Maritime Injury Law Blog

Published on: June 17, 2025

Morning Midas Still Ablaze Off Alaskan Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard is actively working to extinguish a persistent fire aboard the car carrier MORNING MIDAS, located approximately 220 miles south of Adak, Alaska. The first salvage vessel has now reached the scene, joining the ongoing efforts.

The incident began on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025, when smoke was detected on a deck full of electric vehicles. The MORNING MIDAS was transporting cargo from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, when the fire erupted. Despite the crew’s emergency response and the activation of onboard fire suppression systems, the blaze intensified, forcing all 22 crew members to abandon ship.

The crew evacuated via lifeboat and were subsequently rescued by the merchant vessel COSCO HELLAS. Currently, the tug vessel GRETCHEN DUNLAP is on site with salvage personnel working to assess the conditions.

Published on: June 10, 2025

Tragedy at Sea: Surviving Two Weeks Adrift After Fishing Vessel Sinks

by Nigel Stacey

Alec Frydman was a young man pursuing a new path in life when he signed on for his first trip aboard a commercial fishing vessel. Tragically, that first voyage turned into a nightmare. In his powerful first-person account published in The Atlantic (June 2025), Alec recounts a violent storm that sank the fishing vessel, claiming the life of the captain and leaving Alec alone in a life raft for 14 days. He was the sole survivor. His harrowing story of survival has drawn national attention—and ultimately led him to seek legal counsel from maritime attorney and partner Nigel Stacey of Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC.

Without warning, Frydman found himself alone, dehydrated, and without working emergency equipment. He survived through prayer, mental discipline, grit, and sheer willpower. His experience underscores the hazards encountered by maritime workers and emphasizes the necessity for well maintained, operational safety equipment.

Many survival tales share common themes of endurance, resilience, and the thin line between hope and despair. Alec’s account stands out for its emotional depth and clarity. Drifting without food, water, or contact, he entered what he describes as a “liminal” state, cut off from past and future, afloat in the terrifying now.

Published on: June 3, 2025

Seattle’s Expanding Maritime Sector

by Nigel Stacey

The maritime industry in Washington state, particularly within the Puget Sound region, is a thriving sector that offers diverse career opportunities both on shore and at sea. This part of the state’s economy contributed more than $45.9 billion in 2022 and provided more than 174,300 jobs.

These maritime professions are often financially rewarding, providing substantial wages. The average annual compensation for maritime workers in Washington state, including benefits, is estimated at $112,000. Even entry-level union positions can range from $55,000 to $140,000, highlighting the earning potential in this field.

To sustain this growth, there’s a strong focus on workforce development. Seattle is strategically positioning itself as a global hub for the maritime and clean energy economy, highlighting its commitment to future growth and innovation.

Published on: May 27, 2025

Jones Act Claims: What Your Employer Can and Cannot Do

by Nigel Stacey

The Jones Act, or the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, grants maritime workers the right to pursue a claim against their employer for negligence if an injury occurs during their employment. Unlike traditional workers’ compensation, the Jones Act is a fault-based statute. This means that to succeed in a claim, the injured worker must show that their employer’s negligence or the negligence of a fellow crewmember directly contributed to the injury.

What an Employer Can Do in a Jones Act Claim

Upon notification of a maritime injury, an employer is entitled to undertake several actions as part of their investigation and defense:

Published on: May 20, 2025

Battling the Bering Sea: The High Stakes of Safety for Commercial Fishermen

by Nigel Stacey

Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, a significant part of the state’s economy, involves working in challenging marine environments. The pursuit of seafood means confronting hazardous conditions, which leads to injuries and fatalities each year. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Understanding the safety measures in place and the legal avenues available, such as the Jones Act, is important for those working at sea.

Working as a commercial fisherman in Alaska carries a greater risk of injury and death than many other jobs. Several factors contribute to these risks:

Challenging Weather and Icing: Alaska’s marine weather can change quickly. Sudden storms, strong winds, and large waves can make fishing difficult. Ice accumulating on vessels, particularly during colder seasons, can affect a boat’s stability.

Published on: May 14, 2025

Empowering Alaska Fishermen Through Insurance Cooperatives

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

House Bill 116 is currently under consideration by the Alaska State Senate, representing a potential turning point for the state’s commercial fishing industry. This legislation would authorize Alaskan fishermen to form their own insurance cooperatives, which would lower operating costs and ensure the financial stability of smaller operators facing increasingly difficult economic conditions. Having passed the House unanimously, the bill is now before the Senate, with a strong possibility of enactment this session.

The bill originated from the Joint Legislative Task Force Evaluating Alaska’s Seafood Industry, which analyzed and identified growing financial strains on commercial fishermen. As Representative Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, and Senate President Gary Stevens have emphasized, the combination of record-high operating costs and record-low fishing market prices calls for innovative solutions to support this vital sector of Alaska’s economy.

