National Fisherman articles from July 2003

National Fisherman archives from July 2003

Too soon. (Editor's Log).
July 1, 2003... On Richard Nielsen Jr.'s burly left arm were tattooed the words, "They that go down to the sea in ships" and the image of the fishermen's memorial in Gloucester, Mass. That's a lot to tattoo on one arm, but Nielsen, of Davie, Fla., had big...

At sea.
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAPTION: DESPITE POOR HAULS and accusations he was jinxed, Morgan Castagnola had no trouble keeping his spirits up during a relaxing day of halibut dragging off the sunny California coast with NF writer Matt...

Fishing back when.
July 1, 2003... 50 YEARS AGO this month Capt. Horace E. Griffin, a venerable Portland, Maine, shellback, throws down the gauntlet in advance of the Maine Retired Skippers Race, telling Deer Island's Capt. Phil Haskell that he "isn't fit to handle a...

Lessons in lobsters.
July 1, 2003... In the past decade, Maine lobster has clawed its way atop the seafood throne, and its markets continue to grow. Yet despite record landings in recent years and the argument by fishermen that lobsters have never been more prevalent, some...

Rethinking the 'jobs vs. efficiency' argument. (Forum).
July 1, 2003... Most fishing industry representatives and their elected officials express concern about the impact on fishing communities if the number of jobs decline as a result of fishery conservation and management actions--practices that promote...

Reflections. (Consequences).
July 1, 2003... It is a cliche to say that the devil is in the details. The truth is, sometimes a little detail saves your life. It was a late January day several years ago when the old wooden longliner departed Sitka on what was to be her final voyage....

Future of fisheries depends on controlling overfishing. (Mail Buoy).
July 1, 2003... I would like to offer a comment regarding the buying of boats and permits. Canada has undergone this same rationalization of the fishing industry for over a decade now in order to bolster declining cod and other groundfish stocks. Many...

Canadian lobsterman denies "farming not fishing" idea. (Mail Buoy).
July 1, 2003... It is hard not to have respect for James Knott given his well-heralded success in the world of business and his contribution to the lobster fishing industry with his development of coated wire mesh for lobster traps. But his op-ed piece,...

Cap'n Sane says ...
July 1, 2003... Well, it was bound t'happen. Shorty Gage got messed up with Homeland Security again. Seems Short was settin' out, probably haulin' gear near Flat Island long after sunset last week. Short's boat Oatmeal II sets rather low in the water...

Seafood menu guides offer a valuable service to diners. (Mail Buoy).
July 1, 2003... We must respond to recent misreporting ("A Menu... Or an Agenda?" by Rachel Ellner, NF May '03, p. 18). Contrary to Ms. Ellner's contention that these guides represent a "well thought-out campaign to get people to not eat fish at all," the...

Plan for the long term.
July 1, 2003... Response to "Don't take the bait" column by editor Jerry Fraser [May NF, p. 4]: It's important to spend a bit more time discussing the future of New England's groundfish fisheries. Jerry Fraser writes in the May issue of NF that we at...

Buzzards Bay oil spill causes shellfish shutdown: officials suspend $4 million local industry, vow to apply for federal disaster assistance. (Northeast).
July 1, 2003... En route to the Cape Cod Canal, millions of gallons of fuel oil are routinely barged through the Buzzards Bay fishing grounds every year to supply Northeast energy needs. New England's rocky shores can be unforgiving, however. That was the...

Award honors Kennedy for helping fishermen: Senator's role in health care plan lauded. (Northeast).
July 1, 2003... U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) was honored for his efforts on behalf of New England fishermen when the Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership presented him with a Lifetime Achievement award. "Senator Kennedy has been there with us all...

Groundfishermen warm to idea of five-year plan: restrictions could ease if stocks improve. (Northeast).
July 1, 2003... To people who grew up during the Cold War, the phrase "five-year plan" will likely invoke visions of unreasonable economic directives imposed by communist dictators on helpless proles. But to New England groundfishermen, right now, a...

Quota auction generates money for scup surveys: $250,000 raised for research, gear tests. (Northeast).
July 1, 2003... This spring's auction of more than a half-million pounds of Mid-Atlantic fish quota, set aside for research purposes, raised nearly $250,000 that will go back into the science effort. It's the latest round in the National Fisheries...

Chinese proposal nixed by Alabama, Texas towns: say seafood company's quest to establish processing plant would harm local shrimpers. (Gulf * South Atlantic).
July 1, 2003... The specter of a Chinese national seafood company setting up shop on the Gulf of Mexico coast gave shivers to domestic shrimp fishermen, already suffering from low prices related to shrimp imports from China and other countries. For now,...

