Maritime Injury Law Blog

Published on: August 29, 2017

New Aquaculture Permits on Hold in Washington State

A breach in a net pen was initially blamed on high tides and the eclipse. However, in a revised press release, Cooke Aquaculture no longer listed the eclipse as a possible cause, but rather “Exceptionally high tides and currents caused damage to a salmon farm that has been in operation near Cypress Island for approximately 30 years.”

Whatever the cause of the Atlantic salmon spill on Cyprus Island, aquaculture operations have been put on hold in the Pacific Northwest after a moratorium was placed on new and pending permits for fish farming in Washington State. Governor Jay Inslee and Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands, jointly imposed the freeze on permits after the Cooke Aquaculture Pacific net pen breech occurred on August 19^th.

Cooke leases public bedlands from the Department of Natural Resources, and is now in violation of that lease agreement. In order for Canadian based Cooke Aquaculture Pacific to be “in compliance” with the terms of their lease, they must clean up and manage pen failures at the Cypress Island facility said Cori Simmons, head of communications for the Department of Natural Resources.

Published on: August 28, 2017

Teen Involved with Sailing Class in Critical Condition After Boating Mishap off Magnuson Park

by Joseph Stacey

The Seattle Fire Department was called to Magnuson Park this morning after receiving word that a 17-year-old boy had gone underwater. Spokeswoman Kristin Tinsley reported that a water rescue team arrived at the 7800 block of 62^nd Avenue Northeast around 9:33 am.

Tinsley said that the teen had been taking a class at Sail Sand Point when some sort of mishap caused him to go underwater. Several people involved with the class as well as a responding police officer worked to pull the teen from the water just before the fire department arrived.

He was taken to Seattle Children’s Hospital in critical condition after spending six minutes underwater.

Published on: August 22, 2017

Atlantic Salmon Net Pen Spill, Solar Eclipse Suspected

by Joseph Stacey

If you happen to be fishing in the south Bellingham Bay area near Cypress Island today, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife would like your help cleaning up a large Atlantic salmon spill. A net pen which held approximately 305,000 Atlantic salmon, broke over the weekend, releasing thousands of farm fish into the waters surrounding the San Juan islands.

In a statement released this morning by Cooke Aquaculture Pacific, a division of Icicle Seafoods, Inc., Cooke speculated that “exceptionally high tides and currents coinciding with this week’s solar eclipse” caused the damage. Cooke estimates several thousand salmon escaped following “structural failure” of a net pen.

“It appears that many fish are still contained within the nets,” Cooke said in the statement. “It will not be possible to confirm exact numbers of fish losses until harvesting is completed and an inventory of fish in the pens has been conducted.”

Published on: July 28, 2017

Search Continues for Bristol Bay Crewman Who Went Overboard in Ugashik

by Joseph Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard is still searching for a fisherman who went missing after going overboard in Ugashik Bay.

Petty Officer Bill Colclough says the vessel Lady Colleen reported just after 12:00 a.m. Thursday that a crewman had gone overboard.

“The person was observed falling into the water wearing dark green rain bibs, with no personal flotation device, and could not swim,” he said. “The crew reported they were unable to get the person before being observed going underneath the water and not resurfacing.”

Published on: July 27, 2017

Scuba Diver Who Died in Hood Canal Identified

by Joseph Stacey

The Mason County Coroner’s office have released the name of a scuba diver who died this past Saturday in Washington state’s Hood Canal.

Joshua Michael Parke of The Balles, Oregon, was on a training dive in the Sund Rock Conservation area near Hoodsport, Washington.

Officials say that Parke, age 36, went unconscious shortly after surfacing with his dive partner.

Published on: July 21, 2017

Wreckage of Seattle-Based Crab Boat F/V DESTINATION Discovered in the Bering Sea

by Joseph Stacey

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Vessel has just located the wreck of the missing F/V DESTINATION that sank in the Bering Sea this past February. The vessel and its six crew members were tragically lost in the capsize.

