
--
-- Table structure for table `yw_members`
--

CREATE TABLE `yw_members` (
  `MemberID` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `Firstname` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Lastname` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Company` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Phone` varchar(15) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `CountryID` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `StateID` int(11) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `City` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Zip` varchar(15) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Address1` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Address2` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Password` varchar(50) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Email` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Individual` char(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `DealerBroker` char(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `MembershipID` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `BillingFirstname` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingLastname` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingAddress` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingStateID` int(11) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `BillingCity` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingZip` varchar(15) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingCN` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `BillingCVV` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `PaymentPeriod` tinyint(2) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `PaymentDate` datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
  `PaymentStatus` tinyint(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `MemberStatus` tinyint(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '1',
  `RegistrationDate` datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
  `BillingCT` tinyint(4) DEFAULT NULL,
  `BillingExp` varchar(10) DEFAULT NULL,
  `DealerInfo` text,
  `DealerMail` varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (`MemberID`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=672 DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

--
-- Dumping data for table `yw_members`
--

INSERT INTO `yw_members` VALUES (67,'Michael','Burk\0','','919-630-8352',1,34,'Fuquay Varina','27526','9275 US 401 N','','live2FISH','mburks@colemansteelinc.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2006-06-13 20:58:18',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(204,'Mark','McManus','','704-363-3276',1,34,'Belmont','28012','315 Belwood Dr','','termac28','mmcmanus47@carolina.rr.com','1','0',0,'Mark','McManus','315 Belwood Dr',34,'Belmont','28012','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2008-02-04 20:12:04',3,'',NULL,NULL),(205,'Alan','Bartlett','','518-859-8660',1,33,'Malta','12020','507 Malta Avenue','','sparky','survey@mysticjitney.com','1','0',0,'Alan','Bartlett','507 Malta Avenue',33,'Malta','12020','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2008-02-05 10:11:31',2,'',NULL,NULL),(5,'Michael','Howell','The Coastal Mariner','252-243-3441',1,34,'Wilson','27896','5600 Hornes Church Rd','','coastal','sobx0001@hotmail.com','0','0',2,'Michael','Howell','5600 Hornes Church 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Curtis Stokes offers professional, honest, discreet and personal assistance to a select group of clients and customers worldwide.\r\n\r\n','curtis@curtisstokes.net'),(285,'Will','Fort','','803-983-0648',1,41,'Edisto','','','','will2010','wtfort@sc.rr.com','1','0',0,'','','',54,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-03-23 14:33:37',0,NULL,'',''),(287,'William','Lowish','','706-339-6330',1,41,'Mount Pleasant','29466','1241 Spoon Court','','winnie01','ktlowish@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'Katherine','Lowish','1241 Spoon Court',41,'Mount Pleasant','29466','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-04-12 17:48:12',3,'',NULL,NULL),(288,'TOM','MASON','','252-229-0950',1,34,'new bern','28562','100 sandpiper ct','','boat5','motnosam1@gmail.