National Fisherman articles from August 2005

National Fisherman archives from August 2005

Down on NOAA's fish farm.(EDITOR'S LOG)(National Offshore Aquaculture Act economic crises)
August 1, 2005... I can't fault NOAA for putting the issue of ocean aquaculture on the table. We're importing 70 percent of the seafood we eat, and upward of 30 percent of it is farm-raised. In dollars and cents, we have an $8 billion seafood deficit. ...

50 years ago this month.(Fishing BACK WHEN)(fishing net mesh size regulated for Haddock conservation)(Regal Lobster Co. operation permit transfered)(lobstermen under strike)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... American boats fishing the Grand Banks may soon be joined in the effort to conserve haddock through mesh-size regulation. Francis W. Sargent, director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and a member of the International...

10 years ago this month.(Fishing BACK WHEN)(internet services for the fishermen)(New England fishing groups quotos)(Endangered Species Act implementation in the Pacific coast)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Internet debuts in the pages of National Fisherman with a story on "Working the Net." The story is a primer that includes the origin of the World Wide Web (Swiss scientists sharing research), the meaning of e-mail addresses, advice on...

30 years ago this month.(Fishing Back When)(wooden boats for fishing)(Operation Fish Run for salmon conservation)(bluefin conservation measures)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... With a fleet of wooden boats contemplating their twilight years, National Fisherman looks into hogging, the result of a tendency of wooden boats in a seaway to "bend down" in the narrow bow and stern while the wider midship body is buoyed up....

The best of times.(The Doryman's Reflection A Fisherman's Life book by Paul Molyneaux)(Book Review)
August 1, 2005... The Doryman's Reflection A Fisherman's Life By Paul Molyneaux Thunder's Mouth Press, 2005 Hardcover, 266 pp., $25 Paul Molyneaux was first described to me by a friend as an ex-fisherman who'd written an article on harpooning bluefin in The...

Making the right choices in wild shrimp fisheries.(FORUM)
August 1, 2005... The shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is facing serious financial hardship. High fuel costs, low shrimp prices, idle boats and bankruptcy are on the minds of shrimpers and coastal communities across the region. Even the industry's recent...

Taking the pipe.(CONSEQUENCES)(safety education for commercial fishing )
August 1, 2005... Sometimes it's the little things that get you. It might be a 2-inch pipe, it might be a bilge alarm that didn't sound. On this February morning, a 74-foot steel stern dragger of 139 gross tons, a one-time gulf shrimper now hailing from New...

Fla. crabber critical of ad hoc blue crab advisers.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Imagine reading about several road rage incidents in your state--drivers scuffling at a congested red light. In response, the Department of Transportation recommends stopping these rowdy drivers by taking away drivers' licenses. Not of the...

Wild-caught Gulf of Mexico shrimp worth the extra cost.(MAIL BUOY)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... I've been following the imported/domestic shrimp situation quite closely and feel inured to voice my opinion as a shrimp consumer. I've noticed that there is a great difference between wild-caught gulf shrimp and all the rest of the shrimp....

Reader urges caution and reminds others to wear PFDs.(personal flotation device)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... All fishermen need to wear some sort of a personal flotation device while working the fishing gear on the back deck. A man overboard without any flotation device over 50 percent of the time results in a fatality. Falling overboard has got...

Comments welcomed.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)(Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act implementation)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Here's a challenge I'll soon be issuing to all who are interested in the welfare of our marine ecosystems: The Congress will soon be debating two pieces of legislation aimed at improving our marine fisheries and reducing our dependence on...

Cap'n Sane says ...
August 1, 2005... The Cove's resurrected Fourth of July celebration didn't come off too good. We had a Fourth for many years when Beulah Banning's granddad Big-foot Banning was alive. BS, as he was called, stood 21 hands n'weighed 350 pounds in his...

Heavy rains bring about closure of Va. oyster beds: shoreline housing development, leaking waste disposal systems pressuring ecosystem.(NORTHEAST)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Heavy rains throughout the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay have caused excessive pollutants to drain into the bay waters, increasing by 17 percent the amount of condemned oyster grounds, according to the Virginia Department of Health. ...

Portland all talked-out on Magnuson debate: slow reauthorization process dulls interest.(NORTHEAST)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Six years ago, when U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe came to Portland, Maine, to take the community's pulse on the reauthorization of the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act, there were a couple of dozen or more fishermen on hand. Also attending was the...

Striper bill wants to end commercial fishing take: measure seeks gamefish-only declaration.(NORTHERN)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Commercial fishing for striped bass would be banned under legislation a New Jersey congressman re-introduced in May, as recreational activists linked by the group Stripers Forever renew a push to have stripers declared a gamefish-only species....

