National Fisherman articles from February 2003

National Fisherman archives from February 2003

By the way. (Editor's Log).
February 1, 2003... One of the staples of National Fisherman is the at-sea story. Every month we try to present at least one story for which an NF correspondent has jumped aboard a fishing vessel somewhere in the United States and headed out to sea with a notebook...

Fishing back when.
February 1, 2003... 50 YEARS AGO this month A 36-foot motor lifeboat from the Race Point Coast Guard Station near Provincetown, Mass., plucks a sick fisherman from the deck of a 90-foot Boston trawler, the Texas, and brings him ashore. The motor lifeboat,...

Let the fishermen take over.
February 1, 2003... DEAD FISH AND FAT CATS Eric Wickham Granville Island Publishing Softcover, 167 pp., $14.95 American fishermen don't have a stranglehold upon frustration with federal fishery management. Our brethren to the north fight the same battles with...

Responsibility without accountability. (Forum).
February 1, 2003... The Founding Fathers of the United States wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to' have too much authority or control. With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three...

In too deep. (From Coast Guard Reports).
February 1, 2003... It was a fine morning for diving--or at least, as fine as it gets in late winter off Maine. The water temperature was only 37 degrees Fahrenheit, but the wind was barely blowing out of the southwest, visibility was unrestricted and the waters...

Plan outlined for restoring faith in fisheries management. (To the editor).
February 1, 2003... The Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership joins with NOAA Fisheries, the congressional delegation, and virtually all stakeholders in calling for more time to resolve questions about fisheries science. There should be no surprise that NOAA...

Explanation sought for decline in number Pribilof seals. (Mail Buoy).
February 1, 2003... Last summer my wife and I took a trip to Alaska, and particularly St. Paul Island, in the Pribilof Group. We had been planning this trip for some time, especially to see the northern fur seals, and see how the island had changed. I was...

Prize offered to anyone who designs boat that won't roll. (Mail Buoy).
February 1, 2003... If you have read "Lost at Sea," by Patrick Dillon, you have read one of the best "investigative reports" I have seen in a long time. Two crabbers, F/V Americus and F/V Altair, capsized up in the Bering Sea on the same night. All 14 lives were...

Limiting gear interaction. (A Letter From Bill Hogarth).
February 1, 2003... Gear interaction with protected species is one of our biggest challenges. The Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act are among the most powerful of environmental legislation. They operate in a different manner than the...

Cap'n Sane says ...
February 1, 2003... Vacation postcards have arrived weekly at Amos' store by Atlantic Highway stage. Amos posts `em f'one cent a week, which comes outa the Wives Cove Deepwater Benevolence Seafarer's Fund set up years ago by Cove schooner skipper spouses. ...

Despite bounty, Dungeness fleets are tied to docks: from California to Washington, an unexpected product glut leads to a price stalemate. (Pacific).
February 1, 2003... The West Coast Dungeness crab season opened with uncommon and excessive volumes of crab, as well as the more common start-of-season chaos. The news was good at first. Fishermen avoided a strike and the season opened in November along the...

Forum studies solutions to stop longline bycatch; international session displays innovations. (Pacific).
February 1, 2003... Longline fishermen, biologists and environmentalists from all over the world gathered in Honolulu in November at the Second International Fishers Forum. Forum attendees convened to discuss ways of preventing seabird and sea turtle bycatch. ...

It's `wait till next year' for groundfish buyout: legislation to be reintroduced in 2003. (Pacific).
February 1, 2003... Fishermen in the West Coast groundfish fleet hoping to sell their fishing permits through a government-sponsored $50 million buyout program are going to have to wait another year. The U.S. House of Representatives adjourned in mid-November...

Salmon fishermen collect checks from Valdez oil spill: payments tap $100 million settlement fund as punitive damages amount battle continues. (North Pacific).
February 1, 2003... As European fishermen coped with a massive, messy oil spill off the coast of Spain by the tanker Prestige, Alaska salmon fishermen collected compensation checks from their own spill disaster 14 years ago. Just in time for Christmas, the...