Florida crew is rescued from a burning trawler: overheated generator ignites at-sea fire. (Gulf * South Atlantic).
July 1, 2003... Responding to a mayday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers rescued the crew and a small dog from a burning shrimp trawler just north of the Dry Tortugas Ecological Reserve on April 8. When the 82-foot cutter Point...

Turtle groups pondering foreign shrimp boycott: primary targets are nations not using TEDs. (Gulf * South Atlantic).
July 1, 2003... Sea turtle protection advocates--long at odds with some shrimp fishing organizations over use of turtle excluders--say they may have more common ground to share with fishermen than previously thought. Already mulling the possibility of...

Home port: where we live.
July 1, 2003... METLAKATLA, ALASKA THE TOWN: Population: 1,500 people Fleet size: The town is home to 65 gillnetters and 10 seiners TOP LANDINGS IN 2002 Salmon--7 million pounds worth $1.2 million Herring--3 million pounds...

California partially bans sale of oysters from gulf: could cost producers $20- to $40 million. (Gulf * South Atlantic).
July 1, 2003... Gulf of Mexico oyster producers say a partial California ban on sales of their product could have an impact of $20 million to $40 million, and are working toward a potential compromise that might offset the move. California health...

Hollywood: gillnet and lobster boat. (Boat Of The Month).
July 1, 2003... Richard Burgess, who owns four gillnetters out of Gloucester, Mass., has been told by Donald Smith, the skipper he has hired to run the vessels, thai the Hollywood is the best winter boat of the fleet. "The keel is full of concrete right up...

Council action shrinks nearshore trawling grounds: small boats most affected by closure of waters inside 250 fathoms in parts of May, June. (Pacific).
July 1, 2003... The Pacific Fishery Management Council voted in April to close more nearshore waters to trawl vessels during part of May and June, crimping supplies of flatfish to market and making things worse for many small-boat fishermen. The decision...

Tangle net fishery hits bumps in spring season: rule change, early returns disrupt catch. (Pacific).
July 1, 2003... While Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists remain optimistic that the use of tangle nets will revive the Columbia River chinook fishery, this year's season has come to a discouraging end for fishermen. The season began with a...

Few fishermen take part in pink shrimp season: Rising costs, low prices keep boats in port. (Pacific).
July 1, 2003... Few Washington, Oregon and California pink-shrimp fishermen bothered with putting on the gear for the season that started April 1. Several factors--low exvessel price and high fuel costs among them--prompted them to stay in port. "Fuel...

Donna Vankirk. (Snapshot who we are).
July 1, 2003... A self-described "little guy" in the Florida Keys spiny lobster business, fisherman Donna Vankirk has nevertheless been at it longer than many here. She's been pulling her own traps for 18 years. Over the years, she's watched the number of...

Northern cod closure sparks Newfoundland protests: fisheries minister makes 'difficult decision,' calls for seal exclusion zones to protect stocks. (Canada).
July 1, 2003... Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Robert Thibault's decision to close the northern cod fishery in eastern Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence set off protests by angry and frustrated fishermen. Demonstrations by provincial...

Island fishermen want seine boats farther out: claim herring vessels hurt other species. (Canada).
July 1, 2003... An exclusion zone boundary dispute is pitting Prince Edward Island fishermen against New Brunswick herring seiners. A map translation error led New Brunswick seiners to fish in a shallow exclusion zone off the Prince Edward Island coast,...

Thibault reverses stand on access to 'The Ledge': Prince Edward Island lobstermen to return. (Canada).
July 1, 2003... Prince Edward Island fishermen have regained access to the fishery known as McLeod's Ledge, or "The Ledge." Previously, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Robert Thibault had said he would abide by a map giving Quebec technical claim...

Wild-harvested fish win right to be called 'organic': meanwhile, three supermarket chains modify farmed salmon labels to say coloring added. (National).
July 1, 2003... In the back-and-forth battle between wild-caught and farmed salmon, wild-caught fish won the title of "organic," even as supermarkets in Washington State were challenged in court for not labeling farmed salmon as containing color-enhancing...

Shrimp-stuffed halibut. (Galley Watch At-sea cuisine).
July 1, 2003... Jim Richards, Gig Harbor, Wash. Jim Richards has been longlining for halibut and blackcod since 1976 and has also fished commercially for crab and salmon. Of all the fish he has caught, halibut is his culinary favorite. "There are so many...

Judge sets aside relaxed 'dolphin-safe' standards: rules encircling nets don't meet criteria. (National).
July 1, 2003... The decades-old controversy regarding dolphins caught in purse seine nets in the Eastern Tropical Pacific has a new chapter: A court victory for environmentalists, particularly Earth Island Institute, which has been an opponent of the fishery...