Fishermen win concessions on Virgin Islands limits: Caribbean council protects grouper but reverses course on plan to close 93 square miles.(NATIONAL)(Caribbean territories fishing regulations)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Federal regulators closed a half-mile tract of U.S. Virgin Islands waters to fishing, but backed down on wider pro posed restrictions in Caribbean waters. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez is expected to ratify the...

FDA is seeking answers for rise in vibrio illness: affliction is associated with raw shellfish.(NATIONAL)
August 1, 2005... After increasing steadily in the 1990s, rates of common food-borne illnesses have declined dramatically in the last year. One glaring exception perplexing experts is in the rise of vibrio vulnificus poisoning from raw shellfish. Cases of...

Native band to force issue of right to snow crabs: government cites Maliseet location, 300 kilometers from sea, in denying tribe a license.(CANADA)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Citing the Supreme Court of Canada's 1999 Marshall decision, the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation band in New Brunswick maintains it has the right to fish for snow crab. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans says it doesn't. ...

Dana Point, Calif.(HOME PORT: where we live)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... THE TOWN Population: 35,110 Number of commercial fishing boats: 29 SOME LOCAL BOATS AND THEIR SPECIES Stephanie B--spiny lobster, shrimp Nora Jean--spiny lobster Black Fly--spiny lobster, urchin Doctor's...

DFO criticized on report on Fraser salmon failure: MP accuses department of stonewalling.(CANADA)(Department of Fisheries and Oceans)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Just because the Williams Committee " report regarding the disappearance of Fraser River sockeyes last summer has been delivered and the committee disbanded doesn't mean the controversy it stirred up has disappeared. Minister of Parliament...

Fish farm support ebbs in British Columbia vote: losses tied to Liberal push for aquaculture.(CANADA)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Opponents of fish farm expansion in British Columbia are cheering May's provincial election results. The pro-fish farming Liberal government lost 31 ridings it had won last election--including three ridings where the fish farming industry...

DFO resets boundary for N.B. herring fleet: reversal of earlier decision favors P.E.I.(CANADA)(Department of Fisheries and Oceans )(Prince Edward Island)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In a move that surprised both sides, federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Geoff Regan reversed himself on the location of the boundary line between Prince Edward Island inshore fishermen and New Brunswick herring seiners. The new boundary...

Boiled crawfish: Kyle LeBlanc, Raceland, La.(GALLEY WATCH: At-sea cuisine)(Recipes and menus)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Kyle LeBlanc has owned a crawfish farm since 1990, and he ships about 9 percent of the world's crawfish. Until last year, LeBlanc fished his own 500-acre crawdad pond; these days he's focusing more on marketing his crawfish. A popular recipe...

Ruling grants Chignik cooperative a 1-year reprieve: established to reduce effort, a fledgling co-op founders on opposition among fishermen.(NORTH PACIFIC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The battle to harvest Chignik sockeye salmon as a cooperative reverberated throughout various courts just as the fleet waited to fish its first opener in early June. But when the dust settled, co-op fishermen--many of whom had mothballed...

Gillnetters reap rewards of May salmon openings: Alaska king and sockeye fisheries thrive.(NORTH PACIFIC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Revisited king salmon gillnet fisheries in Southeast Alaska's Taku and Stikine Rivers brought early volumes of fresh king salmon to markets in early May. Moreover, the arrival of the new fish didn't appear to negatively affect demand for...

Icicle, long-time freezer of sockeye, to use cans: strategy marks decline in frozen demand.(NORTH PACIFIC)(Icicle Seafoods Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In preparation for the Bristol Bay salmon season, Icicle Seafoods Inc. bought out the Woodbine canning facility in Egegik. Icicle has established itself as a prominent fish buyer in Bristol Bay for more than 25 years, but was limited to...

Judge throws out federal plan to protect salmon: schedules hearing to rule on request to increase water flow from dams to aid migration.(PACIFIC)
August 1, 2005... A federal court judge threw out the government's most recent plan for salmon on the Columbia and Snake rivers, declaring it flawed--in more ways than one. Oregon District Court Judge James Redden's 58-page decision says NMFS' 2004...

Bill envisions world's largest ocean reserve: numerous vessels, council rule in balance.(PACIFIC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Calling the ecosystem and waters around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands an "ocean Yellowstone," U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) proposed legislation in May that would result in the closure of 137,000 square miles of ocean--the largest closure in...

Plant reunion to mark Columbia River history: remodeled cannery will feature a museum.(PACIFIC)(historical museums)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The former Columbia River Packers Association cannery at Pier 39 in Astoria has a lot of history--and the current owner wants to keep it that way. Floyd Holcom purchased the plant a few years ago and is remodeling it with additions of...