Smoke Salmon, not butts, annual campaign urges: `smokeout' features Alaska's signature fish. (North Pacific).
February 1, 2003... "If you must smoke, smoke a salmon." So went the' slogan prescribed for the Alaska contingency of the Great American Smokeout. The annual campaign encouraged the fishing town of Ketchikan--and all 600,000 residents of the 49th state--to refrain...

Lost Japanese squid boat drifts ashore in Alaska: cost of cleanup more than $573,000. (North Pacific).
February 1, 2003... A Japanese squid jigger, abandoned and adrift for months in the North Pacific, was found beached Nov. 10 in a remote cove on Alaska's Afognak Island. The ghost ship quickly became a ghoulish expense for the Coast Guard, which led a difficult...

Were we live. (Home Port).
February 1, 2003... HAMPTON, VA. THE CITY Population: 138,000 Number of boats: Approximately 30 TOP FIVE LANDINGS IN 2001 By weight: Scallops--2,582,166 pounds Atlantic croaker--1,894,788 pounds Fluke--991,386 pounds Spot--634,782...

Alaska adventure lures Colorado job applicants: 300 inquire about at-sea processing jobs. (North Pacific).
February 1, 2003... The lure of Alaska's big money and high adventure on the high seas continues to bless the fish processing industry when it's time to gear up for its seasonal work force. For years, the industry's catching and processing sectors have...

Freak diving accident claims Florida fisherman's life: Coast Guard and sheriff's office investigating cause of death after seemingly routine dive. (Gulf/South Atlantic).
February 1, 2003... Officials haven't determined what caused the death of Allen Sprouse, a 30-year-old Florida powerhead fisherman and fishery council advisor. But coworker Hubert Weber believes he knows. Sprouse went into convulsions and died after surfacing from...

Gulf storms lead NMFS to grant TED exemption: heavy debris rendered device ineffective. (Gulf/South Atlantic).
February 1, 2003... Shrimpers got a break after a rough hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico when gulf state officials gave them temporary exemption from turtle excluder device restrictions. In some Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana waters, shrimpers left...

Who we are. (Snapshot).
February 1, 2003... Pietro Paravanno Half Moon Bay, Calif. Stripped of his titles, Pietro Paravanno, 53, is at essence an ambassador for the fishing industry. As one of only two commercial fishermen on the Pew Oceans Commission, Paravanno has spent much...

Agency considering closure of northern cod fishery: final decision to come in March, but DFO officials aren't encouraged by latest stock data. (Canada).
February 1, 2003... The possible closure of what's left of Atlantic Canada's northern cod fishery would devastate coastal communities, one fishing association leader says. Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokesperson Jennifer Savoy says a closure isn't...

Time needed to control Maritime oyster parasite: December samples show MSX is present. (Canada).
February 1, 2003... Control of an oyster parasite in the Maritimes known as MSX is possible, according to a scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. But it's going to take time. Early in December, the parasite, which doesn't harm humans, was...

Cyclone claims hundreds of South Asia fishermen: 200 from Bangladesh and 400 from India missing, feared dead after cyclone hits region. (International).
February 1, 2003... Officials feared that a powerful cyclone that ripped through the Bay of Bengal in November had claimed the lives of hundreds of missing Indian and Bangladeshi fishermen. The coast guards from both countries engaged in a massive hunt for...

Gulf Queen: shrimp trawler. (Boat of the Month).
February 1, 2003... Many of the Southern shrimp fleet's classic wooden vessels are showing their age. But Richard Lee Mungin's 23-year-old Desco-built trawler is holding up very well. Gulf Queen's sparkling white top-sides with dark red trim and rigging makes...

Tanker spill devastates Spanish fishing grounds; aging vessel releases 5.3 million gallons. (International).
February 1, 2003... Some 25,000 fishermen and 13,000 workers employed in mussel aquaculture in Spain's Galicia region are reeling from an estimated 5.3 million gallons of heavy fuel oil the Liberian registered tanker Prestige spilled in November. The...

