National Fisherman articles from July 2006

National Fisherman archives from July 2006

July 2006: this month's highlights.
July 1, 2006... Nuance is a hard sell, which is why advertisers, marketers and campaign managers like to use catchy words or phrases to get their message across. If I say, "Speedy," you might reply, "Alka Seltzer"; if I say, "Get connected," you might...

No-snooze zone.(Northern Lights)
July 1, 2006... You snooze, you lose. Alaska fishermen have sometimes failed to respond to environmental concerns fast enough, and we have paid a price. A temporary injunction against trawling in Steller sea lion critical habitat focused our minds like the...

Opportunity knocked.(Richard Pombo, Barney Frank on magnuson act reauthorization bill)
July 1, 2006... Sometimes fishermen are their own worst enemies. In April, U.S. Reps. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) scheduled a hearing on a Magnuson Act reauthorization bill they're cosponsoring--the American Fisheries Management and...

50 years ago.(Maine Lobstermen's Association)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Members of the Maine Lobstermen's Association wind up their convention expressing support for a half-cent-per-pound tax on lobsters, the proceeds of which would be used for marketing lobsters. "If nonmembers don't like it," says the...

30 years ago.(Afjord-femboring)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A 40-foot Afjord-femboring, built by Magnar Gilde of Afjord, Norway, is a replica of the North Sea fishing vessels seen around Trondheim at the beginning of the 20th century. On the cover, this highly flexible, open boat is reefed down well...

10 years ago.(Fishing Back When)
July 1, 2006... National Fisherman takes a look at federal fisheries enforcement officers and their relationship with fishermen, and finds, not surprisingly, that communication is the key. Fisher men appreciate courteous officers who are knowledgeable about...

A new chapter in a scientific understanding of the world's oceans.(Fo'c'sle Library)
July 1, 2006... Marine Conservation Biology The Science of Maintaining the Sea's Biodiversity Edited by Elliott A. Norse and Larry B. Crowder Island Press, 2005 Softcover, 470 pp., $49.95 www.islandpress.org "Marine Conservation Biology" is breaking ground...

From high-latitude sculling to sockeye fishing: women take on the sea.(Fo'c'sle Library)
July 1, 2006... Steady as She Goes Womens' Adventures at Sea Edited by Barbara Sjoholm Seal Press, 2004 Softcover, 256 pp., $15.95 www.sealpress.org As the first anthology dedicated to women's adventures at sea, "Steady as She Goes" is a compilation of 20...

Rationalizing the irrational.
July 1, 2006... Ever hear of "fleet rationalization"? It's what managers use to justify getting rid of fishing capacity. If you've bought the argument that we don't have enough fish because of too much fishing, it makes sense. And it makes sense as well that...

Seafood consumers: the forgotten stakeholders.(Dock talk)
July 1, 2006... It seems that everyone whose interests were supposed to be protected when Congress enacted Magnuson-Stevens knows that the system is broken and the legislative intent is eons away from being fulfilled in nearly every fishery. The law that...

Have improvements shifted your vessel's stability?(Consequences)
July 1, 2006... From U.S. Coast Guard reports At 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 6, 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard received a call that a commercial fishing vessel out of Sitka, Alaska, had heeled over while net fishing, and that all persons onboard had abandoned the vessel...

MSC's chief executive defends certification.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... National Fisherman's editorial in May of this year ("An illogical label" May '06 p.4) painted a damning picture of the Marine Stewardship Council and also cast doubts about the motives and indeed benefits for the fisheries that have come...

West Coast drag fisherman doesn't embrace ITQs.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I was reading your article in the Feb. '06 NF p. 9, titled "West Coast drag fishermen embrace ITQs." That is the farthest thing from the truth. There might be a handful of fishermen that have big catch history that might benefit from ITQs, but...

Corrections: June 2006.(Correction notice)
July 1, 2006... A caption in the "Around The Coasts" section misstated the location of a photograph. The photo of derelict boats was taken at the docks in Skerries, County Dublin, Ireland. In the article "Ragin' Cajun" the last sentence to begin on p. 32...

Cap'n Sane says ...
July 1, 2006... Midsummer in Maine is the boy fisherman's holiday, the payback time for those long, cold, early mornin' weir sittings when no'th winds seem t'unravel wool hand-knit sweater warmth under cracklin' cold oilskins. Fish weirs were exposed...