Robot fish created to aid marine data collection: sonar, software let 'Fetch' identify species. (National).
July 1, 2003... Virginia Institute of Marine Science scientists have developed a homegrown, underwater robot packing side-scan sonar and sophisticated computer technology that could prove invaluable for collecting marine data. Meet Fetch, the first...

More market opportunities await the West Coast jig and troll fleets. (Pacific Albacore).
July 1, 2003... Efforts during the past few years to secure higher-paying albacore markets have paid off: Jig and troll fishermen were in a better position to take advantage of Canadian sashimi markets and European export markets, particularly France and...

Early opening slows fishing pace, drives dock price north of $3 mark. (North Pacific Halibut).
July 1, 2003... Fishermen chasing halibut off Alaska in March were learning that maybe the early bird does indeed get the worm. Halibut harvesters were treated to ex-vessel prices of more than $3 per pound as the season began March 1, two weeks earlier...

Habitat court battle looms ahead, but more volume cures all other ills. (Northeast Scalllops).
July 1, 2003... Scallop fishermen don't have much to worry about when it comes to the resource and the market. Prices have come down a bit from last year. But the declines have been offset in both the Mid-Atlantic and New England by large catches. ...

U.S. harvesters aren't celebrating Chinese New Year's early arrival. (Gulf/South Atlantic Mullet).
July 1, 2003... Two factors are turning the 2003-04 mullet roe market into a challenging one for this sometimes lucrative Southeastern niche fishery. One, economic recovery in Taiwan--which accounts for more than 90 percent of U.S. mullet roe exports in...

Key Changes: Cedar Key, Fla., the town that mullet built, knows how to handle a little adversity. (Cover Story).
July 1, 2003... A string of restaurants and art galleries lurch over the Gulf of Mexico, connected by a small bridge to Cedar Key's historic main street. The two avenues encircle the town's small marina, which is full of recreational fishing boats. Golf carts...

Beats working for a living: halibut dragging off Santa Barbara, Calif., is as about good as it gets--even if the fishing could be better. (On The Water).
July 1, 2003... There is an air of good-natured relaxation in the harbor at Santa Barbara, Calif. By day the parking lot is filled with surfers running around in wet suits, ready for a rousing bout with the breakers. By evening, Brophy's Bar and Restaurant is...

Small fry: to 16-year-old North Carolina shrimper Zack Davis, commercial fishing is anything but a thing of the past. (By The Book).
July 1, 2003... "Justin likes to have a mate," explained Zack Davis in the deliberate brogue of Down East speech. "Not me. I like to shrimp alone. No one talking your ear off or smart-mouthing you. Only thing you have to listen to is your engine." Zack did...

Het up about herring: the U.S. and Canada can't agree on how many to catch. Fishermen can't agree on how to catch them. (Bait Debate).
July 1, 2003... Lori Steele, fishery analyst for the New England Fishery Management Council, sits at the front of a meeting room at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield, Mass., in late April. The room is filled with members of the herring plan development team charged...

Copper river queen: Bill Webber Sr.'s new salmon gillnetter is ready for the ocean but can work the shallows as well.
July 1, 2003... Like anything that takes place in Alaska, the Copper River gillnetting season isn't a place for the meek or mild, or a place to make a set if you don't have a good boat under your boots. With this year's Copper River gillnetting season,...

Outboard games: do a little more homework before deciding which of today's engines is right for you and you'll come out a winner. (Power Plays).
July 1, 2003... Buying an outboard used to be a simple process. All the engine guys had pretty much the same two-stroke carbureted technology. All the fisherman had to decide was which manufacturer gave him the most horsepower and reliability for his...

Crank it up! Your reel is critical to success in the pursuit of pricey bluefin. (Tackling Tuna).
July 1, 2003... It has been said the giant bluefin tuna has more power and stamina than any other fish in the ocean. As one arm-weary fisherman put it, "It's like hooking up to a car going 50 mph." The giant bluefin isn't that fast, but it's close. The...

The little picture: more big-boat technology is within reach of small-boat fishermen. (Sounder Sensibility).
July 1, 2003... If you're a gear guy, and most fishermen are, you've probably spent a little time feeling a slight twinge of envy when a large steel trawler passes you on the way to the grounds. It's not because you relish the trawler's long trips, crew...

Council crab plan leaves harvesters apprehensive: proposed Bering Sea quota program more processor-friendly than fleet had envisioned. (North Pacific).
July 1, 2003... The Bering Sea crab industry felt fresh pangs of apprehension after the North Pacific Fishery Management Council approved a crab rationalization plan it believes Congress will find acceptable. Implicit in the crab plan is that processors...