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-04-26 13:24:16',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(289,'Burton','Hyde','','910-477-0039',1,34,'Supply','28462','15 D-Ann St. SW','','missy123','bhyde@atmc.net','1','0',0,'Burton','Hyde','15 D-Ann St. SW',34,'Supply','28462','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-05-11 09:12:33',2,'',NULL,NULL),(315,'Frank','King','','843-247-6775',1,41,'Bluffton','29910','10 North Lake Road','','diesel','powerking@hargray.com','1','0',0,'Debra','King','10 North Lake Road',41,'Bluffton','29910','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-10-05 21:37:21',3,'',NULL,NULL),(291,'John','Roche','','732-996-9921',1,41,'Charleston','29492','1429 Hooper Street','','jeeps93','tradewinds@homesc.com','1','0',0,'John','Roche','1429 Hooper Street',41,'Charleston','29492','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-05-27 12:39:49',2,'',NULL,NULL),(292,'George','Moffitt','Export Yacht Sales','561-588-8180',1,10,'','','','','george2010','george@exportyachtsales.com','0','1',19,'George','Moffitt','',54,'','','','',6,'2010-06-10 11:39:40',1,1,'2010-06-10 11:39:10',0,NULL,'','george@exportyachtsales.com'),(571,'james','liverman','','919-965-3713',1,34,'selma','27576','266 price road','','liverman39','james_liverman@att.net','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2011-10-02 11:59:23',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(297,'anita','theodore','','910-262-6103',1,34,'wilmington','28408','po box 16647','','jesusAl64one','jetskimama@att.net','1','0',0,'anita','ward','1507 burnett rd',34,'wilmington','28409','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-07-20 16:24:47',2,'',NULL,NULL),(662,'ywmkcxnhezf','MZhqnhveirQZ','google','123456-123456-1',1,2,'Wboro Falls\r\n','123456','http://www.thewholesalejerseysworld.com/','Clybury\r\n','A2sZ123Rp','q.i.ng.hu.imin.g.o.u.r@gmail.com\r\n','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-12-26 18:47:40',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(309,'Eddie','Mundy','','336-325-0573',1,34,'Mt Airy','27030','245 oak hill dr','','moondog','moondog0801@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'Eddie','Mundy','245oak hill dr',34,'Mt Airy','27030','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-09-09 13:11:17',2,'',NULL,NULL),(535,'Ferrell','McLain','','804-580-0292',1,47,'Reedville','22539','579 Buzzard Point Rd','','HSIFYAB','ferrellmclain@gmail.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2011-08-09 15:06:28',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(311,'John','Cheeks','','912-352-4988',1,11,'Thunderbolt','31404','2711 River Drive','','kingfish','j.cheeks@comcast.net','1','0',0,'John','Cheeks','2711 River Dr',11,'Thunderbolt','31404','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-09-13 11:13:14',2,'',NULL,NULL),(542,'Pamela','Beane','','336-749-1873',1,34,'Winston Salem','27107','826 Mt Vernon Church Road','','Trucanine','810oa4@triadhomecare.com','1','0',0,'Pamela','Beane','826 Mt Vernon Church Road',34,'Winston Salem','27107','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2011-09-01 11:51:53',2,'',NULL,NULL),(548,'Scott','Schneider','United Yacht Sales','919-645-8419',1,34,'Cary','27519','302 Briardale Ave','','seapro22','sos@unitedyacht.com','1','0',0,'Scott','Schneider','302 Briardale Ave',34,'Cary','27519','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2011-09-08 15:33:02',3,'',NULL,NULL),(357,'Michael','Akins','SPEEDSTER MOTOR CAR','727-584-3606',1,10,'Largo','33771','2320 10th St. S.E.','','lana2275','mike@speedstermotorcar.com','1','0',0,'Michael','Akins','2320 10th St. S.E.',10,'Largo','33771','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-11-05 12:01:13',2,'',NULL,NULL),(400,'Hubert','Bordeaux','','910-409-0593',1,34,'Wilmington','28411','434 Biscayne Drive','','Hubbie','hbordeaux@bellsouth.net','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-12-03 12:49:06',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(432,'Don','Dixon','','252-633-6336',1,34,'New Bern','28562','655 Spring Garden Road','','dedsmm','dixonshsd@embarqmail.com','1','0',0,'Donald','Dixon','655 Spring Garden Road',34,'New Bern','28562','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2010-12-28 11:43:13',2,'',NULL,NULL),(455,'Marlene','Loney','Caverhill Lodge Inc.,','125-125-1250',3,54,'Barriere, B.C.','V0E 1E0','P.O. 