Maritime Injury Law Blog

Published on: October 29, 2024

Coast Guard Medevacs ill Crewmember from F/V Pacific Dragon II

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Honolulu command center received a medevac request at 4:57 p.m. on Monday, October 21, 2024, after notification that a 35-year-old crew member was experiencing severe abdominal pain. The F/V PACIFIC DRAGON II, was located approximately 78 miles northeast of Kahului, Maui at the time of the call.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point was dispatched to locate the vessel and evacuate the distressed fisherman. The helicopter reached the scene at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 22^nd, 2024, and transported the crewmember to Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku.

“Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac,” said a released statement, underscoring the urgency of the medical situation.

Published on: October 22, 2024

Coast Guard Rescues 5 from Tug Luther After Loss of Steering

by Joseph Stacey

A dramatic maritime rescue took place off the coast of La Push, Washington, on Friday, October 18^th, 2024, as U.S. Coast Guard and commercial tug crews worked urgently to prevent the 130-foot tug LUTHER from running aground after it lost steering in stormy seas.

At approximately 4:10 p.m. the tug LUTHER was towing a loaded cement barge when the vessel suffered a steering malfunction 10 miles offshore. The crew immediately sent a distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We’re getting our butts kicked,” the LUTHER captain can be heard saying over the radio as crews fought to save the vessel amid the harsh conditions. Readers can listen to the distress call at U.S. Coast Guard.

Published on: October 22, 2024

Alaska Opens Snow Crab Fishery for First Time in Two Years, Allowing 4.7 Million Pound Harvest

by Nigel Stacey

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced that the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will reopen after being closed for two years, allowing fishermen to harvest approximately 4.7 million pounds of snow crab. This decision follows an assessment that the population of mature male crabs has increased above the threshold necessary to support sustainable fishing.

The 2024/25 Bering Sea snow crab fishery opened in Bering Sea District waters west of 165° W longitude at 12:00 noon on October 15, 2024 and will close at 11:59 p.m. May 15, 2025 in the Eastern Subdistrict (east of 173° W longitude), and close at 11:59 p.m. May 31, 2025 in the Western Subdistrict (west of 173° W longitude).

The reopening of the snow crab fishery comes as a relief to many in the fishing industry, especially those in coastal Alaska communities that rely heavily on the income generated by the snow crab harvest. The fishery was closed for the past two years due to sharp declines in the crab population, which raised concerns about overfishing and environmental changes affecting the crab habitat. In 2021, the ADF&G took the extraordinary step of shutting down the snow crab fishery after population surveys revealed a dramatic crash in crab numbers, likely linked to rising ocean temperatures, reduced sea ice, and ecosystem changes.

Published on: October 22, 2024

Pacific Seafood will Acquire Trident Seafoods Kodiak Operations

by Joseph Stacey

Trident Seafoods and Pacific Seafood have reached a preliminary agreement for Pacific Seafood to acquire Trident’s processing operations in Kodiak, Alaska. While the transaction is still subject to completion of the due diligence process, both firms expect to finalize the agreement by November.

In a joint statement, the companies emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining job security and ensuring uninterrupted operations throughout the transition.

“Our top priority is to reassure employees and the fleet that this is a handoff, not a shutdown,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods. “We are committed to a smooth transition with Pacific Seafood, so they are well prepared to operate for the 2025 A season.”

Published on: October 15, 2024

Safety Rules Still Lax After F/V Scandies Rose and F/V Destination Losses

by Nigel Stacey

Five years have passed since the tragic loss of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE, and seven years since the sinking of the F/V DESTINATION. Both vessels were burdened with crab pots that exceeded the estimated weights in their stability reports, and both vessels capsized during severe weather conditions. The attorneys at Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC have been closely involved in these tragic cases, representing both the two surviving crew members of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE and the wife and three children of a deceased crew member from the F/V DESTINATION.

Despite a 2010 congressional mandate for stability training, the U.S. Coast Guard has yet to implement the requirement. Currently, there is no formal process in place for reviewing stability calculations for non-processor crab vessels or the vast majority of fishing vessels operating in Alaska.

A stability report for crab boats, like those used in the fishing industry, is a crucial safety document that details how a vessel behaves in various loading conditions, ensuring that it remains stable and safe in the water.

Published on: October 8, 2024

Ropeless Crab Gear Trial

by Joseph Stacey

The recent trial of innovative ropeless crab fishing gear off the California coast has ignited controversy among the Dungeness crab fishing community. The trial, which ran from April 9 to June 30, 2024, allowed a limited number of commercial crabbers to use ropeless gear to harvest during a time typically restricted to protect whales and crabs. While the technology has been hailed by some as a major breakthrough in reducing whale entanglements, others in the community view it as a complication in an already strained industry.

