National Fisherman articles from March 2004

National Fisherman archives from March 2004

Town politics.(Editor's Log)
March 1, 2004... A Long Island community is considering forming a "Department of Commercial Fisheries" to advocate for commercial fishermen. According to the Jan. 7 Independent, a local newspaper, the driving force behind the proposal is the East Hampton...

Fishing back when.(Classics)
March 1, 2004... 50 YEARS AGO this month The trawler Storm arrives in Rockland fully loaded with ice. She is 20 hours overdue on the steam from Halifax, Nova, Scotia, where Capt. Ernest O'Toole has been hospitalized with a broken leg. Ray Clouch and Carl...

A self-sufficient book.(Fisherman: The Strife and Times of Ronald K. Peterson)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... FISHERMAN THE STRIFE AND TIMES OF RONALD K. PETERSON OF BALLARD By George Lowe Xlibris, 2003 Softcover, 158 pp., $17.84 I began reading "Fisherman: The Strife and Times of Ronald K. Peterson," with what could charitably be called minimal...

Seeing a need for more "eyes on the ocean".(Forum)
March 1, 2004... Everyone is talking about the state of America's fisheries. Fishermen, fisheries managers and ocean advocates are all concerned about the health of fish populations along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Almost everywhere...

Consider your couplings.(Safety)
March 1, 2004... FROM U.S. COAST GUARD REPORTS She was one of the sparkling jewels among the fishing fleet in Atlantic City, N.J. This 196-ton, 83-foot long clam dredging vessel was built to take whatever punishment the unpredictable weather off the New...

NESPA says Pew salmon study misleading.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I am writing to you on behalf of the New England Seafood Producers Association to express our great concern over the recently published study in the journal Science regarding PCBs [polychlorinated biphenyls] found in wild and farmed salmon. The...

Former USCG chief explains storm oil survival technique.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... In the Mail Buoy in the February edition of National Fisherman, Ron Valentine asks about how storm oil is used as a survival tool ["Reader seeks references to oily survival techniques," p. 9]. Has he not heard about "pouring oil on troubled...

Cap'n Sane says ...
March 1, 2004... Cove folks ain't back from their winter vacations yet, all 'cept Amos up at the store who don't go on one 'cause it cost too much money. So's we let Amos open all our mall 'cause he's the post office n'he opens it anyways. Amos posts the...

B.C. fish farms' expansion would damage wild salmon.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I am writing this letter in regards to fish farms and their potential to negatively affect Alaska sport, Native and commercial fisheries. The British Columbia salmon farm industry is poised to expand open net fish farms to the Prince Rupert...

Defending domestic aquaculture.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)
March 1, 2004... There has been a spate of recent articles regarding the quality and safety of farm-raised, or aquaculture salmon. While there is little argument that both wild and farmed salmon sometimes contain levels of contaminants, including...

Bumper crop being forecast for Bristol Bay sockeye: Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts a 30% increase over fishery's 2003 run.(North Pacific)
March 1, 2004... The Bristol Bay return for the upcoming season could hit 46.6 million fish, according to the latest sockeye salmon run forecast by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The return, should it come to fruition, marks a 30-percent increase...

Circuit court ruling halts salmon stocking effort: hatchery shutdown affects Cook Inlet fleet.(North Pacific)
March 1, 2004... The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a Kenai Peninsula sockeye salmon stocking program constitutes a commercial activity within a wilderness area and must be shut down. The ruling stems from a 1998 lawsuit filed by the...

New prime minister is in, DFO head Thibault is out: meanwhile, P.E.I. legislator makes pitch for decentralizing fisheries management agency.(Canada)
March 1, 2004... When Paul Martin became Canada's Prime Minister in mid-December after Jean Chretien retired, he said he intended to change the way government business was conducted in Ottawa. He hasn't wasted any time acting on that intention. Martin...

Federal mediator picked to settle herring dispute: will facilitate resolution of boundary issue.(Canada)
March 1, 2004... The often-heated dispute between inshore fishermen from Prince Edward Island and herring seiners from Nova Scotia is now in a federal mediator's hands. In one of his last official acts, Robert Thibault, outgoing Department of Fisheries and...