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Pleasant','29464','1318 Sandy Shore Court','','retired2','cumcnb2@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'Timothy John','Spackman','1318 Sandy Shore Court',41,'Mt. Pleasant','29464','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2011-12-12 12:50:49',3,'',NULL,NULL),(666,'Thurman','Whitehead','','910-995-1693',1,34,'Oriental','28571','1023 Pirates Cove Circle','','sherbert00','dwhitehead00@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2013-02-03 12:56:29',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(642,'Michael','Rogers','','910-897-5906',1,34,'Dunn','28334','70 Bayside Rd.  ','','chevelle','mfishing67@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'michael','rogers','70 bayside road ',34,'dunn','28334','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-02-09 20:44:17',2,'','',''),(643,'Jay','Richardson','','843-225-2628',1,41,'North Charleston','29406','5071 Rivers Aven','','palms1025','jamesr@teamcharlestonmarine.com','1','0',0,'Darlene','Venable','612 Palm blvd',41,'Isle of Palms','29451','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-02-14 14:11:42',2,'','',''),(652,'Sandra','Carroll','','910-818-3191',1,34,'Autryville','28318','1555 Holland Road','','carlisle1','esandj@intrstar.net','1','0',0,'Sandra','Carroll','1555 Holland Road',34,'Autryville','28318','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-04-30 15:56:18',1,'',NULL,NULL),(653,'Wayne','Palmer','','919-394-2928',1,34,'Pikeville','27863-9305','201 Edgerton Farm Dr','','peanut0626','bacdoc@bellsouth.net','1','0',0,'Susan','Palmer','201 Edgerton Farm Dr',34,'Pikeville','27863-9305','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-05-02 17:48:24',3,'',NULL,NULL),(654,'Arnold','Frye','','828-345-0012',1,34,'Hickory','28601','1504 4th St. N.W.','','gracie822','fryefish54@hotmail.com','1','0',0,'Arnold Dwight','Frye','1504 4th St. N.W.',34,'Hickory','28601','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-05-20 21:51:36',2,'',NULL,NULL),(655,'Larry','Grantham','Self','919-689-2503',1,34,'Four Oaks','27524','1201 Harper House Rd','','myboat','ljgrantham@bellsouth.net','1','0',0,'Larry','Grantham','1201 Harper House Rd',34,'Four Oaks','27524','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-05-29 15:25:37',3,'',NULL,NULL),(656,'Shane','Coltrain','','252-814-6955',1,34,'Greenville','27834','1025 WH Smith Blvd','','Woody2485','SCOLTRAIN@OANDPEAST.COM','1','0',0,'Shane','Coltrain','1025 WH Smith Blvd Suite 108',34,'Greenville','27834','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-06-03 22:02:32',1,'',NULL,NULL),(657,'George','Cameron','','910-540-2717',1,34,'Wilmington','28409','221 Bradley Drive','','lastdance','mail@georgecameron.com','1','0',0,'George','Cameron','221 Bradley Drive',34,'Wilmington','28409','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-06-22 10:08:29',2,'',NULL,NULL),(658,'Robert','Costa','','252-638-6916',1,34,'New Bern','28560','6001 Cassowary Lane','','atsoc','bobcostausn@hotmail.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2012-08-14 13:54:28',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(667,'Lanny','Dillon','','910-540-2203',1,34,'Supply','28462','2801 Jamie Lane','','lacidaci','ldillon@atmc.net','1','0',0,'Leann','Dillon','2801 Jamie Lane',34,'Supply','28462','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2013-02-03 12:58:38',2,'',NULL,NULL),(668,'Slick','Lee','Slick llc','231-231-2312',1,2,'Alaska','99501','JLN Marg , apex street','','123456','slick@mailinator.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2013-02-06 03:58:29',0,NULL,NULL,NULL),(669,'Ken','Howell','','704-985-7184',1,34,'Norwood','28128','8225 Fork Road ','','taylen','Lilmisspriss207@yahoo.com','1','0',0,'Mary','Howell','8225 fork rd. ',34,'Norwood','28128','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2013-02-15 11:34:44',2,'','',''),(671,'Eugene','Corbett','','843-813-6418',1,41,'Summervile','29485','9305 Moreto Circle','','Vivian123','ecor20501@aol.com','1','0',0,'','','',0,'','','','',0,'0000-00-00 00:00:00',0,1,'2013-03-05 13:50:43',0,NULL,NULL,NULL);

