National Fisherman articles from January 2006

National Fisherman archives from January 2006

Pie-eyed.(EDITOR'S LOG)
January 1, 2006... Last March, the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador proposed a pilot processor quota program in the snow crab fishery. Fishermen, joined by plant workers, reacted with vociferous opposition. In addition to articulating a case...

At sea.
January 1, 2006... IT'S A GOOD DAY'S WORK gillnetting bowfin in Louisiana's Pierre Part Bay system for the roe to be processed into caviar. On board are: John Burke, Mike Hue and NF correspondent Robert Fritchey. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Fishing back when.(NF Classics)
January 1, 2006... 50 YEARS AGO this month Maine's fishing industry generated $50 million worth of seafood last year. Although total fish production was less than in 1954, the value was higher in 1955. Lobstermen had their highest landings since 1921, more...

A very tasty read.
January 1, 2006... THE GLOUCESTER FISHERMEN'S WIVES COOKBOOK: STORIES AND RECIPES By Susan Pollack Twin Lights Publishers Inc., 2005 Hardcover, 141 pp., $29.95 Susan Pollack knows fishing: as a newspaper reporter and a frequent contributor to National...

Here's to BMS--the bureaucrat monitoring system.(FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE)
January 1, 2006... A good friend of mine is a New Jersey gillnetter. An acknowledged highliner, he's served and continues to serve on several state and regional advisory committees, has always participated in the management process, and has never received a NOVA...

Producers promoting Alaska pollock to maintain market share.(FORUM)
January 1, 2006... The strength of today's global whitefish market can be attributed to a number of factors--the continued popularity of mild-flavored, white-meat fish, the emphasis on the health aspects of seafood and the increased demand around the world for...

Straight down.(SAFETY)
January 1, 2006... Early one morning last April, a lone fisherman set out in his 40-foot, Nova Scotia-built vessel to tow for squid. He was accustomed to fishing solo, and generally worked with a fleet of small vessels. Other operators in the fleet described...

Save the shark fishermen.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... I will talk about shark fishing without hesitation. While scientists have many "facts," all of which cannot be proven, we know the very few, but simple facts. Whereas scientists are constantly trying to find "facts" to prove themselves right,...

Salmon-plane reports warp facts, misrepresent board.(MAIL BUOY)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... No good deed goes unpunished! I'm amazed at the inaccuracies and the muckraker slant of the media regarding [the airliner] "Salmon Thirty Salmon." Liz Ruskin in the Anchorage Daily News says, "Salmon Jet Lures Federal Funds Questions," and Dave...

Comparing proposals.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Congress is now reviewing at least two proposals that include the Administration's and Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-Alaska) bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. NOAA Fisheries Service staff and I have been...

Cap'n Sane says ...
January 1, 2006... Well, the Cove folks have started on their winter vacations. All 'cept Shorty Gage, that is, who has some lobster gear froze in over in Flat Island Cove. It's sort of turning inta an international event. Seems one of them oil barge/tug...

N.C. declines to enact moratorium on river herring: managers, perplexed by stock health, hope nonetheless to preserve state's oldest fishery.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
January 1, 2006... Faced with a river herring population assessment showing no improvement in the stock's health, North Carolina's Marine Fisheries Commission members say they're frustrated that critical habitat protection measures contained in a 2000 management...

Wilma slams Fla. fleet, cripples stone crabbers: catastrophic trap loss seen in latest storm.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Another hurricane has racked up catastrophic losses to a Gulf of Mexico fishery--this time in the Monroe-Collier County heart of Florida stone crab country. Hurricane Wilma tore across southwestern Florida the morning of Oct. 24. It left...

N.C. legislators increase oyster program funds: supports sanctuary research, reef building.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
January 1, 2006... North Carolina's oyster rehabilitation program got a boost last summer when its funding was increased in the state budget. The General Assembly approved $575,000 in annual funding for the program to boost oyster stocks. The Division of...

Dungeness boats lose some access to U.S. waters: Oregon and Washington restrict their fleets to the grounds that are directly off their states.(PACIFIC)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Fishermen in Oregon and Washington can no longer harvest Dungeness crab in federal waters off the neighboring state unless they have a permit from that state. The change goes into effect for the 2005-06 season, just as tests to determine...

