National Fisherman articles from October 2003

National Fisherman archives from October 2003

State waters.(Editor's Log)
October 1, 2003... It struck me the other day that four out of the last five presidents--George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter--served as governor in their home states. I don't think it's a coincidence. Governors are accountable to...

Fishing back when.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... 50 YEARS AGO this month A lobsterman from Northeast Harbor, Maine, is the winner of the Retired Skippers Race. Bill Black, 70, finishes the 13.5-mile course two minutes and 12 seconds ahead of Leroy Greenlaw of Stonington. U.S. Sen....

A feel for eel.
October 1, 2003... CONSIDER THE EEL By Richard Schweid North Carolina Press, 2002 Hardcover, 181 pp., $24.95 When I was a kid, my father owned a small plot of land on the south fork of the Shenandoah River, and my brother and I went fishing there in the...

Better--not bigger-governance.(Forum)
October 1, 2003... Our oceans are the key to life itself--to our food, our health, our livelihood, our very soul. If we are all good stewards of this great resource, we can protect it for future generations. That is the principle message of the Pew Oceans...

Almost alone on a lake.(Safety)
October 1, 2003... Lake Winnipeg gillnetters, who fish for pickerel, sauger and goldeye in small, open boats, often work in twosomes or threesomes. If something goes, wrong, someone's not alone. That's always important on the water, but it's especially...

Only observers can solve herring controversy.(To the editor)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Thank you for Dexter Van Zile's excellent article. "Het Up About Herring" (NF July '03, p. 28). Van Zile does a good job of pointing out the brewing controversy here in New England over the rapid expansion of the midwater single and pair trawl...

Get other countries on board to replenish oceans with fish.(Mail Buoy)
October 1, 2003... We read about a couple bills designed to close off areas of Hawaii to all fishing. While most studies agree that fishing with nets, on virtually any scale, is harmful to existing fish stocks, the proposed idea of closing all fishing in many...

Giving due credit.(A Letter From Bill Hogarth)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... There are some recent contributions Why the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee that I'd like to bring to your attention. The committee is a federally chartered advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries, serving as a...

Cap'n Sane says ...(Mail Buoy)
October 1, 2003... Well, we've had a busy day here at the Cove and it wa'nt fishin'-busy. Seems early Monday mornin' a fleet of black Caddies appeared in front of Amos' store. When Amos opened up near seven, a man in Bermuda blue matchin" shirt n'shorts told Amos...

Experimental offshore farm permit angers fishermen: say federal support of aquaculture venture comes at expense of commercial fishing fleet.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Already sensitive to what they see as unfair government support of aqua-culture at the expense of their industry, Gulf of Mexico fishermen and their supporters are blanching at word that an experimental offshore fish farm has landed a special...

Fla. harvesters question surface trolling decision: allows exception for recreational fishing.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Florida commercial fishermen are questioning a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council decision to allow recreational surface trolling in two gulf marine reserves. Commercial fishermen, long used to operating under fishing restrictions...

N.C. saltwater license gains House approval: exemptions flaw bill, fishing leader says.(Gulf/South Atlantic)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... North Carolina's House of Representatives in mid-July passed a bill that would establish a saltwater recreational fishing license. But there remains opposition to the measure--and skepticism that it will garner Senate approval next spring. ...

States change course, lower dogfish harvest quota: new NMFS stock assessment prompts Mass., N.H. to shelve push to raise landing limits.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Convincing the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to approve an increase in the dogfish quota may prove to be a Pyrrhic victory for fishermen. Controversy over the status of dogfish stocks prompted David Pierce, deputy director of...

Final wording in fish bill includes commercial fleet: sets rules for closures in R.I. state waters.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... When the Rhode island Legislature recently passed an act championed by recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen wound up winning, too. The Freedom to Fish Marine Conservation Act requires that ally area closures imposed in state waters...

Va. budget woes force crab group to dissolve: bi-state technical panel to continue work.(Northeast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Chesapeake Bay blue crab management, like its crab stocks, suffered another blow recently, when lack of funding forced the Maryland and Virginia Blue Crab Advisory Committee to disband. Begun in 1996, the watchdog group was formed to assess...

