National Fisherman articles from June 2006

National Fisherman archives from June 2006

June 2006 this month's highlights.(The hail)
June 1, 2006... This is an issue of National Fisherman man especially happy about. For one thing, we debut a new column, Northern Lights, which will offer various Alaska voices speaking on a wide range of issues. Northern Lights is part of our commitment to...

National unity needed on Magnuson rewrite.(Northern Lights: Views from Alaska)
June 1, 2006... Fishermen famously pride themselves on their independence, but when it comes to reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, we're all in the same boat, and fishermen from around the nation need to come together to ensure the new law is...

Magnuson, by the numbers.(Editor's log)(Editorial)
June 1, 2006... Shortly after becoming editor of National Fisherman, I attended a hearing on Magnuson reauthorization in Portland, Maine, hosted by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). That was September 1999. It was six years and then some before a bill was...

Hooked on striped bass, an avid angler fights for a declining fish.(Fo'c'sle library)(Striper Wars: An American Fish Story)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... Striper Wars An American Fish Story By Dick Russell Island Press, 2005 Hardcover, 348 pp., $25 An avid recreational striper fisherman, Dick Russell was hooked from his first catch. But in the 1980s, when the population of striped bass fell...

Balancing culture and nature in Cook Inlet.(Fo'c'sle library)(Beluga Days Tracking a White Whale's Truths)(Brief article)(Book review)
June 1, 2006... Beluga Days Tracking a White Whale's Truths By Nancy Lord Counterpoint, 2006 Hardcover, 272 pp., $25 www.counterpointpress.com Based in Homer, Alaska, Nancy Lord writes, fishes commercially for salmon and volunteers her time to community...

Flexibility in fisheries management.(From Another Perspective)
June 1, 2006... Those organizations that are devoted to convincing anyone who will listen that all of our oceans' ills should be blamed on commercial fishing are hard at work in Washington, trying to remove the last vestiges of flexibility from our fisheries...

50 years ago.(Fishing Back When)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... For Albert Osgood, lighthouse keeper at Curtis Island Light (off Camden, Maine), Penobscot Bay is the front yard. "During the winter it gets lonesome out here," he says, "but along about this time of year the summer people arrive and open up...

30 years ago.(Fishing Back When)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The 191-foot seiner Bettie M, which cost $3.25 million to build just four years ago, meets an ignominious end when she runs aground by the mouth of the Columbia River carrying 900 tons of tuna. Gale-force winds and rising seas frustrated the...

10 years ago.(Fishing Back When)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Boatbuilding is "in kind of a recession right now," says Jon Petrzelka of Petrzelka Brothers in Mount Vernon, Wash. Others agree and attribute the industry's torpor in large part to restrictions on commercial fishermen and pressure from...

It's time to reform Capital Construction Funds.(Dock talk)
June 1, 2006... Three years ago, I stood in a room full of fishermen and asked then-Secretary of Commerce Don Evans to take action on a critical conservation issue. Sometimes when this happens, I have to leave the room quickly through a side door. But...

What you don't know can sink you.(Consequences)
June 1, 2006... On Feb. 15, 2001, a steel-hulled, 74-foot trawler out of Portland, Ore., flooded and capsized approximately 2 1/2 miles northwest of the Columbia River entrance. She was homeward bound on a three-day trip carrying about 45,000 pounds of Dover...

In support of commercial fishing, not the CCA.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2006... The Coastal Conservation Association claims to have thousands of members. They use their figures to scare politicians and state agencies. However, when it comes to depleting fish stocks, they portray themselves as an innocent Opie, fishing with...

Haddock and cod stocks can't wait for regulations.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2006... Nils Stolpe in the April issue of NF ("It's not just fishing!" p. 5) was right on. He understands the dynamics of the fisheries. The guys who have been writing the fishing regulations since about 1985 don't. The Maine sardine fishery operated...

Cap'n Sane says ...
June 1, 2006... Times they are a'changin' as surely as times go by. It was Depression fishin' as my dad, my Old Man, used t'say decades ago as we built n'fished our family herrin' weir on the coast of Maine in the 1930s. Boy fishermen grew up fast inta a...

Spotlighting recreational data.(A letter from Bill Hogarth)(National Research Council report on the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In late March, I convened a meeting of state fishery managers and recreational fishing leadership to hear the results of a National Research Council report on the agency's use of the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey. The MRFSS...

