National Fisherman articles from April 2003

National Fisherman archives from April 2003

The Bristol Bay lawsuit. (Editor's Log).
April 1, 2003... Buying and selling fish is not for the faint of heart. Years ago a group of draggermen here in Portland, Maine, confronted a buyer who was paying 6 cents a pound for flounders that were worth 20 cents in Boston. "Now boys," the buyer gently...

Fishing back when.
April 1, 2003... 50 YEARS AGO this month Portland's growing fleet of scallopers swells to six boats as the Vagabond and the Vandal, both owned by the Harris Co., rig for the Georges Bank fishery. The primary reason is that Portland, unlike New Bedford,...

The Sea's greatest hits.(Book Review)
April 1, 2003... THE BOOK OF THE SEA Edited by Aubrey De Selincourt Chatham Publishing Softcover, 376 pp., $23.95 Literary anthologies follow a logic similar to musical compilations: If someone gives you a mixed tape (or these days, a CD) and you don't...

Delivering old Bessie. (Forum).
April 1, 2003... Years ago, I helped deliver Bessie, a steel-hulled shrimp trawler. This was with James, a friend, and a Cajun skipper, Captain Bob. We started from Brunswick, Ga., and ended in Port Canaveral, Fla. It was early morning when we all met and...

All the golden rules. (Consequences).
April 1, 2003... The rules of the road sound manageable, but circumstances have a way of intervening. Rule 9, for instance, states that a vessel proceeding along a narrow channel shall keep her starboard side as near to the outer limit of the channel as is safe...

Proposed scup regulations increasingly meaningless. (To the editor).
April 1, 2003... I did not comment on the proposed 2003 scup specifications before the deadline, although I was asked by several colleagues in the commercial fishing industry for my opinion of their comments. Every time I began to examine the subject, I became...

Northeast fisheries becoming disgraceful, yet blame shared. (Mail Buoy).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... I have just returned from another day of boat work in Point Judith, R.I. In attempt to make some kind of a month's income, my crew and myself have moved all five of our nets at least twice in the past three weeks. To be in compliance for the...

Proposed budget offers hope. (A Letter From Bill Hogarth).(director of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... As I write this, the President's 2004 budget is being proposed to Congress. I'm pleased with this proposal because it contains new funding that will help improve our fisheries management--good news for fishing communities and the nation. Some...

Cap'n Sane says.... (Mail Buoy).(Column)
April 1, 2003... We had a mug-up down at Sam Wheeler's filthy fishhouse the other night. F'a couple reasons. First off, Amos up at the store is now chargin' store rent f'Cove meetings. Second off, we're startin' t'gear up f'spring lobsterin' under the new...

Downbeat study at odds with NMFS shark findings: Canada university is faulted for using limited data, in contrast to broader U.S. assessment. (Gulf * South Africa).(National Marine Fisheries Service)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A much-publicized study asserting shark populations in the northwest Atlantic Ocean dropped by more than 50 percent between 1986 and 2000 conflicts with a more recent and comprehensive NMFS stock assessment released in 2002. Researchers at...

Louisiana officials flirt with limited entry plan: but state's crabbers are cool to the idea. (Gulf * South Africa).(crab industry regulations)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Louisiana officials are taking a new look at limited entry as a means of reducing crab traps in the water and keeping crab fishermen from diluting their profits. However, such a measure could have a steep uphill climb. Some members' of the...

A single vote keeps state in shrimp alliance: squabble leads representatives to resign. (Gulf * South Africa).
April 1, 2003... Mutiny by Louisiana fishermen against an eight-state shrimp industry coalition was narrowly thwarted in January when the state's own shrimpers' organization voted to continue support of the fledgling Southern Shrimp Alliance. In doing so,...

Report: water policy caused Kiamath River fish kill: California review says unless federal strategy changes, risk of future die-offs is substantial. (Pacific).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Bush administration's new water policy, which gives farmers a bigger slice of the [H.sub.2]O pie, caused the deaths of about 53,000 Klamath River salmon and steelhead trout in the fall of 2002, states a recently released 63-page California...

Calif. lawsuit indicates mercury issue is rising: warning label campaign may go national. (Pacific).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... California Attorney General Bill Lockyer filed a suit against five California retailers in January, asserting they violated Proposition 65 by not warning customers that some seafood for sale may contain toxic chemicals. The California...