Hawaii says 'Aloha' to new Pacific Islands region: council chairman says move acknowledges area's ecological and cultural uniqueness.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Hawaii has said goodbye to the Southwest fisheries management region and hello to the newly created Pacific Islands Region. The region, created by NMFS, includes the islands of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Northern Mariana. It also...

Home port: where we live.(Around The Coasts: news for the nation's fishermen)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... NEW LONDON, CONN. THE TOWN Population: 25.671 (2000 census) Number of boats: A dozen TOP FIVE LANDINGS IN 2002 (In 2002, fishermen landed a total of 5.6 million pounds of fish in New London, worth approximately 4 million...

Ralph Brown. Snapshot: who we are).(Ralph Brown. Snapshot: who we are)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Ralph Brown Brookings, Ore Here's an unlikely tale: A young boy, 8, gets his first commercial fishing license, learns the trade from his dad Inlet goes into business with him and eventually buys him out. Years go by, the man is no...

Displaced longliners find refuge in Golden State: Loophole aids former Hawaii-based boats.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Some Hawaii-based longliners, displaced after U.S. District Court Judge David A Ezra closed millions of square miles to swordfish fishing in 2000, sought refuge in California--much to the disappointment of several environmental groups. The...

Ore. marketing efforts targeting salmon sales: ads extol virtues of troll-caught product.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Oregon fisherman are taking a cue from other marketing organizations, urging consumers to buy wild salmon. The Oregon Salmon Commission in June, in the middle of salmon season, began running ads that said, "Oregon troll-caught salmon--ask...

Miss Cindy Elaine: shrimp trawler.(Boat Of The Month)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... To cope with the high cost of fuel and the tow price of shrimp, Kenneth F. Freeman is going directly to the consumer with the shrimp harvested by Miss Cindy Elaine. "We retail everything we got," Freeman says. "I went through my loud...

Anti-fish-farm study fuels tiff over economic impacts: British Columbia Society for Positive Awareness of Aquaculture criticizes report's findings.(Canada)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A report, partially funded by an anti-salmon-farming lobby group, questions statistics British Columbia's salmon farm industry promotes about the number of jobs it supports and produces and the value of its products. The report, "Fishy...

Court rulings lead DFO to end Native program: judge decides pilot soles discriminatory.(Canada)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Department of Fisheries and oceans' decision to end the controversial Native-only pilot sales program following two judgments criticizing it as unfair effectively ends a summer tradition--non-Native protest fisheries "The courts have...

Fishermen facing variety of 'substantial' charges: Nova Scotia investigation nets 20 so far.(Canada)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... An investigation of fisheries violations in Nova Scotia has resulted in at least 20 fishermen being charged with a variety of offenses, according to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans investigator and Yarmouth Justice Center records The...

Sharing of the wealth is issue in Newfoundland: Minister vows to bolster province fisheries.(Canada)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A former Department of Fisheries and Oceans director general has been appointed to address what Newfound land/Labrador Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Yvonne lanes says is an imbalance in how the wealth from the province's fisheries is...

Salmon harvests vary, but price constant--and low: total catch in all Bristol Bay districts nears Fish and Game predictions of 16.8 million fish.(North Pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The total harvest in all districts of Bristol Bay came close to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's predicted 16,8 million. But Egegik District fishermen felt familiar pangs of run failures when they delivered feeble catches during the...

Herring plugs processor, prompting gillnet closure: 20 tons spoil as boats wait to sell catch.(North Pacific)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Dutch Harbor herring gillnet fishery was shut down lay the season after 20 tons spoiled while boats waited in line to sell their catches. The fleet had fished two weeks with only meager deliveries, But when an onslaught of fish arrived...

Report asserts PCB levels in farmed salmon too high: environmental group says consumption warning would be issued if anglers caught fish.(National)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Farm-raised salmon may be a good source of Omega-3 fatty proteins that reduce the heart of heart disease, but the fish may also be a source of another not so pleasant substance: polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. PCBs are suspected...

U.S. may expand rule on automatic ID systems: homeland locus currently on major ports.(National)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Cost Guard officials are mulling comments on whether new vessel monitoring requirements made part of new homeland security laws should apply to commercial fishing boats in all U.S. ports. Mandatory Automated Identification System use is...

