Fishermen’s News – Page 100

1Apr

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California Waypoints

Homeward Bound

By John Platt Hurwitz and Irene Marie Hurwitz Irene and I had been hanging out in San Diego while fishing Albacore in Mexico. It had been a fun winter with family who lived in SD and put us up when not on the boat. Now, it was coming to an end because it was April, and it was time for the Salmon Season opener in Northern California. Although the fishing had been fairly good, it barely covered the boat payment and all our expenses. Irene decided to stay with family and get a job while I took the boat up for the salmon opener. I phoned my part time deckhand, Mike, in San Jose and told him I would pick him up in Moss Landing on Friday, a week later. Once in Moss Landing I planned to fuel up, blow ice, and hit Leonard’s gear store. Irene loved Leonard’s. The store was one large wareho...

1Apr

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News

Coronavirus Puts Seafood Expo North American on Hold

Concern that the coronavirus could turn the nation’s largest seafood show into a petri dish for the virus has prompted postponement of Seafood Expo North America, which is well attended by the Alaska seafood industry. Word spread rapidly after Diversified Communications announced on Tuesday, March 3, that the show, set for March 15-17 in Boston, Mass., was postponed while they look at other options. The notice reads that Diversified is “committed to finding a solution to deliver an event in North America this year, to ensure business continuity to the seafood industry.” Details on when and where will be communicated directly to customers next month. The show, now in its 40th year, generates millions of dollars in sales for the Alaska seafood industry. Jeremy Woodrow, executive direct...

1Apr

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News

Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental & Test Range

As a key navigational feature of the Salish Sea, the Canadian military would like to provide a friendly reminder of their presence in the local area, along with a couple points to consider. Area WG is approximately 60 nautical miles square and is located to the North/West of Nanaimo. During operations the area is extremely hazardous to navigation and is closed to all civilian traffic. To avoid any unnecessary delays please take the time before going out on the water to check whether or not area WG is active. You can always contact Winchelsea Control on VHF Ch. 10 to confirm whether we are active or not. During operations you will hear our Security call on VHF Ch.16 every 30 minutes. Additionally, please note that South Ballenas is Department of National Defense property and is restri...

1Apr

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News

Dutch Harbor is Top Fishing Port for 22nd Year

Dutch Harbor retained its title as the nation’s top fishing port for volume for a 22nd year in the latest Fisheries of the US report issued by NOAA Fisheries, with 763 million pounds landed in 2018. Alaska led all states in volume with landings of 5.4 billion pounds, followed by: Louisiana, 1.0 billion pounds; Washington, 590.0 million pounds; Virginia, 362.5 million pounds; and Mississippi, 320.3 million pounds. New Bedford, Massachusetts, was the leading US port for value for the 19th consecutive year. Alaska led all states in value of landings with $1.8 billion, followed by: Massachusetts, $647.2 million; Maine, $587.4 million; Louisiana, $377.1 million; and Washington, $346.4 million. The annual federal update is described by Cisco Werner, chief scientist at NOAA Fisheries,...

1Apr

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PCFFA

There’s a West Wind Blowing

By Noah Oppenheim Three years ago I wrote my first Fishermen’s News column for PCFFA. This one is my last. It has been quite a trip running this organization. Doing this job has put me deep in the trenches on an extraordinarily broad set of issues. Every day has been different, and I’ve met hundreds of people who I deeply respect and admire for their dedication to the cause. I’m going to miss it. For the past three years I have had the privilege of serving as a leading voice in defense of your profession in the halls of power, engaging in fights that are always worth fighting, and securing victories that make the fishing industry, and the world, a better place. It will be tough to leave this opportunity behind. These are difficult times for commercial fisheries on the West Coas...

1Apr

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Vessel Profile

Vessel Design: Ben Jensen

In 1961, Benjamin F. Jensen left his job as vice president of a successful Seattle shipyard to start a one-man firm, designing boats for the emerging West Coast fishing industry. Ben Jensen had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, and had served his country as a Chief Engineer on a Navy destroyer escort during World War II. When the war ended he was ready to start his career. After receiving his professional engineer’s license he helped establish Marine Construction & Design (MARCO), where he designed a series of popular and beautiful fishing vessels. In 1961 he left MARCO, and opened his firm in downtown Seattle to continue designing fishing boats for the local fleet. Doug Dixon is the manager of Pacific Fishermen shipyard in Seattle. Dixon s...

1Apr

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Bering Sea Fisheries, Features

Bering Sea Processing

Mark Edward Nero The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region is the “sweet spot” of the US North Pacific fishing industry. Not only does it support some of the largest and most valuable commercial fisheries in the United States, but a number of international companies also maintain a presence in the region due to its large and diverse number of fish species. Major fish processing operations are located in Dutch Harbor, Saint Paul, and Akutan, where such species as crab, walleye pollock, scallops, cod, flatfish, sablefish, Pacific salmon, and Pacific herring are found. Additionally, finfish and shellfish stocks in the area provide year-round commercial fishing opportunity for all sizes of vessels and sustain important subsistence harvests for local residents. Transport Sitka, Al...

Fishing Systems: Real Time Information and Decision Making

1Apr

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Bering Sea Fisheries, Features

Fishing Systems: Real Time Information and Decision Making

By Mike Hillers Successful fishing trips are the result of tools and intuition and how these system components manifest themselves in the brains of the fishermen to become decisions and commands from the wheelhouse. Delving into the brains of fishermen might be best left alone, or to the professionals, but tools are fun, plentiful and very varied. Selecting tools to form ‘Fishing Systems’ that can provide the information and data to influence decision making is important. The right tools will both ease stress and increase the efficiency of all fishing operations. Many decisions are made on a macro level; When to fish and where to fish are the usually the result of regulation, weather or geography. Within the confines of these parameters however the fisherman takes control. It is u...