On the cold morning of Saturday, February 11, 2017, crew aboard the F/V DESTINATION was traveling to the fishing grounds and was just off St. George Island in the Pribilofs of the Bering Sea. Events that followed before the vessel ultimately sank are being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The crew did not have time to send a May Day—only an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon signal was set off by F/V DESTINATION crew. This allowed immediate responders to reach the destination, but only buoys, a life ring and other debris were found at the site.

Published on: July 11, 2017

Coast Guard Grants Child’s Wish To Serve

by Joseph Stacey

An 8-year-old boy from Woodland, Washington became an honorary rescue swimmer today when the Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak and Make-A-Wish foundation granted Andrew Bishop’s wish to be a rescue swimmer in Alaska.

After completing training in a modified rescue pool and basic air crewman training, Andrew donned a flight suit and reported for duty. During his flight aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, he assisted in responding to a simulated search and rescue training drill, assisting in hoisting and performing CPR on an injured hiker then transporting him to the local air station.

Upon completion of the mission, Andrew was presented with an Air Medal for his work during the rescue. Coast Guard personnel and family members were at the presentation to congratulate Andrew on a job well done.

Published on: June 20, 2017

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Medevacs Injured Crew Member

by Joseph Stacey

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced a 58-year-old male after he suffered an ankle injury while aboard the F/V NEW DAWN. The 50-foot commercial vessel was near Shelikof Strait when the incident occurred on Sunday, June 18th.

“Due to the crewman’s possible need for an orthopedic surgeon, we determined the best course of action was to get him off the New Dawn and place him aboard the Jayhawk helicopter for transfer to advanced medical care” said Mr. Cory Cichoracki, watchstander at Sector Anchorage command center. “Despite the weather, the aircrew alongside the crew of the New Dawn, was able to complete a successful hoist.”

Watchstanders requested the Jayhawk launch after the duty flight surgeon recommended medevac of the injured crewmember. You can watch the heroic video here.

Published on: June 13, 2017

Seattle Jury Awards Deadliest Catch Crabber $1.35 Million

by Joseph Stacey

A crabber working in the Alaska Bering Sea aboard the TIME BANDIT (the vessel made famous by the popular Discovery Channel reality series “Deadliest Catch”), was awarded $1.35 million by a Seattle jury for injuries sustained in a fireworks related explosion aboard the vessel.

According to court documents, David Zielinski suffered a shattered right hand and forearm when the explosive he was attempting to launch detonated prematurely. According to his attorney, Zielinski had been instructed by his employer to launch the custom-made explosive. Following the incident, Zielinski had to be airlifted from the ship to a medical clinic in Alaska, then flown to Seattle for surgery on his hand and arm. Since the accident, he has undergone several reconstructive surgeries, however the injury has put an end to his career as a commercial crabber.

Johnathan Hillstrand, one of the owners of the TIME BANDIT, admitted that he had suggested Zielinski claim the injuries were sustained while crabbing rather than from an explosive device. In a declaration, Johnathan Hillstrand stated that his brother Andy Hillstrand talked him out of the tactic.

Published on: June 6, 2017

Named for Heroes: New and Improved Coast Guard Cutters Coming to Astoria and Ketchikan

by Joseph Stacey

Astoria is set to receive two new lifesaving Sentinel-class cutters. One has already been deployed in Ketchikan, the USCGC John McCormick. These are part of a Coast Guard plan to commission 58 new Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters, replacing aging Island-class cutters.

The new cutters are 154 ft. long (compared to the 110 ft. Island-class) and feature technology updates, such as weapons systems upgrades, small boat stern launch capabilities (to achieve safer and more efficient operations), and a five knot speed increase over the Island-class vessel. Command, control, communications, and intelligence systems have been updated with state of the art technology. The Sentinel-class cutter can reach speeds in excess of 28 knots, and the new small boats can reach speeds of 40 knots.

The new Sentinel-class vessels are to be named after enlisted Coast Guard servicemen and women who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. The first deployed cutter of its class, the USCGC Bernard C. Webber, is named for the Coxswain of the 36-foot wooden Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500, which pulled one of the most daring rescues in Coast Guard history. Webber and his crew faced 60-foot seas to rescue 32 crewmen from the SS Pendleton in February, 1952.