National Fisherman articles from February 2007

National Fisherman archives from February 2007

February 2007: this month's highlights.
February 1, 2007... For most of us, I suspect, there's something reassuring about the rumble of a diesel, something exhilarating in the whistle of a turbocharger. Diesel engines today are much more complex than they once were, but there's still an air of raw...

Halibut charter moratorium moving forward.
February 1, 2007... Alaska fishermen are feeling the effects of an unbridled charter halibut industry running rampant with double-digit growth in a finite and fully allocated fishery. A moratorium on new entrants is gaining support even from within the charter...

Reel doses of reality.
February 1, 2007... It's funny how things happen at once. This fall I received three new films on DVD, each with ,a different perspective on struggles within fishing communities. What's important about these efforts is that they're all geared toward...

Fishing back when.(NF classics)
February 1, 2007... In a major step toward prolonging the economy of the New England fishing industry, the Small Business Administration has granted a $1 million loan to the Boston Fisheries Cooperative. The loan will enable the 20 members of the cooperative to...

Oregon newspaper articles illuminate the early Columbia salmon fishery.(Fo'c'sle library)
February 1, 2007... Salmon Fever: River's End Tragedies on the Lower Columbia River in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s By Liisa Penner Frank Amato Publications, 2006 Softcover, 96 pp., $14.95 www.amatobooks.com Every year on my birthday, my grandmother sent an...

New technology and changing standards drive an update to marine diesel handbook.("Marine Diesel Engines Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair, 3rd ed.")(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2007... Marine Diesel Engines Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair, 3rd Edition By Nigh Calder International Marine/McGraw Hill, 2007 Hardcover, 256 pp., $27.95 www.internationalmarine.com Nigel Calder has, quite a following in the marine...

Putting the industry on ice.(fisheries)
February 1, 2007... The most recent rationale the antis are using to explain their shocking lack of concern over the impacts of their depredations on fishermen and the fishing communities they support is that they're focused on the "long term." While it's...

Fisherman defends Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector.(Dock talk)
February 1, 2007... Recent comments in National Fisherman regarding the Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector ("Northeast cod sectors harm stocks and stability," NF Mail Buoy Dec. '06, p. 12) reveal an ignorance of sector management principles and the benefits of...

EPIRB maintenance and know-how saves fishermen.(Consequences)
February 1, 2007... From U.S. Coast Guard reports After an overnight search, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two central Florida fishermen Friday, Nov. 17, 2006, about 70 miles east of the mouth of the St. Johns River. The captain and crew of a 35-foot fishing...

Who's afraid of the big bad enviros?(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... I tell my daughter not to be afraid of monsters, so it's funny to read in National Fisherman that I am one. According to featured columnist Nils Stolpe and Editor Jerry Fraser, environmental NGOs are the real enemy of fishermen. Mr. Stolpe...

Oregonian speaks out for the future of Trinity River.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... I have been a subscriber for years--and will be for a long time, as my Alaska Fisherman's Journal subscription rolled into National Fisherman. I have a big bone to pick with all the hubbub around the Klamath River salmon issues. Nobody but...

Cap'n Sane says ... Saturday Cove, Maine.
February 1, 2007... The Cove Christmas Party never was. Well, it never happened this way. First off, Puddy Hall was in charge of gettin' the Christmas tree. He selected, as usual, a beautiful Blue Spruce from Doc Richardson's driveway. Doc is our longtime cottager...

Tuna talks frustrating.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... I am very disappointed that the international fishing community was unable to agree to a plan to halt the severe over-harvest of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna at the October meeting of the International Commission for the...

The perfect flood.(salmon)
February 1, 2007... All I wanted was one salmon, any salmon at all. I don't know where the summer went, but all of a sudden it was fall and going on winter--and I was fishless. Bad karma is what it was. I always find time to catch a salmon. I even got an...

Dungeness price dispute keeps boats tied to docks; processor fears of lower-quality crab delay opening as lucrative holiday season draws near.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
February 1, 2007... Their boats were ready and the weather was cooperating, but West Coast crabbers remained tied to the dock during the first week of December as fishermen and processors disputed prices. San Francisco and central California crabbers hit the...