Kodiak not for sale.(In search of the simple life)
June 1, 2006... I got out of town all right, but instead of Hawaii, I ended up in Kodiak, Alaska--snow, rain, volcanoes rumbling in the distance--but I was happy to be there'. Known as Alaska's Emerald Isle, it is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska,...

Legislator urges ExxonMobil to write oil spill checks: seeks long-delayed punitive damages payment as catastrophe's 17th anniversary passes.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
June 1, 2006... With no sign of a settlement in sight as the nation's largest oil spill turned 17 years old, U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) has written two letters: one asking Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, to pay up and another urging other...

Deaths at Seattle docks turn fleet blessing somber: annual event held at Fishermen's Terminal.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The annual Blessing of the Fleet at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle in March was especially somber this year. It followed on the heels of two deaths from apparent drowning at the terminal that month. The victims were 43-year-old fisherman...

Oregon crabbers express opinions about pot limits: all see need for cap, but no consensus yet.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Dungeness crabbers from vessels small and large testified before the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in Marcia, most agreeing that pot limits are necessary, but offering no consensus on what the best plan would be. More than half of...

Much ado about salmon in wake of poor returns: judge calls for 'sufficient' water in Klamath.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)
June 1, 2006... A salmon rally held in Astoria, Ore., in March attracted several politicos, several fishermen and a few environmental groups. It focused attention on the Columbia River's salmon problems as similar issues are being dealt with on the Klamath...

Seafood processors lobby for guest workers visa bill: urge congress to increase number of seasonal employees that are allowed to work in U.S.(NATION/WORLD)
June 1, 2006... Seafood processors from around the country are lobbying for approval of a bill before the U.S. Congress to extend the current H2B visa program for guest workers. The problem arose in 2005 when the federal guest-worker quota filled so...

Where we live: Rockland, Maine.(HOME PORT)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... THE TOWN Population: 7,613 Fleet size: 40 vessels TOP LANDINGS To protect proprietary information, government confidentiality rules prevent the release of specific landings data for Rockland. However, herring makes up the...

European officials slash Ireland's mackerel quota: cut costs industry $14 million in revenue.(NATION/WORLD)
June 1, 2006... Irish fishermen are feeling betrayed by their own fisheries minister, who recently agreed to 6,391 tons in annual mackerel quota cuts to compensate for overfishing that European Commission officials say occurred in 2005. Besides the lack...

Mass. congressmen push health care for Magnuson: proposal is based on program in Bay State.(NATION/WORLD)
June 1, 2006... The concept of a nationwide health care program for fishermen and others in the fishing industry was not included in Rep. Richard Pombo's (R-Calif.) version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization, which is under consideration by the House...

Halibut with citrus and roasted vegetables: Rolfe McCartney, seattle.(GALLEY WATCH: AT-SEA CUISINE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... When it comes to serving healthy entrees shoreside or at sea, Rolfe McCartney's wife, Peggy, goes the extra mile to make sure halibut looks and tastes its best. "I always like to cook with color, and I love roasted vegetables," she says. ...

Recreational sector pushing snapper buyout proposal: 11th-hour bid seeks to kill IFQ plan, substitute buyback and reallocate quota to anglers.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Recreational fishing interests are mounting an 11th-hour bid to substitute a buyout program that would kill a red snapper IFQ plan and reallocate commercial quota to the sportfishing sector. "They're saying anything [sold in the buyout]...

As grouper fishery slows, buyer eyes cheaper digs: Fla. dockside firm looks to industrial park.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
June 1, 2006... Bob Spaeth, co-owner of Madeira Beach Seafood and executive director of the Southern Offshore Fishing Association, a longliners group, says he is pondering a big move. During the past year, Spaeth has made several trips to the Crystal...

Mitch Hobron: La Mesa Calif.(SNAPSHOT: WHO WE ARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Southern California is full of stressed, unfulfilled people. Mitch Hobron is not one of them. This sea urchin diver expresses goodwill toward the world and hope for the sea urchin fishery. He doesn't have an axe to grind, or even a sharp edge....

N.C. fishermen concerned about sonar training site: cite lack of data on impact on marine life.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
June 1, 2006... U.S. Navy officials made a presentation that did little to alleviate fishermen's concern that a proposed sonar training site off North Carolina could harm marine life. Newly appointed to the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission,...

Capt. Jon Florida stone crabber.(BOAT OF THE MONTH)
June 1, 2006... Owner Calvin Bell is semiretired and doesn't go on the boats much anymore, but there is still pride in his voice when he talks about this workhorse of A.P. Bell Fish Co.'s small stone crab fleet. "It helps out the fish house a lot," he...

