this season. Anyone heard anything?
Coming into the season, the state had forecast a weak harvest of 16.6 million sockeye. Now it appears unlikely gillnetters will be able to scratch up enough fish to meet even that modest projection.
And so, Deckboss imagines the docks, canneries and bars in Naknek, Dillingham and elsewhere are becoming more lonely by the hour as folks head home.
I'm guessing no one is more dejected than the setnetters at the Igushik River, where persistent fuel leakage from the sunken fish tender Lone Star has kept the fishery in that area closed for days now.
Still no word on the base price processors are paying fishermen this season. Anyone heard anything?
Monday, July 8, 2013
Contaminated Bristol Bay salmon dumped
State pollution regulators say 27,109 pounds of salmon were contaminated as a result of the sinking of the fish tender Lone Star in the Igushik River, south of Dillingham.
The salmon, collected from setnetters in the area, yesterday were hauled 12 miles offshore and dumped, the Department of Environmental Conservation says.
It bears stressing that this is a relatively minor volume of salmon, from one small and fairly isolated corner of the enormous Bristol Bay fishing grounds.
The salmon, collected from setnetters in the area, yesterday were hauled 12 miles offshore and dumped, the Department of Environmental Conservation says.
It bears stressing that this is a relatively minor volume of salmon, from one small and fairly isolated corner of the enormous Bristol Bay fishing grounds.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Closure ordered in Bristol Bay due to oil threat
The state again has closed part of Bristol Bay's Nushagak District to commercial fishing because of oil leaking from the sunken fish tender Lone Star. Here's the announcement.
And here's the latest situation report on the pollution response and salvage effort.
And here's the latest situation report on the pollution response and salvage effort.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Bristol Bay fishery closure lifted
Bristol Bay fishery managers have lifted the closure imposed after the salmon tender Lone Star sank Sunday in the Igushik River.
Meantime, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has issued this situation report, which includes a couple of photos of the partially sunken vessel.
Meantime, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has issued this situation report, which includes a couple of photos of the partially sunken vessel.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Update on the Lone Star sinking
The U.S. Coast Guard has released a few more details on the sinking of the salmon tender Lone Star in the Igushik River at Bristol Bay.
"The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has conducted an overflight of the site and reports a narrow sheen extending approximately four miles," the Coast Guard says.
The good Samaritan vessel Tradition responded to the report of the sinking vessel, rescued the four Lone Star crewmen and took them to Dillingham.
The Lone Star is partially submerged in 18 feet of water and reportedly has 14,000 gallons of diesel, 250 gallons of gasoline, 150 gallons of lube oil and 150 gallons of hydraulic fluid aboard.
The Coast Guard has issued a broadcast notice to mariners that the overturned vessel is 3.5 miles north of the mouth of the Igushik River, and boats in the area should maintain a sharp lookout to avoid collision.
As for how the Lone Star sank, a crewmember said that while at anchor a change in the tide "swung the ship against the anchor chain, detaching the transducer and coolant lines," the Coast Guard says. "This created a hole in the steel hull and caused the vessel to take on water."
KDLG radio reports the Lone Star was working for Trident Seafoods.
"The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has conducted an overflight of the site and reports a narrow sheen extending approximately four miles," the Coast Guard says.
The good Samaritan vessel Tradition responded to the report of the sinking vessel, rescued the four Lone Star crewmen and took them to Dillingham.
The Lone Star is partially submerged in 18 feet of water and reportedly has 14,000 gallons of diesel, 250 gallons of gasoline, 150 gallons of lube oil and 150 gallons of hydraulic fluid aboard.
The Coast Guard has issued a broadcast notice to mariners that the overturned vessel is 3.5 miles north of the mouth of the Igushik River, and boats in the area should maintain a sharp lookout to avoid collision.
As for how the Lone Star sank, a crewmember said that while at anchor a change in the tide "swung the ship against the anchor chain, detaching the transducer and coolant lines," the Coast Guard says. "This created a hole in the steel hull and caused the vessel to take on water."
KDLG radio reports the Lone Star was working for Trident Seafoods.
Trouble in Bristol Bay
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game shut down the local setnet fishery after a salmon tender, the Lone Star, sank this morning in the mouth of the Igushik River.
The good news is all four crewmen aboard the vessel are safe. In fact, they never even got wet, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman told Deckboss.
The Coast Guard received a mayday at 6:57 a.m. from the master of the Lone Star, who said his vessel was taking on water.
The crew got into a raft, and made it onto another vessel, the Coast Guard spokesman said.
The Department of Fish and Game in Dillingham issued an emergency order for Igushik setnetters to pull their nets due to the possibility of fuel in the water.
"If fish are contaminated they should be isolated and destroyed," the Fish and Game announcement said.
The Lone Star rolled over, the department said. But the vessel remains sticking out of the water, the Coast Guard spokesman said.
State records indicate the 86-foot, steel-hulled Lone Star belongs to Charles A. Burrece, of Bellingham, Wash.
The good news is all four crewmen aboard the vessel are safe. In fact, they never even got wet, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman told Deckboss.
The Coast Guard received a mayday at 6:57 a.m. from the master of the Lone Star, who said his vessel was taking on water.
The crew got into a raft, and made it onto another vessel, the Coast Guard spokesman said.
The Department of Fish and Game in Dillingham issued an emergency order for Igushik setnetters to pull their nets due to the possibility of fuel in the water.
"If fish are contaminated they should be isolated and destroyed," the Fish and Game announcement said.
The Lone Star rolled over, the department said. But the vessel remains sticking out of the water, the Coast Guard spokesman said.
State records indicate the 86-foot, steel-hulled Lone Star belongs to Charles A. Burrece, of Bellingham, Wash.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
