National Fisherman articles from March 2008

National Fisherman archives from March 2008

March 2008: this month's highlights.(The hail)(Editorial)
March 1, 2008... Whatever accolades bureaucrats, politicians and others like to heap on the concept of fleet consolidation, the displacement of fishermen and their vessels is a painful business, and fishing communities are the first casualty. The...

Rockfish plan working for Kodiak.(VIEWS from Alaska)
March 1, 2008... While the debate over rationalization of Gulf of Alaska groundfish continues, Kodiak trawlers and processors were given an opportunity to test a new cooperative management structure for rockfish. After just the first of five years, the Rockfish...

Don't fast-track farms.(Editor's log)
March 1, 2008... Years ago, when a nuclear power plant was first proposed for the New Hampshire seacoast, the party line was that electricity would be so cheap, "we don't know how we're going to meter it." It turned out to be so costly the power company...

Fishing back when.(NF classics)
March 1, 2008... 50 YEARS AGO Today's lesson on how to build a lobster trap is observed eagerly by students from midcoast Maine's Stockton Springs High School. The students are in the field studying wooden lobster traps as part of a science class fisheries...

Bay watermen inspire musical duo in lively album of original sea ditties.(Fo'c'sle library)(The Oyster Wife by Calico Jack)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... I'm not sure what to make of the fact that I was listening to this CD when I ran across a Washington Post article "To Save Oysters, a Culture May Have to Die." Here I was bearing witness to the byproduct of a rich culture spawned by hundreds of...

Briny mystery unfolds off the coast of Africa and in the fog of Cape Cod.(Fo'c'sle library)(Mettle)(Brief article)(Book review)
March 1, 2008... G.F. Michelsen has received a lot of praise for "Mettle" and his previous works, including "Hard Bottom" and "The Art and Practice of Explosion," and in my estimation, it's well deserved. Sometimes I like to skim a book to see if it's...

Why be left out? Believe it!(From Another Perspective)
March 1, 2008... John Tierney's New Year's Day column in the New York Times, "In 2008, a 100 Percent Chance of Alarm," dealt with global warming and the impact that the pronouncements of a relative handful of scientists and the highly focused media attention...

Connecting the dots: global warming and ocean acidification.(Dock talk)
March 1, 2008... Seawater pH is a critical variable in the marine environment. Today's surface ocean is slightly alkaline, and it is saturated with calcium carbonate, an essential organic molecule for organisms, such as corals, echinoderms, mollusks and...

What's in the hold should tip the scales, not your boat.(Consequences)
March 1, 2008... Vessel stability must be a concern at all times and during all operations, particularly if you have not had your vessel assessed or tested and you don't have a stability book or stability instructions for your vessel. The best way to understand...

New England herring--a real fish fight.(From the town landing)
March 1, 2008... The current conflict over herring management in New England is as polarized as any in the history of New England's ugly fishing fights and is going to get worse before it gets better. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fight pits big boats...

Pebble Mine deserves more publicity.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... Just received my December '07 copy of National Fisherman. First I have to say I've adjusted from the Alaska Fisherman's Journal--you're doing all right, and I like the national perspective. Second, I have to applaud Roger Fitzgerald ("No...

British Columbia crabber wants Dungie way of life.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... The following is excerpted from a letter to Loyola Hearn, minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. For the past 14 years, the means by which I have earned a living and established an enjoyable way of life is Dungeness crab fishing in...

Bailouts do not appeal to North Carolina captain.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... I am a subscriber to National Fisherman and also a sometimes-struggling commercial fisherman in North Carolina. I fish alone offshore for snapper/grouper, mahi, king mackerel, and other targets of opportunity, depending on the time of year and...

Cap'n Sane says ...(Mail buoy)
March 1, 2008... The Cove is mighty quiet this winter. Most folk are on vacations spendin' their summer lobster money, such as it was. But the Cove-ers usually return the first week of April in time t'file their income taxes. It don't take long. Years ago,...

Reader's sweatshirt comes with advice on buying fish.(Mail buoy)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... I recently ordered some clothing from Orvis. In the carton was an Orvis piece on "Making Environmentally Responsible Decisions." In the piece, Orvis touts their environmental responsibility, how Orvis is making the world a better place. Printed...

John Oliver lands acting role.(A letter from John Oliver)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... With NMFS Director Bill Hogarth's departure at the end of December, the Department of Commerce and White House personnel are seeking a replacement to serve out the remainder of this administration. In the interim, I have been asked to step in...

Winter soup.(In search of the simple life)
March 1, 2008... All I wanted was a nice fish soup to celebrate the New Year with a few friends. A soup to gladden the spirit, to gird our bodies against the slings and arrows of the coming year. But I was looking for something different than my usual cod...