--
-- Table structure for table `yw_memberships`
--

CREATE TABLE `yw_memberships` (
  `MembershipID` tinyint(4) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `Membership` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Description` text NOT NULL,
  `Boats` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `FeaturedBoats` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `CostPerMonth` decimal(6,2) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0.00',
  `Ord` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `deleted` tinyint(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  PRIMARY KEY (`MembershipID`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=21 DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

--
-- Dumping data for table `yw_memberships`
--

INSERT INTO `yw_memberships` VALUES (0,'Free','Free membership',0,0,0.00,-1,0),(3,'Silver Plan','Our SILVER PLAN allows a member to list 20 boats and includes 2 featured listings for ONLY $39.95 per month! ',20,2,39.95,2,0),(8,'Bronze Plan','Our BRONZE PLAN package allows a member to list 10 boats and includes 1 featured listing for ONLY $29.95 per month! ',10,1,29.95,1,0),(10,'Gold Plan','Our GOLD PLAN package allows a member to list 30 boats and includes 3 featured listings for ONLY $49.95 per month! ',30,3,49.95,3,0),(19,'Platinum Plan','Our PLATINUM PLAN allows a member to list 50 boats and includes 5 featured listings for ONLY $69.95 per month! ',127,5,69.95,4,0),(20,'premium','100 boats',100,3,39.95,5,1);

--
-- Table structure for table `yw_news`
--

CREATE TABLE `yw_news` (
  `NewsID` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `Head` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `Body` text,
  `Date` int(14) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  PRIMARY KEY (`NewsID`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=105 DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;

