In return
By Jessica Hathaway
As I ease back into my editor’s chair here, many of you are gearing up for the fall and winter seasons, as well as the nation’s biggest commercial fishing trade show, Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle.
The Bering Sea hosts a slate of winter fisheries that keep Dutch Harbor humming through the season of low light. Fisherman and photographer Corey Arnold made his way to Dutch Harbor, Atka Island and the waters beyond to capture some glimpses of factory trawlers on the hunt for Atka mackerel and Pacific Ocean perch, and the crabber Jennifer A out for her last opilio crab run of 2014.
Some of Corey’s crab photos may seem familiar, as that is how many of our readers (and our staff) got to know him. We started working with Corey back in 2006, when “Deadliest Catch” was hitting its stride. He was fishing on the Rollo (and can be seen in episodes from season 2) and supplied some amazing photographs (including the cover) for our April ’06 issue. Since then, he has traveled to many corners of the world to photograph fisheries and other subjects, both fascinating and ordinary — all made spectacular through Corey’s lens. One constant is his summers in Bristol Bay, setnetting at Graveyard Point. Get a taste of Corey’s cold-weather wanderings in a photo essay beginning on page 24.
Most of us are well aware of the Bering Sea crab fishery’s deadly reputation. New Coast Guard rules that are part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 are aimed at improving fleet safety. However, when the act passed, many industry stakeholders found the wording on safety standards to be confusing. On page 44, Boats & Gear Editor Mike Crowley’s story sheds light on the new safety program and explains how it can be tailored to fit the specific risks of your fleet.
Fleet problems are nothing new to Southern fishermen, as John DeSantis explores in his profile of Jane “Miss Janie” Black on page 34. Jane, 71, of Pascagoula, Miss., started gillnetting with her husband, Lonnie, in a 22-foot skiff out of Port Salerno and Fort Pierce, Fla. The two of them danced around management failures and fishery politics by adding fish dealing to the family business and being nimble enough to move around the Gulf of Mexico to chase new opportunities.
Opportunities may be harder to come by in most parts of the country these days, especially as lifelong fishery advocates like Miss Janie retire from the fight. This issue, we introduce a new column, Moment of Youth on page 10, through which we aim to give voice to the next generation of fishermen, industry advocates and evolving fishery issues. We are always inspired to bring you the best and brightest of the commercial fishing industry. Lucky for us, your passion never seems to fade.
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