Biologists advocate end of sea otter relocation: cite failure of multi-million dollar program.(PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... After nearly 20 years of relocating wayward sea otters to San Nicolas Island in the Channel Islands, federal wildlife biologists in October recommended abandoning the idea of an otter-free zone in Southern California. The translocation of...

Court pans salmon plan, re-opens debate on dam: judge raps foot-dragging at federal level.(PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... Federal District Court Judge James A. Redden's final ruling on a biological opinion for Columbia River salmon not only slams me agencies developing the document but is also re-igniting the debate on dam breaching. Redden's October ruling...

Eastpoint, Fla.(HOME PORT: Where we live)
January 1, 2006... THE TOWN Population: According to the 2000 census, there are 2,158 residents. Fleet size: During a normal year, there are about 200 small, open, oyster tonging boats. TOP LANDINGS IN 2004 Commercial landings in Eastpoint are...

Regulators seek resolution to herring trawl issue: seasonal inshore closure far midwater fleet is on the table; fishermen remain at odds.(NORTHEAST)
January 1, 2006... Alternative 7, a proposal that includes a June 1 to Sept. 30 closed season for midwater trawls in the inshore Gulf of Maine herring fishery, gained favor with New England regulators and rival fishermen during public meetings in fall 2005. ...

Egg Harbor hurry clams: Gef Flimlin, Toms River, N.J.(recipes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Northeast rain blew in their faces as volunteers carried 600,000 tiny clams out to chest-deep water in October. While scientists try to reconstruct why hard clams are dwindling in Mid-Atlantic estuaries, Gef Flimlin and his friends are putting...

Harvesters likely to pay price for weakfish woes: Forage, not fishermen, are cited in decline.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A plunge in weakfish landings and biomass since the late 1990s hasn't been caused by commercial harvests--but fishermen could pay the price with dramatically shorter seasons. Fishermen got a reprieve in November when the commission's...

Horseshoe crabbers face Delaware Bay shutdown: two-year closure aims to save shorebirds.
January 1, 2006... Come spring 2006, Delaware Bay watermen may face a two-year moratorium on horseshoe crab harvests, a move that environmental activists say could help save shorebirds but is likely to drive up costs in the Mid-Atlantic whelk and eel fisheries....

Virginia increases limits to meet oyster demand: Gulf Coast producers impeded by storms.(NORTHEAST)
January 1, 2006... In the aftermath of the havoc hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreaked on Louisiana oyster beds, Chesapeake Bay oyster packers were wondering if they'd have enough oysters to meet holiday demand. Maryland and Virginia oyster packers depend...

Tariff undermines provincial efforts to sell EU shrimp: Canadians face levy for processed product; foreign harvest moves duty-free in St. John's.(CANADA)
January 1, 2006... The east coast shrimp fishery has trade trouble, according to David Decker, secretary-treasurer of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers in St. John's, Newfoundland, who adds that it's time to take serious action to save it. The problem is the...

Karelia: combination boat.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... "Of all the boats I've owned I like this one the best," says the Karelia's owner Vern Heikkila, a long-time fisherman in southwestern Washington. "It is a very comfortable sea boat. It doesn't roll too hard. It is not fast. It does not jerk in...

'Boston Legal' stirs pot over B.C. salmon farms: IV drama spotlights effects on wild stocks.(CANADA)
January 1, 2006... The Emmy Award-winning television show "Boston Legal" stirred controversy over British Columbia's salmon farming industry in October when an episode broached the subject of farmed salmon transferring sea lice to wild salmon smolts. In the...

Faults found in crab fishery under processor shares: plants determine fishing schedule, price is uncertain, and the weather is as bad as ever.(NORTH PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... The new "two-pie" crab management regime awarded quota shares to Bering Sea king and opilio crab fishermen and to processors. The plan would, it was said, slow the pace of the fishery, making it safer, and provide new marketing avenues. ...

Lobster: South of Maine, there's new hope that the fishery can regain its luster.(NORTHEAST)
January 1, 2006... Those lobster license plates on Maine pickup trucks might as well be the industry trademark now. A full 85 percent of American lobsters come from the Pine Tree State, while southern New England and Long Island fishermen struggle to recover from...

Petrale Sole: good fishing leads to a closure in last quarter; assessments are up.(PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... In 2005, petrale fishermen did something they'd never done before: They reached the optimum yield in landings. At the end of October, the Pacific Fishery Management Council's best-estimate report indicated fishermen in Washington, Oregon...