Alaskan fishermen like new governor's pedigree; Setnet experience earns points for Palin.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
February 1, 2007... Alaska's first woman governor may also be its most fishing savvy, according to sentiments rippling through the industry. United Fishermen of Alaska endorsed Sarah Palin (R-Wasilla) along the campaign trail and sang her praises after she won the...

'Deadliest Catch' skipper joins nationwide effort; crabber Hansen signs on to unity cause.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)(Sig Hansen honored )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... If anyone in this industry can afford to be independent, Sig Hansen can. He is the skipper of the highline crabber Northwestern and a "star" of the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," a Bering Sea crab opera that is the most popular series...

N.C. commissioners approve river herring moratorium; nonetheless, state scientists cite importance of water quality and habitat, call for restocking.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
February 1, 2007... North Carolina fisheries commissioners approved a moratorium on the harvest of river herring in coastal waters at a meeting in Hatteras in early December. State Division of Marine Fisheries scientists support the decision but warn that...

Where we live: Ocean City, MD.(HOME PORT)
February 1, 2007... THE TOWN Population: 7,000 year-round, estimated up to 300,000 on summer weekends, many housed in high-rise condominiums along 10 miles of oceanfront. Fleet size: About 20 resident boats, plus 15 to 20 part-time and transient vessels from...

IFQ supporters thankful snapper rule now in place; some win, some lose in share allocations.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)(individual fishing quota)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Supporters of Gulf of Mexico red snapper IFQs had something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day; the final rule establishing the program was published--effective Jan. 1--the day before. Many of the Class 1 license holders, such as David...

Conservation groups float network of protected areas; fishermen wary of losing key grounds in 20% of ocean from Cape Cod to Scotian Shelf.(ATLANTIC)
February 1, 2007... Two environmental groups want to preserve marine ecosystems by blocking off large sections of the northwest Atlantic Ocean to fishing and other human activities. A recent report published by the Conservation Law Foundation and the World...

Freezer boat aims to aid industry, herring fishery; will save steaming time, boost landings.(ATLANTIC)
February 1, 2007... The first mothership intended for the Eastern Seaboard received the red carpet treatment when it arrived in Portland, Maine, in early December. The 346-foot American Freedom was greeted by a fireboat pumping red, white and blue streams of...

What-ya-got seafood fettuccine; Fred and Dwan Deiser, Wasilla, Alaska.(GALLEY WATCH: AT-SEA CUISINE)(Recipe)
February 1, 2007... When the tide turns toward a quick dish and you're feeling like fish, try Fred and Dawn Deiser's what-ya-got seafood fettuccine. The couple has tried myriad recipes in their 31 years of fishing Prince William Sound, but this is a...

Jersey clammers search for relay program recruits: traditional purification process is at stake.(ATLANTIC)
February 1, 2007... Like the Marines, these clammers say they are only looking for a few good men. Getting those recruits could save a program that once was the salvation of New Jersey's bay clam fishery. The state's clam relay program, which lets fishermen...

Antares: reef fish, spiny lobster dive boat.(BOAT OF THE MONTH)
February 1, 2007... Antares, the very last of the wooden Key West #1 wooden hulls, according to owner Lee Starling, is a great sea boat but demands a dedicated owner. "She's a Cadillac," Starling says. "The fact that she's a wooden boat, the ride is so much...

R.I. school teaches design, history of fishing vessels: evolving needs of industry inspire projects.(ATLANTIC)
February 1, 2007... Students at Rhode Island School of Design are learning a dual lesson in commercial fishing and boat design. The school's new cross-disciplinary course combines discussions about the history of New England's fisheries with instruction in vessel...

P.E.I. fishermen poised to recapture fishing grounds: MacLeod's Ledge boundary shifting back to Lobster Fishing Area 24 after investigation.(NATION/WORLD)
February 1, 2007... prince Edward Island lobster fishermen are a step closer to regaining a fishery known as MacLeod's Ledge from the province of Quebec. But it's not time for them to party just yet, according to Ed Frenette, executive director of the Prince...

