National Fisherman articles from May 2004

National Fisherman archives from May 2004

On the record.(Editor's Log)
May 1, 2004... Candidates for the U.S. Senate from Alaska got together this week at ComFish, a fisheries trade show in Kodiak, and debated the issues of importance to the fishing community. A couple of weeks earlier, Maine's two U.S. senators,...

At sea.
May 1, 2004... SAILOR OF FORTUNE: Fisherman Matt Marinkovich has proved himself to be a fine writer as well. In this issue he recounts the 2001 sockeye salmon run at Bristol Bay, Alaska, a season every bit as thick with challenge as with fish.

Fishing back when.(Classics)
May 1, 2004... 50 YEARS AGO this month The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously endorses a bill that earmarks 30 percent of the gross receipts from fishery product import duties for fishery research in this country and for promoting the distribution of...

Spotlighting genuine "Pearls".
May 1, 2004... PEARLS ON GALVESTON BAY THE OYSTER LUGGERS OF SMITH POINT, TEXAS By Richard W. Bricker Published by the author, Shoreacres, Texas, 2003 Spiralbound, 104 pp., $35 In the February issue I reviewed "Dead Men Tapping," and noted that it...

The economic advantages of aquaculture.(Forum)
May 1, 2004... Depending on how you work the numbers, this country is carrying the weight of at least a $7 billion seafood deficit. Imports are driving many markets as they stall others. Environmental groups and their eager attorneys are pacing courthouse...

One false step.(Safety)
May 1, 2004... FROM U.S. COAST GUARD REPORTS The new man showed up for his site on a California dive boat at about 7:30 one March morning several years ago. The 48-foot, 33-ton vessel was built in 1960 and was constructed of fiberglass over wood. The...

Northeast groups demand action from management.(To the editor)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... Overt the past several years, midwater pair trawling for herring in New England waters has increased exponentially. In three short years, the pair trawl fleet in New England grew more than 600 percent. This rapid expansion of the fleet has...

New England council cites good news about haddock.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... The most recent resource survey report issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service about the successful recruitment of haddock is outstanding news for both fishermen and the New England Fishery Management Council. In the fall of 2003,...

Pew funds will help fleets fish with a clear conscience.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... Dexter Van Zile's investigative journalism on the Pew Charitable Trusts titled "Green Machine" [NF March '04, p. 18] was quite illuminating. I was shocked to learn that in order to conduct credible peer reviewed scientific research, a funding...

New budget offers advance.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)
May 1, 2004... I'm devoting this month's column to the President's 2005 budget request for NOAA Fisheries. I believe it's a fair budget that will help commercial fishermen through better science and improved management. Here are some examples: The...

Cap'n Sane says ...
May 1, 2004... The Cove wharf is pretty well cluttered up with lobster gear now n'it looks like the only wharf thanks t'Sam Wheeler. Once we had two wharves n'plenty of room. But a few years ago Sam Wheeler hired a Deer Isle skulpin circuit lawyer who...

Polar Foods in receivership, faces uncertain future: Prince Edward Island seafood processing company lost $16.5 million in six-year history.(Canada)
May 1, 2004... The troubled past and present of the fish processing company Polar Foods has turned into a troubled--and confusing--future. According to Lewie Creed, deputy provincial fisheries minister, the processing operation based in Charlottetown,...

High insurance rates put fishermen in jeopardy: association plans to fight recent increases.(Canada)
May 1, 2004... Skyrocketing insurance rates for property and vehicle owners in Atlantic Canada have also hit fishermen and sealers hard. "Insurance rates for fishing vessels in Newfoundland and Labrador have gone right through the roof," says Earle...

Industry members critical of ocean policy outlook: coordinated attack on fisheries management system angers commercial fishing leaders.(National)
May 1, 2004... Many leaders in the Seattle-based fishing industry bridled at the doom-and-gloom-of-the-oceans message scientists promoted at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle in February. Many scientists...

NOAA offshore farm bill concerns fishing industry: intent is to boost aquaculture in U.S. EEZ.(National)
May 1, 2004... As more fish farms crop up around the world, the United States is lagging, with an aquaculture industry growing ever so slowly. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hopes to change that. "NOAA has already drafted...

Ads strive to ease fears of public on eating tuna: group launches $1m mercury campaign.(National)
May 1, 2004... "Crisis management" takes on a different meaning when talking about the beating the tuna 'and swordfish industry is taking over mercury issues. The U.S. Tuna Foundation, seeing too many negative reports of possible mercury contamination in...