Time Bandit: tender and pot fishing boat.(BOAT OF THE MONTH)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... As its name implies, the Time Bandit has a sneaky way of consuming the fishing year calendar: The boat begins the new year in the Gulf of Alaska, loaded with pots rigged for Pacific cod, segues into the opilio crab season in the Bering Sea,...

Council passes shrimp permit cap for federal waters: but fishermen say onslaught of imports will play a greater role in thinning domestic fleet.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A cap on the number of vessels permitted to shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico's federal waters awaits final approval from federal officials, but fishermen and their advocates say that the continued onslaught of low-priced imports will do more to...

Erling Berg: Cape May, N.J.(SNAPSHOT: Who we are)(Commission representative duties)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Erling Berg has fished from Georges Bank to Alaska and Oregon, and back to the mid-Atlantic. His next challenge is navigating the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as New Jersey's first representative from the commercial sector in...

Groundfish: economists are down on B.C. farms; boat price goes up for Alaska's fleet.(NORTH PACIFIC)
August 1, 2005... The good news for blackcod fishermen working the North Pacific is that British Columbia farming ventures don't appear to pencil out in terms of profitability. In a recent University of British Columbia study, a team of economists found...

Groundfish: from China to Texas, chefs are trying blackcod on their diners.(PACIFIC)
August 1, 2005... It seems blackcod is setting the pace for West Coast groundfish market trends. Both trawl and fixed-gear fishermen once counted on blackcod as a staple; Japan was a ready, dependable market. But the eventual instability of Japan's economy...

Flounder: diversity of flatfish, ample supply limit up-side for a single species.(NORTHEAST)
August 1, 2005... Tight spring trip limits and strong demand boosted summer flounder dock prices toward $3 a pound, and flounder stock growth has regulators reallocating the commercial fleet's shares among states for the first time in years. The shifts are...

Spiny lobster: signs of improving recruitment give Florida Keys harvesters hope.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
August 1, 2005... Recruitment is once again looking good for spiny lobster in the Florida Keys. Following two bad years, the lobster harvest improved in 2004-05. Fresh recruits from the Caribbean basin may be one reason for the upswing. In the 2003-04...

Shhhhh ... in Seattle: the Oscar Dyson, a fisheries research vessel NOAA designed to be seen, but not heard, undergoes sea trials in Puget Sound.(RUN SILENT: RUN DEEP)
August 1, 2005... The first thing you notice about the Oscar Dyson once you're on deck is actually what's missing: noise. NOAA's latest research vessel emits all the 'dissonance of a distant beehive. Even at 209 feet, the Oscar Dyson might sneak up on a sea...

A super race: shrimp boats strut their stuff off Florida as part of the NFL's Super Bowl festivities.(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... At 6:30 a.m. on a Florida Saturday morning, Capt. David Bratcher is steaming up river from Mayport to Fernandina Beach in the 60-foot Lady Amelia. Six, then eight other shrimp boats join him en route. He is focused on getting there early. He...

'Raw' deal: Irate Newfoundland crabbers win concessions from the province on Canada's version of individual processor quotas.(SNOW: STORM)
August 1, 2005... "The merchant will always own you my son; those companies are not going to do nothing for you." As a boy fishing with his grandfather off the south coast of Newfoundland in the 1950s, Eric Miller remembers the old man's words about fish...

Fact finder: Frank Mirarchi has built his new dragger with an eye toward research projects.(BOATS & GEAR)
August 1, 2005... Frank Mirarchi was likely pondering the ark-like potential of his new Cape Island boat by the end of an extended stay in Nova Scotia as he and his son, Andrew, waited at Clark's Harbour Boatbuilders for a chance to launch their 55-footer. ...

Conversion factors: whether you're rebuilding or merely modifying a boat, it pays to consult a naval architect and the Coast Guard.(BOATS & GEAR: IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS)
August 1, 2005... When most people talk about converting a fishing boat, they are referring to major alterations to allow the boat to work in a different fishery. A southern shrimper might be re-rigged for ground-fishing, for instance. Small boats can also be...

Hydraulic smarts: consider safety and convenience when designing a system or adding accessories.(BOATS & GEAR: FLUID POWER)
August 1, 2005... A critical element in hydraulic systems is the hoses. They operate under high pressure and are continually twisting and flexing. Getting good service life from a hose installation requires good workmanship, design and materials. Leading hoses...

