Final ice-bound longliners close to freedom

The Canadian Coast Guard hopes on Thursday to free the final three fishing vessels that have been stuck in ice off Newfoundland's northeast coast since mid-March.

The coast guard was confronted in March with a field of ice that stretched all the way from Quebec's north shore, around Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula and along hundreds of kilometres of coastlineto the top of the Avalon Peninsula.

At one point, more than 100 longliners had become trapped in ice after returning from the seal hunt where most of the quota was filled on March 13. Some vessels were stuck before the hunt started, while the heavy ice preventedothersfrom getting close to seal herds.

Dean Patey, skipper of Patey's Venture, one of the last three boats still in ice off Fogo Island, said coast guard icebreakers are escorting all three vessels.

"It's been very long and very, very tense moments sometimes but apart from that now, you know, what a long time now 22 days on a boat, beating around," Patey said. "It's not too good."

Patey said he and his crew were not able to obtain seals. He said they are hoping to receive another opportunity from federal fisheries officials, who have made sporadic subsequent openings in the seal hunt as the remaining quota in the region are taken.