National Fisherman articles from December 2003

National Fisherman archives from December 2003

Talking points.(Editor's Log)
December 1, 2003... Within a few days of your receiving this issue of National Fisherman the first national conference on managing fisheries will kick off in Washington. Lord knows there is plenty to talk about. Some of the talking will be done by Bill...

Fishing back when.
December 1, 2003... 50 YEARS AGO this month Roy Seavey of Pleasant Point, Maine, is checking his gear following a "trap buster" along the southwest coast of Maine. The northeaster featured 60-mph winds and covered beaches with lobsters traps and damaged the...

Fishery anthropology.
December 1, 2003... The 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act was passed to do just that. It is not hair-splitting to note that the law was not christened the sustainable fish act, the sustainable ecosystem act, or for that matter, the ban trawling act. Its premise...

Call for the wild.(Forum)
December 1, 2003... In the 1980s, wild red salmon earned fishermen over $2 a pound; in 2002, less than $1. The Bristol Bay Borough, hub of the world's largest red salmon run and once deemed by Fortune magazine to be "The nation's richest municipality per capita,"...

A loaded crabber.(Safety)
December 1, 2003... It was a warm sunny day in May when crabbing opened on the York River in Virginia. Just south of York River State Park, A waterman loaded his 16-foot, out-board-powered fiberglass boat with crab pots. Also aboard were his girlfriend, some...

Collision at sea indicative of over-regulated industry.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Upon hearing of the unfortunate collision in September of the Katrina Lee and the Lonely Hunter while I was fishing (shorthanded by the way), I could not help but think of a comment that I made at a New England Fisheries Management Council...

West Coast marine supplier backing recreational agenda.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Our association is made up of 20 small trawlers dragging locally for ridgeback prawns, California halibut and sea cucumbers. We have been leaders in reducing by catch in our fisheries and pride ourselves on the way we have minimized our...

Cap's Sane says ...(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Late fall in my boyhood fishin' days was the time of separation. Lessons had started in the one-room schoolhouse and I was surrounded by new faces not of the sea but boys n'girls of country and their smells of animals, barns of clover hay...

Lack of oxygen killing bay, distancing us from 'garden'.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... How far have we strayed from the garden? How can the Providence River dredging project still go on while oxygen levels in upper Narragansett bay are so low that everything in the water is dying from lack of oxygen? How can the dredging...

The future role of technology.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... For those of yon attending this year's Fish Expo in Seattle, I apologize for not being able to attend in person, but I look forward to talking with you from Ireland via video teleconferencing. This technology allows me to literally be in...

Bering Sea quota cut for opies, raised for red kings; Alaska Department of Fish and Game sets gear limits to protect logging opilio population.(North Pacific)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Bering Sea crabbers will have less opilio crab and more red king crab to chase when the season opens Jan. 15. The 2004 quota for opies has been set at 20.8 million pounds, down substantially from last year's quota of 23.7 million pounds. The...

Study finds Alaska fish nearly free of mercury; wild species show only trace elements.(North Pacific)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Alaska's salmon and other wild-caught species recently earned a clean bill of health after a study by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation found only meager traces of methyl mercury. Samples were taken from 520 wild fish,...

With salmon in demand, company set to expand; Alaska Glacier Seafoods plans new plant.(North Pacific)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Despite the threat of farmed salmon and other factors confronting the wild salmon industry, Alaska Glacier Seafoods Co. plans to expand its processing facilities in Auke Bay, near Juneau. Several factors are motivating the expansion:...

Report says U.S. seafood consumption on the rise; in 2002, nation's overall fish and shellfish consumption rose to 15.6 pounds per person.(National)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Americans appetite for seafood increased last year, as seafood consumption rose 7.1 percent in 2002, according to the latest report on U.S. seafood consumption. This year's report, released by NMFS in September, reveals Americans ate 4.5...

Free-trade pact's impact challenges U.S. industry: lawyer cites Central America agreement.(National)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As U.S. policy forges more free trade agreements, fisheries stand to suffer along with knitting mills and farms, as domestic industries find competition more difficult if not impossible because of low overseas prices. In September, Chile...

Top ports list illustrates factors facing U.S. fleets: Dutch Harbor, New Bedford reign again.(National)
December 1, 2003... A look at NMFS' annual report on the nation's top fishing ports in 2002 offers an interesting glimpse into factors affecting U.S. fisheries. For example, there's Port Hueneme/Oxnard/Ventura, Calif., where strict groundfishing restrictions...