Plant shutdown, layoffs ignite Newfoundland protest: losses of $11m annually cited as reason for cutbacks that eliminate nearly 1,000 jobs.(ATLANTIC)
June 1, 2006... Newfoundland, Fishery Products International's processing-plant closing and labor cutbacks have spurred picket lines, a demand for a federal investigation and calls for criminal charges against the company and for nationalizing the company. ...

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in mid-March approved Framework 6, which is designed to allow the establishment of multi-state regions for black sea bass, summer flounder and scup.(Mid-Atlantic)
June 1, 2006... The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council in mid-March approved Framework 6, which is designed to allow the establishment of multi-state regions for black sea bass, summer flounder and scup. If NMFS OKs the framework, the council and the...

In a letter dated March 16, NMFS informed the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council that it has determined that overfishing is occurring on yellowfin tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean.(Western Pacific)
June 1, 2006... In a letter dated March 16, NMFS informed the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council that it has determined that overfishing is occurring on yellowfin tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean. U.S. harvest of yellowfin tuna in the...

For the third year, NOAA and the National Park Service are surveying nearshore waters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and off Puerto Rico using a suite of remote-sensing tools. Mission data will be combined with biological fish census data collected from 2000-2006 to produce maps of the seafloor topography and habitats.(Caribbean)
June 1, 2006... For the third year, NOAA and the National Park Service are surveying nearshore waters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and off Puerto Rico using a suite of remote-sensing tools. Mission data will be combined with biological fish census data collected...

At a phone-in "press conference" in late March held in conjunction with congressional jockeying around Magnuson reauthorization bills, the clear sentiment of the Marine Fish Conservation Network and its panel was that NMFS and all of the councils are flawed, but none so much as the New England Fishery Management Council.(New England)
June 1, 2006... At a phone-in "press conference" in late March held in conjunction with congressional jockeying around Magnuson reauthorization bills, the clear sentiment of the Marine Fish Conservation Network and its panel was that NMFS and all of the...

The Pacific Fishery Management Council in March adopted a complete ban on commercial fishing for all species of krill in West Coast federal waters.(Pacific)
June 1, 2006... The Pacific Fishery Management Council in March adopted a complete ban on commercial fishing for all species of krill in West Coast federal waters. The council also specified essential fish habitat for krill, an action that makes it easier to...

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering alternative management approaches to "rationalize" the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries.(North Pacific)
June 1, 2006... The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering alternative management approaches to "rationalize" the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries. The council is considering these policies at the groundfish industry's request to address...

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council continues to move forward with snapper grouper management, discussing alternatives for issues that include the establishment of marine protected areas, stock rebuilding plans and individual fishing quotas for the commercial fishery.(South Atlantic)
June 1, 2006... The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council continues to move forward with snapper grouper management, discussing alternatives for issues that include the establishment of marine protected areas, stock rebuilding plans and individual fishing...

A proposed rule would establish a limited-access system for charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) permits in the reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the gulf, capping participation at current levels.(Gulf of Mexico)
June 1, 2006... A proposed rule would establish a limited-access system for charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) permits in the reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the gulf, capping participation at current levels....

Summer signals peak harvest time and arrival of 2006 hurricane season.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC: TUNA)
June 1, 2006... As a diminished Gulf of Mexico longline fleet looks to the peak summer tuna production months, it also eyes June 1, the official beginning of the 2006 hurricane season. The storms are never far from one's thoughts, says Val Sevin, sales...

Landings drop, high demand will cut freezer supply and buoy dock price.(NORTH PACIFIC: SALMON)
June 1, 2006... The forecast is for fewer salmon coming out of Alaska during the 2006 season, and fishermen in most areas can expect ex-vessel prices in line with last year--or slightly higher, as markets find themselves short of supplies. As for the...

Hawaii longline fleet's fortunes rising as work to lower turtle takes goes on.(PACIFIC: SWORDFISH)
June 1, 2006... Despite a March setback on sea turtle encounters, swordfish longlining--as well as drift gillnet--is steadily making gains. There are always better catches and more opportunity, but Hawaii longliners are pleased with what they have now,...

Rebound in South Atlantic countries will rebalance global illex supplies.(NORTHEAST: SQUID)
June 1, 2006... Expectations for a good shortfin squid harvest in the South Atlantic this year probably means American fishermen won't see a repeat of 2004, when the stars of international trade aligned to help them sell the biggest catches of illex squid...