At-sea cuisine. (Galley Watch).
February 1, 2003... Microwave crab Johnny Rice, Ketchikan, Alaska Johnny Rice says he didn't know a thing about cooking until he stepped on a commercial fishing boat in 1985. The good life at sea taught him quickly to make do with the resources at hand. And if...

Judge extends deadline for groundfish measures; grants extra eight months to review NMFS survey data, draft Amendment 13 regulations. (Northeast).
February 1, 2003... Fishermen's groups in New England believed U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler would grant their request to delay looming harvest cuts in the region's groundfishery. Revelations of improperly rigged gear on NMFS' trawl data survey...

Steaming time penalty concerns Portland fleet: mainers press case on days-at-sea clock. (Northeast).
February 1, 2003... It takes up to 20 hours for the Adventurer to steam from Portland, Maine, to the prized fishing grounds on Georges Bank. A boat from New Bedford, Mass., can make the same trip in about four hours. Problem is, time spent steaming to and from...

Blue crab: local demand, better harvests buoy watermen, but imports still a threat. (Northeast).
February 1, 2003... There's good reason to be optimistic about crab stocks in Chesapeake Bay, but the ongoing threat of cheap imported crabmeat hasn't gone away. In 2002, a tight supply and strong restaurant and supermarket demand for locally harvested crab...

Shrimp: Southern shrimpers band together to fight markets awash in imports. (Gulf/South Atlantic).
February 1, 2003... How could news that seems so good--at least on the surface--translate into such bad times for the shrimp industry? Shrimp recently displaced canned tuna as the most popular seafood consumed in the United States. That's good news to be sure....

Pink shrimp: dock price is anemic, but fishery is keeping West Coast boats afloat. (Pacific).
February 1, 2003... Pink shrimp prices haven't been so great of late. But West Coast fishermen are thankful for what they've got. Fishermen may be disappointed with the price they got for their catch in last year's pink shrimp season. The average price of 28...

Urchins: smaller pool of divers should profit despite anticipated earnings drop. (North Pacific).
February 1, 2003... Demand for Alaska-harvested urchins will remain steady, but ex-vessel prices will be relatively lower than in years past, thanks to lower roe recovery and more Russian product flowing into Japanese markets. The good news is that Alaska...

Out for blood: Capt. Leon Rose and the crew of the Triple R prowl night in search of ancient, magical creatures. (At Sea).
February 1, 2003... A surrealistic scene is unfolding aboard the 68-foot, cypress-hulled commercial dragger Triple R out of Chincoteague Island, Va. The moon is off the port quarter, the sea calm, and a warm breeze whispers out of the southwest. Off in the...

Culling the catchers: individual fishing quotas figure to make life easier for a lot of people. Not all of them will be fishermen. (Cover Story).
February 1, 2003... It's hard not to think that there might be something wrong with a management regime that forces a guy like Michael Hobson out of commercial fishing. A fifth-generation fisherman from Port Albert, Australia, Hobson in the late 1990s bought...

The galaxy afire: despite flames and 15-foot seas, 23 lives are saved following an explosion aboard a freezer-longliner. (Life And Death At Sea).
February 1, 2003... George Karn once told his sister that the prospects weren't good for fishermen who went overboard in the Bering Sea. "Yeah," he said, "if you have to go in the water, you're probably dead anyway." Yet Karn, who loved Mardi Gras and...

Warmer water affecting lobsters, researcher says: investigates Long Island Sound hypothesis. (Northeast).
February 1, 2003... A scientist investigating the Long Island Sound lobster die-off has posited yet another potential explanation for the ongoing catastrophe that destroyed the lobster industry in New York and Connecticut. The way Alistair D.M. Dove, senior...

`Bama steel: the Pacer is the first of three scallopers built for a New England fisherman who is bullish on his fishery. (Boats & Gear).
February 1, 2003... At a time when some Gulf of Mexico shrimp-boat builders are having to work harder than normal to fill their order books, one boatyard in Coden, Ala., has carved a niche for itself building scallop boats for Northeastern customers. With the...

A range of options: capability and ease of use are driving the evolution of radar. (Boats & gear: seeing at sea).
February 1, 2003... Radars used to be pretty cut and dried. You got a view of your boat in relation to other boats and land masses--and that was it. There were some high-end models, mostly for big boats, and basic models for small boats; and generally there...