Home port: where we live.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... THE TOWN Population: 783,920 Number of boats: 124 TOP FIVE LANDINGS IN 2002 Squid: 14.58 million pounds worth $1.62 million Halibut: 130,040 pounds worth $420,000 Ridgeback shrimp: 158,056 pounds worth $250,000 Spiny lobster: 36,285 pounds...

Chris Wright.(Snapshot: who we are)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mattapoisett, Mass. Chris Wright, 41, has been fishing since he was 16 years old. His long-term commitment has paid off; he owns part of the ll0-foot Harvester and works as captain of the 105-foot Huntress, both scallopers that fish out of...

Provincial fishermen report dismal lobster landings: Northumberland Strait fishery's catch drops dramatically, but cause of decline isn't known.(Canada)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As the Northumberland Strait lobster season closed in early October, catch reports on the Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick sides were dismal. "This is a real disaster," says Rory McLellan, general manager of the Prince Edward Island...

Tropical storm's punch rocks Nova Scotia fleet: destroys boats, gear, sheds and wharves.(Canada)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Juan was downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm, but it didn't keep him from destroying boats, gear and sheds when he roared through Nova Scotia in late September. The damage dollar total wasn't known at press time because assessments...

Scallop outfits aid Va. city in hurricane's aftermath: supply ice to Newport News residents after Isabel rampages through Mid-Atlantic states.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... After Hurricane Isabel slammed into the Mid-Atlantic states on Sept. 18, drinking water and ice were two of the most needed commodities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and several military bases in Virginia and North Carolina were...

Hatchery aims to boost Chesapeake crab stocks: scientists say population perilously low.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Growing oysters and clams ill hatcheries has long been commonplace in the Chesapeake Bay region. But a blue crab hatchery is something new altogether. As part of a study, scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science,...

Collision at sea claims Lonely Hunter crewmen: two die, but scalloper's captain rescued.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Friends and relatives are struggling with the sudden absences of two fishermen lost at sea in yet another collision in New England waters. The collision between the Lonely Hunter, a 48-foot scalloper from Boston, and the Katrina Lee, an...

Squid fishermen press for scup bycatch tests: hope gear research will yield knowledge.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... East Coast squid trawlers figure, that arming themselves with better science now makes more sense than suing. Consequently, they've dropped a court action over gear-restricted areas to focus on at-sea research for a better understanding of...

Georgia crabbers stop fast-moving regulatory bid: angry fishermen fight off proposed four-day closure that they say would destroy market.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Georgia crabbers rose up to help scuttle a proposal to close the fishery Sunday through Tuesday that fishermen say would destroy a crab market heavily dependent on weekend and holiday sales. Coastal Resources Division officials were rushing...

Ms. Ingrid: combination boat.(Boat Of The Month)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dick Jacobsen, of Sand Point, Alaska, wanted versatility when he bought the de Ms. Ingrid, which was the first hull and ck to come out of the Delta Marine Industry's 58-foot mold in Seattle. Jacobsen says he originally configured the boat...

Butter-garlic shrimp.(Galley watch: at-sea cuisine)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Vera Dupre, Montegut, La., and Biloxi, Miss. When Vera Dupre and her husband, Richard, want a quick meal aboard their shrimp boat Nina Marie, her garlic-shrimp recipe is one of their favorites. "It's something simple and fast," she...

Storms breathe fresh air into listless 'dead zone'; raise oxygen levels, shrink lifeless area.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Short-term relief for some beleaguered gulf shrimpers--of a sort--came during this past summer's season, not from Washington but from nature. Marine researchers say two of this past year's tropical storms introduced enough oxygen into the...

WorkBoat sessions focus on U.S. shrimp industry: daylong conference series set for Dec. 4.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Daylong conference series set for Dec. 4 The half-billion dollar U.S. shrimp industry will be the subject of a day-long series of conferences at the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, La., on Dec. 4. U.S. shrimpers have...

Court ruling moves council to protect Hawaii fishery: fleet victorious in sea turtle case, but interim rules needed to prevent longline closure.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has vacated NMFS' 2002 sea turtle Biological Opinion and longline fishery regulations, ruling NMFS acted improperly by not involving fishermen during the hearing process. But the Aug. 31 ruling could...