Chesapeake Bay resident proclaims ray resurgence.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I am writing this letter with hopes of sharing my knowledge and experience with cownose rays. Rays, for the most part, have few predators. Gone are the days of many pound-net and haul-seine fishermen. These fishermen maintained a check on...

Hurricane season then and now.(A letter from Bill Hogarth)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... Last August, hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma devastated the Gulf Coast fishing industry and its fishing communities from Florida to Texas, causing the most dam age in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. NOAA Fisheries responded quickly. The...

Just another day ...(Dave Shoemaker's survivor of the F/V Galaxy)
July 1, 2006... He scribbled it on the blackboard, looked around, kind of sizing us up, then left, leaving us to ponder the words, "Just another day." What did it mean? Believe me, we'd know before the day was over. I was sitting in on Dave Shoemaker's...

Hurricane relief package at mercy of Senate politics: McCain calls $1.085 billion in industry aid added to emergency appropriations bill 'pork'.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Senate was considering legislation that would provide $1.085 billion in relief to the Gulf of Mexico fshing industry damaged by the 2005 hurricanes, but the amendment may be at the mercy of 2008 presidential politics. Sen. Richard...

Study suggests Pfiesteria was not source of lesions: Microbe's human health effects uncertain.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Dubbed "the cell from hell," Pfiesteria piscicida has been regarded as the culprit in the red lesions found on millions of dead menhaden in massive fish kills on the Neuse River in the 1990s. Now a new study disputes that theory. According...

Catch restrictions imperil N.C. industry, group says: state landings hit record low level in 2005.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
July 1, 2006... Landings data the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries released in late April didn't surprise the state's fishing industry. Commercial landings of fish and shellfish in 2005 dropped to 79 million pounds, a record low. "The industry...

Lobstermen, chemical company settle die-off lawsuit: 240 fishermen affected by collapse of Long Island Sound fishery to share $12.5 million.(ATLANTIC)
July 1, 2006... About 240 Long Island Sound lobstermen may qualify to share in a $12.5 million settlement to end their class-action lawsuit against a chemical company over 1999 mosquito spraying to combat West Nile virus. Lobstermen assert that widespread...

Where we live: Nelson Lagoon, Alaska.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THE TOWN Population: 150 in summer, 85 in winter Number of boats: 20 TOP LANDINGS IN 2005 Salmon is the name of the game here. Nelson Lagoon contributes a substantial share to the sockeye harvest on the north side of the...

Buyback program to help lobstermen swap gear: group aids switch to whale-friendly line.(Maine Lobstermen's Association)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A small Maine foundation is planning to buy back millions of pounds of floating line if, in order to protect endangered right whales, federal managers ban lobstermen from using this gear. Later this summer, the Gulf of Maine Lobster...

Nerve gas disposal unites baymen, conservationists: army plan risks Delaware Bay, foes charge.(ATLANTIC)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Army says drizzling 4 million gallons of wastewater from deactivated nerve gas agent through Delaware Bay won't hurt the environment and will save taxpayers $347 million. But watermen and environmental activists assert the water...

Leah: Dragger.(BOAT OF THE MONTH)
July 1, 2006... Leah, a reliable sea boat with a dark-green hull, bright white wheelhouse and classic lines, is a familiar sight around Manasquan Inlet and the Fishermen's Dock Cooperative in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., thanks to the care of her captain and...

Self-assessed tax divides Southeast Alaska gillnetters: proponents seek money for salmon promotion, but opponents question how they'll benefit.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
July 1, 2006... A Proposal for a self-assessed tax to promote stronger salmon markets, raise ex-vessel prices and pay for itself is dividing local fleets throughout Southeast Alaska. Salmon gillnet fishermen in Wrangell and Ketchikan are generally...

Basque-style swordfish with potatoes and peas: Arthur Lorton, San Diego.(GALLEY WATCH: AT-SEA CUISINE)
July 1, 2006... This swordfish dish is an adaptation of an old Basque technique for cooking cod, says Arthur Lorton, who is of Basque descent and is a swordfish fisherman in Southern California. "It is quick and easy. You will be surprised at how good it...

