National Fisherman

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Boats & Gear

Mirage, a 50-foot longliner and troller, is now equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system. ALFA photo.

Alaska's first hybrid-electric fishing boat lowers costs, boosts ocean environment

Margaret Bauman

Josh Sanford, who bull rakes for clams in Raritan Bay on the New Jersey/New York border powers his 21-foot, 1981 T-Craft with a used 150-hp Yamaha four-stroke from Skipjack Marine. Skipjack Marine photo.

Getting everything Yamaha has to give

Paul Molyneaux

Over 100 groundfish industry volunteers worked in 80 degree heat at Terminal 91 at the Port of Seattle on May 28 to clean four huge midwater trawl nets to recycle plastics in the into new products. Photo by John Dunlap, Trident Seafoods

Groundfish industry cleans 55,935 pounds of nets for recycling

Margaret Bauman

Homer, Alaska, boatbuilder Ivan Bargasin had a Nanni shipped north to repower his propeller driven 32-foot Bristol Bay gillnetter. Built on a Scania Block, the Nanni N13 is paired with a ZF360 gear at 1.5:1. Ivan Basargin photo.

Kraft Power delivers Nanni engines to US fishermen

Paul Molyneaux

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

Paul Molyneaux

The hull of the Miss Violet II is being fiberglassed and repowered with a new Cummins QSC 600 diesel engine to work in the Virginia blue crab pot fishery. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

The enduring pull of the wooden deadrise boat

Larry Chowning

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

Paul Molyneaux

Pollock trawlers operate under strict bycatch limits designed to protect Pacific salmon stocks. Shuttertsock photo.

Research continues toward automated bycatch monitoring

Margaret Bauman

From top left: Lia Morris, senior community development officer, Island Institute; Patrick Fogg, president, Fogg’s Boatworks; George “Casey” Morrill, dock manager Spruce Head Co-op; Chris Ponnwitz, chief commercial oficer, Mack Sustainable Energy, Mack Boring & Parts Co.; Tom Watson, president, ePropulsion Americas; Phoebe Wheeler, community development officer, Island Institute; Bob Baines, captain F/V Thrasher, former Spruce Head Co-op president. Island Institute photo.

Maine lobstermen plug in with new electric workboat

NF Staff

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

Paul Molyneaux

Brian Shaw (left) and Eric Klose stack retired commercial fishing nets for shipment to Ukraine, where they will be used to entangle Russian drones before they can explode — protecting soldiers in trenches and civilians in markets and homes. Ground Squirrel Ventures photo.

Commercial fishing nets have new life in Ukrainian war zones

Margaret Bauman