A titan bearing the fleet: the mighty and reliable Atlas engine lived up to its name. (Diesels Then And Now).
February 1, 2003... The introduction of diesel engines aboard fishing vessels in the first quarter of the 20th century was as spectacular an advancement as computers and plotters are aboard the fishing vessels of today. And no diesel engine ever gained more...

New blocks on the block: manufacturers unveil models for boats big and small. (Diesel Then And Now).
February 1, 2003... Walk down the isle of a commercial fishing trade show and you'll find diesels for big-boat guys and plenty of engines for the small-boat fleet. There are monster engines packed with horsepower and pistons broad enough your kid tan ride up and...

2003 diesel lineup: The horsepower ratings, weights and dimensions for each diesel depend on specific applications--reduction gears, PTOs, running gear, climatic conditions and the like. To determine the output rating that is most appropriate for your boat, we suggest that you contract the distributor or dealer nearest you.
February 1, 2003... 2003 DIESEL LINEUP KEY TO MODEL NUMBERS AND CODES: D--Naturally Aspirated; N--Naturally Aspirated; NA--Naturally Aspirated; A (only)--Naturally Aspirated; M--Naturally Aspirated; T--Turbocharged; TA--Turbocharged and Aftercooled;...

Todd Parks * Tangier Island, Va. (Old Iron Works Fine).
February 1, 2003... Todd Parks decided two years ago to move up, from a 6-cylinder Ford gasoline engine to a rebuilt 4:53 Detroit Diesel. He has been more than satisfied. Parks uses his 40-year-old, 36-foot fiberglass-over-wood boat to dredge for oysters in...

Charlie Renier * Key West, Fla. (Old Iron Works Fine).
February 1, 2003... Charlie Renier is a secondhand diesel believer who practices what he preaches. "I've got four [boats] of my own. Every one's a secondhand engine," Renier says. His favorite is Lady Leah, a 65-foot lobster, stone crab and gillnet boat with twin...

Fred Wahl * Reedsport, Ore.
February 1, 2003... When Oregon shipbuilder Fred Wahl replaced the engine in his own fishing vessel, price was the motivation for choosing a secondhand diesel. "We could have bought a new one for $100,000,' he says. "Instead, we found this for $27,000." ...

Calvin S. Beal * Jonesport, Maine. (Old Iron Works Fine).
February 1, 2003... Calvin S. Beal -- whose middle name is Stacey to help differentiate him from his dad, Calvin Beal Jr., a well-known designer and builder of Beals Island lobster boats--has had more than one used diesel in his lobster boats. The first one was a...

Dave Marciano * Gloucester, Mass. (Old Iron Works Fine).
February 1, 2003... In 1999, when gillnetter Dave Marciano went looking for an inexpensive replacement for the Detroit Diesel 6V-53 in his boat, the Angelica Joseph, he found a government surplus engine that had been used to power a truck. The engine cost him...

Victor Buchanan * Kodiak, Alaska. (Old Iron Works Fine).
February 1, 2003... You can find Victor Buchanan working his old wooden boat, with her planks sheathed in fiberglass, on the crab grounds or fishing for salmon or halibut or even diving for sea cucumbers in the waters around Kodiak Island. Buchanan's previous...

Macks power lobster boats; 45-foot hull gets 3 more feet. (North).
February 1, 2003... In New England, Mack diesels have been a favorite piece of iron for many fishermen. But at this point a new Mack diesel for a fishing boat is getting very close to being nothing more than a fantasy. That's been true ever since Volvo took...

Canadian yard stays busy; 90-foot crabber hits water. (West).
February 1, 2003... Work might be down at a lot of boatyards, but if you look around enough, you can find a boatyard or repair facility that's actually gaining a bit of business and pulling work its way. Count Arrow Marine Services, in Richmond, British Columbia,...

Shrimp boats get exported; Va. wooden seine skiffs built. (South).
February 1, 2003... Russell Steiner of Steiner Shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Ala., says low shrimp prices and an active decade or so of boat-building for local U.S. fishermen has depressed the domestic market for new shrimp boats. Steiner Shipyard, however, is...