Red snapper: they've seen hell and high water, now many would like to see IFQs.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
January 1, 2006... On the morning of Oct. 5, halfway through a nine-day red snapper opening, Russell Underwood's 67-foot Norman B was in trouble in rough upper Gulf of Mexico seas. The 23-year-old, wooden-hull Harker's Island boat was taking on water at an...

Scallops: Alaskan co-op profits from decline in the volume of harvests elsewhere.(prices, supply and demand)
January 1, 2006... Scallop prices are the highest they've been since back in 2000 for Alaska's small fleet of dredgers. "Wholesale prices have come up from $5 and $6 per pound to the 9-to-10-dollar range," says Blair Culter, vice president of Nova Fisheries,...

Caviar, Cajun style: as Louisiana netter Mike Hue can tell you, when the bowfin are spawning and the water is cool, the time is right.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2006... It's still pitch black at 5 a.m. as commuters motor to work from Pierre Part, La., a Cajun community on the eastern bank of the Atchafalaya Basin. Nearly two hours before sunrise, the traffic is surprisingly heavy as the town's breadwinners...

Of weirs and welding: island life suits Murray Richardson, just as it suited his forefathers. If that means a fisherman must branch out, so be it.(IN PROFILE)
January 1, 2006... ... His hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert. Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as...

Meet the middleman: in Jessup, Md., seafood wholesalers walk a thin line between fishermen and consumers.(IN THE MARKETPLACE)
January 1, 2006... At 4:30 in the morning the loading dock at E. Goodwin & Son seafood wholesalers in Jessup, Md., is piled high with boxes containing thousands of pounds of fish, everything from Canadian mackerel to Gulf of Mexico butterfish. No less than 15...

In Bristol Bay, new talk of offshore oil drilling: Salmon fleet wary as towns revisit idea.(NORTH PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... Local communities rimming Bristol Bay, the breadbasket of Alaska's sockeye salmon production, have begun to reconsider the idea of drilling offshore for oil and natural gas. The area had been the epicenter of drilling leases in 1988. Oil...

Yakutat among top five locales for hanging ten: Pristine site, big waves--and a surf shop.(NORTH PACIFIC)
January 1, 2006... While locals have known for years that it was only a matter of time before big-name surfers would come to hang ten in the chilly waters off Kodiak, Cordova and Yakutat, the latter has recently earned recognition as one of the top surf locales...

Army admits chemical weapons dumped in oceans: sank 64 million pounds of nerve, mustard gas off all U.S. coasts from 1944 to 1970.(NATIONAL)
January 1, 2006... An Army chemical dumping program may pose a serious threat to marine life in U.S. waters, says a recent news article. According to a Newport News (Va.) Daily Press article, the Army admits that between 1944 and 1970, it secretly dumped 64...

National group launches at Pacific Marine Expo: organizers cite common needs, interests.(NATIONAL)
January 1, 2006... Fishermen took a step towards uniting under a national umbrella in November with the unveiling of a new group, the Commercial Fishermen of America. Steering committee members formally launched the group during a presentation. at Pacific...

Lloyd Montgomery: Wasilla, Alaska.(SNAPSHOT: Who we are)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Lloyd Montgomery, a 57-year-old Prince William sound salmon gill-netter, has packed in enough fond memories of seasons past to sustain him through long winters and come what may in the changing face of fisheries. Montgomery began logging the...

Extreme refit: when John Roos replaced his old boat with a 50-foot crabber, he was just getting started.
January 1, 2006... At 8 on a rainy August morning in 2004, John Roos of Aptos, Calif., for the most part a salmon fisherman, was sitting on his 30-foot fiberglass boat in Charleston, Ore., when it occurred to him that "fishing is pretty good. I wonder if I can...

Bail safe plan: the second part in a series on bilge pumps examines the alarms, switches and wiring options needed for a reliable system.
January 1, 2006... A way to remove water from a boat is a necessary item for all vessels. The methods can range from a bailer made out of a cut-down plastic jug in your skiff all the way to an engine-driven centrifugal pump that moves 5,000 gallons per minute....

