Lobster ban shortened following on-water shooting

A lobster fishing ban around a remote Maine island was shortened from two weeks to four days Thursday in the aftermath of a turf war shooting that wounded a lobsterman.

The shutdown was imposed after a 68-year-old lobsterman was charged with shooting fellow lobsterman Chris Young.

Click here to read a report in the Portland Press Herald.

Treasure hunters files objections to shipwreck recommendation

"We know that admiralty law is complex, and the facts of this case are unique. I believe that the recommendation missed some key issues, and we have underscored those in our objection. We are confident that the facts and applicable law are in our favor," said Melinda MacConnel, vice president and general counsel for Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Odyssey's complete "Objections to the June 3, 2009 Report and Recommendation" is available at www.shipwreck.net/blackswanlegal.php.

In May 2007, Odyssey announced the discovery of the "Black Swan," a Colonial-period site located in the Atlantic Ocean which yielded more than 500,000 silver coins weighing more than 17 tons, hundreds of gold coins, worked gold, and other artifacts. Odyssey completed an extensive pre-disturbance survey of the "Black Swan" site, which included recording more than 14,000 digital still images that were used to create a photomosaic of the site.

For information on the "Black Swan", click here.

Prison sentence for reckless skipper

A teenager whose careless boating killed his friend on a Rhode Island river two summers ago will serve 2-1/2 years in prison and another 2-1/2 years on home confinement for his crime that July day in 2007. The full sentence was 10 years, with five to be split between minimum security and home confinement. The remainder of the term will be suspended with probation.

Click here for a detailed report in the Providence Journal.

Fishing trawler sinks cruising yacht

The importance of keeping a proper lookout was again underlined this week when a fishing trawler collided with a cruising sail yacht off the east coast of Australia.

Click here for an account and photos on Seabreeze.com.