News

Baby boom: Five right whale calves spotted off the coast of Florida
The North Atlantic right whale population off Florida’s East Coast is going through a baby boom, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which announced that its team spotted the fifth calf of the current birthing season last week.

Alaska herring quota up, but year class size may not make the grade
Togiak, Alaska’s herring biomass remains healthy and ready for harvest this year. Meanwhile, the plight in Sitka will be whether the fleet can find fish of a size that the Japanese markets favor.

Tuna in the trees: Fisherman admits he dumped headless catch in the woods
An alleged scheme to sell an illegal bluefin catch cost a Gloucester, Mass., fisherman $26,000.

Galen Alley: Farewell to a fast cat
Galen Alley, who set the Maine lobster boat racing speed record in his 30-foot Foolish Pleasure in 2011, will always be remembered.

Alaska deckhand apprentice program open for applicants
It’s the second year for the Crewmember Apprenticeship program hosted by the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association in Sitka.

Commercial catches of Pacific halibut increase for most Alaska regions
Contrary to all expectations, commercial catches of Pacific halibut were increased for 2019 in all but one Alaska region.

Shrimp boat breaks apart on North Carolina shore
A shrimp boat from Wanchese, N.C., ran aground at Cape Hatteras National Seashore just before dawn on Monday, Feb. 4.

Commercial fisherman pleads guilty to killing great white shark
Captain Vinh Pham, 41, of San Jose, Calif., is being charged for killing a 9-foot great white shark.

Scientists, harvesters, farmers talk shop at Northeast Aquaculture Conference
The aquaculture industry represented by some 550 attendees seemed buoyantly optimistic about the future, despite a slew of regional challenges.

Alaska cod: Under-60s land 5 million pounds in 10 days
Alaska’s inshore Pacific cod fishery opened Jan. 19 in Area O, near Dutch Harbor. Ten days later, the record 36 participating pot boats had made 74 landings, tallying 5.1 million pounds.

Over the mountain: Wegley Boats proves it’s never too late to learn new tricks
Washington’s Wegley Boats has built a business — and boats — that will last.

Rogue Wave: A Grand Banks survival story
On Sept. 6, 1980, Capt. Skip Gallimore and the crew of the 84-foot Lady Alice…