Where we live. (Home Port).
April 1, 2003... COOS BAY, ORE. THE TOWN Population: 15,000 Number of boats: 300 TOP FIVE LANDINGS IN 2002 Pink shrimp--13,022,000 pounds worth $3,631,408 Dungeness crab--1,870,706 pounds worth $3,009,138 Chinook salmon--1,137,058 pounds...

Fishermen off the hook for 1950s sardine crash: scientists cite warmer waters as the cause. (Pacific).
April 1, 2003... Offering a partial explanation to the catastrophic collapse of the sardine stock off California in 1950s, scientists have identified 25-year-long cycles in sardine and anchovy abundance. These fluctuations occur somewhat synchronously...

More than 500 protest expansion of B.C. fish farms: opposition to hatchery construction among natives sparks rallies in Canada and abroad. (Canada).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Opposition to British Columbia's expanding salmon farm industry mounted in January. Over 500 people at rallies in Canada, the United States, Norway and Germany protested development of a salmon farm hatchery near Ocean Falls, British Columbia...

Harvest pacts concern non-Native fishermen: coalition wants one set of rules for all. (Canada).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The British Columbia government is close to signing two First Nations land claim agreements that would also cover Native commercial fishing rights--and, non-Native fishermen say, create fisheries management inequities. According to British...

Fisherman plans to defy DFO if cod fishery closes: says agency's science is seriously lacking. (Canada).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Although a federal advisory council hasn't recommended doing so, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Robert Thibault may decide this spring to close what's left of Newfoundland's northern cod fishery. Thibault has said he's...

Who we are. (Snapshot).
April 1, 2003... Joe Orlando: Gloucester, Mass. If Las Vegas is taking bets on who will survive the ongoing shakeout in the New England groundfishery, the odds on Gloucester fisherman Joe Orlando would have to be better than even. Orlando arrived...

Texas Chili Beans. (Galley Watch At-sea cuisine).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Terry Ricks, Aransas Pass, Texas Texas Bay shrimpers like Terry Ricks work long days and sleep short nights. "We usually anchor off," says Ricks, who is president of the Texas Seafood Producers Association. "It's usually around...

Villages argue for broader use of CDQ revenues: NMFS challenges municipal expenditures, citing requirement for fisheries-related spending. (North Pacific).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Federal officials in January said one of Alaska's Community Development Quota companies unlawfully doled out gift money to predominantly Eskimo villages along the Bering Sea coast. Eugene Asicksik, president of Norton Sound Economic...

Proposed bill intended to stir fish farm debate: legislators to ponder aquaculture strategy.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... With intentions of including aquaculture among options to keep Alaska's fishing industry competitive with fish farms elsewhere, Sen. Alan Austerman (R-Kodiak), has introduced a bill that would allow finfish farming, which has been illegal in...

U.S. crab boats caught fishing in Russian waters: fishermen say faulty charts caused breach.
April 1, 2003... Foreign ships often cross the Bering Sea dividing line from Russian waters to fish illegally on the American side. In January, however, it was a different story as six U.S. crab vessels were busted for invading Russia's side. Lawyers for...

Appropriations bill holds $100M for U.S. fisheries: aid package must survive House scrutiny over last-minute additions to spending measure. (National).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Last-minute changes in the U.S. Senate's annual appropriations bill contain a proposed $100 million in funding to assist various U.S. fisheries, but is not yet a done deal. Haggling with the House of Representatives--where resentment over...

White House resisting on U.S.C.G. safety role: Senators seek assurance in post-9/11 era. (National).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Potential conflict between the U.S. Coast Guard's role in rescues and new duties under the nation's Homeland Security Act is making some fishermen's organizations nervous. And a proposed safeguard addressing the conflict is having a tough time...

GAO report finds IFQs mean fewer fishermen: says processors' case for shares is flawed. (National).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Do individual fishing quotas mean fewer fishermen on the water? Yes, says a December report from the U.S. General Accounting Office. Harvesters of five species received IFQs in the 1990s: Alaska halibut and blackcod, South Atlantic...