Groping for grouper: in 2004, Florida anglers exceeded their quota this year, they're going after yours.(In analysis)
June 1, 2006... Last year NMFS officials determined that Gulf of Mexico recreational fishermen had exceeded their 2004 red grouper quota of 1.25 million pounds by 1.93 million pounds. NMFS subsequently closed down the recreational grouper fishery for the last...

Tarheel blues: coastal life in 21st century a challenge for N.C. fishermen.(Coastal developments)
June 1, 2006... Tentis Dixon doesn't need an economist to tell him there's trouble at the docks. All he has to do is look and see. "They got four or five boats down here tied up to the docks, and they're gonna sell them, but nobody won't buy them if they...

The shrimper's ragin' Cajun: what's a conservative bayou girl doing getting beaten by Brazilian cops?(In profile)
June 1, 2006... During the 2004 presidential election. Curole knew that if she were to vote according to her pocketbook, Democrat John Kerry was probably the best bet, even if he wasn't a very good choice. Her family was getting croaked by cheap imports of...

This new house: when it comes to aesthetics, wood is always worth the effort.(Boats & Gear: Boatbuilding)
June 1, 2006... Sadly, many beautiful, older wooden fishing boats have been abandoned, their permits transferred to fiberglass or steel. A major reason is that a lot of independent fishing families just can't afford the cost of a rebuilding job, if it means...

Retrofits with flare: bulbous bows and fiberglass deck refinements are some of the latest trends on commercial fishing boats.(Boats & Gear)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... Don't let anyone tell you there aren't enough new fishing boats being built. In New England, boatshops continue to turn out fiberglass--and occasionally wooden--lobster boats and tuna boats. And New England and Mid-Atlantic fishermen haven't...

Fouling out: coppers glory fades as new bottom-paint research leads to improved antifouling treatments.(Boats & Gear: Coatings)
June 1, 2006... Aboat with a heavily fouled bottom costs speed, money and time. Figures vary, but at the high end of the scale, a hull slime layer 1-millimeter thick can reduce a boat's speed by as much as 15 percent and increase fuel costs accordingly. Plus,...

Tradition sells at Maine yard; 43-footers flying out of shop.(NORTHEAST)
June 1, 2006... For years, Islesford, Maine, lobsterman Ted Spurling Jr., has been fishing from an Osmond Beal-built wooden lobster boat that was launched in 1973 on Beals Island. "Everyone that was on the old boat said it was the most comfortable boat...

Yard's reputation brings work; wash. crew coats with care.(WEST)
June 1, 2006... Puget Sound was thick afog the day one Dungeness crabber's fiberglass boat was involved in a collision. The boat was definitely beat up, and to make matters worse, the owner was told, "If you had a Lee Shore Boat, nothing would have happened,"...

Wood prices convert builder; Gulf family rides out Katrina.(SOUTH)
June 1, 2006... Willard Norris of Deltaville, Va., overhauled the Shirley N., a 42' x 15' deadrise fishing boat he built 32 years ago for a waterman on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Since she was built, the Shirley N. has been through several owners and has...

Bulletin board.(Calendar)
June 1, 2006... OCT. 15-16 International West Coast Seafood Show Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles www.westcoastseafood.com The West Coast Seafood Show will be co-located with Expo Comida Latina and All Asia Food to offer a unique...

ZF Marine.(ON THE MOVE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... ZF MARINE announced MARTIN MEISSNER's new role as the group's marketing manager. He will be responsible for all marketing Martin Meissner and communication activities, including advertising, trade shows and media relations for the Pleasure...

Zap Enterprises.(ON THE MOVE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... DR. SHRINK recently named MARK MAGRO of Zap Enterprises as the company's head shrinkwrap trainer. Magro owns Zap Enterprises, which has been a Dr. Shrink distributor for more than 10 years. In addition to his services as a distributor, Magro...

Mastry Engine Center.(ON THE MOVE)(Doug Dykens's 20-year milestone)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... MASTRY ENGINE CENTER announced a 20-year milestone for Service and Warranty Manager DOUG DYKENS. Hired in 1985 as an engine prep and maintenance shop worker, Dykens was promoted to service technician and has held his current position for about...