U.S. to rule on the status of Caspian Sea sturgeon: chefs, others call for caviar alternatives.(National)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Dining on true sturgeon caviar from the Caspian Sea may become a thing of the past with the decline of the fish stocks that produce it. It remains to be seen whether many consumers will notice. By Oct. 31, the US Fish and Wildlife...

Creamed codfish with bacon and onion: Frank Melseth, Sand Point, Alaska.(Galley watch: at sea cuisine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... With plenty of Pacific cod available along the south side of the Alaska Peninsula in recent years, it's a small wonder that creamed codfish with bacon and onion would rank among favorite recipes of Frank Melseth. Melseth, 57. fishes his...

Chesapeake industry pins its hopes upon introduction of Asian strain.(Northeast Oysters)
October 1, 2003... The primary question facing Chesapeake Bay oyster harvesters has little to do with price, volume, supply or demand, but revolves around the fishery's continued existence. The shellfish diseases derma and MSX have so badly decimated oysters...

High demand may cure uncertainty of fleet come fall coastal openings.(Pacific Dungeness)
October 1, 2003... In any season opening, uncertainty usually plagues harvesters while retailers keep a pretty good handle on demand. The upcoming fall openings of tribal, Puget Sound and coastal Washington, Oregon and California Dungeness crab are no different....

Stone crab: freezers have few claws, but price will hinge on crabber productivity.(Gulf/South Atlantic)
October 1, 2003... When the Florida stone crab season opens Oct. 15 there'll be hardly any claws left in the freezers. But it's unclear what effect this will have on opening prices. If the season starts slowly, as it did for 2002-03, then ex-vessel prices...

Crab: rationalization plan could hold key to more stable markets, better price.(North Pacific)
October 1, 2003... Comprehensive rationalization of Alaska's crab fisheries could hold the keys to stable markets, if not better ex-vessel prices for fishermen. Creativity in marketing had been hailed as one of attributes of the quota-share system for...

Fishing by the numbers: Tommy Crowder takes a mathematical approach to pound netting at the mouth of the Potomac River.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2003... "Okay... let's go play," Jason Bean says as he strides down the pier to the Kathleen Marie and skips over the gunwale in the drizzly early June dawn. Bean, 25, joins Capt. Tommy Crowder, 37, Tommy's father Larry, 61, and longtime mate...

"Whatever it takes': a poor day's shrimping and a battle over imports won't discourage this Georgia fisherman.(At Sea)
October 1, 2003... Like most successful fishermen, Richard Puterbaugh, skipper of the shrimper Miss Savannah II is a bona fide optimist. "I never planned on getting rich in this industry, and that's the one thing that has come true," he says. "If it was just...

The art of fisheries science: for NMFS' John Boreman, stocks assessments are just the beginning.(In Profile)
October 1, 2003... Don't use the term "Trawlgate" in front of John Boreman, acting director of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Boreman acknowledges it's an easy handle for the events surrounding the September 2002 discovery of uneven trawl warps on the...

A seine conversion: rerigged and refitted, a tuna seiner will try its luck in the herring fishery.(Boats & Gear)
October 1, 2003... Stepping into a bigger boat, in this case a long-range tuna seiner that is being converted to a combination herring seiner and pair trawler, is sure to make the new crew happy. Just ask veteran herring fisherman Joseph Martin of Gloucester,...

Composites take hold: builders of fiberglass boats are using stiffeners that are lighter than wood and figure to last longer.(Boatbuilding)
October 1, 2003... Maybe it was the transition from wooden lobster boats to fiberglass; maybe it was because the early builders of fiberglass lobster boats couldn't figure a better way to provide hull stiffening, construct a bulkhead or support a deck other than...

Following the electronic trail: ever wonder what gave birth to all those things that light up in your wheelhouse?(Power Tracks)
October 1, 2003... Look around the wheelhouse of most fishing boats and you'll find ah array of electronics equipment that might include both VHF and single-sideband radiotelephones, radar, fishfinders, GPS, autopilot and, maybe a stereo. Truly, wheelhouses ate...

Low-power lowdown: running most diesels at reduced throttle settings for extended periods of time can create problems.(Engine Preservation)
October 1, 2003... Avoiding wet stacking and fuel dilution during partial load operations is one of the most challenging aspects of running marine diesel engines. Diesel-engine ratings determine not only what an engine is capable of but also the way it must...