Nuka Point: Salmon and herring seiner, halibut longliner. (Boat Of The Month).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... With its sleek lines, fresh paint and history of big hauls, the Nuka Point is no stranger to Alaska's herring circuit and the salmon fishery in Prince William Sound. Beaver and Jessie Nelson took delivery of the boat in 1983--a year later than...

Groundfish goals could blunt deadline extension: higher biomass recovery targets may force New England council to continue cutbacks. (Northeast).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Fishermen may not want to get too excited about NMFS director Bill Hogarth's recent announcement that he's adding five years to the deadline for the recovery of groundfish stocks in New England. The reason? The deadline extension to 2014...

Kids stuff: Alaska salmon seiner Rich Corazza watches his children grow up to follow in his fishing footsteps. (At Sea).
April 1, 2003... Nightfall begins its descent with the same unrelenting thickness that we've seen in the misty clouds that have been creeping down from the mountaintops throughout the afternoon. We have been running, perhaps three hours out of Valdez, a...

Fishing 2000: the view from 1968. (Back To The Future).
April 1, 2003... It was 1968, and the millennium seemed a long way off. The prior year had been, in NF's opinion, "the worst year for U.S. fisheries since 1943." Why not take a peek at the future and see if things were going to get better? Our soothsayer was...

Yearbook 2003: an industry once known for independence discovers solidarity: the art of the possible. (Cover Story).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Politics has been called the art of the possible, but sometimes it doesn't seem that way. One thing is certain, though: Politics has become a way of life for the fishing industry. That's a scary notion, at one level. Politics is time-consuming,...

Trawlgate: skeptics redeemed: fish count! (Top Stories From 2002).
April 1, 2003... For more than a decade, fishermen in New England have complained about the stock survey data compiled by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Fishermen who harvested groundfish stocks in the region routinely criticized NMFS scientists for...

California's new reservations: keep off the sea grass. (Pacific).
April 1, 2003... They're h-e-e-e-e-r-e. Like it or not, 2002 was the year of the marine reserve in California. After four years of tiresome meetings, tedious lawmaking, study and debate, the California Department of Fish and Game Commission in October...

Finessing the future: what next? (North Pacific).
April 1, 2003... Last year will undoubtedly be memorable for the changes wrought upon fisheries management regimes throughout the North Pacific. For years, players from all sides have suggested revamping the fisheries in hopes of attaining a plausible form of...

Fishermen make more sacrifices but don't reap rewards for efforts. (Year in Review Northeast).
April 1, 2003... For many fishermen, 2002 was the year of unrewarded sacrifice. Harvest restrictions imposed in the 1990s have prompted fish stocks to rebound in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, but fishermen remain at the mercy of further harvest...

Fishermen's terminal. (Event).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Fishermen's terminal The Seattle Port Commission in January voted in favor of allowing pleasure vessels mooring space at Fishermen's Terminal. The facility was plagued by high vacancy rates, consolidation of the local fishing fleet, and was...

Sportfishing. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Sportfishing The Ocean Conservancy noted in its 2002 "Health of the Oceans" report the huge impact the recreational fishing industry has on marine resources, especially in Florida. In remarks made when the report was released, Ocean...

Whiting "overfished". (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Whiting "overfished" Deciding that a 20 percent reduction in the total allowable whiting catch imposed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council was not enough, NMFS cut another 12 percent from the TAC. The agency also declared whiting...

VMS bust. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... VMS bust A New Bedford scallop vessel operator was fined $25,000 and lost his federal fishing permit for three years after his vessel was found 1.36 miles inside a closed are& The Coast Guard used his vessel monitoring system to bust the...

Longline boundary. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Longline boundary Recreational fishing interests appeared to have scored a big victory when the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted to move the shoreward longline boundary from the 20-fathom contour line to the 50-fathom contour...

Imports stir shrimp industry(the solid south). (Gulf/So. Atlantic).
April 1, 2003... In 1963, the Southern shrimp boom hadn't really begun, and brown shrimp brought, on average, 32 cents a pound ex-vessel. In the summer of 2002--39 years later--Gulf brown shrimp was worth $1.37 a pound ex-vessel. Adjusted for inflation,...

Groundfishing restrictions tighten, imports cut shrimp, salmon prices. (Year In Review Pacific).
April 1, 2003... It seemed as if commercial fishing couldn't get any worse in 2002: Groundfish fishermen were already squeezed with tight harvest limits, and salmon fishermen had been battered by low prices for a couple years. But despite disappointment in...