The primary concern driving this legislation is the increasing cost and decreasing availability of traditional insurance for fishing vessels. Underwriters are reportedly increasing premiums and becoming more selective with their customers. This has created a significant barrier for many independent fishermen seeking insurance. By enabling fishermen to collectively pool their resources, they can create a larger, potentially lower-risk insurance pool, theoretically leading to more attractive rates and greater access to coverage.

Published on: May 12, 2025

Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Captain After Fishing Vessel Sinks Near Westport

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The sinking of the 68-foot fishing vessel F/V CAPTAIN RALEIGH near Grays Harbor, Washington, has sent a wave of grief through Pacific Northwest fishing communities. The tragic incident has left Newport captain Jon Stevenson, a seasoned mariner, missing. In the wake of this devastating event, an outpouring of support for the Stevenson family has begun, including a vigil held by the Fishermen’s Wives in Newport on Saturday evening and the launch of a GoFundMe campaign.

The U.S. Coast Guard has called off the search for the 44-year-old captain of the F/V CAPTAIN RALEIGH, which sank Friday morning near the entrance to Grays Harbor. Three other individuals who were aboard the 68-foot vessel were rescued from the water by a U.S. Coast Guard boat crew.

The F/V CAPTAIN RALEIGH issued a distress call around 8:15 a.m., reporting they were rapidly taking on water and onboard pumps were failing. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia watchstanders immediately broadcast an urgent marine information notice and dispatched rescue assets, including boat crews from Station Grays Harbor and an aircrew from Air Station Astoria.

Published on: May 6, 2025

Rock Crab Fishing Returns to Northern California

by Nigel Stacey

After nearly a decade, commercial fishermen in northern California are once again permitted to harvest rock crab. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the reopening of the commercial fishery along the coast from the California Oregon border south to the north jetty of Humboldt Bay. This long stretch of rock crab habitat has been closed since 2015 due to persistent domoic acid contamination.

The initial closure of this fishery stemmed from the most extensive recorded bloom of domoic acid along the West Coast. Emergency regulations were enacted, and despite subsequent declines in toxin levels, the area remained off limits through a series of state declarations due to a lack of consistent testing in the years that followed.

A turning point arrived with renewed engagement from commercial fishermen, who proactively began submitting rock crab samples from both central and northern California waters. These efforts proved successful, as recent testing now confirms that domoic acid levels in the newly reopened zone are safely below the federal action level of 30 parts per million for crab viscera.

Published on: April 29, 2025

Alaska Senators Advocate for Seafood Worker Visa Exemption

by Nigel Stacey

A bipartisan effort led by Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and supported by fellow coastal state senators has introduced new legislation aimed at providing relief to the Alaska seafood processing industry. The proposed “Save Our Seafood Act” seeks to exempt seafood processing companies from the federal cap imposed on the temporary H-2B visa program in order to secure the industry’s workforce and overall stability.

The Alaska seafood sector annually depends on international laborers, primarily from Mexico, the Philippines, and Ukraine. These workers fill essential processing roles during the intense, high-volume commercial fishing seasons. Before turning to the H-2B visa program, companies must demonstrate an inability to recruit enough American workers. Thousands of guest workers are hired each year to meet the demanding labor needs.

However, seafood processing companies compete for H-2B visas alongside various non-agricultural industries, including construction, landscaping, and hospitality. The current congressional cap of 66,000 visas per year, divided into two seasonal allocations, creates uncertainty and potential workforce shortages for the seafood industry.

Published on: April 22, 2025

Stacey & Jacobsen Cares: A Call for Reduced Alcohol Use Among Commercial Fishermen at Sea

by Joseph Stacey

Commercial fishing is undeniably tough work that demands resilience through long hours, hard physical labor, and often isolating periods in some of nature’s most challenging environments. It’s understandable that the combination of these physical and mental demands can create pressure for people who work at sea. This post highlights the genuine risks linked to alcohol use while working at sea, and we want to advocate for practical and healthy ways to handle the stress, fatigue, and boredom that can sometimes come with life working on a fishing vessel. Everyone is entitled to a safe fishing community.

Life as a commercial fisherman is not easy. Being away from loved ones for long periods of time and spotty communication can lead to feelings of loneliness. The constant cycle of long and unpredictable work hours can lead to severe fatigue. Financial uncertainties and harsh weather conditions can add even more stress. It’s no surprise that some in the maritime industry turn to alcohol, especially binge drinking, to cope. While it might offer a quick feeling of relief, alcohol can impact safety by affecting those crucial thinking and physical skills we all need to perform our work at sea.

Alcohol acts like a depressant on our nervous system, significantly affecting judgment, coordination, reaction time, and even our eyesight. All of these are important for safety aboard a fishing vessel. These effects can be stronger at sea due to vessel movement, engine noise, and just plain fatigue. Even a small amount of alcohol can lead to risky situations.