Governor KOs proposal for Russian processors: Alaska plants can put up pinks, surve says. (North Pacific).
July 1, 2003... After a review by staff members and A the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Gov. Frank Murkowski has rejected a proposal that would let Russian processors anchor in state waters and put up the state's surplus pink salmon. ...

Boatyard performs repairs; light tuna boat finished off. (North).
July 1, 2003... The Twilight is hauled up on the railway at John's Bay Boat Co. in South Bristol, Maine. She's an 8-year-old wooden lobster boat owned by Peter Ames of Spruce Head, Maine, and was built at the yard. She was on the ways to have her engine hauled...

Trawlers rechilled in Wash.; aluminum crabbers finished. (West).
July 1, 2003... This spring there were a number of pollock boats down from Alaska that were hauled for maintenance and painting before heading north again. Two boats, the Auriga and the Aurora, were pulled out at Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash.,...

Weather puts yard behind; N.C. builder returns to fishing.
July 1, 2003... A cold, snowy, rainy winter and spring has left at least one Virginia yard working to catch up on their regular maintenance work. Smith Marine Railway in Dare, Va., is six weeks behind in their scheduled work. "The weather has kept us behind,"...

Bulletin board.
July 1, 2003... JUNE 16-20 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting Wyndham Reach Resort, Key West, Fla. Contact: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council One Southpark Circle, Suite 306 Charleston, SC 29407-4699 ...

This doctor makes boat calls: VitalLink 1200 from Telemedic gives you on-board medical assistance. (Product Roundup).
July 1, 2003... It's the end of another season, and the crew's been stacking pots on deck since early in the morning. The weather is unusual, barely a breeze and flat calm. As soon as a crab is removed after hauling, the pot is pushed near the growing...

Sorbent Products Co. (On the move).
July 1, 2003... SORBENT PRODUCTS CO. has introduced DETLEV HENSELER as the new regional sales manager of SPC International, Herentals, Belgium. Henseler, a native German, brings 20 years of international sales and marketing experience to SPC and will be...

Bosch Rexroth Corp. (On the move).
July 1, 2003... BOSCH REXROTH CORP. recently announced three promotions: STEVEN D. ROBERTS was named senior vice president--corporate finance; ERNST ISELI is now vice president and general manager, and BILL DEMUTH is director of controlling and administration....

Seaworthy Systems. (On the move).
July 1, 2003... SEAWORTHY SYSTEMS announced that MARTIN TOYEN, formerly chief operating officer for the company, has been promoted to president and will assume the day-to-day operation of Seaworthy and its subsidiary corporations. He will also assist in new...

Partnership formed. (Company News).
July 1, 2003... PARTNERSHIP FORMED. Mobex Network Services of Jeffersonville, Ind., a provider of ship-to-shore communications in the inland waterways, and StarTrak, a provider of advanced wireless supply chain management services in Morris Plains, N.J., have...

Company expanding. (Company news).
July 1, 2003... COMPANY EXPANDING. Hard Core Products, of Greenland, N.H., announced intentions to expand marketing plans nationwide after just one year in business. The company markets Hard Core Hand Care lotion, made with olive oil, lanolin, beeswax and...

Enforcement discussed. (Company news).
July 1, 2003... ENFORCEMENT DISCUSSED. The U.S. Coast Guard will be holding its final three of 10 listening sessions to seek input from all sectors of the fishing industry on its fisheries law enforcement strategy, known as Ocean Guardian, especially as it...

Funds donated. (Company news).
July 1, 2003... FUNDS DONATED. West Marine, of Watsonville, Calif., has donated $2,500 to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Fla., a nonprofit, working aquarium dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured or sick whales, dolphins,...

Certification announced. (Company news).
July 1, 2003... CERTIFICATION ANNOUNCED. C-Map Norway AS, in Hovlandsveien, is the first distributor to be certified to distribute official electronic navigational charts in its own proprietary format. Primar Stavanger, the international electronic chart...

Certification achieved. (Company news).
July 1, 2003... CERTIFICATION ACHIEVED. Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, headquartered in Stone Mountain, Ga., has achieved certification for its three domestic facilities to meet new International Standards Organization requirements. The organization...

A weather center in the wheelhouse: WSI's ATSea puts forecasts and storm data at your fingertips.
July 1, 2003... It's hard not to watch the nightly TV weather report with graphics showing storm fronts moving across your state and over your town. Well, now you can get much the same thing on your boat with a near real-time weather display over electronic...