Bulletin board.
February 1, 2003... MARCH 11-13 The International Boston Seafood Show Hynes Convention Center Boston www.bostonseafood.com The International Boston Seafood Show is the industry's choice for sourcing and selling seafood. Buyers at the show find it...

Making the right call: Icom's new IC-M602 VHF is designed for speed and ease of use. (Product Roundup).
February 1, 2003... Squinting at a VHF-radio to see what channel is being displayed--while the boat is corkscrewing across the face of a wave--is at best a disconcerting hassle and at worst a real threat. But squinting is not something you'll be doing with Icom's...

SIMRAD. (On the Move).
February 1, 2003... Dania Beach, Fla.-based marine electronics manufacturer SIMRAD has expanded its sales team, adding RANDY MORRIS and BRIAN JOERGENSEN as Eastern sales managers. "As Simrad's presence in both the OEM and commercial sales niches continues to...

National Marine Electronics Association. (On the Move).
February 1, 2003... JERRY WRITER, owner of San Juan Electronics in Bellingham, Wash., was honored as 2002 Technician of the Year by the National Marine Electronics Association. He was nominated by Mark Richards, of Richard's Marine Marketing, who said that...

Company achieves Milestone. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Carmanah Technologies of Victoria, B.C., announces it has reached 50,000 units sold for its solar-powered LED lighting products since the company's incorporation in 1998. The company's patented navigation lights now mark hazards and guide ship...

Product line acquired. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Mariner Supply Inc., purveyor of marine parts and products and creator of MarinerSupply.com and Go2marine.com, has added MARCO Marine's North Pacific to its product line. MARCO products include power blocks, PowerGrips, hydraulic swivels, crab...

Contract awarded. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Furuno, Camas, Wash.-based marine electronics manufacturer, has been awarded a multi-year $11 million U.S. Coast Guard contract to replace the aging radar systems on all Coast Guard 41-foot patrol and rescue boats with new Scalable Integrated...

Partnership created. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Pulse-Drive Systems International, a distributor of trimable fiberglass surface drives based in Pompano Beach, Fla., has formed a partnership agreement with Protec, a German engineering company. The union will allow Pulse-Drive Systems to...

School moved. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Engine City Technical Institute, founded in 1969, has been sold to the school's director, Dan Kasper, and will be moved out of Mack Boring and Parts Co. headquarters because of Mack Boring's expansion and the school's continued growth. Yanmar...

Agreement established. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Hans Jensen Lubricators A/S, Danish cylinder lubrication specialist and supplier to diesel engine manufacturers, has awarded Goltens an "Authorized Service Provider" agreement for Jensen's line of cylinder lubricating equipment featuring the...

Campaign recognized. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... The Maine Lobster Promotion Council has received the Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Fisheries Institute for its "Lobster from Maine is Eco-friendly" public awareness campaign, which links the environmentally sound practices...

Name changed. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Northern Lights, the global manufacturer of Northern Lights generators and Lugger marine engines founded in 1958, officially announced that it has changed its corporate identity. Based in Seattle, and formerly known as Alaska Diesel Electric,...

Program honored. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Nobeltec Corp., the Portland, Ore.-based marine navigation software developer, has announced its receipt of the "Best Navigation Software Award" from the National Marine Electronics Association for its Visual Navigation Suite 6.5 program....

Dealership grows. (Company News).
February 1, 2003... Gowen Marine, of Portland, Maine, has earned the distinction of becoming an official full-line, full-service dealership for Suzuki Marine outboards and accessories. In addition to sales, Gowen is now also an authorized warranty and repair...

Attracting a feeding frenzy: team Berley is designed to bring fish to your hooks. (Product Roundup).
February 1, 2003... In New Zealand it's known as Abbeyville Sauce; in this country it's called Team Berley. Whatever its moniker, this artificial bait has been attracting a lot of attention among U.S. fishermen, ever since the company Fishermen's Concepts started...