On the chart! Just when you think you've got it all, chart plotters offer you more.(BOATS & GEAR: MAP QUESTS)
August 1, 2005... "Where am I?" Figuring that one out is why fishermen and anyone else who unties a boat from the dock rely on charts. Way back when, charts consisted of some vague outlines of land and a lot of written directions. Now there's very detailed paper...

Where there's a will, there's a way.(FINANCE)(estate planning and will )
August 1, 2005... Unless you are oddly unique, no one really wants to spend considerable time thinking about dying. Unfortunately, nobody has figured out a way to avoid this. Although planning for the end of life is a test on your comfort level, it's an...

One more rust trouble spot added to July article's list.(MAIL BUOY)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... In the July issue of NF I read with interest Stephen Olson's article on rust ["The Rust of the Story," p. 38]. While it was informative about the origins and likely locations of rust on fishing boats, I would like to add one location on a steel...

Reader encloses letter sent to Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.(MAIL BUOY)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Dear Sen. Stevens: I almost fell out of bed recently when I heard your voice on National Public Radio saying that fish farms in Alaska would be a good thing. As a commercial salmon fisherman in Bristol Bay for the last 34 years, I have...

Plating replaced on trawler; boatyard has a 'new' mold.(NORTH)(fishing vessels)
August 1, 2005... If your interest runs to large fishing boats and you are traveling through Maine's midcoast region--a part of the New England coast known mostly for its lobster boats--you can be sure to find a good-size boat at Rockland Marine, in Rockland....

Damaged crabber repaired; hot 58-foot seiner cools off.(WEST)
August 1, 2005... There's nothing quite like running into a rock to ruin a fisherman's day while reminding him of the importance of a good boatyard. Truth be told, the skipper of the Marco-built 120-foot crabber Pacific Mariner probably wasn't thinking...

Watermen patronize yard; buy boat gets recognition.(SOUTH)
August 1, 2005... On the Rappahannock River, Remlik Marine and Mike's Marine Services of Remlik, Va., caters to Chesapeake Bay watermen by offering cut-rate prices and allowing watermen to do much of their own work. Chat Chesson, the boatyard's operation...

Bulletin board.(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... NOV. 17-19 Pacific Marine Expo Qwest Field and Events Center, Seattle, Wash. www.pocificmarineexpo.com Pacific Marine Expo, now in a new location, brings you the largest gathering of commercial marine professionals on the West Coast. From...

Making a loud statement: Poly-Planar's platinum speakers can be cranked without affecting compass readings.(PRODUCT ROUNDUP)
August 1, 2005... People who have never been to sea can have a very romanticized idea of what happens on a fishing boat--"Just listening to the wind and the water slipping along the hull must be relaxing" is how one Midwest tourist put it, as he watched a...

Mack Boring & Parts Co.(On the Move)(Ned Mcgovern and Steve Mcgovern became presidents )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Brothers NED AND STEVE MCGOVERN, with 65 years of combined expertise and knowledge, recently became co-presidents of MACK BORING & PARTS CO. Established in 1922, the family-owned business is a distributor of premium marine and industrial...

Davis Consulting Group.(appointments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... CHRISTOPHER BARRY, a mechanical engineer and naval architect with experience in ship design, stability and structural analysis and offshore civil engineering has joined DAVIS CONSULTING GROUP marine engineers, of Lisle, Ill., as a consultant....

C-MAP/USA.(promotions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... C-MAP/USA, a developer of electronic charts and moving map navigation technology for the marine, aviation and automotive industries, centered in Mashpee, Mass., has promoted LINDA MCANDREWS to marketing services manager. McAndrews joined...

Pelican Products.(appointments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... PELICAN PRODUCTS, a manufacturer of high-impact, watertight cases and safety approved, technically advanced flashlights headquartered in Torrance, Calif., has named JON FRENCH project manager of new product development. He will be responsible...

Furuno USA has become the sole distributor of MaxSea PC navigational software for all of North America.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... FURUNO USA has become the sole distributor of MaxSea PC navigational software for all of North America. The software will be distributed through Furuno's technical dealer network in both the United States and Canada. In addition to conducting...

Honda Marine.(website gets Best Marine Equipment Site award)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HONDA MARINE was recently recognized for its Web site's content and design by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and boats.com in the first North American Marine Industry Web Awards. Recognized as the Best Marine Equipment Site,...

Accon Marine.(Commercial Ruperez Nautica SL is new distributor)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... ACCON MARINE has appointed a new international distributor. Commercial Ruperez Nautica SL of Spain will carry Accon Marine's cleats, lights and accessories throughout European markets. Commercial Ruperez, based in Barcelona, provides marine...

