Maritime Injury Law Blog

Published on: November 25, 2025

Shape the Future of Fishing Vessel Safety

Have you ever thought about how safety regulations for commercial fishing vessels get decided? The U.S. Coast Guard wants to hear from people like you.

They’re looking for new members to join the National Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Advisory Committee, a group that meets twice each year to help develop safety policies affecting fishing operations nationwide. They are especially interested in hearing from those working on the water and those building the equipment that keeps crews safe.

The U.S. Coast Guard is specifically looking for fishermen and manufacturers to fill current openings. If you’ve spent time on commercial vessels or you design and build equipment for the fishing industry, your practical knowledge is exactly what this committee needs.

Published on: November 18, 2025

Four Rescued from Sinking Vessel Near Grays Harbor, Washington

by Nigel Stacey

On Monday, November 17, 2025, four individuals were rescued near Grays Harbor, Washington, after their vessel began taking on water and was reportedly sinking.

The crew of a nearby good Samaritan F/V LADY NANCY pulled the individuals from the water and performed CPR on one person who was unresponsive. The U.S. Coast Guard later used a helicopter to hoist the group and transfer them to a hospital in Hoquiam, WA.

At least one person remained in serious condition after being transported to the hospital, and all were being treated for hypothermia.

Published on: November 11, 2025

Dual Engine Failure Turns into Five Day Ordeal for F/V Great Pacific

by Nigel Stacey

On October 27, 2025, the F/V GREAT PACIFIC, a 134-foot U.S. fishing trawler carrying five crew members, lost power approximately 100 miles south of Yakutat, Alaska. The vessel suffered a broken drive shaft, leaving it dead in the water and adrift in rough 30-foot seas.

The crew contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, which dispatched the USCGC JOHN WITHERSPOON to assist. On October 29^th, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter successfully took the disabled fishing vessel in tow. However, as the USCGC JOHN WITHERSPOON towed the F/V GREAT PACIFIC near Kayak Island, the Coast Guard cutter itself suffered a main engine failure. Unable to maintain the tow, the cutter was forced to release the tow line, leaving the F/V GREAT PACIFIC unmanned and adrift in the Gulf of Alaska.

All five crew members were evacuated by the U.S. Coast Guard, but the F/V GREAT PACIFIC drifted without anyone aboard for five days across the Gulf of Alaska. During this period, the Marine Exchange of Alaska operations center in Juneau monitored the vessel’s movements closely, tracking its position and alerting other ships around the drifting vessel.

Published on: November 4, 2025

Maintenance and Cure Rates for 2025 Alaska Fishermen

by Nigel Stacey

If you’re injured while working on a vessel in Alaska, your maintenance payments should reflect the actual cost of living there, not just employer-set rates. Many vessel owners underpay maritime workers during recovery, disregarding the higher costs in remote locations.

While this article will address the specific rates and challenges facing Alaska’s commercial fishermen and processors, a detailed explanation of maintenance and cure is available at Maintenance and Cure Medical Treatment Rights.

The True Cost of Living

Published on: October 28, 2025

The Jones Act and Its Relevance to the Arctic

by Nigel Stacey

The waiver of the Jones Act which allows Finland to construct four Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard represents a significant point at which Arctic geopolitics, fishing rights, and maritime policy intersect. This crucial decision highlights the challenges arising from longstanding protective laws and the conditions presented by the rapid changes to the Arctic Ocean.

As Arctic sea ice recedes to record lows each year, previously inaccessible areas are opening to human economic activity which include commercial fishing in waters once covered by permanent ice. The Arctic region also contains approximately 13 percent of the world’s oil, about a third of the world’s natural gas, and rare earth minerals on the sea floor. Warming waters, shifting fish migration patterns, and longer ice free seasons are driving commercial fishery growth in areas like the U.S. Arctic Exclusive Economic Zone, as fish ranges expand into the newly exposed central Arctic Ocean.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, requires that ships operating between U.S. ports must be American built, flagged, and crewed. Originally devised to bolster the Merchant Marine fleet after the First World War, the Jones Act has become the support system for domestic commercial shipbuilding. However, this measure has created some obstacles for Arctic operations.