Davis Instruments has recently released its latest cure for seasickness with Queaz-Away Wristbands, a non-drug aid for boaters prone to mal de mer. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... DAVIS INSTRUMENTS has recently released its latest cure for seasickness with QUEAZ-AWAY WRISTBANDS, a non-drug aid for boaters prone to mal de mer. The wristbands exert gentle pressure on specific points of the wrist to minimize or eliminate...

VDC Electronics has developed Batteryminder SCC005, a "smart" pulsewidth modulated solar charge controller-desulphator. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... VDC ELECTRONICS has developed BATTERYMINDER SCC005, a "smart" pulsewidth modulated solar charge controller-desulphator. In addition to protecting batteries from over-under charge, its unique circuitry optimizes the solar panels' charge rate,...

Sea Tel says its new 4003 Broadband Maritime Communications System provides the fastest maritime satellite communications system, with Internet speeds of 512 kilobytes per second inbound (satellite-to-ship) and 128 kilobytes per second outbound (ship-to-satellite) that can be upgraded to 1.5 megabyte per second inbound and 256 kilobytes per second outbound. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... SEA TEL says its new 4003 BROADBAND MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM provides the fastest maritime satellite communications system, with Internet speeds of 512 kilobytes per second inbound (satellite-to-ship) and 128 kilobytes per second outbound...

EPCO offers the durable 6-foot Pro-T6 Transom Tie Down that helps boats reach their destination safely. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... EPCO offers the durable 6-foot PRO-T6 TRANSOM TIE DOWN that helps boats reach their destination safely. The Transom tie down has a working load of 1,800 pounds. It's compact, easy-to-use ratchet mechanism creates a snug attachment between the...

Alfa Laval unveils Alfaplus, a continuous, hygienic and automatically controlled surimi processing line. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... ALFA LAVAL unveils ALFAPLUS, a continuous, hygienic and automatically controlled surimi processing line. AlfaPlus uses centrifugal separation, which substantially increases yields as well as eliminates several processing stages. This continuous...

American Allsafe, a manufacturer and distributor of eye, face and head protection, says its new Seneca Spectacle is so lightweight it will increase wear time, which means increased safety and less ocular exposure to harmful light rays. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... AMERICAN ALLSAFE, a manufacturer and distributor of eye, face and head protection, says its new SENECA SPECTACLE is so lightweight it will increase wear time, which means increased safety and less ocular exposure to harmful light rays. The...

Orange Peel has available a full line of standard Rotating Shaft Guards that comply with all current safety regulations. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... ORANGE PEEL has available a full line of standard ROTATING SHAFT GUARDS that comply with all current safety-regulations. The guards fully enclose the rotating members, allowing gaps no greater than 0.25 inches. Orange Peel base-mounted coupling...

Dieselcraft has developed an advanced commercial grade of Fuel Stablizers to deal with the bacterial growth problem in diesel fuel, which can lead to clogged filters, damaged motors and the need to dispose of hazardous waste. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... DIESELCRAFT has developed an advanced commercial grade of FUEL STABLIZERS to deal with the bacterial growth problem in diesel fuel, which can lead to clogged filters, damaged motors and the need to dispose of hazardous waste. Dieselcraft...

Van Der Graaf offers a complete line of internally powered Drum Motors for driving food belt conveyors. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... VAN DER GRAAF offers a complete line of internally powered DRUM MOTORS for driving food belt conveyors. They are capable of withstanding high-pressure wash downs and are specifically designed to meet fish processing plant requirements, and...

Measurement Systems International has introduced the MSI-9300 Porta-Weigh Plus, RF Digital Crane Scale. (At A Glance).
February 1, 2003... MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL has introduced the MSI-9300 PORTA-WEIGH PLUS, RF DIGITAL CRANE SCALE. The portable scale provides both local and remote display capability and is fully shock mounted and waterproof, making an overhead scale for...

Last set.
February 1, 2003... BUCOLIC COMPTON'S CREEK at Belford, N.J., one of the oldest fishing ports on the Eastern Seabord, is known for fluke, monkfish, ling and mackerel. It is also home to a new ferry terminal linking the area to lower Manhattan.