Mass. groundfish fleet granted $13m in federal relief: funds may be used for a buyout, to reform management or divided among permit holders.(ATLANTIC)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Congress has secured more than $13 million in federal disaster relief for Massachusetts' beleaguered groundfish fishermen who have watched their fishing season shrink under the latest round of days-at-sea cuts. ...

Summer flounder stock is up, quota is record low: anglers' take may cause summer shutdown.(ATLANTIC)
March 1, 2008... The stock is up, but Mid-Atlantic and southern New England fishermen are working on the lowest annual quota for summer flounder since a management plan started--and under the threat of a flounder moratorium later this year. A shutdown is...

Maine groundfishermen sue over herring bycatch: say midwater trawls hamper rebuilding.(ATLANTIC)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Maine's inshore groundfish fishermen are taking aim at federal fishing regulators for allowing herring trawlers to fish in Northeast waters that are closed to most other fishing activity. The public interest law firm Earth-justice has filed...

Shark fishermen declare disaster, seek new assessment: fishery on hold, '08 quota untouched until NMFS finalizes new management amendment.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
March 1, 2008... Faced with years of economic hardship, a highly restricted shark harvest in 2007 and the possibility of no shark season at all in 2008, fishermen have petitioned Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to seek a federal fisheries disaster declaration from...

Home port: where we live: Toksook Bay, Alaska.
March 1, 2008... THE TOWN The village of Toksook Bay is one of the few Alaska fishing towns void of economics driven by salmon. Fishermen here rely heavily on subsistence, and cash comes from herring and halibut fisheries. The halibut are caught by local...

Louisiana oystermen urge restrictions on Texas boats: say licenses threaten recovering grounds.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC)
March 1, 2008... A limited entry program for oyster fishermen in Texas has had visible effects in some Louisiana waters, where traditional local fishermen are bristling at the appearance of Texas boats. Texas instituted a moratorium on new licenses that...

Strong showing at second young fishermen's summit: Alaska Sea Grant adds environmental forum to topics on succeeding in the fish business.(ALASKA and PACIFIC)(Conference news)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Alaska's premier conference for youthful fishermen grew another year older in December when organizers with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Pro gram launched the second Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit. The inaugural event, held in...

Amber Waves: dragger, Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.(BOAT OF THE MONTH)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Tom Anderson derided he needed a boat to replace his 1968-vintage wood dragger, he spent part of 2006 in Palacios, Texas, restoring a 72-foot shrimp vessel. It took two workers and seven days of sandblasting on...

Grilled sardines Sicilian style Sam Mercurio, Monterey, Calif.(GALLEY WATCH: AT-SEA CUISINE)(Recipe)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Sam Mercurio, a longtime commercial fisherman in central California, wants people to know that sardines are not just canned food or fish bait. He serves them grilled at his restaurant Domenico's on the Wharf in Monterey--and people love them....

Bering Sea pollock quota cut by 26 percent for '08: '06 year class leaves hope for rise in future.(Around the coasts)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Catch for Bering Sea pollock--one of the largest fisheries in the world --will be reduced by 26 percent for 2008. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council in December approved the reduction from 1.39 million metric tons in 2007 to 1...

Great Lakes fishermen file suit against Ohio officials: group alleges mismanagement and harassment, seeks protection of commercial licenses.(NATION/WORLD)
March 1, 2008... Record low levels of prey fish, the 2003 collapse of the salmon fishery in Lake Huron and burgeoning populations of alien species like the zebra and quagga mussels certainly are enough problems for any fishing community to manage. One...

Greg Pruitt: Seminole, Fla.(SNAPSHOT: WHO WE ARE)
March 1, 2008... For longline skipper and boat owner Greg Pruitt, 49, fishing is his business, but shark fishing is his passion. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "That's what gets my adrenaline going," he says. "I've done it for 25 years." But now, after...

Aussies wage 'whale war' with Japan's Antarctic fleet: two activists jump aboard harpoon ship.(NATION/WORLD)
March 1, 2008... Japan announced in December it would cancel its projected hunt of 50 humpback whales this year but move forward with a plan to take 50 fin whales and more than 900 minke whales. In an effort to halt the hunt, which is being conducted under...

Western Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The First Climate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators Symposium, held in December at La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, played host to more than 150 scientists from 25 different countries and marked the start of the 10-year project to...

Mid-Atlantic.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)
March 1, 2008... The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council posthumously recognized Stewart Tweed with its 2007 Fisheries Achievement Award. The award was presented to Gait Tweed; it is designed to recognize individuals who exhibit outstanding professionalism,...

Gulf of Mexico.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The Shrimp Advisory Panel to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met Jan. 9 in Houston to receive reports from NMFS on the status and health of the shrimp stocks as well as a report on the biological and economic aspects of the 2008...