Jeremiah O'Brien: Morro Bay, Calif.(SNAPSHOT: WHO WE ARE)(president of Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... You may have seen Jeremiah O'Brien's I name on an Environmental Defense press release. Sleeping with the enemy? Nope. O'Brien is a realist who wants to "get the word out" and improve fishing's image in the public eye. He is president of...

Last-minute effort secures Magnuson reauthorization: bill addresses needs of fish and fishermen.(NATION/WORLD)
February 1, 2007... The outgoing 102nd Congress left the fishing community and ocean conservationists with a parting gift--passage of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act reauthorization, just when it seemed years of work on the bill might...

Western Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in support of Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council praised Congress for reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and says that the reauthorized Act, as amended, improves monitoring and compliance for high...

Caribbean.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(gillnet fishing at Saint Croix)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The St. Thomas Fishermen's Association has voiced its disappointment about a plan to eliminate gillnet fishing from St. Croix. The association says the plan was "maneuvered through the St. Croix Fishery Advisory Committee... through a campaign...

New England.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(New England Fishery Management Council, National Marine Fisheries Service)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... By a vote of 15-0, the New England Fishery Management Council requested that NMFS take interim action to prevent overfishing of the scallop resource in 2007. Focusing its attention on the so-called Elephant Trunk Area, the council...

Mid-Atlantic.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(new fishing quota)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Despite pressure from New York fishermen and marine resource managers who want changes to address what they see as inequities in recreational summer flounder management, members of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the...

North Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(fishing quota changed at Bering sea)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Projecting a decline in the pollock population, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has reduced the 2007 Bering Sea quota by six percent. Landings in the fishery have been abundant in recent years in the state's largest fishery,...

South Atlantic.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(fishing laws for snapper and grouper )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's science and statistical committee won't take up changes made to a socioeconomic study for federal snapper-grouper rules that took effect last fall. Many in the industry contend that new limits...

Gulf of Mexico.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(red snappers fishing limited)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico will see their limit of red snapper cut in half under a proposal that was expected from NMFS as National Fisherman went to press. The federal agency said it would announce five proposals. Among...

Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Pacific Fishery Management Council on Klamath River)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... In a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Pacific Fishery Management Council restated its earlier recommendation that the commission order the removal of the lowermost four dams on the Klamath River. The council also...

Processors, Southeast divers showing little interest in working ailing fishery.(NORTH PACIFIC URCHINS)
February 1, 2007... Alaska's urchin industry is in a tail-spin. Late last summer, the dive fishery made news when Coastal Fisheries, the last processor standing, announced it would close its doors and no longer buy product. Since then, there have been rumors...

Chesapeake crabbers hope spring run is a sign of better days ahead.(NORTHEAST BLUE CRAB)
February 1, 2007... Virginia watermen saw a surprising early spring run of blue crabs in 2006. It didn't fatten their bank accounts much, but could augur a better future for Chesapeake Bays fishery. "April started the season very good, with one of the...

Hurricane hangover depresses price, gives shrimpers one big headache.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC SHRIMP)
February 1, 2007... It's not easy to find the good news in the shrimp business these days. This time last year, after seeming to bottom out in 2003 and 2004, ex-vessel prices for all three major commercial species were higher compared with the previous year,...

West Coast fleet hopes marketing and certification will boost product prices.(PACIFIC SHRIMP)
February 1, 2007... Global competition and marketing factors as well as imminent Marine Stewardship Council certification could help West Coast pink-shrimp fishermen receive higher prices this year--provided the stars and markets align correctly and prices hit...

Ancient's teachings: a research fishery may help Chesapeake fishermen ensure the prehistoric sturgeon's future.(Cover story)
February 1, 2007... It's just before dawn one late May day and there's a hazy fog in the air as the wooden deadrise boat Gloria J lays to at the dock in Deep Creek harbor just off the James River. Her captain, George Trice of Poquoson, Va., checks the engine...

Quotas down under: American fishermen get a firsthand look at New Zealand's management system.(Mixed blessings)(individual fishing quotas)
February 1, 2007... In 986, New Zealand's Labor government introduced an individual transferable quota system to manage fisheries within its huge exclusive economic zone, one of the largest in the world at more than 4 million square kilometers (1.5 million square...