--
-- Dumping data for table `yw_news`
--

INSERT INTO `yw_news` VALUES (7,'Welcome to Coastal Mariner\'s Classifieds','We hope you enjoy your stay on our site as you buy or sell your boats. We have tried hard to provide a web site that will help you in your quest to find the boat of your dreams or provide you with a web site that promises to work very hard to help you sell your boat.\r\n\r\nHere at www.coastalmariner.com we believe in one goal and that is to provide our customers with top notch old fashioned service.  We are a family owned web site and monitor this web site on a daily basis.  We are not a large corporation that only cares about the bottom line.  Our goal is to help you buy or sell a boat.  That is why we started this web site.  So many companies these days have forgot what should be the most important thing and that is their customers.  I can assure you the staff here at www.coastalmariner.com will do everything in their power to make sure your time and effort pay off for you.  \r\n\r\nThank you for visiting and come back to see us!\r\n\r\nMichael',1242273600),(98,'Abandoned watercraft law effective Dec. 16','The S.C. General Assembly recently passed a new abandoned watercraft bill into law effective Dec. 16, 2008. The S.C. Code of Laws 50-21-190 makes it a crime to abandon a watercraft or an outboard motor on public lands or waters of the state and also provides for the removal of abandoned watercraft at the expense of the owner. Fines upon conviction of this misdemeanor are between $1000 and $5000 and/or imprisonment up to 30 days.\r\n\r\nAn abandoned watercraft is defined as any that has been moored, stranded, wrecked, sinking, or sunk, and has been left unattended for more than 45 days. This does not apply to a watercraft abandoned in an emergency although after an emergency the owner/operator is expected to recover the watercraft.\r\n\r\n\"This is more than dealing with an eyesore on state waterways,\" said S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Colonel Alvin Taylor. \"We now have another tool to deal with navigational and environmental hazards. Abandoned watercraft can float free and cause damage to private property and leak fuel.\"\r\n\r\nAny owner or other person with information on an abandoned watercraft should contact the DNR Law Enforcement Investigations Section at (843) 953-9378 or 1-800-922-5431. \r\n\r\nDNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.\r\n\r\nVisit http://www.dnr.sc.gov/ for more information.\r\n',1242273600),(99,'E-15 Gasoline for All?','ALEXANDRIA, Va. May 12, 2009 – The nation’s largest recreational boat owners group, BoatUS, is joining a chorus of boat, car and engine manufacturers including the National Marine Manufacturers Association and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club in saying “Not so fast” to a petition brought by the ethanol lobby to the EPA that would allow the amount of ethanol permitted in gasoline to be increased from 10% to 15%.  BoatUS is asking recreational boaters to speak out on the issue before the petition comment period ends May 21. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe trade group Growth Energy, which represents the ethanol producers, investors, and corn growers, wants to increase the use of ethanol in the nation’s fuels.  If successful, the petition would grant the ethanol industry a waiver to allow a 15% ethanol concentration in gasoline.  However, BoatUS is concerned because boat engines were not designed for use with gasoline containing more than 10% ethanol, and using any greater concentration above that level may void engine warranties, damage motors and fuel systems and potentially lead to significant safety issues.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“We support renewable energy,” said BoatUS Vice President of Government Affairs Margaret Podlich. “However, our recent experience with a nationwide roll-out of E10, or a 10% ethanol concentration, leads us to believe there has to be a lot more science and unbiased testing before we can universally accept E15.”  Podlich is referring to the widely known problems with ethanol’s ability to attract water into gasoline, degrade fiberglass gas tank walls to the point of failure, and its solvent-like quality which has led to catastrophic boat engine failures and major repair or replacement costs.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“A few years ago, no one thought there would be any problems with E10, and there were.  Boaters got stuck with the tab for repairs.  Independent authorities have not tested higher levels of ethanol in marine engine systems, and its use may void a warranty.  If this petition for a waiver is approved for E15 now — without testing it first for use with marine engines — boaters might be on the hook for these repair costs.  All we are saying is let’s first take a look at all the facts before we increase the use of ethanol by 50%,” she added.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBoatUS urges boaters to go to http://www.BoatUS.com/gov before the federally-mandated comment period ends on May 21 to send the EPA an email asking them to deny the waiver for E15 fuel until more testing is done.  BoatUS is part of a broad coalition of over 50 consumer, industry and environmental organizations working to ensure science is part of the federal decision. ',1242273600),(28,'How to give your boat that glossy new, superior shine!','This guide will give you the basic essentials on how to keep and maintain that glossy shine for years to come. \r\n\r\nIf you are trying to sell your boat, the first thing you must remember is, when you have a new or used boat for sale, the first impression is everything! \r\n\r\nWashing your boat: \r\n\r\nThe first part of the maintenance process that most boaters will start with is, washing the boat itself. I recommend washing the boat with a good high-quality marine soap, simply because some household cleaner soaps have very high alkaline levels in them and will strip the wax off your boat\'s hull a lot faster than marine boat soaps will. They also may etch the gelcoat if they are not removed before drying. \r\n\r\nI recommend using Orpine boat soap due to the fact that it is a concentrate, works great, and goes a very, very long way! It also has a very pleasant pine scent and can be used in a plastic spray bottle for your interior cabin area, live wells, fish boxes etc. \r\n\r\nWhen washing your boat, you will need some essential cleaning accessories; a bucket, boat soap, a washing tool and water are all you really need to get started. \r\n\r\nFirst, give your boat a good rinse job, starting from the top working your way to the bottom getting all the dust particles off the canvas, glass, plastic, brightwork, gelcoat, deck areas etc. This will ensure that you do not scratch anything with small, but damaging dust