Playing the credit game.(Finance)
October 1, 2003... The current economic environment has caused many financial institutions to tighten lending policies. For an individual in the commercial fishing industry, this makes getting a loan even that more difficult. Because of this, it is absolutely...

Alaska salmon co-op project damaging to locals, industry.(Mail Bouy)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Independent Fishermen of Chignik Lagoon and a majority of the local residents would like to make known their disapproval and outrage over the new cooperative fishery in the Chignik management area. Our fishery is being used as an experiment...

Previous letter misses point; skippers must be accountable.(Mail Bouy)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Regarding John Womack's letter, June NF ("Naval architect joins debate over vessel stability wager," p. 54): Reckon we can give him an "E" for effort, but no win. Obviously, my bet [that a crabber can be designed that could not be rolled...

Gillnetters shipped to N.J.; lobster boat has Kevlar hull.(North)
October 1, 2003... Wedgeport Boats looks like it knows something about gillnetters in Barnegat Light, N.J., that other boatbuilders don't know. In just over two weeks time, this boatbuilding shop in Wedgeport, Nova Scotia sent three of its fiberglass boats to...

Patrol boat is on the prowl; 100-footers hit Oregon yard.(West)
October 1, 2003... The benefits of the exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian dollar is reason enough to send West Coast American vessels to Canadian boatyards to be hauled. In early summer, one such boat, the 105-foot crab boat Polar Lady, went into the dry...

Florida yard starts clammer; crab-dredge boat overhauled.(South)
October 1, 2003... In mid-July, Patti Shipyard of Pensacola, Fla., starting cutting steel plate to build a 134' x 34' x 15' clam boat for Mayetta, N.J., fisherman Barney Truex. She will be used in the mid-Atlantic surf-clam fishery. The new clam boat is a...

Bulletin board.(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... NOV. 20-22 Fish Expo/WorkBoat Northwest Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle www.fishexposeattle.com * www.workboatnw.com In addition to being the largest commercial fishing trade show in the world, Fish Expo...

Put a beacon in your pocket: ACR's GyPSI 406 personal locator makes safety more convenient.(Product Roundup)
October 1, 2003... When you push away from the dock--whether you're a deck hand on a 250-foot factory trawler heading out of the Aleutians' Dutch Harbor or a clammer in a 14-foot skiff working Maine's coves and islands--it pays to have equipment that increases...

New England Seafood Producers Association.(On the Move)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The NEW ENGLAND SEAFOOD PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION, a Boston-based nonprofit organization representing the interests of New England's shoreside seafood industry, has hired an executive director to lead the association into its second year. COREY...

National Marine Representatives Association.(On the Move)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The NATIONAL MARINE REPRESENTATIVES ASSOCIATION announces the election of new officers and board members. EVAN LOVE of Underwood, Love & Associates is the association's new president, CHRIS BYAL of JB Dunn Co. becomes vice president, JIM HANNAN...

Yanmar Marine.(On the Move)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... YANMAR MARINE has reorganized the marketing and sales function at its head office in The Netherlands, resulting in an extended role for TOM WATSON. Watson becomes global marketing manager, reporting directly to Tom Calhoun, Yanmar's vice...

Hagglunds Drives.(On the Move)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... CHUCK SEITZ has been named Regional Sales Manager, Southwest region, for HAGGLUNDS DRIVES North America, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Hagglunds Drives AB, based in Mellansel, Sweden, supplies hydraulic drive systems, motors and pumps for...

National Marine Electronics Association.(Company News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... The NATIONAL MARINE ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION will offer FCC testing along with marine electronics installer teaching and training at its annual convention and exposition set for Oct. 22-25 at the Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa in Fort Myers,...

West Marine, of Watsonville, Calif., awarded its West Marine Clean Water Environmental Award to Save the Harbor/Save the Bay at the annual National Clean Boating Campaign Celebration in Boston on June 21.(Company News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... WEST MARINE, of Watsonville, Calif., awarded its West Marine Clean Water Environmental Award to SAVE THE HARBOR/SAVE THE BAY at the annual National Clean Boating Campaign Celebration in Boston on June 21. The $5,000 award is presented annually...