Boreal Fisheries.(COMPANY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... BOREAL FISHERIES' Ray's Gourmet smoked Yukon King salmon won the ALASKA SYMPHONY OF SEAFOOD 2006 Anchorage People's Choice Award in February, and YUKON KING SEAFOODS' smoked Cajun King salmon placed first in smoked products in Anchorage and won...

GSW & Associates.(COMPANY NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... REVERSO PUMPS has announced that the independent rep group GSW & ASSOCIATES will handle sales for Reverso in the southeastern United States. Keverso produces pumps, fuel polishers, oil-changing systems and fuel primers for the marine industry....

United Fisherman of Alaska.(COMPANY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... UNITED FISHERMEN OF ALASKA named SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R) as their 2005 Person of the Year in Alaska Politics after a unanimous vote. The group's president, Bob Thorstenson Jr., cited Murkowski's efforts in maintaining differentiation between...

Net monitor keeps the fishing gear aligned: Trawlmaster uses acoustic sensors to track trawl doors.(Product roundup)
June 1, 2006... One thing about towing a net behind your boat is that once the net and doors drop beneath the surface and head toward the bottom, it's pretty much a crapshoot as to what's happening. You can overspread the gear and not know it. A sweep can...

Controlling stray current: shaft-grounding brushes prevent damage to seals and beatings.(Product roundup)
June 1, 2006... At Fish Expo WorkBoat Atlantic, held the first week of April in Providence, R.I., Sohre Turbomachinery seemed to always have a couple of fishermen at its booth asking questions about something that looked a bit like a large toothbrush. But the...

Maptech gives you all the charts you should ever need for the entire U.S. coastline on its Chart Navigator Pro software.(At a glance)
June 1, 2006... MAPTECH gives you all the charts you should ever need for the entire U.S. coastline on its CHART NAVIGATOR PRO software. The package of 13 DVDs includes NOAA raster and vector charts, as well as Contour 3D charts. When you want to keep track of...

Maxsea has updated its version 10.3 software with VERSION 12.5.(At a glance)
June 1, 2006... MAXSEA has updated its version 10.3 software with VERSION 12.5. The new software is said to work better with 3D, ARPA, AIS and weather modules. It also has several features useful to fishermen: The forward-looking depth profile displays depths...

West System.(At a glance)
June 1, 2006... WEST SYSTEM has a line of products to protect your skin from the adverse effects of resins and hardeners. These include gloves and sleeves to keep glues, hardeners and mixed epoxies off the skin. They also keep sanding dust away from your body....

Steyr Motors has a new 250-hp diesel that weighs only 708 pounds, which should be welcome news for those looking for a good weight-to-horsepower ratio.(At a glance)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... STEYR MOTORS has a new 250-hp diesel that weighs only 708 pounds, which should be welcome news for those looking for a good weight-to-horsepower ratio. The 256 MONOBLOCK, like all Steyr diesels is not a marinized automotive engine. The block...

Viking Life-Saving Equipment is offering a new insulated immersion suit.(At a glance)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... VIKING LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT is offering a new insulated immersion suit. The PS2004 is known as a 6-hour suit because it meets SOLAS requirements for keeping a person's core-body temperature above 95 degrees for six hours when immersed in...

Safety Components Fabric Technologies has a product that should reduce some of the hassle when you are trying to cover your boat after damming or lobstering, or removing the cover before going out.(At a glance)
June 1, 2006... SAFETY COMPONENTS FABRIC TECHNOLOGIES has a product that should reduce some of the hassle when you are trying to cover your boat after damming or lobstering, or removing the cover before going out. The WEATHERMAX 80 is easier to spread over the...

Skin disease is afflicting many Chesapeake stripers: cooked fish said to pose no risks to health.(ATLANTIC)
June 1, 2006... A relatively new disease in striped bass, mycobacteriosis, is causing concern throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. The bacterial disease, first discovered in 1997, creates skin ulcers and internal lesions on the fish. And it's widespread...

Observer cuts threaten sea turtles, Oceana says: NMFS: layoffs reflect shrinking days at sea.(ATLANTIC)
June 1, 2006... Reasoning that fewer New England groundfish days at sea in 2006 means fewer trips requiring observer coverage, NMFS lowered its request to fund the agency's Northeast observer program. But the lower observer budget may also jeopardize scallop...

Provincetown, Mass.(Last set)
June 1, 2006... Andy Arasczkeiwicz and Gary York make ready to tie up as the New Bedford, Mass.-based dragger Humbak makes its way past the breakwater into Provincetown Harbor to get out of the weather and break some ice. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]