Can soaked electronics be saved? Although immersion in saltwater is often the end, there are things you can do to try to defy the odds.(BOATS & GEAR: CPR FOR ELECTRONICS)
January 1, 2006... It doesn't matter how it happened--heavy weather and boarding seas, the boat sank, or maybe the electronics went over the side or in the bilge. The fact is, your non-waterproof electronic whatever got soaked and the question is, Can it be...

The best of boats & gear, 2005: showcasing some of the newest ideas from the nation's oldest industry.
January 1, 2006... A lot of boats, when they sink, go down by the stern, so you can't help asking why more boats aren't designed like the Ruth & Pat, with a below-deck alleyway that allows fishermen to get aft quickly and safely, regardless of weather. The...

Hi-tech shopping.
January 1, 2006... COMNAV MARINE's new COMMANDER AUTOPILOT features a sunlight viewable LCD with thin film transistor technology and QVGA resolution to present data clearly under all lighting conditions. A waterproof control head with a high-contrast monochrome...

Maine yard crossing border; lobster boats get finished off.
January 1, 2006... Holland's Boat Shop in Belfast, Maine, has been doing some international trading. The boatshop recently restored one of its 32-foot hulls, which had been owned by a Canadian lobsterman, and sent it to a New York fisherman. Then in the...

'Ultimate' combo boat built; new decking for hook vessel.(Rozema Boat Works' product information)
January 1, 2006... Kirk Rozema of Rozema Boat Works in Mount Vernon, Wash., calls it the ultimate combination boat. He's referring to the 55-foot aluminum boat that's being built at Rozema Boat Works and will fish out of Homer, Alaska. At the end of the first...

Rare log canoe is rescued; shrimper gains new identity.(repairing the log deck boat Ferdinand Desota Crockett)
January 1, 2006... Poquoson, Va., log-canoe builder Alexander Gaines built the 55' 8" x 15' 7" F.D. Crockett in 1924 for Ferdinand Desota Crockett of Seaford, Va. The seven-log ED. Crockett was one of several motor-powered log deck boats built in the 1920s for...

Putting it all together: Skymate stuffs e-charts, communications and weather information into one package.(PRODUCT ROUNDUP)
January 1, 2006... Putting electronic charting, communications and weather material on the same PC display is the latest offering to come from Skymate, the satellite communications company. In 2001 the company initially launched as Boaters Miniweb. It took...

Simrad Inc.(On the Move)
January 1, 2006... SIMRAD INC., U.S.-Canadian distributor for Simrad marine electronics headquartered in Lynnwood, Wash., appointed RUSS PATRON to the post of Great Lakes regional sales manager. Patton will be responsible for sales of Simrad's line of marine...

ABI/Precision Lighting.(On the Move)
January 1, 2006... GARY LEOPOLD has been appointed chief financial officer for ABI/PRECISION LIGHTING. With more than 30 years of experience helping companies develop and implement successful business plans, Leopold looks to produce similar results for...

Gomarine.com.(On the Move)
January 1, 2006... The GOMARINE.COM marine supplier Web site, www.go2marine.com, has hired RENEE VAN WINKLE as the company's new database and network administrator. Van Winkle has over 14 years of industry experience, ranging from dotcom startups to large...

Iveco Motors of North America.(distribution agreement with Klassen Diesel Engine Sales Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... IVECO MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA, a subsidiary of Iveco Motors, announced the signing of an exclusive agreement with Klassen Diesel Engine Sales Ltd. for the distribution of Iveco diesel engines and parts for British Columbia. Klassen Diesel Sales...

Stavis Seafoods.(Company News)
January 1, 2006... STAVIS SEAFOODS, an international importer, exporter and distributor of fresh and frozen seafood products, has completed a plant and warehouse expansion at the company's primary facilities in Boston. The company's expansion includes the...

A winning idea: Guy Cotton is saluted for its innovative use of Polartec in its SuperKodiak Sweater.
January 1, 2006... Malden Mills in Lawrence, Mass., developed Polartec, a synthetic fabric with excellent insulating properties, and introduced it to the clothing industry in the 1980s. The material quickly caught on as an alternative to wool, especially among...

Pettit Marine Paint says its Flexpoxy High Performance Marine Epoxy can be used above and below the water line to repair both large and small jobs on fiberglass, wood, steel and aluminum hulls and topside sections.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... PETTIT MARINE PAINT says its Flexpoxy High Performance MARINE EPOXY can be used above and below the water line to repair both large and small jobs on fiberglass, wood, steel and aluminum hulls and topside sections. Flexpoxy retains its...

