From the Editor – Fishermens News

From the Editor: Fishing Restrictions Bill

The future of commercial gillnet fishing and the catching of giant sea bass in California are now in doubt, following legislation proposed by a state Assembly member in February that would restrict certain types of fishing in state waters. Assembly Bill 2220 would do three things: completely ban commercial fishing for sea bass, eliminating current exceptions; ban the use of gill nets, also eliminating current exceptions, and mandate that commercial fishing vessels operating with a state permit carry an independent third-party observer onboard while operating within state fisheries. If passed and signed into law, the proposed legislation, which was drafted by Assemblyman Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), could have a sizable impact—financially and in other ways—on the state’s commercial fishing ...

Fishing and Climate Change

If ocean temperatures keep steadily rising as they have been for some time due to climate change, then the U.S. fishing industry will have a big problem on its hands. This is according to experts who recently testified before a U.S. Senate committee on the issue of how climate change affects businesses that depend on the ocean and the creatures in it to sustain their livelihoods. During a 90-minute session titled “Warming Seas, Cooling Economy: How the Climate Crisis Threatens Ocean Industries” held Jan. 24 by the Senate Budget Committee, five people—a fishing guide, an economist, and three professors —testified on the effects that climate change have and could have. “The risks of a changing climate are, by far, the most limiting factor of my potential growth and success as an entrepren...

From the Editor: ‘Ocean Justice’

As 2023 was coming to a close, the Biden administration announced an initiative that could over time, impact commercial fishing areas along the West Coast, Bering Sea and Pacific Islands, especially those that have been, or could be, regarded as overfished. The administration’s first of its kind “U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy” which is meant to “advance environmental justice for communities that rely on the ocean for economic, cultural, spiritual, recreational and food security purposes,” was officially unveiled during the United Nations’ annual Conference of Parties (COP28) in December. The strategy, according to the Biden administration, is motivated by the recognition that many communities—including those who live near the ocean, that depend on marine resources, or that are part of th...

From the Editor: Happy Holidays

As you’re reading these words, it’s probably still late December, but because this issue carries a January cover date, allow me to be among the first to wish you a very Happy New Year. We here at Fishermen’s News hope that 2024 will be a very happy and prosperous year for you, as well as for your loved ones and colleagues. Here at the FN home base, we’ve been cooking up some special content to publish throughout the upcoming year, and I’d like to take a moment to tell you about it. Among the stories that we plan to publish in 2024 are: articles on new and planned boating supplies & equipment that are geared toward commercial fishermen; tips for getting commercial vessels in tip-top shape for the upcoming fishing season; an examination of the trends that companies are following regard...

Scheduling Snafus

By the time you read this, Pacific Marine Expo, one of the biggest trade shows of the year for the commercial fishing industry, will have already taken place Nov. 8-10 in Seattle. But as I write these words, the first event is still a few days away. So, with that being the case, this column comes at an unusual point in time where I’m able to say that I look forward to seeing you at PME … and also that it was great seeing you this year at PME. The Maritime Publishing staff, including myself, worked booth 220 at this year’s event; if you attended the expo, hopefully you got a chance to visit and say hello while you were there. And although from my current perspective the event hasn’t happened yet, I’m sure it will be an engaging, informative gathering, as some of the items on the edu...

Scheduling Snafus

By the time you read this, Pacific Marine Expo, one of the biggest trade shows of the year for the commercial fishing industry, will have already taken place Nov. 8-10 in Seattle. But as I write these words, the first event is still a few days away. So, with that being the case, this column comes at an unusual point in time where I’m able to say that I look forward to seeing you at PME … and also that it was great seeing you this year at PME. The Maritime Publishing staff, including myself, worked booth 220 at this year’s event; if you attended the expo, hopefully you got a chance to visit and say hello while you were there. And although from my current perspective the event hasn’t happened yet, I’m sure it will be an engaging, informative gathering, as some of the items on the educa...

From the Editor: PME ‘23

Once again, the time is almost upon us for one of the largest and longest running annual marine trade shows on the West Coast, the Pacific Marine Expo. This year’s event takes place Nov. 8-10 at the Lumen Field Event Center in Seattle. And this year, as usual, the company behind Fishermen’s News Magazine, Maritime Publishing, will be in attendance all three days. Also on hand will be representatives from Maritime Institute, the San Diego-based business that Maritime Publishing is under the umbrella of. Maritime Publishing and Maritime Institute personnel will staff booth 220 during this year’s expo, and a handful of representatives from each company are scheduled to be there, including CEO-Publisher Dave Abrams, Advertising Sales Manager Katie Higgins, Senior Designer Kathy Samuelson ...

From the Editor: Mexico’s IUU Fishing

In this issue, you’ll find a news brief about NOAA’s 2023 Report to Congress on Improving International Fisheries Management, which identifies seven nations and entities, including Mexico, that are engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. One of the more important parts of the document states that the Mexican government has not done enough to stop illegal fishing vessels in its territorial waters, despite the U.S. bringing the problem to Mexico’s attention numerous times since 2015. The fishing vessels in question, known as lanchas, are catching finfish stocks that are regulated by the United States, including red snapper. Because of this, the U.S. government has decided to keep in place sanctions that have been in place against the Mexican government since Februar...

From the Editor: Oregon Crabbing Restrictions Extended

Bad news was delivered to crab fishers in Oregon on Aug. 4; on that date, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to extend, with no sunset date, restrictive crabbing measures that were originally supposed to end after the current season. The rules restrict the number of crab traps in the water and how deep the traps can drop in the late-season months when humpback whales are more likely to swim there. “We’re trying to strike a balance between conservation and recovery of whale populations, which is mandated under federal law, and having a thriving Dungeness crab fishery,” Troy Buell, head of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s State Fishery Management Program, was quoted as saying in an Aug. 6 Associated Press story. The crabbing restrictions were first put into pla...

From the Editor: Maritime Publishing Acquires The Log

The Maritime Publishing family of periodicals has gotten bigger. On June 12, the company announced the acquisition of The Log newspaper from Newport Beach-based Duncan McIntosh Co. Inc. For those who aren’t familiar, The Log is a biweekly publication based in Orange County, Calif. It been a boating and fishing essential for recreational anglers throughout Southern California since 1971. “The Log is an iconic publication,” Maritime Publishing owner and CEO Dave Abrams said in a statement announcing the acquisition. “I’ve been reading almost every issue since 1990, and I look forward to (acquiring) it. As a boater, it keeps me apprised of everything going on in the SoCal maritime community and provides a great resource for finding service providers, slips, equipment, etc. I’m really prou...