Oxygen level decreases spur Hood Canal closure: fishing banned for second straight year.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... For the second straight year, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in mid-September banned most fishing in Hood Canal because of low levels of dissolved oxygen. The closure came more than a month earlier than last year. The only...

Surf clams: Jersey quota dips; lower meat yield and strong demand keep prices up.(Northeast)
December 1, 2003... Atlantic surf clam harvesters have seen plenty of product in federal and New York waters, but New Jersey inshore harvesters have seen a substantial quota decline. And Delmarva region harvesters are noticing low yields of meat. All of which...

Herring: modified season with lower quota has fleet hoping to catch 'em quick.(Pacific)
December 1, 2003... A months-long controversy ended in partial success for California herring fishermen and buyers in August: The California Fish and Game Commission, going against biologists' recommendations to close the fishery for a year, agreed to a modified...

Swordfish: ex-vessel prices prove cooler than unusually chilly ocean temperatures.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
December 1, 2003... Ex-vessel prices for domestic swordfish remained disappointing this summer and fall despite a freakish summer climatic development in the Mid- and South Atlantic states that took North Carolina longliners, normally the No. 2 producers in the...

Salmon: there's fish aplenty in banner year, but selling it all is the big challenge.(North Pacific)
December 1, 2003... No one can say North Pacific salmon fishermen are suffering from a lack of product. Preliminary numbers in September put Alaska's salmon harvest at 172.4 million fish. The largest contributing species was a plethora of pinks, 120 million...

National Fisherman's 2003 Highliners.(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... Many of us who came of age in coastal communities can recall a time when the world seemed grateful for the provisions of its commercial fishermen. Today, however, the fishing industry is often is held under a microscope with lenses fogged...

A history of the National Fisherman's Highliner award.
December 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- The names of Arne Fuglvog, Dan Hanson and Chris Miller will be added Nov. 21 to an honor roll begun by National Fishermen in 1975. Robert J. Browning, then a West Coast-based associate editor at National Fishermen and author of...

A night for kings: gillnetting for salmon is a little different in Puget Sound, where speedboats and seals battle salmon for the nets.(At Sea)
December 1, 2003... I Pull into Squalicum Harbor parking lot at 5:45 p.m. to join an old friend and veteran fisherman, Steve Miller, and his girlfriend, Tanya Braumiller, for my first Puget Sound king salmon gillnet opener, which begins at 7 p.m. I'm...

Tossed horizon: a hundred miles is a long way to go in a 32-footer, even when an albacore bite is on.(At Sea)
December 1, 2003... Jigging albacore in a 32-foot, 30-year-old, creaky wooden troller packed with World War II engine-room machinery (like a 60-pound Jeep generator that probably helped somebody chase Rommel across North Africa) is sketchy business at best. ...

The quota process: debate over a plan to allocate crabs in the North Pacific is coming to a head.(Fish Politics)
December 1, 2003... Only in America. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has tacked onto a bill allocating money to the U.S. departments of state, commerce and justice a rider that has little to do with them and much to do with the future of the crab fishery in the...

A reel derby: Nova Scotia lobstermen try their luck in a shark tournament that collects money for local civic groups and data for scientists.(At Sea)
December 1, 2003... "Let'er happen, cap'n!" shouts a crewman aboard our Guimond 45, the Shoal Hunter. The sound of roaring engines powers up our excitement as vessels leave the dock at 5 a.m. on Aug. 17, the second day of the Yarmouth Shark Scramble, held in...

A deadrise in demand: a traditional Chesapeake Bay-style fiberglass workboat is attracting outsiders like North Carolina fisherman Reggie Bishop.(Boats & Gear)
December 1, 2003... The Chesapeake Bay deadrise workboat evolved over years of trial and error by boatbuilders and bay watermen who desired a versatile but stable working platform for the bay's different fisheries. For sometime now, the bay's workboats have...

Identification required: how will the vessel tracking system known as AIS affect U.S. fishing fleets?(Electronics)
December 1, 2003... Depending on how it's used, technology can be the proverbial double-edged sword. It can make life easier, safer and increase your earning power. It can also wrap you up with enormous, often onerous, restrictions. The automatic...

Staying in line: your boat's shaft noise won't get out of hand once you learn to zero in on the source.(Power Train)
December 1, 2003... Unlike land-based heavy machinery that is mounted on thick concrete, marine power systems are designed to take considerable movement and keep on working. In fact, marine propulsion systems routinely operate in conditions that land-based...