B.C. fish farms required to monitor sea lice levels: expands to all 80 operations in province.(Canada)
March 1, 2004... British Columbia's sea lice monitoring program will be expanded to all fish farms in the province in 2004, but other methods of reducing sea lice infestations are being dropped. In 2003 the provincial government instated the monitoring...

Columbia chinook return may chase 2001 record: recent numbers indicate the river's high-value spring run could exceed 360,500 salmon.(Pacific)
March 1, 2004... This year may become one of the best ever for Columbia River salmon fishermen, if recent numbers of returning fish are any indication. Record numbers of returning adult chinook--almost a million fish--passed the Bonneville Dam fish-counting...

Cordova, Alaska.(Home port: where we live)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE TOWN Population: (summer and winter) 5,000 and 2,200 respectively Estimated number of boats: 600 TOP THREE LANDINGS IN 2003 Salmon--222.4 million pounds worth $45 million Blackcod--1.7 million pounds worth $6.5 million...

Ore. program successful in setting Dungie price: but high domoic acid levels pose problem.(Pacific)
March 1, 2004... An Oregon program designed to allow fishermen and processors to discuss prices without fear of antitrust issues arising got its first test during the coastal Dungeness crab season in November, only to have a domoic acid problem over shadow its...

Calif. advocacy groups seek mercury advisories: association challenges FDA draft warning.(Pacific)
March 1, 2004... A dozen California advocacy groups are petitioning the state Department of Health Services to issue public advisories about the dangers of mercury in seafood, particularly tuna and swordfish. And, not surprisingly, one of the main groups...

Lady J.: lobster and hook-and-line groundfish boat.(Boat of the Month)
March 1, 2004... David Jewell, 35, owner of the Lady J., has every reason to hope that Amendment 13 to the region's groundfish management plan makes its way through the Byzantine path of congressional riders, NMFS approval and potential legal challenges. If it...

Mud snails could pose threat to native species: invaders vie for food with West Coast fish.(Pacific)
March 1, 2004... Small but voracious New Zealand mud snails found in several California rivers could, sport and commercial fishermen fear, threaten salmon, trout and other native fish. The prolific plodders are asexual and so small--about 6 millimeters...

David Karwacki: Darien, Ga.(Snapshot: who we are)
March 1, 2004... Unlike many commercial fishermen in Georgia, 44-year-old crabber David Karwacki wasn't born of an ancestral fishing family. Karwacki is the first in his line. "My dad, he was totally opposed to it," says Karwacki, president of the Georgia...

Congress mulls raising kitty for funding observers: U.S. House, Senate propose increases to improve coverage level for national program.(National)
March 1, 2004... Just about everyone agrees that more observer coverage is necessary to effectively manage fisheries in the United States. The difficulty is figuring out "who is going to pay for them. Interestingly enough, Oceana, the Washington, D.C.-based...

Baked bluefin with garlic: Alan Felix, San Diego, Calif.(Galley watch: at-sea cuisine)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The grandson of a pastry chef, Alan Felix appreciates fine cuisine. But for himself. he's not keen on making cooking all ordeal. "I'm into basic food," Says Felix, a longtime fisherman in San Diego. "You can't beat fresh bluefin." A...

Beef scare steers diners to fish for New Year's: mad cow findings color consumer choices.(National)
March 1, 2004... Some U.S. customers have a beef with the U.S. government and its disclosure of an isolated case of mad cow disease in Washington State. For many, it affected their dining decisions on New Year's Eve. Bandon Dunes golf resort in Oregon, for...

R.I. fishermen still awaiting release of 2001 funds: officials remain undecided about how to use $1.5 million in federal disaster relief money.(Northeast)
March 1, 2004... Fishermen can only hope Rhode Island is getting a good interest rate on the disaster relief money it has held onto for the past three years. Because at this point it's unclear just when the money will be used to help its intended recipients....

'Robo-crabs' collect data on migration pattern: may yield clues about Chesapeake stocks.
March 1, 2004... Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are considered the greatest sustained commercial species in the bay, having long been the economic driving force for many small waterfront towns. But declining stocks, reflected through low harvests, have alarmed...

Battle over striped bass heating up once again: commercial fishery in EEZ being sought.
March 1, 2004... The striped bass are back. So are the fear and anxiety that marked the stripers' near collapse two decades ago. With striped bass adult stocks at their highest numbers in 20 years, there's a move to reopen federal waters--the exclusive...