Exxon Valdez. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Exxon Valdez Exxon Mobil Corp. asked a federal judge to reduce a $5 billion punitive damage award levied against it resulting from the Exxon Valdez oil spill to $25 million. The fine, in any event, should total no more than $40 million, the...

Dead zone. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Dead zone The Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" reached a record size--approximately 8,500 square miles. The area of hypoxia or depleted oxygen is caused by excessive nitrogen runoff from agricultural, industrial and urban sources. Researchers say...

Red crabs. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Red crabs The offshore red crab fishery in New England became limited access, allowing the five boats previously in the fishery sole access to the resource, which provides about 5 million pounds of product annually. Proponents of the...

White marlin. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * White marlion In a move widely supported by commercial and recreational fishermen alike, NMFS refused to list the white marlin as an endangered species as requested by the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, a Colorado-based advocacy group...

Bycatch avoidance. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Bycatch avoidance Hawaii longliners have won the support of the National Audubon Society with a device to keep baited hooks away from seabirds. Longtines will go be set through a 30 feet chute, of which 16 feel will be beneath the surface of...

Bristol Bay. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Bristol Bay An estimated 700 boats--more than a third of the 1,800-vessel Bristol Bay fleet sat out this salmon season. As a result, many of the boats that hung in despite a lackluster run and poor prices managed to cobble together a season....

Monkfish rising. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A cooperative trawl survey indicated monkfish are more abundant than previously thought, allowing the fishery to proceed rather than shut down on May 1. But after receiving a threatening letter from Oceana, a D.C.-based environmental group,...

Arctic Rose. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The families of the 15 fishermen lost in the sinking of the trawler Arctic Rose in the Bering Sea have agreed to settlements totaling less than $9 million. Some observers thought the figure might be larger, but lawyers for representing the...

New marketing challenges turn 2002 into the year of the fish farm. (Year In Review North Pacific).
April 1, 2003... When it comes to marketing fish from the North Pacific, most will remember 2002 as the year of the farms. World salmon markets have been inundated with fresh, pen-reared Atlantics for nearly a decade. But last year was peppered with the...

Life & fish: chronicles of the weird and wondrous.
April 1, 2003... Abalone demand heats up Demand for perlemoen--an abalone delicacy and a sought-after aphrodisiac particularly in the Far East--has resulted in a South African poaching problem that is out of control, marine authorities say. The black...

Cape Fear unfit. (Event).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Cape Fear Unfit Cape Fear, a clam boat that sank in Buzzard's Bay in t999, was declared unsafe by a U.S. District Court judge. The ruling, upheld on appeal mans the case will go to a jury charged with determining how much the victims'...

Farmed out. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Farmed out Three Seattle-area supermarkets say they will no longer sell farm-raised salmon. Pen conditions--illness, bacteria, overpopulation, pollution and cross-breeding--as well as mushy flesh on the dinner plate, are cited by the seafood...

Florida black water. (Events).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Florida black water Less than a tenth the size of the gulf's dead zone, but more baffling, a mysterious "black water" phenomenon covered approximately 700 square miles off southwest Florida early in the year. Mackerel fishermen found that...

President George W. Bush--The Bush administration asserted that the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 does not apply to the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone beyond the nation's traditional 3-mile territorial limits. (Newsmaker).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * President George W. Bush--The Bush administration asserted that the National Environmental Policy Act of t969 does not apply to the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone beyond the nation's traditional 3-mile territorial limits. Such a change...

Dale Beasley, leader of the Columbia River Crab Fishermen's Association, held the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to account for its dredging spoil dumping sites after the agency postponed pressing two sites at the mouth of the Columbia into service. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Dale Beasley, leader of the Columbia River Crab Fishermen's Association, held the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to account for its dredging spoil dumping sites after the agency postponed pressing two sites at the mouth of the Columbia into...

Jim Ianelli, a fisheries scientist at NMFS' Alaska Fisheries Science Center, spoke out in support of an 85,000-metric-ton increase in the pollock quota. "The amount of young fish is estimated to be stronger than in years past," he said. (Newsmakers).(National Marine Fisheries Service )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Jim Ianelli, a fisheries scientist at NMFS' Alaska Fisheries Science Center, spoke out in support of an 85,000-metric-ton increase in the pollock quota. "The amount of young fish is estimated to be stronger than in years past," he said. "It's...