Published on: October 21, 2025

Fishing Bill Stalls Amid Government Shutdown

by Nigel Stacey

As the federal government shutdown extends into its third week, legislation unrelated to funding disputes, such as H.R. 3756, a bipartisan bill designed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide, remains stalled. Introduced in June 2025, this bill has been referred to multiple House committees and has yet to progress, as lawmakers continue to prioritize resolving the ongoing budget impasse.

IUU fishing is a major global problem, accounting for an estimated 20% of all seafood harvested annually. It costs legitimate fisheries between $10 billion and $23 billion each year and includes small-scale violations as well as organized criminal operations that falsify catch reports, bypass permits, and use fishing vessels for illicit activities.

The government shutdown, which began on October 1st, 2025, has furloughed roughly 900,000 federal employees, with another 700,000 working without pay. The U.S. Coast Guard continues operations under the Department of Homeland Security, but other agencies that support fisheries enforcement, such as NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, are operating with limited capacity. Essential inspections and enforcement continue, but some investigative and international cooperation efforts may be delayed.

Published on: October 14, 2025

Dozens Rescued from Flooded Alaska Villages

by Nigel Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard is leading extensive search and rescue operations in two rural Alaska communities that have been devastated by severe flooding, with dozens already rescued and efforts continuing to locate three missing residents.

U.S. Coast Guard crews from Air Station Kodiak have successfully rescued 34 people from the flooded villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok in western Alaska. 18 residents were airlifted from Kwigillingok, while 16 were rescued from Kipnuk. All were in stable condition, according to U.S. Coast Guard officials.

Search efforts remain ongoing for three Kwigillingok residents who are still unaccounted for. A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew covered 76 square miles in search operations on Sunday October 12^th, 2025, and resumed the search on Monday morning.

Published on: October 14, 2025

Alaska Crab Fisheries Show Signs of Recovery

by Nigel Stacey

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) delivered good news to the commercial fishing industry on Monday, October 6, 2025, when it was announced that it is nearly doubling the allowable harvest for the upcoming Bering Sea snow crab commercial fishing season. The increase marks a turning point for an industry that has endured devastating losses over the past several years.

ADF&G has set the catch limit at 9.3 million pounds for the season, representing a substantial increase over last year’s totals. However, the figure remains a reminder of how far the fishery has fallen from its peak. In 1991, crabbers harvested more than 320 million pounds of snow crab from these waters. Even as recently as 2020, the catch limit was set at 45 million pounds before the stock’s catastrophic collapse.

The downturn began in 2021 when more than 10 billion snow crabs vanished from the Bering Sea. The disappearance forced regulators to close the fishery for two consecutive seasons, leaving boats tied to docks and processing plants closed. Researchers attributed the collapse to warming ocean waters driven by climate change, which disrupted the delicate ecosystem these cold-water crustaceans depend on.

Published on: October 7, 2025

Maintenance and Cure: Your Medical Treatment Rights

by Nigel Stacey

If you’ve been injured or fallen ill while working on a vessel, you may be wondering who pays for your medical treatment and how you’ll cover your bills while you recover. Many injured maritime workers don’t realize they’re entitled to medical benefits even if the accident was their own fault. This no-fault benefit, known as “maintenance and cure,” is a fundamental right guaranteed to all seamen who become ill or injured while in service to a vessel.

What Is “Maintenance”?

Maintenance is a daily living allowance designed to cover your basic needs while you’re unable to work and recovering from your injury or illness. This isn’t charity, it’s your right under federal maritime law.

Published on: September 30, 2025

Alaska Fisherman Dies Aboard Cod Vessel Near Aleutian Islands

by Nigel Stacey

A 27-year-old commercial fisherman died on September 3rd, 2025, following a workplace accident aboard a fishing vessel operating in the Aleutian Islands.

Alaska State Troopers identified the deceased fisherman as Baxter Cox. According to Alaska State Trooper spokesman Austin McDaniel, the fatal incident occurred at approximately 9:45 p.m. while Cox was working aboard the F/V HALCYON, a 58-foot commercial fishing vessel owned by Buck Laukitis.

The vessel was fishing for Pacific cod with pot gear approximately 20 miles north of Akutan Island when the incident occurred. It is reported that Cox was untangling rope attached to a steel cod pot when another piece of equipment struck him in the head, McDaniel stated. Cox reportedly died from his injuries as the vessel transited Unimak Pass, the narrow strait connecting the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska near Unalaska.