Scup: optimism, like stocks, abundant; market remains somewhat volatile.(Northeast)
March 1, 2004... Despite a downward tick in the 2003 spring trawl survey data for scup, the fishery is showing continued signs of abundance. As a result, 2004 will see the annual coastwide quota for scup set at 18.65 million for the entire fishery....

Prawns: trawling ban lowers landings, but pot-caught product has nice price.(Pacific)
March 1, 2004... A trawling ban in all three western states meant lower spot prawn landings in 2003. But in some areas--Monterey, Calif., for example--the ex-vessel price proved using pots was still advantageous. At $10 a pound or more, even a small load would...

Herring: quotas have been pumped up, but buyers have been beaten down.(North Pacific)
March 1, 2004... The return of an old herring fishery at Behm Canal, two new spawn-on-kelp harvest areas in Southeast and monstrous seine quotas at Sitka and Togiak promise to pump up the volume for Alaska herring fleets this year. For starters, the West...

Grouper: domestic fishery thrives despite competition from imported product.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
March 1, 2004... The best pre-Christmas dockside prices in years, coupled with strong overall growth in the economy in recent months, bode well for Gulf of Mexico grouper fishermen. Grouper remains one of the Southeast's few commercial fisheries that isn't...

Green machine: the Pew Charitable Trusts has marshaled its vast resources to target commercial fishing in the name of the marine environment.(In Analysis)
March 1, 2004... Craig Pendleton and Paul Parker, two New England fishermen, learned the dangers of dealing with the press when speaking to reporters from the U.S. News and World Report for a cover story on fisheries last year. Pendleton, executive director...

Tuna trappers: fisherman in St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia, have a unique and sometimes generous sideline.(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... The Kingfisher had a wild streak that was easy to see as he gripped the forked tail of the bluefin twirling him in circles inside an enclosure of nets not meant for the stout fisherman. The circle of nets formed a trap, anchored to the ocean...

True tales aboard night stalker: scallops aren't the only interesting thing this Virginia dragger encounters in an evening spent prowling waters off the coast.(At Sea)
March 1, 2004... Things happen at sea, especially in the dead of night. They can be magical, or eerie, sometimes even heart-pounding. And as a scallop dragger called the Night Stalker steams out of Chincoteague, Va. late one summer day, clearing the inlet just...

Switch hitter: the Crackerjack Express looks like a lot of charter boats. But when no one's looking, she's a commercial jig boat.(Boats & Gear)
March 1, 2004... At first glimpse, the 46-foot Crackerjack Express blends in with the countless other charter boats creaking against their tie-up lines down in the harbor at Seward, Alaska. But look deeper than the boat's creek-robber-gray (a hard-to-spot color...

Extended benefits: aftermarket oil additives make a lot of bold claims, but do they improve your engine's performance?(Motor Maintenance)
March 1, 2004... If you read the advertising statements and the testimonials for aftermarket oil additives, you've just got to be impressed: "Decreases engine wear by more than 50 percent" "Reduces wear by up to 75 percent" "Lowers fuel consumption...

Building blocks: both simple and sophisticated, the block is one product that makes deck work easier and safer.(Deck Equipment)
March 1, 2004... Near as archaeologists can tell, it was around 3000 B.C. that a piece of deck machinery now called the Spanish windlass showed up. The device was a fiber rope tied in a loop and wound with a tensioner in the form of a stave. Egyptian seafarers...

Fine-tuning trawls: New Englanders continue to focus on gear selectivity for shrimping and groundfishing.(Net Gains)
March 1, 2004... Launching a boat on Friday or bow first, hearing someone say "pig" on their boat, whistling, turning a hatch cover over or bringing a suitcase aboard are some things that fishermen don't want to be involved with. And for Maine shrimpers, you...

City aids developer's bid for recreational marina: proposal would deprive Freeport, Texas, seafood packer of 330 feet of vital dock space.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
March 1, 2004... Late in 2003, Wright Gore Jr., president of Western Seafood Co., learned that the city of Freeport, Texas, had asked the Army Corps of Engineers for a permit to turn 330 feet of his docks into a recreational marina--on behalf of a private...