New England.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)
March 1, 2008... In response to pressure from an alliance of fishermen (recreational and commercial) and conservationists wary of midwater herring trawlers, the New England Fishery Management Council says it will pay close attention to the fishery in 2008,...

Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The Pacific Fishery Management Council told the governors of California, Oregon and Washington that it supports their West Coast Governors' Agreement Draft Action Plan to better manage ocean and coastal resources and they said they found common...

South Atlantic.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking public input on management of the rock shrimp fishery. There are 138 vessels that either have active rock shrimp endorsements (113 vessels) or their endorsements have expired but they...

North Pacific.(COUNCIL UPDATES: News from the regional management councils)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The International Pacific Halibut Commission has again recommended a lower catch limit for southeast Alaska's halibut fleet. The commission is calling for a 28 percent reduction in Southeast Alaska. Last year, the quota was reduced by 20...

Record prices may not do the trick; fishery still reeling from '02 die-off.(PACIFIC: SALMON)
March 1, 2008... Coming off of a catastrophic 2006 season, West Coast salmon trollers last year hoped that age classes associated with the 2002, '03 and '04 brood stocks would show up in fisheries with abundance. Alas, they will remember 2007 as another...

Decline in production at Togiak, pace of fishing at Sitka keep picture cloudy.(NORTH PACIFIC: HERRING)
March 1, 2008... Last year's smaller harvest volumes and the level of demand for herring roe among Japanese consumers, who trade the salted kazunoko as gifts during the year-end holiday of oseibo, could spur aggressive buying during Alaska's herring fisheries...

Gag restrictions could snuff promise of red grouper recovery, rising prices.(GULF/SOUTH ATLANTIC: GROUPER)
March 1, 2008... Gulf of Mexico red grouper stocks are now recovered--according to the 2007 stock assessment--well beyond the maximum sustainable yield threshold, confirming what fishermen have been saying for years. Red grouper science is as settled as it ever...

Whither the fish? Quota takes deep cut as managers embark on a new regime.(NORTHEAST: SCUP)
March 1, 2008... With a 2008 scup quota that could be around half of last year's, fishermen and managers are building a floor they hope will support a rebuilt fishery, after years of being whipsawed by conflicting data and dwindling market acceptance. In...

The will of Wanchese: watermen in this proud North Carolina fishing village do what it takes to maintain the town's identity.(Hometown)
March 1, 2008... Wanchese, N.C., wears its heart on its sleeve. Located on the southern tip of Roanoke Island, where the Roanoke and the Croatan rivers spill into the Pamlico Sound, the fishing port holds a fiery grip on the lashes binding it to the sea....

Staying alive: the Columbia River's raging bar tries its best to claim two Dungeness fishermen for all time.(Adventure at sea)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Part two of two Another storm wave drove hard into the exposed side of the Miss Kim, exploding over her entire length. Ocean water several feet deep flooded across her back deck. Groaning under the burden, the...

The quality dividend.(Boats & Gear: Processing)
March 1, 2008... For nearly two decades, the salmon industry in parts of Alaska has embraced the idea of improving the quality of the catch in hopes of reclaiming ex-vessel prices of the 1980s, when Japanese demand for frozen sockeyes and the strength of the...

Geared for innovation: drive to increase safety, productivity spurs development of seagoing equipment.(Boats & Gear: Fishing equipment)(Go2Marine, Julian A. McDermott Corp., Marco Global)
March 1, 2008... For this year's focus on new fishing equipment, the spotlight is on three products that became available in January. There might seem to be too much of an emphasis on seining, but one of the products, the E-Stop safety switch for seine winches,...

At the top of his game: a Nova Scotia fisherman designs himself a double-decker of a lobster boat. (Boats & Gear).(Cover story)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Trucks slow to a crawl and a steady flow of men climb out to have a gander at the Papa Russ, Curtis Rodgerson's new double-decker lobster boat tied up at the Sandford (Yarmouth County) wharf in Nova Scotia. The...

Lobster boat takes passengers; rebuilding is affordable option.(NORTHEAST)
March 1, 2008... The day after Christmas, SW Boatworks in Lamoine, Maine, launched a 40-footer in nearby Northeast Harbor. The Lucky Catch was an RP Boat Shop hull that SW Boatworks finished off for Tom Martin who runs Lucky Catch Cruises in Portland. ...

New boat, not retirement, at 74; widened hull won't slow dragger.(WEST)
March 1, 2008... In 2007, after eight years without building a hull for a commercial fisherman, Wegley Boats in Bellingham, Wash., built the Elena Marie, a fiberglass 40-foot gill-netter for Alaska salmon fisherman Mark Saldi (see "Just what he always wanted,"...

