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They say lasting change comes from within. And from where I sit, that applies to commercial fishing boats, as well.

One only has to look down in the engine room of a new, repowered, or refit boat to witness the beginning of a revolution in the way this industry runs.

Boats & Gear Editor Paul Molyneaux reviews the year’s new diesel lineup, including some significant innovations in natural gas and hybrid electric power.

(For more detail on the full range of marine engines, check out our Diesel Directory in the August print issue.)

Although jet power is not new to Alaska’s Bristol Bay fleet, FPT Industrial and Motor-Services Hugo Stamp are putting a new spin on a 32-foot gillnetter built by Tom Aliotti in Bellingham, Wash.

The Killer (on the cover) has already hit the grounds running, and the team that built her is excited to open the Bristol Bay season with a work of art. Read the full story of how the Killer came to be.

We write a lot about the technical aspects of fishing — from gear types to boatbuilding. But the global seafood market is pushing for the fishing industry to answer questions about crew lives and specifically labor practices.

Our Northern Lights column this month dials in on how this next phase of documenting sustainable practices might affect seafood sales as well as questions being asked of suppliers throughout the chain.

Most importantly, it’s an opportunity for Alaska seafood and indeed all domestic suppliers to shine in a somewhat murky global marketplace.

As the whole world shifts around us, it can be easy to feel disoriented by the rapid changes we see just over the horizon. Sometimes the best option is to keep focused on what’s in front of us in this moment.

That’s exactly what Our House columnist Lori French and her husband Jeff did when the F/V Langosta II was sidelined for much of the year. They hatched a new plan that turned a captain into a chicken tender..

Now that the summer is under way, we are all wishing you a safe and successful season. Keep your eyes on the prize!

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Jessica Hathaway is the former editor in chief of National Fisherman.

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