Tune it up! A good stereo sound system needs balanced components.(Music Equipment)
December 1, 2003... It's not every fisherman who wants to listen to music while hauling gear. It can be distracting to some and downright unsafe for others. And no matter how good the music is, there will always be those who prefer the droning of the engine and...

BHM 39 lobster boat rolls out; Maine yard sees opportunity.(North)
December 1, 2003... Dover, N.H., lobsterman James Newick's new boat was rolled out of it builder's shed and launched in nearby Eggemogin Reach in early October. The Lady Kell, a BHM 39, is the first commercial fishing boat Atlantic Boat Co. in Brooklin, Maine, has...

Stem shaved to meet limit; vessels seek annual repairs.(West)
December 1, 2003... Honorato "Pierre" Pereina is an independent contractor who is well known around Vancouver, B.C., boatyards for his work on wooden boats. In September, Pereina was at Arrow Marine Services working on the Noble Isle, a longliner and tuna boat...

Heritage maintained in Va.; two scallopers heading east.(South)(Virginia)
December 1, 2003... As boatyards diversified throughout the South and urban culture swallowed up the rustic railways along the shore--replacing them with travel lifts and docks lined with beer coolers and fancy electrical hookups-commercial fishermen in some areas...

Bulletin board.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... NOV. 12-13 The Coast Guard Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Advisory Committee Meeting Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. Contact: Lt. Ken Vazquez, Asst. Dir., CFIVSAC tel: (202) 267--0478, fax 1202)-267-0506...

Events and conferences: Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle, Nov. 20-22.(Fish Expo & Workboat Northwest)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... THURSDAY Basic Marine Weather: Tools for Safety Decision Making 10 a.m.-11:.30 a.m., room 303 Presented by the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov, this session will focus on surface weather: surface pressure, wave...

Exhibitor listings: including products, services, companies, associations and agencies.(Fish Expo & Workboat Northwest)(Directory)
December 1, 2003... Note: The llanos and booth numbers that follow were accurate and complete as of press time, ABS Americas 1336 Houston, TX 28t-877-6000 F: 281-877-6001 Classifications Services, Containers,...

Preventing an identity crisis.(Finance)
December 1, 2003... The car alarm prevents your wheels from being stolen. A security system protects the valuable items in your home. But what steps can you take to keep thieves from making off with something even more valuable--your identity? Identity theft...

La. gillnets were forbidden because rules were abused.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I am a retired 80-year-old fisher-seafarer. Better get this in. I hear a cry for the return of the gillnets in Louisiana. If gillnets were not misused, they might still be in use. The law stated you must stay with your nets, not go home to...

Recreational tuna fisherman extends thanks to scallopers.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... On Aug. 21, I took four beautiful ladies (my wife included) fishing for bluefin tuna off the coast of Ocean City, Md. While fishing behind the scallopers God's Mercy, You Boys and a third boat of similar design, also hailing from Lowland, N.C.,...

Getting machines to communicate: Northstar Technologies' 6000i smoothly integrates your electronics.(Product Roundup)
December 1, 2003... Expanding the options in marine electronics from stand-alone machines to unified networks started in the 1980s when lorans were hooked up to autopilots. The National Marine Electronics Association developed protocol standards, starting with...

Jensen Maritime Consultants.(On The Move)(Stephen Gleaves appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Jensen Maritime Consultants, a Seattle-based naval architecture firm, has named STEPHEN GLEAVES president. Prior to rejoining the company as executive vice president last fall, Gleaves was electrical section supervisor for Washington State...

Raritan.(On the Move)(F.J. Shepard appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... F.J. "ERIC" SHEPARD has been appointed sales director of Raritan, a Millville, N.J.-based manufacturer of products for the commercial and recreational marine marketplace, including waste treatment systems, holding tanks and water heaters....

A Watermen's Memorial.(Company News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A WATERMEN'S MEMORIAL to honor those loved ones who perished at sea and to give comfort to those left behind is planned for Oyster, Va. Rita Hutton, 71, who lost her son to the sea in 1992, started the project. Names and donations for the...

Caterpillar and its Spanish marine engine dealer Finanzauto have established a dedicated marine service center in Palma de Mallorca.(Company News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CATERPILLAR and its Spanish marine engine dealer FINANZAUTO have established a dedicated marine service center in Palma de Mallorca. The new service center, "Servicio Marine, Finanzauto Barloworld," located in Santo Ponsa on the outskirts of...