Giving the people what they want: Seacoast Plastic Fabricator's custom-built lobster tanks keep customers satisfied.
August 1, 2005... When it comes time to build your own lobster tank or bait box, a nice thing about plywood is that you can buy it in big sheets and knock together something fairly quickly. A bad thing about plywood is that it absorbs water, and what was once a...

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems latest C4.4 Marine Genset features an integral oil cooler inside the cylinder block, eliminating external hoses or pipe work.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... CATERPILLAR MARINE POWER SYSTEMS latest C4.4 MARINE GENSET features an integral oil cooler inside the cylinder block, eliminating external hoses or pipe work. Anti-vibration mounts connected to the engine drip tray and a steel base reduce noise...

Onset Computer Corp., a supplier of underwater data loggers, has introduced the Hobo Pendant Logger, a miniature, low-cost data logger get that records underwater temperature and light levels at depths of up to 30 meters.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... ONSET COMPUTER CORP., a supplier of underwater data loggers, has introduced the HOBO PENDANT LOGGER, a miniature, low-cost data logger get that records underwater temperature and light levels at depths of up to 30 meters. The pendant provides...

Epco says its 3 1/2-inch TR3 and 4-inch TR4 Gator Tuff Transom Tie Downs make getting a boat ready for the water or the road trouble-free.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... EPCO says its 3 1/2-inch TR3 and 4-inch TR4 GATOR TUFF TRANSOM TIE DOWNS make getting a boat ready for the water or the road trouble-free. Both tie downs accommodate boats up to 21 feet and have a breaking strength of 1,200 pounds. Constructed...

Prospec Electronics' line of JBL Marine Speakers was developed specifically for the marine market and now feature new grille designs for 2005.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... PROSPEC ELECTRONICS' line of JBL MARINE SPEAKERS was developed specifically for the marine market and now feature new grille designs for 2005. The line includes the 6 1/2 inch JBL MS6100, the 6 1/2 inch JBL MS6200 and the 6" x 9" JBL MS9200....

Reverso's new FP-301 Fuel Primer purges air from the entire fuel system.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... REVERSO's new FP-301 FUEL PRIMER purges air from the entire fuel system. To restore full fuel flow, the FP-301 pumps diesel from the tank through the fuel lines, which pushes air from the main feeding line, primary filters, secondary filters...

Shurhold Industries has unveiled its ergonomic Hammerhead Brush, the only marine brush specifically developed to clean by hand or with a handle.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... SHURHOLD INDUSTRIES has unveiled its ergonomic HAMMERHEAD BRUSH, the only marine brush specifically developed to clean by hand or with a handle. Featuring a nonslip grip, the brush stays in place during hand washing and fits all Shurhold...

Sugatsune America announces their new stainless steel Full-Extension Drawer Slide.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... SUGATSUNE AMERICA announces their new stainless steel FULL-EXTENSION DRAWER SLIDE. The model ESR-4513 is a 100-pound-capacity, ball bearing drawer slide constructed completely of corrosion-resistant, type 304 stainless steel. The new slide...

Beckson Marine now offers 18 screw-out, Nonskid Deck Plate models, molded with either a diamond or a pebble pattern.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... BECKSON MARINE now offers 18 screw-out, NONSKID DECK PLATE models, molded with either a diamond or a pebble pattern. Water slides through the grooves in the diamond pattern, which increases traction during slippery conditions. For extra...

Airmar's new Gillnet Pinger is designed to save the lives of marine mammals, particularly the harbor porpoise, by warning that a gillnet is present.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... AIRMAR's new GILLNET PINGER is designed to save the lives of marine mammals, particularly the harbor porpoise, by warning that a gillnet is present. The durable, impact-resistant plastic alloy design with double O-rings and a single battery...

Rhino Hide announces that its 7000 Perfect Barrier will now be known as Ultraban Mold Barrier.(AT A GLANCE)
August 1, 2005... RHINO HIDE announces that its 7000 Perfect Barrier will now be known as ULTRABAN MOLD BARRIER. The barrier is effective on wood, millwork, wall coverings, rope and other materials. UltraBan's bioactive, micropolymer infusion process produces a...

LNG heating methods concern fishing groups: cite fears of impacts upon fish and larvae.(AROUND THE COASTS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Plans for liquefied natural gas facilities to he placed in the Gulf of Mexico are under fire from a consortium of environmental advocates and charter boat groups, who want a federal appeals court to overturn approvals given by the U.S....

Last set.
August 1, 2005... The Tender Cornelia Marie pumps herring from the Namorada, which is captained by Bill Wiebe of Homer, Alaska. The fish were caught in a seine. The tender Bella K. and the F/V Aghileen are lying alongside. The photo was taken May 4 during the...