National Fisherman

Paul Molyneaux

Editor

Paul Molyneaux is the Boats & Gear editor for National Fisherman.

Author Archive

The Cooperative Research Branch of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center wants fishermen with knowledge and experience to help collect data for the biggest mackerel research project in decades. NOAA photo.

Northeast Science Center wants fishermen for mackerel cooperative research

The Pacific Legal Foundation is arguing that the otters should be delisted as a threatened species, and petitioning the Fish and Wildlife Service to exempt fishermen from liability for incidental takes of southern sea otters. Photo courtesy of UFWS

Fishermen challenge sea otter protections in Calif. waters

Rowan Miller has been working on her father’s salmon seiner since she was 14. At 24, she has utilized the Alaska Commercial Fishing Loan Program to finance the purchase of her first boat, the Journeyman. Credit: Rowan Miller

Boat of the Month: Journeyman

Reid Wilson returned to Eastport, Maine, in 1989. Wilson started fishing in the 1930s and kept fishing for over 60 years, until there was nothing left to catch. He blamed draggers for the disappearance of groundfish in Cobscook Bay. Photo courtesy of Quod

Downeast groundfish vanish, leaving stories and questions behind

To protect whales, Maine lobstermen have increased their trawl size, added weak links in buoy lines, switched to sinking groundlines, switched to purple rope for buoy lines to identify Maine gear, and honored seasonal closures. Paul Molyneaux photo.

More than one way to save a whale

The Michael and Kristin, a 65-foot offshore lobsterboat built in 1982 at Gladding and Hearn, hauled out on the 400-ton Syncrolift at Rose Marine in Gloucester. “We’re putting a new shaft in,” says Frank Rose, company owner and head of operations. Photo co

Rose Marine serves the industry with a large inventory of propeller shafts

Russ Mullins brought his whale rope to the 2025 PME in Seattle. Mullins launched Pacific Rope Works in 2025 as regulations began to kick in requiring Dungeness crab fishermen to use colored rope specific to their particular state. Photo courtesy of Paul M

Pacific Ropeworks helps fishermen save whales and money

Jeremy Zirlott, of Bayou la Batre, Alabama, buys from his three boats and two others. He packs his own shrimp and is pushing up his wholesale prices to try to get more money to the boats as fuel prices rise. “I also preach fuel efficiency,” he says. Photo

Fishermen weigh fuel costs against the catch

The 52-foot-high door in the Belliveau repair shop enables the yard to haul in vessels without having to take down any superstructure, which might turn a quick repair into a lengthier project. Photo courtesy Troy Channing

Strong and seaworthy boats are the pride of Belliveau Shipyard

The Longsoaker timed-release bait container can keep a crab pot fishing even when boats can’t get out to bait their traps. According to its creator, Russ Mullins, the Longsoaker can increase catches by anywhere from 25 to 45 percent. Longsoaker photo.

The Longsoaker promises to bait your pots automatically