Rising infection rate has Florida harvesters' attention: fishermen on both coasts reporting cases of antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as MRSA.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
May 1, 2004... Florida fishermen have been reporting isolated incidents of antibiotic-resistant infections and "flesh eating" bacterial infections for several years, but a recent increase has alarmed harvesters on both coasts. Bob Jones, executive...

Home port: where we live: St. Marys, GA.(the nation's fishermen)
May 1, 2004... THE TOWN Population: Approximately 15,000 Fleet size: Usually fewer than 10 TOP LANDINGS IN 2003 (To protect business privacy, NMFS does not release landings numbers when only one or two seafood houses are involved.) ...

'Extinct' shark species populating Caribbean: appearance contradicts scientists' report.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
May 1, 2004... A shark species--the oceanic whitetip--that authors of a much-publicized Pew Charitable Trust-funded shark study call "ecologically extinct" in the Gulf of Mexico showed up in huge numbers in the nearby Caribbean Ocean this past winter, says...

Jamie Ann: lobster boat.(Boat Of The Month)
May 1, 2004... In her sturdy seaworthy design, the Jamie Ann stands apart from small lobster skiffs dotting San Diego coastal waters. While skiffs are small-boned and petite, she is sturdy and large. One hundred traps fit easily on her deck compared to 30...

Carolina fishermen tell council MPAs not needed: fear a slippery slope of area closures.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
May 1, 2004... Fishermen attending a South Atlantic Fishery Management Council informational meeting on Jan. 27 in Morehead City made two things clear: They don't think marine protected areas--"boxes" of ocean off-limits to all or most fishing--would improve...

FAO weighing development of ecolabel standards: trade impacts are envisioned; in addition, subcommittee calls for the tracking of seafood.(International)
May 1, 2004... Discussions initiated at a February meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization's Subcommittee on Seafood Trade could lead to an international ecolabeling standard. The certification process would encourage countries and seafood...

Immigrant deaths spark British criminal probe: 19 Chinese workers die collecting cockles.(International)
May 1, 2004... The deaths of 19 Chinese immigrants caught in a rising tide while harvesting shellfish in northwestern England in February has prompted a criminal investigation and calls for stricter regulations against the trafficking of illegal workers. ...

Criminal probe is launched in sinking of 47-footer: Coast Guard mum; two men were lost in collision with 82-footer off Nantucket, Mass.(Northeast)
May 1, 2004... The Coast Guard isn't offering any details on the criminal investigation into the sinking of the Lonely Hunter other than to confirm that one is under way. The criminal inquiry began after the Coast Guard completed a routine marine...

East Coast seal deaths spur NMFS investigation: reason for mammal mutilations unknown.(Northeast)
May 1, 2004... The gruesome discovery in early February of a dead harbor seal on the Maine coast with the letters "M-A-L" painted onto its side prompted NOAA law enforcement to link the incident to several other marine mammal killings that have taken place on...

Insurance costs hinder research, fisherman says: asserts NMFS, not harvesters should pay.(Northeast)
May 1, 2004... The scientists involved in efforts to design more selective fishing gear for the Northeast squid fishery are top-notch. But, one fisherman says, the process of getting them on fishing vessels to do the research must be smoothed out. That's...

Baked haddock: Joe Parisi, Gloucester, Mass.(Galley watch: at-sea cuisine)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Joe "Ringo" Parisi is a third-generation fisherman from Gloucester who works aboard the Lady Jane, a 78-foot trawler owned by Russell Sherman, which lately has been targeting whiting on two-day trips. Parisi would rather be fishing for cod,...

'Lucky tag' brings Dungeness crabber $3,000 prize: Humboldt University tagging project brings Calif. fisherman closer to goal of owning boat.(Pacific)
May 1, 2004... The latest winner of the $3,000 "lucky tag" drawing in Humboldt State University's three-year Dungeness Crab tagging project is Larry Evanow of Eureka, Calif., the second Eureka fisherman in a row to win the drawing. Evanow, 19, received...

Daren Bengston: Wasilla, Alaska.(Snapshot: who we are)
May 1, 2004... Though making a living at commercial fishing can be meager at times, Daren Bengston, 42, knows well that fishermen plying the waters of Prince William Sound earn their money in a setting that tourists would pay clearly to see. "I'd rather...