Rationalization thins fleet, jobs, economic study says: crab boat earnings average rises 221%.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... An independent economic study of Bering Sea crab fisheries under the new rationalized management plan found that there's more money split among fewer boats, and far fewer jobs in the industry. The study, undertaken by the University of...

Hawaii sanctuary proposal would ban lobster fishing: bottomfish harvests face considerable cuts.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
July 1, 2006... Lobster fishing will be banned, but bottomfishing--at some level--could continue in a proposed northwestern Hawaiian Islands marine sanctuary if NMFS approves fishery management measures the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council is...

Environmentalists urge halt to gravel mining on Fraser: call follows loss of more than 2 million pink salmon hatchlings to disruption in channel.(NATION/WORLD)
July 1, 2006... Environmental groups are calling for the end of gravel mining on British Columbia's Fraser River after a recent operation killed millions of juvenile salmon. "It is clear that these gravel mining projects threaten critical fish habitat and...

Low price, quota hamper Newfoundland crab fleet: union leader sees 'an economic tsunami'.(NATION/WORLD)
July 1, 2006... The combination of low market prices and a federal quota cut has caused "an economic tsunami" in the Newfoundland/Labrador snow crab fishery, says Earle McCurdy, president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union. In April, McCurdy...

Donald Waters: Lafourche Parish, La. Pensacla, Fla.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Veteran Gulf of Mexico fisherman Donald Waters, 51, has been fishing since 1973--most of his adult life--with one brief interlude. "I quit and got a job for nine months and hated every minute of it," says Waters, who usually works outof the...

Habitat program launched to improve marine life: action plan aims to boost health of fish.(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's national fish habitat action plan)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The uproar over Pacific salmon management and federal policies limiting Klamath River water flow and keeping dams that salmon advocates say hinder stock rebuilding efforts has spotlighted the importance of habitat to healthy marine life. ...

The New England Fishery Management Council has reaffirmed its intent to prohibit permit splitting as it relates to the transfer of herring fishing history.(New England)
July 1, 2006... The New England Fishery Management Council has reaffirmed its intent to prohibit permit splitting as it relates to the transfer of herring fishing history prior to the implementation of Amendment 1 to the herring fishery management plan. ...

The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted final acceptable biological catches and optimum yield for 2007-2008.(Pacific)
July 1, 2006... The Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted final acceptable biological catches and optimum yield for 2007-2008 for most of the groundfish stocks and stock complexes managed under the council's groundfish fishery management plan. While...

NOAA Fisheries Service has announced a decision to list elkhorn coral and staghorn coral as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.(South Atlantic and Caribbean)
July 1, 2006... NOAA Fisheries Service has announced a decision to list elkhorn coral and staghorn coral as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. This will be the first time a coral has been listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. Both...

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is accepting nominations for the first annual Richard Shiroma Award.(Western Pacific)
July 1, 2006... The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is accepting nominations for the first annual Richard Shiroma Award. This award will be presented to a person for his or her exemplary performance as a member of the Western Pacific...

Consistent with concerns expressed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Louisiana's Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco says she will oppose the licensing of offshore liquefied natural gas terminals.(Gulf of Mexico)
July 1, 2006... Consistent with concerns expressed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, Louisiana's Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco says she will oppose the licensing of offshore liquefied natural gas terminals that use the open rack vaporizer...

The Mid-Atlantic council's Policy Advisory Panel was to meet in May with NMFS to discuss, among other things.(National Research Council, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Mid-Atlantic council's Policy Advisory Panel was to meet in May with NMFS to discuss, among other things, the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council's draft report on recreational fisheries with respect to: * the...

Chris Oliver, executive director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, told a congressional panel on reauthorizing Magnuson.(North Pacific)
July 1, 2006... Chris Oliver, executive director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, told a congressional panel on reauthorizing Magnuson that the development of limited-access programs "will be a complex, time-consuming, and costly process." ...

Uncertainty surrounds fishery despite viable market and consistent prices.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC: MULLET)
July 1, 2006... The gulf mullet fishery appears to be at a turning point, and a lot of folks wonder which way it will turn. The mullet roe export market remains viable, perhaps even ready to strengthen a bit. Taiwan, the principal international buyer,...