No limits: the 58-foot Arctic Fox is unconstrained by her size.(Boats & Gear: Boatbuilding)
February 1, 2007... About a third of the way up the Oregon coast from the California border is Reedsport, where Fred Wahl Marine Construction has turned out several 58-footers in the last 15 years, beginning with the Emily Nicole in 1992. The most recent is the...

Tier II takes over: new EPA emission guidelines are good news for operators.(2007 Muscle Manual: Guide to diesels)(Environmental Protection Agency )
February 1, 2007... The Environmental Protection Agency s Tier II emission standards were due to take effect Jan. 1, so by the time you get this issue of National Fisherman, any new diesel you want to buy will be cleaner burning, have improved fuel consumption and...

Used boat, used engine: thinking about buying someone else's boat? Here are some things to keep in mind as you inspect the engine room.(Boats & Gear: The engine room)
February 1, 2007... When you buy a used engine in a used boat, you could be inheriting somebody's nightmare. Or you might be getting a moneymaking jewel. Knowing the difference isn't magic, and it can make the difference between having a boat that runs reliably...

Diesel-electric power: a possible propulsion alternative, even for small boats.(Boats & Gear: The engine room)
February 1, 2007... Bring up the subject of a diesel-electric drive system to most commercial fishermen and you get strange looks. They'll tell you a diesel-electric system is for warships, freighters and large ferries, but certainly nothing under 100 feet. ...

2007 diesel lineup.
February 1, 2007... The horsepower ratings and weights 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...

Andy Johnson: Harpswell, Maine.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... ANDY JOHNSON Harpswell, Maine Andy Johnson took delivery of his new Holland 38, Whistlin' Dixie, in the fall. It has a 1,000-hp Caterpillar C18 bolted to the engine beds. Most people assumed Johnson put that much power in a lobster...

Pete Alexson: Homer, Alaska.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... PETE ALEXSON Homer, Alaska Though Pete Alexson could have squeezed a couple more seasons out of the old Detroit Diesel 6-92 that lived in the bilge of the 50-foot seiner Renaissance, the winter of '06 seemed like a good time to...

Jeffery Dameron: Wicomico Church, Va.(ENGINE CHOICES)
February 1, 2007... JEFFERY DAMERON Wicomico Church, Va. Jeffery Dameron needed a new diesel engine, and he wanted a John Deere for the Ashton Mackenzie II, a 45' x 14' 6" Canadian-built boat he uses to dredge for conch in the Atlantic and blue crabs in...

Donald Waters: Pensacola, Fla.(ENGINE CHOICES)
February 1, 2007... DONALD WATERS Pensacola, Fla. When Donald Waters pondered replacing a worn out Detroit Diesel 6-71 three-and-a-half years ago, availability and price figured into his final choice, but efficiency and especially noise levels were top...

One tough boat will go south; Maine yard molds a 46-footer.(NORTHEAST)
February 1, 2007... Several times, Jim Dawson has made the long drive from Virginia's Chincoteague Island to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where Gaski Marine, in con junction with YachtSmiths International in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is building him a 28-foot Gaski, which...

A worthy design is expanded; Wash. yard has pit-stop niche.(WEST)
February 1, 2007... In 2002, Rozema Boat Works in Mount Vernon, Wash., built the 46-foot aluminum crabber Gail Force. The success and look of that boat is probably part of the reason a Westport, Wash., fisherman came to Rozema's for an expanded version of the Gall...

Va. railway is tight with boats; yard seeks ark accoutrements.(SOUTH)
February 1, 2007... AT Reedville Marine Railway in Reedville, Va., boats were waiting to get on the railway, being built in both boatbuilding sheds, and lined up in the parking lot for repairs. On the rails in late November was the Mary Trew, a deadrise...

Bulletin board.
February 1, 2007... FEB. 10-13 Mediterranean Seafood Exhibition The Expo Center, Rimini, Italy www.medseafood.com The Mediterranean Seafood Exhibition is an international forum dedicated to flesh and frozen seafood products, with companies...

ITC.(promotes Michael Camarota)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... MICHAEL CAMAROTA is the new president of Holland, Mich.-based ITC. Camarota began his tenure with the company as the vice president of marketing in 2000. He contributed to the marine and RV product distributor's growth in recent years by...