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) brought home the bacon--fish--whatever. (Newsmakers).(government finance for salmon fisheries and marine research)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) brought home the bacon--fish--whatever. He secured $25 million for Alaska salmon recovery efforts, $3.2 million for the Alaska Fisheries Information Network, $2 million for groundfish monitoring, $1.5 million for a...

Dwain Foster--The Alaska legislature awarded a commendation to Foster, a Sand Point fisherman, for a "daring midnight rescue" of a sinking fishing vessel orchestrated by he and his crew of three last February. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Dwain Foster--The Alaska legislature awarded a commendation to Foster, a Sand Point fisherman, for a "daring midnight rescue" of a sinking fishing vessel orchestrated by he and his crew of three last February. It was not the first time Foster...

Debbie Moore, a prominent fishing-permit and boat broker, was charged with stealing nearly $300,000 entrusted to her by eight commercial fishermen. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Debbie Moore, a prominent fishing-permit and boat broker, was charged with stealing nearly $300,000 entrusted to her by eight commercial fishermen. Moore, owner of Northern Enterprises brokerage, in Homer, Alaska, said she lost the money to a...

Barry Fisher--Construction of a $4 million, NOAA-based research facility named in honor of the late Barry Fisher is scheduled for completion in August. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * Barry Fisher--Construction of a $4 million, NOAA-based research facility named in honor of the late Barry Fisher is scheduled for completion in August. The South Beach, Ore., facility is dedicated to rebuilding and management of depressed...

Grouper, snapper, yellowfin gains help offset shrimp industry gloom. (Year In Review: Gulf/ S. Atlantic).(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2003... In its sheer economic impact, the shrimp industry crisis in 2002 was without peer in the Southeastern United States (see Top Story). However, there were bright spots in a number of other fisheries. Red grouper, which has been strong for...

Michele Longo Eder, a fisheries attorney and wife of a commercial fisherman, participated in a round-table discussion when President Bush visited Portland, Ore. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Michele Longo Eder, a fisheries attorney and wife of a commercial fisherman, participated in a round-table discussion when President Bush visited Portland, Ore. Eder said the president had "genuine compassion" for fishermen and "was shocked" to...

Chris Miller, president of the California Lobster and Trap Fishermen's Association, pointed out out that bigger is not necessarily better when establishing no-take zones. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Chris Miller, president of the California Lobster and Trap Fishermen's Association, pointed out out that bigger is not necessarily better when establishing no-take zones. "When you close 25 percent, you now have 25 percent more guys fishing on...

Judge Gladys Kessler became the fish czar in New England, telling fishermen when they could fish, what gear they could fish with and how many days they could fish. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Judge Gladys Kessler became the fish czar in New England, telling fishermen when they could fish, what gear they could fish with and how many days they could fish. Fishermen waited for her rulings the way stockbrokers wait for unemployment...

Norbert Lemieux, president of the Downeast Lobstermen's Association, was charged with fishing traps not tagged to either him or his boat. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Norbert Lemieux, president of the Downeast Lobstermen's Association, was charged with fishing traps not tagged to either him or his boat. The charges were filed in October after a two-week investigation.

Barbara Stevenso has for some time been a force in New England fish politics, as a boat owner, fish-seller's representative and New England council member. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Barbara Stevenson has for some time been a force in New England fish politics, as a boat owner, fish-seller's representative and New England council member. In 2002, her Web site became a must-click information source, especially during the...

The Conservation Law Foundation. (Newsmakers).(groundfish fishery restrictions eased)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Conservation Law Foundation, a New England advocacy group asked a federal judge to ease restrictions in a court order regulating the groundfish fishery. The judge did.

U.S. Rep Walter Jones. (Newsmakers).(National Marine Fisheries Service closes North Carolina monkfish fishery)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... U.S. Rep Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican, expressed his dissatisfaction with NMFS and its use of old data in deciding to close North Carolina's monkfish fishery. NMFS closed the fishery to protect sea turtles. Only four turtle...