Weak dollar lifts prices, drives effort; control date awaits open-access fleet.(NORTHEAST: SCALLOPS)
July 1, 2006... In international currency markets, a weaker dollar has always favored low cost, high-volume American herring and squid exporters. Now exchange rates are part of the story at the high end, too, as scallop prices skyrocketed in the latter part of...

Landings to rise as salmon trollers try their luck; market is viewed as strong.(PACIFIC: ALBACORE)
July 1, 2006... Bill Carvalho, owner of McKinleyville, Calif.-based Carvalho Fisheries, has high hopes for the summer tuna season--as do albacore fishermen. Albacore supplies were tight in April, and Carvalho says he s counting on that carrying through...

New eco-label could establish niche for Alaska fishery; weather aids price.(NORTH PACIFIC: HALIBUT)
July 1, 2006... This season's ex-vessel prices started on a high note for the North Pacific halibut fleet. Deliveries to Homer, Alaska, shortly after this year's March 5 opener, saw price splits running $3 per pound for flatties weighing from 10 to 20...

The lean season: like their father, the Platt brothers of Fort Bragg, Calif., see the challenges facing small-boat fishermen.
July 1, 2006... It seems a perfect day for drizzle in Fort Bragg: The weather in this small Northern California port echoes the mood of salmon trollers who just heard their salmon season will be cut back to only a few days this year. The parking lot on this...

Magnuson opus: a field hearing on reauthorization offers a snapshot of one of America's storied fishing ports.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... The reshaping of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act looms large in the port of New Bedford, where commercial fishing profits have fed the local economy for more than four centuries. Whale oil wealth built the...

Gearing up for the future: ICES, an international fishery and marine science group, will host a fall conference on gear and habitat in Boston.(International Council for the Exploration )
July 1, 2006... The century-old International Council for the Exploration of the Sea will host a four-day symposium in Boston this fall that will focus on integrating commercial fishing with ecosystem conservation. Organizers expect to draw attendance from...

The view at the bottom: hooking up to the newest electronic machines will bring you closer to the fish.
July 1, 2006... Sonars are just what a lot of fishermen need. They look down, and they look around. They find scattered targets and masses of fish. But if you're a small-boat fisherman, a good sounder is all you need. Even today's entry-level machines offer a...

Building endurance: a 78-foot Alaska longliner and West Coast crabber designed with crew comfort and fuel efficiency in mind.(Boats & Gear: Boat construction)
July 1, 2006... Seven boats were cither hauled out of the water or tied to the docks at Fred Wahl Marine Construction in Reedsport, Ore., the first week of May. The longliners Prowler. Ocean Prowler and Bering Prowler were having fairly extensive yearly...

Engines of change: the fishing industry's journey to the modern genset.(Boats & Gear: Electrical power)
July 1, 2006... For the first 1,800 years or so, commercial fishing has been a hard, often dangerous but fairly unchanging business. But by the mid- to late 1800s, the seeds of a technology revolution had been planted, and they came to fruition in the early...

Lobster boat rigs for gillnets; race season flushes new boats.(NORTHEAST)
July 1, 2006... In mid-April, the 40-foot Mistress was grounded out on the Belfast, Maine, public launching ramp, her red hull leaning against the landing's granite blocks. For a couple of weeks, the Mistress had been at the Belfast Boatyard, while her owner,...

Calif. yard makes a comeback; gassing up Alaska's gillnetters.
July 1, 2006... Since it opened in 1973, Van Peer Boatworks was known for building quality steel boats for fishermen from California to Alaska, boats like the Spiky Lady, Reality, Spectra and Island Pride--28 in all, with the last one being the 59-foot Stella....

Scallop boats still in demand; repairman makes house calls.(SOUTH)
July 1, 2006... The Atlantic scallop fishery has become a lifesaver for many southern boatyards that are picking up a lot of business building new scallop boats and converting boats from other fisheries into scallopers. One of these boatyards, Duckworth...

New generator prevents damaging spikes: Northern Lights model powers the voltage regulator separately.(Product roundup)
July 1, 2006... Just like the rest of the world, fishing boats are becoming increasingly energy hungry. The accumulation of electronic machines in the wheelhouse probably started when fishermen added a loran and then a plotter to what had been sparsely...