Yanmar Marine.(promotes Mikio Hagihara)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... YANMAR MARINE recently promoted MIKIO HAGIHARA to the position of vice president of Yanmar Marine International. Hagihara joined the company in 1977 as an engineer. His new responsibilities include research and development, production, quality...

Vertex Standard USA.(promotes Jason Kennedy)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Late last year, JASON KENNEDY was promoted to the position of executive vice president of Vertex Standard USA and will be responsible for sales, marketing, operations and will be involved in product development for STANDARD HORIZON's North...

National Marine Electronics Association.(COMPANY NEWS)
February 1, 2007... In November last year, the NATIONAL MARINE ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION celebrated its 35th anniversary of the NMEA awards by handing out awards to seven companies. The event took place at the association's Convention and Expo in Naples, Fla. Furuno...

The PI Geometry Sensor measures up: Simrad gear helps keep trawl door at right angle to net.(Product roundup)
February 1, 2007... In retrospect, the solution to a problem sometimes seems so simple, you wonder why it took so long to figure it out. That's probably what some people at Simrad Fisheries are thinking, now that they've developed the PI Geometry Sensor for bottom...

Viking immersion suit has a leg up on lifts: built-in lifting harness reduces suspension-induced shock syndrome related to hypothermia.(Viking Life Saving Equipment (America) Inc.)
February 1, 2007... The story goes something like this: Fishing boat sinks after the crew sends out a mayday. Nearby fishing boats join the Coast Guard in the search, and eventually the fishermen are found, sometimes in a life raft, sometimes in the water,...

Thermo Boat provides vibration insulation to engines with its Poly Flex Engine Mounts.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... THERMO BOAT provides vibration insulation to engines with its POLY FLEX ENGINE MOUNTS. The mounts are manufactured from an engineering grade, heat-cured polymer alloy. This is a thermoplastic mount that not only reduces vibration and is...

Teleflex Marine has introduced a new 40PSI water pressure gauge that is engineered to be used with Mercury's new 75-, 90- and 115-hp four-stroke outboards.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... TELEFLEX MARINE has introduced a new 40PSI water pres sure gauge that is engineered to be used with Mercury's new 75-, 90- and 115-hp four-stroke outboards. The gauge is to be used when maximum water pressure doesn't exceed 40 pounds per square...

West System is offering its 207 Special Coating Hardener.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... WEST SYSTEM is offering its 207 SPECIAL COATING HARDENER. When used with West System's 105 EPOXY RESIN, it creates a clear finish that can be recoated within 12 hours without surface preparation, and it cures hard enough to sand within 24...

Eco-Safe Systems has come out with the Eco-Jet Pressure Wash System that would be useful in fish-processing areas or anywhere good sanitation is required.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... ECO-SAFE SYSTEMS has come out with the ECO-JET PRESSURE WASH SYSTEM that would be useful in fish-processing areas or anywhere good sanitation is required. The wash system uses ozone-water technology to clean without requiring hot water. You...

C-Map has worked with P-Sea Software to develop a new C-Map MAX version compatible with P-Sea.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... C-MAP has worked with P-SEA SOFTWARE to develop a new C-Map MAX version compatible with P-Sea. It's called P-SEA WINDPLOT MAX. Now P-Sea software users have available MAX features like a perspective from above the chart, as well as dynamic...

Next Generation Power's new UCM3-8.0 8-kW genset comes with a recently designed stretchable serpentine belt that's easier to change than previous belts, does not require a tensioning bracket, and helps reduce sound and vibration levels.(At a glance)
February 1, 2007... NEXT GENERATION POWER's new UCM3-8.0 8-kW genset comes with a recently designed stretchable serpentine belt that's easier to change than previous belts, does not require a tensioning bracket, and helps reduce sound and vibration levels. The...

Juneau, Alaska.(Last set)
February 1, 2007... The gillnet season has slowed right down to a few cohos and dogs, and Wallace Dowden decides the time is right to load his boat, the Long Island II, onto a barge for a late September 2006 trip south from Juneau to Seattle. [ILLUSTRATIONS...