National Fisherman

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Nick Rahaim

Contributor

Nick Rahaim is a writer and commercial fisherman based in Monterey, Calif. Check out his website, outside-in.org, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @nrahaim.

Author Archive

A kelp forest off the California coast. Kelp canopies provide critical nearshore habitat for fish, invertebrates, and outmigrating salmon smolts. Shutterstock photo.

Kelp's crisis is the fleet's crisis

National Fisherman Highliner: Dick Ogg

On-demand (ropeless) lobster pot gear on the deck of a commercial fishing vessel. NEFSC photo.

The Case for Ropeless

EdgeTech ropeless pop-up gear — The EdgeTech system, shown on Canadian snow crab gear, uses an acoustic modem that reportedly is adaptable to almost any fishery. EdgeTech photo.

Restricted waters test of on-demand lobster gear in southern New England

The California swordfish fleet is making a long transition from large-mesh gillnets to a deep-set buoy gear and harpoon fishery. Photo by Delaney Trowbridge and provided by Nathan Perez.

The slow death and uncertain future of California’s swordfish fishery

A pilot whale entangled in a swordfish drift gillnet. NMFS photo.

New federal law phases out large-mesh drift gillnets for California swordfish

A Dungeness crab pot. California wildlife officials are delaying the 2026 crabbing season opener until at least Jan.1 to avoid gear entanglement risk to a reported abundance of humpback whales. CDFW image.

Two whale entanglements lead to early closure of California Dungeness crab season

Kim Sawicki, founder of Sustainable Seas Technology, works with deckhands on the F/V Capt Lynn out of Townsend, Ga., to test a new pot configuration for black sea bass. Sustainable Seas Technology photo

Ropeless gear puts South Atlantic black sea bass fishermen back on the water

Benjamin Platt: Crab boss

Paige Bower moved to Petersburg, Alaska, in 2018 to fish in the summer and work on knife-making and leather-craft in the winters.

Who we are: Paige Bower