Polymer powder turns oil spills into rubber floats: CI Agent is breaking ground in spill-recovery techniques.(Product roundup)
July 1, 2006... If you're a fisherman operating out of a co-op dock or you're a boat owner with several vessels, a fuel or oil leak can ruin your day. In most cases, you are supposed to call a national response center, which then notifies a regional response...

Suzuki just jacked up the competition in four-stroke outboards with the introduction of the DF300.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... SUZUKI just jacked up the competition in four-stroke outboards with the introduction of the DF300. This is the first 300-hp V6 four-stroke outboard to be offered in the marine market. The engine comes in either 25- or 30-inch shaft...

Simrad has added technology enhancements to its CX NavStation that provide extensive engine monitoring readouts to the chart plotter, echo sounder and radar displays that originally came with CX NavStation.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... SIMRAD has added technology enhancements to its CX NAVSTATION that provide extensive engine monitoring readouts to the chart plotter, echo sounder and radar displays that originally came with CX NavStation. It works with up to four...

Pettit Marine Paint's newest product should make the removal of bottom paint a lot easier.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... PETTIT MARINE PAINT's newest product should make the removal of bottom paint a lot easier. No more toxic chemicals and hours of sanding and scraping. BIO-BLAST is biodegradable and works on fiberglass, wood and metal surfaces. Apply Bio-Blast...

Davis Instruments manufactures one of those products that deserves mention in these days of soaring fuel costs, even though it has been around for a long time.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... DAVIS INSTRUMENTS manufactures one of those products that deserves mention in these days of soaring fuel costs, even though it has been around for a long time. The DOEL-FIN consists of two hydrofoil-shaped pieces of high-strength plastic that...

Ocens' newest edition of its Grib Explorer weather and ocean data software is now available in Version 7 with optional bathymetric data.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... OCENS' newest edition of its GRIB EXPLORER weather and ocean data software is now available in Version 7 with optional bathymetric data. The bathymetric information is collected via acoustic and satellite measurements and synthesized into...

Primera Technology's printer produces individual and box-end labels for retail products.(At a glance)
July 1, 2006... PRIMERA TECHNOLOGY's printer produces individual and box-end labels for retail products. Fishermen use the LX810 COLOR LABEL PRINTER to print photos and barcodes. The resolution is print quality at 4,800 dpi, and the labels are water and...

Bulletin board.
July 1, 2006... JUNE 20-22 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting Spencer Hotel, Wilmington, Del. Contact: MAFMC 300 S. New St., Room 2115 Dover, DE 19904 tel. (302) 674-2331 or (877) 446-2362 info@mafmc.org;...

Newport Fishermen's Wives Association.(ON THE MOVE)
July 1, 2006... The NEWPORT FISHERMEN'S WIVES ASSOCIATION in Oregon elected its 2006 11-member board of directors in March. The state's longest-running fishermen's wives association, the organization was founded in the 1970s to support fishing families on the...

Furuno USA.(promotes Tim Moore, John Stevens)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... FURUNO USA announced the promotion of TIM MOORE to East Coast general manager; and JOHN STEVENS, former East Coast general manager, to the newly created position of Technical-Government Support Liaison. Moore's responsibilities will include...

Laborde Products.(apppoints Robbie Brister)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... LABORDE PRODUCTS, based in Covington, La., has appointed ROBBIE BRISTER as regional sales manager for the company's northern territories. In this position, Brister will focus on marine, industrial and agricultural applications, including...

Pains Wessex.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... In May, PAINS WESSEX announced a VOLUNTARY RECALL of all white collision warning hand flares (MK7), item number 52651. MK7 flares are sold individually and also as part of the Collision Warn-Off Kit and the ORC RORC Distress Kit. If you have a...

AlaskaFishBiz.org.(COMPANY NEWS)
July 1, 2006... ALASKAFISHBIZ.ORG is a new source of information for commercial fishermen and seafood processors. Created by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and part of the Alaska Fisheries Business Assistance Project, or FishBiz, the site has...

Valdez, Alaska.(Last set)
July 1, 2006... Aboard the Sonja M during the 2005 coho seine fish in Valdez Arm. Amber Osbekoff guides the pump into a hold full of silver salmon while Brad Conley stands by. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]