The trial, the largest of its kind to date, focused on testing “pop-up” fishing gear designed to eliminate the need for traditional buoy lines, which are known to cause entanglements for marine mammals such as whales. Instead of using long lines of rope that extend from the ocean floor to a surface buoy, ropeless systems employ underwater cages that release to the surface when remotely activated by the fishermen. This eliminates the vertical ropes, which have been identified as a major hazard for migrating whales that can become trapped.

Whale entanglements in traditional crab fishing gear have become an increasingly urgent concern over the past decade, leading to frequent delays and shutdowns of the crabbing season in California. In recent years, crabbers have faced shortened seasons, which often fall during critical whale migration periods. As a result, the fishing industry has been under pressure to find solutions that balance both marine conservation and the economic sustainability of crab fishing. Proponents of ropeless gear argue that the technology offers a new way to allow crabbing to continue while protecting endangered species like humpback and blue whales.

Published on: October 1, 2024

Bycatch of Nearly 20,000 Chinook Salmon Shuts Down Alaska Pollock Fishery

by Joseph Stacey

Nearly 20,000 Chinook salmon were accidentally caught as bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska’s pollock fishery, forcing an early closure and igniting outrage among scientists studying endangered southern resident orcas and advocates for wild salmon. Chinook salmon, highly prized for their size and nutritional value, are a critical food source for the southern resident orcas that frequent the Salish Sea.

Although genetic testing of the caught Chinook has not yet been completed, it is highly likely that fish from Washington’s rivers were among those captured. Pollock, a white fish commonly used in products like fish sticks and fast-food sandwiches, was the intended target of the fishing operation.

The shutdown came after just two fishing vessels surpassed the allowable bycatch limit during the weekend of September 21-22. According to Julie Fair, a spokesperson for the Alaska region of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the boats were monitored by either onboard human observers or cameras. Starting next year, the entire fleet will be subjected to this level of monitoring.

Published on: September 24, 2024

Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC Expands with new Office in Anchorage, AK

by Nigel Stacey

Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC, one of the nation’s leading maritime personal injury plaintiff firms, is proud to announce the opening of a second office in Anchorage, Alaska. This expansion strengthens the firm’s ability to provide legal services to maritime workers and their families across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, two of the most vital regions for the fishing and maritime industries. Stacey & Jacobsen has a storied history in Alaska, including trials, mediations, vessel inspections, hearings, and depositions. This new office reinforces the firm’s commitment to aggressively and effectively protect and pursue our clients’ rights and will build upon the firm’s reputation.

The Seattle office located at Fishermen’s Terminal, is just minutes from the Port of Seattle, and positions the firm at the heart of one of the nation’s most active maritime hubs. In Anchorage, the new office in Midtown Anchorage places the firm in close proximity to Alaska’s thriving fishing and maritime communities and the Alaska state and federal courthouses, reinforcing their commitment to serve injured seamen, commercial fishermen, and other maritime workers who often face dangerous working conditions. The new office offers a dynamic environment to assist the firm’s next chapter in Alaska.

Both offices are equipped to manage cases related to maritime law, Jones Act claims, and wrongful death cases. Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC has long been known for its comprehensive understanding of maritime law and dedication to securing compensation for injured workers.

Published on: September 17, 2024

The Dangers of Commercial Fishing Winches

by Joseph Stacey

Within Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, deck machinery has emerged as a leading source of serious injuries, with winches being a major culprit. In a study prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the Journal of Agromedicine, Volume 28, 2023 – Issue 3, injury data from the past 20 years was analyzed and used to highlight the critical need to develop targeted safety measures.

The study reviewed injury claims submitted to the Alaska Fisherman’s Fund (AFF) between January 1, 2000, and November 1, 2020. Researchers identified 125 traumatic injuries caused by commercial fishing winches, revealing alarming patterns of injury and highlighting the need for practical solutions.

The vast majority of winch-related injuries occurred among male fishermen, who accounted for 94% of the cases. A significant proportion (54%) were under the age of 30, emphasizing the vulnerability of younger, less experienced workers. Over 80% of the injuries took place in Alaska’s salmon fisheries, with specific risks depending on the type of gear in use.

Published on: September 10, 2024

Coast Guard Issues Alert after Fishing Boat Explosion in Hawaii

by Joseph Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert following a deadly explosion aboard the F/V KIM THU, an uninspected commercial fishing vessel, in Hawaii on April 26, 2024. In a recent update, U.S. Coast Guard officials provided further details about the blast, while the Department of Law Enforcement confirmed that the F/V KIM THU was a foreign long-line fishing vessel. Investigations into the cause of the explosion are ongoing.

The incident occurred while the boat was moored at Pier 36 for maintenance. The explosion, which originated from the marine diesel fuel tank, resulted in the death of one crew member and left five others injured.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the F/V KIM THU failed to comply with the “Hot Works” permit guidelines issued by the State Department of Transportation. These regulations govern maintenance activities on water tank hatches, engine room stairs, and spotlights. According to witnesses, welding was conducted on a fuel tank vent pipe that had not been certified as gas-free or deemed “Safe for Hot Work” by a certified marine chemist, a clear violation of permit requirements.