Positive ad campaign aiding Ala. shrimpers: participating retailers get free advertising.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
March 1, 2004... Alabama shrimpers are experiencing some success with a nonconfrontational marketing campaign, says Ernie Anderson, a Bayou La Batre shrimper and president of the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama. "We're not taking a punch at the...

Fishermen cheer filing of anti-dumping petition: officials to rule on whether tariffs needed.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
March 1, 2004... Federal trade officials will decide by mid-February whether farmed imports have damaged domestic shrimp fisheries enough to warrant tariffs that could raise dockside prices from an unprecedented three-year nosedive. The Southern Shrimp...

Rebalance your portfolio and reduce your risk.(Finance)
March 1, 2004... One of the biggest mistakes investors make is failing to review their portfolio on a regular basis. Asset classes such as stocks, bonds, cash equivalents and their underlying sub-classes all perform differently over time. Unchecked, this...

Mass. lobster boat is unique; hull shortened for new mold.(North)
March 1, 2004... Wayne Monaghan says he "really enjoys the process." Well, he'd have to because the boatbuilding "process" he's referring to extended over a four-year period. It took Monaghan from 1999 to 2003 to build the 35-foot lobster boat Sea Level....

Ice-damaged planking fixed; seiner hauled after 'mishap'.(West)
March 1, 2004... Ice is tough on wooden boats, even boats with heavy planking like the longliners that work in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. This past spring, the longliner Bergen, built in 1939, was nipped in some of Alaska's skim ice. And while the...

Skipjacks getting restored; round sterns are still popular.(South)
March 1, 2004... Work is still underway at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's railway at St. Michaels, Md., to save the bay's skipjacks, the last commercial sailing fleet in North America. Recently, work was completed on the Fannie L. Daugherty. The 47'...

Bulletin board.(Commercial fishing events.)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... MARCH 14-16 The International Boston Seafood Show Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Mass. * www.bastonseafood.com The International Boston Seafood Show is the industry's choice for sourcing and selling seafood. Buyers at the show...

Trawl monitoring in another dimension: Northstar Technical gives the fisherman a more versatile electronics package.(Product Roundup)
March 1, 2004... There's no doubt that the evolution of technology bas been good to commercial fishermen. That technological evolution has grown from a leadline with wax or butter on the bottom, to sounding poles, to flashers and paper sounders, to color...

Obituary.(Inside The Industry)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 1, 2004... BOB HENRY, vice president and founder of Bay Marine, Inc., died Dec. 18, 2003 at the age of 61. After building his first boat at age 11, he went on to design numerous commercial fishing vessels, including large steel and aluminum lobster boats,...

Canadian Responsible Fisheries Federation.(On the Move)
March 1, 2004... HENRY COPESTAKE has been appointed managing director of the CANADIAN RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES FEDERATION. The organization was established by fish harvester organizations from across Canada, who ratified the Canadian code of conduct for...

Sea-Fire Europe Ltd.(On the Move)
March 1, 2004... SEA-FIRE EUROPE LTD., manufacturer of fire protection systems headquartered in Baltimore, Md., bas appointed ROGER CARRINGTON as sales and technical manager for its European operations. Carrington previously worked as export manager for Hygood,...

Furuno U.S.A.(On the Move)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FURUNO U.S.A., headquartered in Camas, Wash., has named DEAN SILVER regional sales manager in the Southeast. Silver will be working together with Howard "Buz" Palmer as co-sales manager of the region. Silver comes to Furuno with a wealth of...

National Marine Representatives Association.(On the Move)
March 1, 2004... The NATIONAL MARINE REPRESENTATIVES ASSOCIATION honored CARL CRAMER and THOM DAMMRICH with its Mel Barr award at the International Boatbuilders' Exhibition and Conference, for their efforts to create a single trade show for boatbuilders. The...

Walker Engineering Enterprises.(Company News)
March 1, 2004... WALKER ENGINEERING ENTERPRISES, of Sun Valley, Calif., has announced a core credit offer for their Walker FUELSEP fuel conditioning system. Rated for 5,000 hours or five years of use, many customers are now approaching the end of the unit...

E Paint Co.(Company News)
March 1, 2004... E PAINT CO. has announced that the U.S. Navy has authorized E Paint SN-1 antifouling paint for use on small boats and craft. E Paint SN-1 is the only antifouling coating approved by the Navy for use on small boats as an alternative to silicone...