Bob Jones--Acting on requests from Jones, director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association. (Newsmakers).(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigates illegal fish sales)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bob Jones--Acting on requests from Jones, director of the Southeastern Fisheries Association, and commercial fishermen the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission got serious about targeting the illegal sale of fish caught by sport...

United Commercial Fisherman's Association. (Newsmakers).(protest at Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council appointment)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... United Commercial Fisherman's Association members turned their backs on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at a September meeting to protest appointment of an aquaculture consultant to a seat vacated by retiring Texas shrimper Pete...

Janie Thomas, a Fernandina Beach shrimper made history in July when she became the first woman elected president in the 34-year history of the Organized Fishermen of Florida. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Janie Thomas, a Fernandina Beach shrimper made history in July when she became the first woman elected president in the 34-year history of the Organized Fishermen of Florida, the largest commercial fisherman's association in the state. She is...

William Hogarth--NMFS responded to data that confirmed what summer flounder fishermen. (Newsmakers).(National Marine Fisheries Service on fishery management)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... William Hogarth--NMFS responded to data that confirmed what summer flounder fishermen have maintained for several years by raising the Atlantic summer flounder quota by 36 percent. "Summer flounder is a fishery management success story," said...

Crabbing about the market: low Dungeness prices led to a strike and have highlighted the influence of a major West Coast buyer. (Fishing Business).(Pacific Seafood Group)
April 1, 2003... The West Coast Dungeness crab fishery is in an uproar over prices, so much so that in December many fishermen tied up their boats and went on strike. Most of the fleet stayed in port until Dec. 21, by which time it was too late to take...

The Belle of the bay: a busy Virginia yard turns out a classy wooden boat for a Chesapeake Bay gillnetter and rod-and-reel fisherman. (Boats & Gear).
April 1, 2003... When Hudnell H. Haynie Jr. of Fleeton, Va., wanted a boat built for gillnetting and the commercial rod-and-reel fishery, there was only one place to go as far as he was concerned: just across Crockrell Creek to George Butler at Reedville Marine...

Prevent defense: sack corrosion with practical, affordable and long-lasting galvanized fittings. (Metal Maintenance).
April 1, 2003... To protect metals from atmospheric corrosion, moisture and oxygen must be prevented from reaching the metal's surface. So what can keep moisture and oxygen at bay? The answer is a barrier coating, which is either organic or metallic. Oil...

30,000 hours of power: proper care and maintenance will vastly extend the life of your boat's engine. (R.P.M.).
April 1, 2003... Thirty thousand hours of dependable engine operation is no small goal. Well it is possible, but sometimes keeping an old engine around forever doesn't necessarily make economic sense. In any event, your engine won't approach 30,000 hours if...

Key innovations in boats and gear: we present our annual tribute to innovative designs that have changed the face of fishing. (Hall of Fame).
April 1, 2003... Fishermen have been pushing out from the shore for hundreds of years to try their luck. Some trips are better than others, but even the worst have produced good ideas, ideas that have made fishing easier or life safer, or both. The best of...

Va. regulators to track menhaden fleet in 2004. (Northeast).(recreational fishermen complain about Omega Proteins' )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Anglers target commercial river seining Virginia regulators will watch the state's most productive fishing fleet next year to track how often Omega Proteins' ships fish in the Rappahannock River on Chesapeake Bay. The Virginia Marine...

Stripping down a 38-footer; down east yards are busy. (North).(Farrin's Boatshop, Sargents Custom Boats and Crowley Boat and Beal Boat)
April 1, 2003... One misconception about fiberglass boats is that they never have to be torn apart and rebuilt like wooden boats. Another is that once a fisherman works his boat a few seasons, he'll sell it to someone else just starting in the fishery and then...

Green programs fund boats; live-fish vessel constructed. (West).(Al Larson's Boatshop)
April 1, 2003... Go to Southern California's Terminal Island and you'll find Al Larson's Boatshop. The name has a simple, old-time ring to it. And if you didn't know better, you'd probably think it would be a funky boatshop, with boatbuilders sitting around...

94-foot clammer launched; yard hauls damaged trawler. (South).(Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc.)
April 1, 2003... The Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Fla., continues to turn out boats for the Mid-Atlantic hard clam, finfish and scallop fisheries. Kenneth Munroe, vice president of the Florida boatyard, says that in late January, the Four...