Fishery, legislators set to challenge European Union trade restrictions.(Northeast: herring)
May 1, 2004... Maine's two U.S. senators are known for their willingness to pick up the cudgel for groundfish harvesters in their state. Now both Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Republicans, are fighting European Union trade restrictions that target the...

Stability expected in Wash., Ore., but Calif. processors more wary.(Pacific: sardines)
May 1, 2004... As the West Coast's northern sardine fishery grows out of its infancy stage, Washington and Oregon processors expect more stability for the upcoming season. But California processors are more wary as the season winds down this spring. ...

Strong demand, harvest increases drive optimistic outlook for summer.(Gulf/South Atlantic: blue crab)
May 1, 2004... The outlook for blue crab in the Southeast is heartening as the 2004 summer season approaches, with demand good even as annual harvests appear to be increasing. Production is rebounding after a couple of mediocre years, largely because of...

Speculation of IFQs on the horizon spurs blistering catch rate by boats.(North Pacific: cod)
May 1, 2004... Alaska's Pacific cod fishermen have been catching state and federal quotas at a blistering pace, flooding markets with product. The impetus? Speculation that the crab rationalization plan for the Bering Sea advanced by Sen. Ted Stevens...

Made of tougher stuff: Lucas Plancich and the 58-foot seiner Umatilla proved you can't keep a good man--or boat--down.(Fishing History)
May 1, 2004... A little rough weather and some adverse fishing conditions never bothered a tough skipper like Lucas Plancich. The late Lucas Plancich Sr. of Dockton, Wash., was known as a tough and determined skipper. The Vashon Island native regularly...

Sunlight shines on the bay: a vessel and her determined skipper overcome adversity and catch salmon.(Cover Story)
May 1, 2004... The scrambled pace of my 2001 Bristol Bay season established itself as soon as I arrived in Naknek on June 5, five days later than I planned. Had I known what was in store I would have come two weeks earlier and moved my entire operation...

Watershed blues: can modern America coexist with Chesapeake Bay?(Natural Flaws)
May 1, 2004... When Chris Bonzek, a researcher at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, dragged a trawl net through the waters of Chesapeake Bay in July 2003 to assess the abundance of marine life, there was a vast section of the upper bay where the net...

Built stout: up where the ice meets the land, Newfoundland's T.W.L. Enterprises launches a scalloper that can go almost anywhere.(Boats & Gear)
May 1, 2004... Longtime fisherman Calvin Sproule wasn't looking for a new boat. And he'd never had one built out of fiberglass. But he needed more than what he had. A resident of Smith Cove, Nova Scotia, Sproule in recent times has fished for scallops,...

Keep it clean! Paying close attention to your lube oil can save you money and increase the life of your engine.(Filtration)
May 1, 2004... The number one cause of failure for every living and non-living thing on the face of the earth is contamination. Whether it's dust on a plant leaf, plaque in your arteries or sludge in your engine oil, the overall effect is the same:...

Rethinking fir: the Douglas fir that is available today isn't what it used to be.(Wood Choices)
May 1, 2004... The material of choice for most wooden-boat builders on the West Coast of the United States and Canada has always been Douglas fir. Few woods could rival Douglas fir for its ability to be used in boatbuilding applications--sawn ribs, stem, keel...

Survive calamity: sinking or falling overboard is a harrowing experience, but you can live to be warm and dry again.(Safety)
May 1, 2004... There are all sorts of ways for commercial fishermen to die--getting wrapped up in a winch, caught in a fire, hit by a falling block--but what's most apt to kill a fisherman is falling overboard. Second place goes to sinking; third is...

Calif. county vote bans altered crops, animals: biotech firm spent heavily on losing cause.(Pacific)
May 1, 2004... A Mendocino County, Calif., passage of a measure in March to ban genetically modified crops and animals elated California fishermen but frustrated biotechnology companies. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations supported...

Peter Pan exodus leaves False Pass in dire straits: seafood processing company's withdrawal severs flow of food, fuel to fishing community.(North Pacific)
May 1, 2004... The salmon-driven community of False Pass faces dire consequences now that Peter Pan Seafoods has decided to close down its facilities. The processing company operated a large-capacity salmon cannery in the Alaska village from the 1950s to...

Seiners revive measure to exceed 58-foot limit: Bill seen as way to bolster salmon quality.(North Pacific)
May 1, 2004... Alaska fishermen have resurrected a bill that would allow them to stretch their seiners beyond the state limit of 58 feet. A similar effort was unsuccessfully launched a decade ago. Known this time around as House Bill 409, the measure...