Father and son repair crabber; deep water benefits boatyard.(SOUTH)
March 1, 2008... James Akers of Water View, Va., is a highline crabber on the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. During the spring and summer crab season, he and his son, Thomas, fish 600 peeler pots and 400 crab pots, hauling 500 pots a day from the elder...

Locating beacon for fishermen and divers: devices from Marine Rescue Technologies advance search and rescue capabilities.(Product roundup)
March 1, 2008... If someone goes overboard on your boat, the likelihood of getting that person back before hypothermia takes its toll depends on three things: the crew's experience with man-overboard drills, the activation of an alarm to let people know someone...

Stainless that's fit to be sealed: Viega's tubing and press-fittings are quick and clean.(Product roundup)
March 1, 2008... More and more fishing boats are using stainless steel plumbing for longevity and to reduce maintenance costs. But running stainless steel requires welding, which creates gases and fumes, not an enjoyable way to spend a day in an enclosed space....

Delta "T" Systems has a new fan control system for engine-room ventilation.(At a glance)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DELTA "T" SYSTEMS has a new fan control system for engine-room ventilation. The 600-DCT1-24 is designed to automatically manage engine-room temperature and ventilation. As the temperature reaches 105 degrees, it...

Mack Boring & Parts Co. has introduced a new line of Global Power Products keel-cooled generators.(At a glance)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MACK BORING & PARTS CO. has introduced a new line of Global Power Products KEEL-COOLED GENERATORS. These are powered with Mitsubishi and Isuzu diesels with marine-rated Newage alternators. Four generator models are...

Hella Marine's latest floodlights, the 7118 series structured-lens deck floodlights have a clear lens with a 5 1/3-inch-long by 3-inch-wide aperture.(At a glance)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HELLA MARINE's latest floodlights, the 7118 SERIES structured-lens deck floodlights have a clear lens with a 5 1/3-inch-long by 3-inch-wide aperture. The impact-proof plastic housing is also UV-resistant. An extended...

Beckson Marine's injection-molded hinges with dual Monel pins, the HGB series double-acting hinges allow for customized off-level mounting with side-to-side vertical offsets.(At a glance)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BECKSON MARINE's injection-molded hinges with dual Monel pins, the HGB SERIES double-acting hinges allow for customized off-level mounting with side-to-side vertical offsets. They open to 180 degrees, and for secure...

Shakespeare Electronic Products has a new stylish antenna mount.(At a glance)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SHAKESPEARE ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS has a new stylish antenna mount. The four-way free-standing 5187 RATCHET MOUNT has simple lines arrived at from an innovative nutless, boltless design. To keep the antenna as vertical...

Marinco Electrical Group's electrical-cord adapter, the 30-amp right angle cord-set adapter lets you plug in your shore-power electrical cord as a right-angle connection, as opposed to a straight connection that protrudes from the connection, taking up space and getting in the way.(At a glance)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MARINCO ELECTRICAL GROUP's electrical-cord adapter, the 30-AMP RIGHT ANGLE CORD-SET ADAPTER lets you plug in your shore-power electrical cord as a right-angle connection, as opposed to a straight connection that...

Bulleting board.(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 1, 2008... FEB. 24-26 International Boston Seafood Show/Seafood Processing America Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston * www.bostonseafood.com The International Boston Seafood Show is North America's largest seafood exhibition....

Late last year, the Northwest Fisheries Association paid tribute to Darryl Pedersen and awarded him with the title of Person of the Year at the organization's 55th annual holiday party at Seattle's Grand Hyatt.(ON THE MOVE)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Late last year, the NORTHWEST FISHERIES ASSOCIATION paid tribute to DARRYL PEDERSEN and awarded him with the tide of Person of the Year at the organization's 55th annual holiday party at Seattle's Grand Hyatt. Born...

Plastics components and accessories company MarineEast is transitioning to a new owner, Kenneth Coates, and a new location, LaPorte, Ind.(COMPANY NEWS)
March 1, 2008... Plastics components and accessories company MARINEEAST is transitioning to a new owner, KENNETH COATES, and a new location, LaPorte, Ind. But their products won't have much of an adjustment. Coates is president of Kenco Plastics, which has...

Northern Lights.(COMPANY NEEWS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... This year Seattle-based NORTHERN LIGHTS, manufacturer of marine diesel gensets and Lugger engines, celebrates its 50th anniversary. Founded in Cooper Landing, Alaska, the company was the first in the state to sell snowmobiles and had an early...

Off Chincoteague, Va.(Last set)
March 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Crewmen working this seine boat from the Reedville, Va., menhaden steamer John S. Dempster Jr. found themselves in the thick of things last summer, with a gull's-eye view of a set of as many as 1 million pogies.