Category: December ’13

New England council adopts river herring catch caps

HYANNIS, MA – Fishermen who use midwater trawls or bottom trawls and land more than 6,600 pounds of Atlantic herring will need to pay extra attention to river herring and shad bycatch in the future. During its late September meeting here, the New England Fishery Management Council adopted area-specific and gear-specific catch caps for a …

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EDITORIAL – Northeast fisheries merit federal support

The tremendous importance of Northeast fisheries to local, state, and national economies is the main message of “Fisheries of the United States 2012,” the latest installment of the annual report from the National Marine Fisheries Service that compiles statistics on landings and their value for ports around the nation. The document is a must-read, especially …

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Red’s Best partners with nonprofits, NAMA to build demand for local fish

CHATHAM, MA – The mechanical whir of the Chatham Fish Pier lift is swiftly followed by a dull thud and whoosh as dozens of dogfish slide down the metal chute and into a large plastic tub. Devon Walsh immediately begins shoveling ice on top of the fish, while a digital readout keeps tabs on their temperature, …

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Fishermen gain monkfish relief in north – even on groundfish days

GLOUCESTER, MA – Vessels with Category C and D monkfish permits now will be able to land unlimited amounts of monkfish from the Northern Fishery Management Area for the rest of the 2013 fishing year while working under a monkfish or groundfish day-at-sea. The landing-limit suspension became effective Oct. 28 after the National Marine Fisheries …

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Maine to cut glass eel landings by at least 25 percent; require ‘swipe cards’

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA – Maine’s glass eel fishermen will have to reduce their landings next year by 25% to 40% compared to this year under an agreement negotiated with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).  Furthermore, eel industry participants likely will have to use a new swipe card reporting system developed by the …

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Scallopers expand RSA priorities to include predation, water quality

GLOUCESTER, MA – Atlantic sea scallop fishermen are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential impact of global warming, ocean acidification, predation, and disease on their fishery. Mike Marchetti, president of the Eastern New England Scallop Association, summed it up pretty succinctly this past winter during a meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council’s scallop …

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SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Station bills – Know your job in an emergency

by Fred Mattera During a recent simulated engine room fire drill, I observed a seasoned crewman, someone who has been engaged in safety drills for the last seven years, become impetuous and anxious instead of composed and thoughtful. By doing things without serious thought, he made some simple but dangerous mistakes that, in a real-life …

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SW Boatworks keeps on growing

by Brian Robbins When Stewart Workman first opened SW Boatworks in Lamoine in 2000, the shop’s main focus was custom finishing of hulls from other shops.  Thirteen years later, the offer still stands, and one of SW’s projects this winter will be a 46′ Wesmac lobster boat. But, the acquisition of Calvin Beal’s molds in …

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