'Semi-cat' is 64 long, 30 fat; beamy is beautiful in Canada.(North)
May 1, 2004... You can't miss the White Diamond. She is the first three-wire twin trawler in Newfoundland, and with a 30-foot beam on a length of 64-feet 11 inches, she's probably the widest boat in Newfoundland and possibly eastern Canada. The 'White...

Beached dragger salvaged; 'house' work for limit seiner.(West)
May 1, 2004... In January, the 91-foot dragger and crabber Pacific Future went on the beach near Port Orford, Ore. Fortunately for the boat, it was a sand beach. And though news clips showed her both being buried in the sand to her chine line and being lifted...

Yard has new skiff designs; menhaden vessel gets hauled.(South)
May 1, 2004... The 30th annual East Coast Commercial Fishermen's and Aquaculture Trade Exposition held this past February at Ocean City, Md, featured at least one newcomer to Chesapeake Bay's boat building scene. Show Time Marine out of Edgewater, Md.,...

Bulletin board.(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... MAY 4-6 The European Seafood Exposition brings together seafood buyers and sellers from all over Europe and the world. With over 1,000 exhibitors from more than 65 countries, the show offers seafood business professionals access to a...

Putting a damper on flames: Delta "T" Systems has plenty of options to keep fires at bay.(Product Roundup)
May 1, 2004... A fire doubles in size every 30 seconds. That's a good rule of thumb to remember when you are designing a boat or redoing an existing boat. It's a lot better to figure out how to keep a fire from spreading before you leave for the fishing...

Canonsburg.(On the move)(Trident Rubber promotes four employees)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Company president Bill Shields says that growth has led Canonsburg, Penn.-based Trident Rubber to promote four employees. RICH BECKER has been promoted to executive vice president; DAN ENGEL will be the new general manager; DAN SHIELDS has been...

Roy Enoksen.(On the move)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney visited New Bedford-based Eastern Fisheries to honor chief executive officer and founder ROY ENOKSEN with the Governor's Inner City Investment Award in recognition of Eastern's contributions to the revitalization...

CGW Associates.(Company News)
May 1, 2004... Pettit Marine Paint, of Rockaway, N.J., has recognized the rep group CGW ASSOCIATES with its Outstanding Sales Achievement Award. CGW Associates consists of Charlie O'Connor, Kevin Williams, Jack Hogan, Dave Alford, Wayne Oliviera and Mike...

Canadian Commercial Fishing Web Site.(Company News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Schooner Solutions has announced the launch of the new CANADIAN COMMERCIAL FISHING WEB SITE, www.fishingnet.ca, which will act as a centralized resource center for the Canadian industry. This resource will include industry news, articles,...

NOAA and ekkosoft.us of Newburyport, Mass., a wireless application development firm, have teamed to provide tide information over cellular phones.(Company News)
May 1, 2004... NOAA and EKKOSOFT.US of Newbury-port, Mass., a wireless application development firm, have teamed to provide tide information over cellular phones. Currently, tidal information is available in print and over the Internet at...

MaxSea.(Company News)
May 1, 2004... In support of the efforts to develop fishing in the Polynesian territory, four MAXSEA software systems were recently installed at the Institute of Maritime Training of Papeete in Tahiti. Completion of the IFM-PC training program is compulsory...

Keeping hearts beating at sea: HeartSine Technologies brings portable defibrillators to the marine market.(Product Roundup)
May 1, 2004... When someone drops to the deck from sudden cardiac arrest, you don't have much more than a few minutes before the chances of survival start going downhill fast. To be exact, for every minute that passes after the onset of cardiac arrest,...

Aquapac's new FlashPac Inflatable Hand Beacon is a waterproof LED flashlight that features an integral inflation valve, which transforms the light into a 6-inch floating hand beacon with a few puffs of air.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... AQUAPAC's new FlashPac INFLATABLE HAND BEACON is a waterproof LED flashlight that features an integral inflation valve, which transforms the light into a 6-inch floating hand beacon with a few puffs of air. The beacon has two emergency strobe...

Dieselcraft has developed Strontium Ferrite Fuel Stabilizers to decontaminate and stabilize the diesel fuel without the use of chemical additives.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... DIESELCRAFT has developed STRONTIUM FERRITE FUEL STABILIZERS to decontaminate and stabilize the diesel fuel without the use of chemical additives. The stabilizers reconstitute aged fuel, kill algae and improve fuel combustion as the engine is...