Manufacturer commits to righting rafts: Holonomic Marine says key is in design and construction of canopy.
October 1, 2003... Your boat's gone down, but the life raft inflated and you've dragged yourself into it. You're out of the water and the raft's canopy protects you from the wind, rain and driving spray. At this point, your chances look pretty good--as long as...

JW Fishers new CT-1 Cable Tracking System was specifically designed to locate deeply buried power and communication cables.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... JW FISHERS new CT-1 CABLE TRACKING SYSTEM was specifically designed to locate deeply buried power and communication cables. The system consists of two parts: a hand-held probe and a signal injector box. The diver or onshore operator carries the...

Dieselcraft Fluid Engineering now markets the "Fuel Bug" Test Kit to detect biological contamination such as bacteria and fungus in diesel fuel.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... DIESELCRAFT FLUID ENGINEERING now markets the "FUEL BUG" TEST KIT to detect biological contamination such as bacteria and fungus in diesel fuel. Using the provided syringe, simply put a small amount of the fuel to be tested into the supplied...

Glen-L Marine Designs has upgraded its line of flat-bottom Pacific Coast dories with the 22-Foot V-Dory.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... GLEN-L MARINE DESIGNS has upgraded its line of flat-bottom Pacific Coast dories with the 22-FOOT V-DORY. The flat bottom aft and upsweep at the bow have remained unchanged, but a "vee" has been incorporated in the forward bottom sections for a...

OPTIMA Batteries are now available in a larger size platform with the introduction of the new Group 31 Size Marine Battery.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... OPTIMA BATTERIES are now available in a larger size platform with the introduction of the new GROUP 31 SIZE MARINE BATTERY. The new Group 31 is built for extreme deep cycle applications and provides a combination of cranking and deep cycle...

ICOM America has released the commercial-rated IC-M602 VHF Radio that incorporates all national and international VHF marine channels and has 25 watts or 1-watt output under marginal battery conditions.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... ICOM AMERICA has released the commercial-rated IC-M602 VHF RADIO that incorporates all national and international VHF marine channels and has 25 watts or 1-watt output under marginal battery conditions. All weather channels are included, and...

North Sea Resins has introduced a new line of Cure-on-Command Resins that can be used for time sensitive pipe and tank repair applications in harsh environments.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... NORTH SEA RESINS has introduced a new line of CURE-ON-COMMAND RESINS that can be used for time sensitive pipe and tank repair applications in harsh environments. These one-part resins require no mixing and can cure at temperature extremes...

Diversified Brands has released a Tri-Flow Food Grade Anti-Seize Compound to prevent seizing, galling, friction and wear on stainless steel threaded parts and other metal-to metal surfaces.(At A Glance)
October 1, 2003... DIVERSIFIED BRANDS has released a TRI-FLOW FOOD GRADE ANTI-SEIZE COMPOUND to prevent seizing, galling, friction and wear on stainless steel threaded parts and other metal-to metal surfaces. The compound has a temperature range of minus 65...

Viseon now offers the VisiFone Broadband Videophone.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... VISEON now offers the VISIFONE BROADBAND VIDEOPHONE. Owners and their crews can communicate anywhere in the world with TV-quality, two-way video conferencing. The VisiFone is a self-contained system that does not require a computer or any...

New Nautical Coatings' new Sea Hawk Cukote Biocide with Biocontrol protects against foulants that can rob a vessel of speed.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... NEW NAUTICAL COATINGS' new SEA HAWK CUKOTE BIOCIDE with Biocontrol protects against foulants that can rob a vessel of speed. Typical antifouling paints are engineered to resist barnacles and hardened marine growth. Unfortunately, buildup of...

MarineEast's new 2-inches-in-diameter Telescoping Scupper compensates for different hull thicknesses and even includes an internal flapper door to eliminate wake or backwash.(At A Glance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... MARINEEAST's new 2-inches-in-diameter TELESCOPING SCUPPER compensates for different hull thicknesses and even includes an internal flapper door to eliminate wake or backwash. Available in an L-head or flat-flange style, the scupper allows rain,...

Last set.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... YOU'LL FIND a little of everything on the waterfront at Sitka, Alaska, on Baranof Island on the Inside Passage. Although Sitka reflects the Tlingit and Russian cultures that have shaped it, fishing and tourism propel its economy today. Sitka...