by Fred Mattera – I am often asked what to do with old, expired flares or if I want them. Actually, I do take and use them to conduct hands-on flare training. I also tell captains to consider keeping an expired flare kit in a container marked “for training purpose only,” distinguishing them from the vessel’s …
Category: February ’13
End of an era: Viking leaves Martha’s Vineyard
MENEMSHA, MA – With the sale of Viking, a 40′ fishing boat that has plied the waters off Martha’s Vineyard for three generations, the island’s oncevibrant fleet of small wooden draggers is now on the brink of extinction. Craig Coutinho of Vineyard Haven sold the vessel in December after fishing aboard her for nearly 50 …
NE council scales back scallop access-area trips, possession limits for 2013 in Framework 24
NEWPORT, RI – Scallopers will be making fewer access-area trips during the 2013 fishing year but will receive roughly the same number of open-area days-at-sea. During its Nov. 13-15 meeting here, the New England Fishery Management Council finalized Framework Adjustment 24 to the federal scallop plan, which includes fishery specifications, general category measures, and other …
Hundreds turn out for meetings on Maine lobster industry’s future
YARMOUTH, ME – Large crowds of lobster industry people flocked to meetings in January for what the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) billed as “an open and honest discussion of issues that currently affect the industry.” The DMR scheduled a total of 16 meetings from York to Machias. At press time in mid-January, roughly …
Dogfish research reveals migration surprises
SOUTH KINGSTON, RI – It’s been a long-held belief that spiny dogfish migrate south for the winter and return to New England each spring, so much so that the federal dogfish fishery management plan has long allocated quota based on seasons. However, two recent research studies funded by the Kingston-based Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) …
Northern shrimp test tows ‘disappointing’
WEST BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ME – Shrimp fishermen up and down the Maine and New Hampshire coastlines – and possibly a few from Massachusetts – were readying to head out to sea on Jan. 23, the first day that trawl vessels were allowed to fish during this 2013 northern shrimp season. Opening day details were unavailable …
The SW Boatworks crew shows off their SHARP banner.
SHOP TALK SW Boatworks of Lamoine, ME recently was recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as an approved member of the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). To quote from a letter OSHA presented to SW Boatworks owner Stewart Workman, “This recognition represents your successful participation in a comprehensive onsite consultation …
Scallopers: Check those turtle dredges!
GLOUCESTER, MA – In early January, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) put out a notice alerting scallopers that enforcement officials have found turtle deflector dredges that are not in full compliance with required specifications and measurements. Until now, many scallopers voluntarily have fished with turtle deflector dredges in the Mid-Atlantic. But come May 1, …
Using flares: Safe handling, firing, training
I am often asked what to do with old, expired flares or if I want them. Actually, I do take and use them to conduct hands-on flare training. I also tell captains to consider keeping an expired flare kit in a container marked “for training purpose only,” distinguishing them from the vessel’s updated kit, and …
BOATS of the YEAR 2023
Sponsored Content
Shopping Cart 
Your shopping cart is empty
Your Account
SPECIAL CONTENT
Updating...