FCI Watermaker's new Neptune Watermaker delivers over 1,150 gallons per day of fresh water using Universal Reverse Osmosis Controller technology to provide a user-friendly interface with customizable, automatic operation.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... FCI WATERMAKER's new NEPTUNE WATERMAKER delivers over 1,150 gallons per day of fresh water using Universal Reverse Osmosis Controller technology to provide a user-friendly interface with customizable, automatic operation. It has a programmable...

Poly-Planar has released the ME-50 Expansion Amplifier, which acts as a zone amplifier that operates separately from the stereo's normal volume, thanks to its ability to send a fixed-level signal independent of other speakers on the boat.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... POLY-PLANAR has released the ME-50 EXPANSION AMPLIFIER, which acts as a zone amplifier that operates separately from the stereo's normal volume, thanks "to its ability to send a fixed-level signal independent of other speakers on the boat. A...

FloScan Instrument Co. says its new Series K Fuel Flow Monitoring System provides precise, electronic measurements of fuel consumption, regardless of sea conditions.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... FLOSCAN INSTRUMENT CO. says its new SERIES K FUEL FLOW MONITORING SYSTEM provides precise, electronic measurements of fuel consumption, regardless of sea conditions. FloScan Series K measures flow at the engine, not at the fuel tank with...

West System's Brand 403 Microfibers Filler, when combined with a resin-hardener mixture, creates a multipurpose, high density adhesive ideal for bonding wood and makes any job easier that requires a thickened epoxy.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... WEST SYSTEM's Brand 403 MICROFIBERS FILLER, when combined with a resin-hardener mixture, creates a multipurpose, high density adhesive ideal for bonding wood and makes any job easier that requires a thickened epoxy. The company says that epoxy...

Steyr Motors now offers the model 256 250-HP Diesel Engine, an extremely compact, lightweight, four-stroke, turbocharged and intercooled power package.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... STEYR MOTORS now offers the model 256 250-HP DIESEL ENGINE, an extremely compact, lightweight, four-stroke, turbocharged and intercooled power package. It features a corrosion-resistant, dual-circuit cooling system, as well as redesigned...

Stromme announces its launch of Marine Compressors designed to meet stringent marine market demands.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... STROMME announces its launch of MARINE COMPRESSORS designed to meet stringent marine market demands. All air-cooled compressors are designed for 122 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature, while fresh and seawater cooled machines are designed...

Ships Co. Ltd. introduces its Engine Room Alarm System for medium-sized vessels of all types.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... SHIPS CO. LTD. introduces its ENGINE ROOM ALARM SYSTEM for medium-sized vessels of all types. The system consists of a central control unit, usually mounted in the engine room, and one or more LCD touch screens that can be mounted throughout...

Optima Batteries line of Group Size 31 Batteries for marine use feature the company's patented Spiralcell technology.(At A Glance)
May 1, 2004... OPTIMA BATTERIES line of GROUP SIZE 31 BATTERIES for marine use feature the company's patented Spiralcell technology. Group 31 is built for marine requirements, with deep cycle power and enough cranking to run a ship's electronics and motors,...

ARMed, not necessarily dangerous.(Finance)
May 1, 2004... The conventional wisdom over the past several years has held that fixed mortgages are a better choice than adjustable rate mortgages. The rationale is that with mortgage rates as low as they have been, it makes sense to lock in. But in...

Clarification.(Mail Buoy)(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2004... According to Bob Alverson, general manager of the Fishing Vessel Owners Association and the subject of a profile in the April issue of NF, Dr. Low Lee Low of NMFS in Seattle developed the idea for an ecosystem-based management plan for the...

Enforcing sport regulations would help kingfish industry.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... In 1989 I made my first attempt at commercial fishing. My brother took me gillnetting and I was hooked. By 1995 I had accumulated two gillnet boats, two trucks, two trailers, 6,000 yards of net and had approximately $40,000 invested. Because of...

Reader ponders high levels of plants' mercury emissions.(Mail Buoy)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... I was wondering if the fishing industry is lobbying the various levels of government to pass laws to lower the emission levels of mercury from coal-burning power plants? Personally, I enjoy eating saltwater fish, but like many other...

Last set.
May 1, 2004... PLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER: This photo depicts one of few bright days last season for the herring fleet at the Intruder wier at Pettes Cove on Grand Manan, New Brunswick. (Canadians name their weirs for identification purposes.) 2003 was a tough...