Wesmar introduces its 350-hp, 36-inch DPC BOW THRUSTER system designed for commercial vessels. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... WESMAR introduces its 350-hp, 36-inch DPC BOW THRUSTER system designed for commercial vessels. Fewer parts and a stainless steel design make the new thruster more resilient and less complicated by eliminating tubes and plates typical in most...

Crown Ltd. says its MARINER HELM CHAIR combines excellent handcrafting with accurate ergonomics. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... CROWN LTD. says its MARINER HELM CHAIR combines excellent handcrafting with accurate ergonomics. The carved, multidensity cushions prevent side-to-side motion, and the Luxor leather is hand-stitched, yet rugged enough for both interior and...

ALGAE-X International has released the FPS-500 FUEL POLISHING & RECIRCULATING SYSTEM, a self-contained system that allows fuel to be periodically re-circulated to easily remove water, sludge and inorganic debris, plus eliminate microbial contamination. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... ALGAE-X INTERNATIONAL has released the FPS-500 FUEL POLISHING & RECIRCULATING SYSTEM, a self-contained system that allows fuel to be periodically re-circulated to easily remove water, sludge and inorganic debris, plus eliminate microbial...

Honda Marine introduces its new SABRE GEARCASE, which optimizes the performance of its four-stroke engines. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... HONDA MARINE introduces its new SABRE GEARCASE, which optimizes the performance of its four-stroke engines. The Sabre allows for higher engine mounting heights, resulting in improved overall performance. It features the new integrated nose cone...

Johnson Marine's new EXTREME DUTY STANCHIONS are machined from solid aluminum stock to provide maximum strength and reliability under the harshest conditions. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... JOHNSON MARINE's new EXTREME DUTY STANCHIONS are machined from solid aluminum stock to provide maximum strength and reliability under the harshest conditions. They have the finished appearance of stainless steel, but their solid, 6061-T6...

Integrated Marine Systems says its improved PORT TOWNSEND HYDRO CHILLER is its most rugged and dependable brazed chiller available. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... INTEGRATED MARINE SYSTEMS says its improved PORT TOWNSEND HYDRO CHILLER is its most rugged and dependable brazed chiller available. The internal tube enhancement design doubles efficiency while the marine-grade copper nickel construction...

JBL Marine Products has released the MR-30 AM/FM/CD RECEIVER-CONTROLLER with a splash-proof face and LCD display. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... JBL MARINE PRODUCTS has released the MR-30 AM/FM/CD RECEIVER-CONTROLLER with a splash-proof face and LCD display. Predrilled to match the hole pattern of JBL's RTR-5200 marine cover, the MR-30 easily replaces currently mounted units, using only...

Oregon Camera Systems says its new SUPER CAM system delivers unparalleled surveillance images in daylight as well as total darkness that increase security and safety while facilitating navigation. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... OREGON CAMERA SYSTEMS says its new SUPER CAM system delivers unparalleled surveillance images in daylight as well as total darkness that increase security and safety while facilitating navigation. The Super Cam system offers a significant...

Raritan Engineering Co. has released the GALLEY FLOW SYSTEM continuous duty pump with a steady flow rate of 3.8 gallons per minute of fresh water. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... RARITAN ENGINEERING CO. has released the GALLEY FLOW SYSTEM continuous duty pump with a steady flow rate of 3.8 gallons per minute of fresh water. The system features an inline strainer with stainless steel mesh. The multi-chamber pump is...

New Nautical Coatings has introduced the tin-free and slime resistant SEA HAWK ISLANDS 66 PLUS ANTI-FOULING PAINT for maximum protection in all water types and temperatures. (At A Glance).
July 1, 2003... NEW NAUTICAL COATINGS has introduced the tin-free and slime resistant SEA HAWK ISLANDS 66 PLUS ANTI-FOULING PAINT for maximum protection in all water types and temperatures. Formulated with a high load of cuprous oxide and an effective, organic...

Education calculations. (Purse Strings).
July 1, 2003... The cost of a college education can be overwhelming. According to the College Board, the average tuition for a four-year private institution is $18,273 annually, 5.8 education higher than the prior year. The average public institution costs...

Efficiency is outdated idea; fisheries need to be flexible. (Mail Buoy).
July 1, 2003... Jerry Fraser's point about efficiency, in his May "Editor's Log," [p. 4], is well taken. Efficiency, in the sense of capturing the most fish with the smallest amount of labor, time, boats, etc. is no longer a reasonable goal, but "the cheapest...

Last set.
July 1, 2003... STABBING SALMON with picks is out of fashion, but that's the way it was done during the 1920s, when these fish were caught on the Salmon Banks in the San Juan Islands, off Washington. The fish are being delivered to a tender.