A new tool to assess the bottom line: MaxSea's Seascan Ground Determination System helps you classify seabed types.(Product Roundup)
March 1, 2004... Gravel, mud, rock and sand always have been defining factors of a fishing trip: Run your trawl across the wrong bottom, or set your traps or hooks on sand when the fish, crab or lobsters are hanging out on a hard bottom, and you're wasting...

Wesmar introduces the high-powered, durable PCS75 Programmable Trawl Catch Sensor.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... WESMAR introduces the high-powered, durable PCS75 PROGRAMMABLE TRAWL CATCH SENSOR. The trigger is contained within a rugged steel egg carrier with welded mounting ears that the company says is nearly unbreakable. The sensor contains no moving...

U-Line's new drawer model refrigerator is a three-piece organizing system that the company says maximizes internal storage while keeping items in place and within reach.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... U-LINE's new DRAWER MODEL REFRIGERATOR is a three-piece organizing system that the company says maximizes internal storage while keeping items in place and within reach. A sliding bin in the top drawer allows access to all items in or...

MarineEast now offers large and small drain plugs that feature a unique self-cleaning O-ring seal and tapered range, which the company says makes the draining process trouble-free.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... MARINEEAST now offers large and small DRAIN PLUGS that feature a unique self-cleaning O-ring seal and tapered range, which the company says makes the draining process trouble-free. The tapered area of the range cleans out debris while closing...

Clean Seas Co. has released the Barnaclean sonic antifouling system, which prevents foulants from attaching to the boat.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... CLEAN SEAS CO. has released the BARNACLEAN SONIC ANTIFOULING SYSTEM, which prevents foulants from attaching to the boat. Barnaclean utilizes electronic resonators that emit low-frequency sonic waves to create a micro-thin layer of rapidly...

Honda Marine unveils its new BF40HP and BF50HP outboard engines for what the company says is better performance in a lightweight package.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... HONDA MARINE unveils its new BF40HP and BF50HP OUTBOARD ENGINES for what the company says is better performance in a lightweight package. The tiller handles are longer, center-mounted and include such user-friendly features as the auto-start...

Shakespeare's new Galaxy SRA-30 Satellite Radio Antenna delivers Sirius Satellite Radio programming on the water.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... SHAKESPEARE'S new GALAXY SRA-30 SATELLITE RADIO ANTENNA delivers Sirius Satellite Radio programming on the water. The SRA-30 measures only 3 1/2 inches in diameter and stands 1 1/3 inches high. It mounts on surfaces up to 1 inch thick and...

Yacht-Mate Products offers the Galley-Mate Reverse Osmosis water purifying system.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... YACHT-MATE PRODUCTS offers the Galley-Mate Reverse Osmosis WATER PURIFYING SYSTEM. The unit polishes and purifies up to 50 gallons per day of water for drinking, food preparation and ice production. Featuring a space-saving design, the compact...

Guy Cotton announces the arrival of the SuperKodiak Pullover especially designed for fishermen.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... GUY COTTON announces the arrival of the SUPERKODIAK PULLOVER especially designed for fishermen. The SuperKodiak uses the latest developments in fleece for extreme outdoor activities. It features Windpro fleece from Malden Mills that blocks 95...

ACR Electronics says it's improved its popular SM-2 automatically activated strobing man-overboard light by making it brighter, with a minimum of three candela of light intensity in all directions, and eight candela at its brightest point.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... ACR ELECTRONICS says it's improved its popular SM-2 automatically activated strobing MAN-OVERBOARD LIGHT by making it brighter, with a minimum of three candela of light intensity in all directions, and eight candela at its brightest point. The...

Blue Sea Systems' new ST Blade Fuse Block combines blade-style fuses with screw terminals and satisfies requirements for marine use.(At A Glance)
March 1, 2004... BLUE SEA SYSTEMS' new ST BLADE FUSE BLOCK combines blade-style fuses with screw terminals and satisfies requirements for marine use. The unit features tin-plated copper components for better conductivity, lower operating temperatures and higher...

Last set.
March 1, 2004... HE WAS ONLY in his forties during World War II, when he used to keep an eye out for German submarines from his boat, armed only with an ax. Today, at 96, Woose Reed of Chincoteague, Va., a son of the son of a waterman, no longer fishes...