More options at your fingertips: Icom's IC-M602 VHF lets you easily change channels via keypad.(Product Roundup)
December 1, 2003... You haven't got a lot of time. The deckhand is pointing at something off in the fog, and you need to go from channel 16 to channel 68 on your VHF radio. Your hands are wet, so they slip off the radio's channel selection knob. What you need...

Poly-Planar's new MA7500 Compact Box Speakers are 5" long x 7" wide x 4 1/4" deep with a smoothed, triangular shape to solve many installation challenges without compromising sound quality.(At A Glance)
December 1, 2003... POLY-PLANAR's new MA7500 COMPACT BOX SPEAKERS are 5" long x 7" wide x 4 1/4" deep with a smoothed, triangular shape to solve many installation challenges without compromising sound quality. For mounting adjustments, the MA7500s include a...

Scania.(At A Glance)
December 1, 2003... SCANIA announces the introduction of a new 16 LITER, V8 MARINE ENGINE for commercial applications. The new DI16 M is available with commercial output power ratings of 525 hp to 800 hp. In keeping with Scania's modular engineering approach, the...

Wilson Distribution's new 24-Inch Diameter Pontoon Modules are made of polyethylene, so they're rust-resistant and excellent for saltwater.(At A Glance)
December 1, 2003... WILSON DISTRIBUTION's new 24-INCH DIAMETER PONTOON MODULES are made of polyethylene, so they're rust-resistant and excellent for saltwater. The modules are available in 8-foot lengths for bows, middies and sterns, and 12-foot lengths for...

Steyr marine engines says its new 174-HP Diesel is excellent for mid-sized replacement applications.(At A Glance)
December 1, 2003... STEYR MARINE ENGINES says its new 174-HP DIESEL is excellent for mid-sized replacement applications. This four-stroke diesel is a turbocharged, inter-cooled and direct-injected power plant designed for high performance. Steyr has incorporated...

Envelop.(At A Glance)
December 1, 2003... ENVELOP announces that its PROTECTIVE COVERS are now available to the commercial marine industry. Protecting electronic equipment, davits, winches and generators with Envelop covers extends product life and reduces maintenance requirements in...

AB Inflatables' new Lammina AL 2.75 Aluminum Boat weights 99 pounds without engine and will stay buoyant because of an air chamber between the hull and leveled floor.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... AB INFLATABLES' new LAMMINA AL 2.75 ALUMINUM BOAT weighs 99 pounds without engine and will stay buoyant because of an air chamber between the hull and leveled floor. Made of marine-grade 5086 alloy, the hull consists of a single, 3.17 mm sheet....

Dyneema has unveiled its SK75 Continuous Filament Yarn specifically designed for ropes and fishing nets.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... DYNEEMA has unveiled its SK75 CONTINUOUS FILAMENT YARN, specifically designed for ropes and fishing nets. Dyneema is a strong polyethylene fiber that the company says is up to 15 times stronger than steel and, weight-for-weight, is 40 percent...

Yokozaki's high-speed, precision size LS-2000-M1-8R Sorting Machine is especially designed for catcher/processors and processors of frozen head-on or tailed spot prawns or side-stripe shrimp.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... YOKOZAKI's high-speed, precision size LS-2000-M1-8R SORTING MACHINE is especially designed for catcher/processors and processors of frozen head-on or tailed spot prawns or side-stripe shrimp. The machine accurately measures two to eight precise...

Blue Ocean Tackle's new line of Harpoons have heavy aluminum tubing handles with two plastic container clips, a stainless steel nose cone and an end cap with a 3 1/2-inch nylon loop for easy retention or retrieval.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... BLUE OCEAN TACKLE's new line of HARPOONS have heavy aluminum tubing handles with two plastic container clips, a stainless steel nose cone and an end cap with a 3 1/2-inch nylon loop for easy retention or retrieval. The stainless steel shaft...

The Taylor Made Group has released the Spoiler Buoy, a seamless, heavy-duty buoy for both longline and net set applications.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... THE TAYLOR MADE GROUP has released the SPOILER BUOY, a seamless, heavy-duty buoy for both longline and net set applications. Taylor Made says that the Spoiler's unique, rounded shape produces greater buoyancy and lower drag when compared with...

Last set.
December 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SUNRISE on a March morning in Darien, Ga., bathes the shrimp fleet in tranquility. Local boatbuilder Dan Colsen has contributed dozens of vessels to the presence of wooden boats on the waterfront. "It's always been...