Night Vision Technologies has released the 3000 and 4000 series of remotely mounted, centrally monitored Night/Day Vision Systems that use combinations of four vision cameras to provide superior images: thermal, low light and color cameras, with "GEN III" image intensification.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... NIGHT VISION TECHNOLOGIES has released the 3000 and 4000 series of remotely mounted, centrally monitored NIGHT/DAY VISION SYSTEMS that use combinations of four vision cameras to provide superior images: thermal, low light and color cameras,...

WESMAR has introduced two lightweight TRAWL SONARS: the TCS 780 and TCS 380.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... WESMAR has introduced two lightweight TRAWL SONARS: the TCS 780 and TCS 380. Each system has a current speed and direction sensor that detects the direction of the current in the area of the headrope, which allows the skipper to adjust vessel...

AB Inflatables has unveiled its line of ALX Rigid Inflatable Boats, constructed of marine-grade aluminum and available in five models, ranging from 11 to 15 feet.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... AB INFLATABLES has unveiled its line of ALX RIGID INFLATABLE BOATS, constructed of marine-grade aluminum and available in five models, ranging from 11 to 15 feet. These RIBs weigh nearly 25 percent less than fiberglass models. A fuel tank is...

Davis Instruments says their Knot-A-Bag Storage Bags helps mariners create the right-sized plastic bag for nearly every conceivable need, from disposing of trash to keeping valuables dry.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... DAVIS INSTRUMENTS says their Knot-A-Bag STORAGE BAGS helps mariners create the right-sized plastic bag for nearly every conceivable need, from disposing of trash to keeping valuables dry. Using the built-in safety cutter, cut the desired length...

Safety Components Fabric Technologies has introduced the durable WeatherMax Marine Fabric, which the company says holds up to the salt, sun and water of the typical marine environment and maintains color for up to five years.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... SAFETY COMPONENTS FABRIC TECHNOLOGIES has introduced the durable WeatherMax MARINE FABRIC, which the company says holds up to the salt, sun and water of the typical marine environment and maintains color for up to five years. Made from a...

Lenco Marine's new Indicator Switch With Retractor lets boaters monitor and adjust the position of their trim tabs while on the water.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... LENCO MARINE's new INDICATOR SWITCH WITH RETRACTOR lets boaters monitor and adjust the position of their trim tabs while on the water. The self-contained, sealed keypad is waterproof, and an over-molded molex connector plugs into the faceplate...

Sea-Fire Marine says its new H-Series FM-200 Fire Suppression Systems provide secure fire protection for complex engine and generator compartments, electrical rooms and communication centers aboard larger boats.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... SEA-FIRE MARINE says its new H-Series FM-200 FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS provide secure fire protection for complex engine and generator compartments, electrical rooms and communication centers aboard larger boats. These custom-engineered units...

Hella Marine's latest 'Easy Fit' Led Courtesy Lamps now feature Multivolt technology.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... HELLA MARINE's latest 'Easy Fit' LED COURTESY LAMPS now feature Multivolt technology. This feature allows for constant light output on 12V or 24V DC systems with minimal power draw. To install, drill one hole and screw the lamp in. Radiating...

A&D Weighing has introduced the UO-200 Fishing Scale with built-in Motion Compensation, allowing the user to obtain accurate batch weights while at sea.(AT A GLANCE)
January 1, 2006... A&D WEIGHING has introduced the UO-200 FISHING SCALE with built-in Motion Compensation, allowing the user to obtain accurate batch weights while at sea. This rugged 15" x 15" digital stainless steel scale will allow fishermen to maximize their...

School ways and means.(FINANCE)(financial assistance)
January 1, 2006... College financial aid departments want a fair and balanced process that provides aid to those who need it the most, but, fearing the system will be manipulated, they are reluctant to provide advice. Eligibility for aid is based on the...

Over-achiever.(LAST SET)(Shawn Machie)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: OVER-ACHIEVER: For Shawn Machie, skipper of the New Bedford scalloper Ilha Brava, being captain does not mean an exemption from climbing the rigging, as he may be reflecting from atop this outrigger. Machie...