particles. \r\n\r\nHelpful tip: Rinse your boat and rinse it often. Just by rinsing your boat with freshwater, you will drastically reduce the amount of time needed to wash and wax your boat. It does not take that much time at all to do at the end of a day and is very good preventative maintenance. \r\n\r\nYou should use a Soft-medium bristled deck brush for cleaning cushions, canvas, bimini and sail areas. Do not use a brush on any plastic curtains, enclosures or windows. I recommend using Swobbits® Soft Fleece Washing Pad to clean these areas. This tool will allow you to use on both your deck and hull areas, as well as your enclosures and plastics, saving you more space on your boat that you will find quickly filling up with all your boating toys. \r\n\r\nSo you now have finished washing the boat, now it\'s time to get that boat dry. I have heard of just about every type of drying method there is, from using plain old rags to leaf blowers. Yes, I did say leaf blowers. Although the leaf blower idea sounds good, it may not be the most practical method at times. Not to mention, you do not want to fall in the water with one of those strapped to your back! \r\n\r\nI suggest a drying product called the Quik-Dry® 12\" Water Blade. This blade is designed to move water from the hull, top decks, plastics and/or enclosure areas very quickly and is far quicker than using any chamois alone. When using the Quik-Dry® Water Blade and a drying chamois together, the results are absolutely phenomenal! Whatever drying method you may choose, just be sure to get the water off before the water spots appear. \r\n\r\nWaxing your boats hull and topsides: \r\n\r\nThe number one question a new or intermediate boater asks is \"what is the best wax to use\" and if they bought an older used boat, the other question is \"how do I get that dull look on my hull to disappear?\" \r\n\r\nWell first let\'s start off by saying that one of the most important parts of the waxing process is to properly prep the surface first. When starting, most veteran boaters will use a fiberglass hull cleaner to get all the barnacles, algae and scum present on the hull\'s surface. I recommend using Marykate\'s On & Off Hull Cleaner to do this job. This product is very easy to apply, simply roll or brush on, let sit and rinse away! There is no scrubbing necessary and it will not harm your gelcoat. \r\n\r\nThe On & Off is primarily used to clean your hull\'s bottom, however it can be used on your topsides and non-skid areas as well as long as you reapply a wax or polish after use. Some other very good fiberglass cleaners worth mentioning are FSR, Collinite\'s 920 fiberglass cleaner and Y-10\'s Absorbent Gel. \r\n\r\nHelpful tips: With the On & Off, this stuff is a pretty powerful acid cleaner so you need to avoid breathing the fumes. Also protect your skin, and the surroundings when applying. Be careful not get on any metal, as it will corrode it. Have a water supply nearby and try to find an area to apply where you can wash away and dilute the run off right away and you should be fine. Just remember you must reapply a wax or polish everytime you use the On & Off hull cleaner, as with most hull cleaners. \r\n\r\nOne more helpful tip, if you ask any detail shop, what is one of their most important tools for detailing, they will all probably give you the same answer, clean rags and lot\'s of them. This is one of the most over looked tools when it comes to detailing. I personally recommend terry cloth towels, but you can also use a 100% cotton rag as well. Just make sure the rag is clean, that is the key to doing a good job. \r\n\r\nOxidized gelcoats: \r\n\r\nHow bad is the oxidized gelcoat? Is it mild, moderate, or severe? \r\n\r\nWhen your gelcoat is oxidized, try to judge how bad it is and start with the least aggressive rubbing compound available. I suggest you start with Collinite\'s 920 fiberglass cleaner first, which contains a microscopic abrasive formula.. \r\n\r\nIf your boat\'s gelcoat is oxidized but not too severely (mild, moderate-dull look) then first go with a fine rubbing compound such as - 3M Finesse-IT 11 finishing material or 3M\'s one-step cleaner and wax, but that\'s not until you try Collinite\'s 920 fiberglass cleaner, you may be very pleasantly surprised and if you can get away without using a rubbing compound - then by all means do so. Remember, when using abrasives (rubbing compounds), they will actually cut into and remove the gelcoat. \r\n\r\nYou will want to use the least abrasive product as possible. Start with a mild or medium oxidation remover and work your way up to the most severe abrasives. \r\n\r\nIf your gelcoat is really severely oxidized, and when you rub your finger across the gelcoat and it leaves a chalky white substance, then try 3M\'s Restorer and Wax or 3M\'s Super-Duty Rubbing Compound. It works well and it is not too aggressive on the gelcoat. Then make sure to follow up with a good wax or polish. If it is really bad and at the point of no return, you may need to talk to your local boat yard and have it done professionally. \r\n\r\nThis leads us to the second part of the two-step waxing process, which is the actual waxing and buffing itself. This is where I will recommend the wax I think (and a lot of other marine professionals and boaters do as well) is \"hands down\" the best natural wax on the market today and that is Collinite\'s 885 Fleetwax paste. \r\n\r\nIf using Collinite\'s 885 fleetwax paste, it is highly recommended to apply the 920 fiberglass cleaner first to work the oxidation, dirt and stains using a power/rotary buffer or by hand (elbow grease). \r\n\r\nIf you are using a compound with a power buffer to remove oxidation from the fiberglass, I suggest you go with the white 100% lambswool pads using around 1700 rpm\'s to get the job done. You should check with the manufactures recommendation for the justified RPM\'s needed, as all products are different. Just be very careful not to burn or go through the gelcoat with these types of pads. You will not want to leave the pad on any one spot too long. The lambswool pad has a lot of bite, however it will make the job go a lot quicker for you. When using an power buffer for waxing, you should use much lower rpm\'s of around 700. \r\n\r\nWhen using a polish or cleaner, work these with a 100% yellow lambswool pad for this application. When you finish working the product into the surface, be sure to spur the pad and remove from the surface completely. \r\n\r\nCollinite 885 Fleetwax paste is made of rare carnauba waxes that will outlast and protect your boat better than any other paste wax out there.. It is again highly recommended using the 920 Collinite fiberglass cleaner before applying the 885 Fleetwax paste, they chemically bond very well together. The 920 fiberglass cleaner is very easy to apply. It simply rubs on with a clean Micro-fiber terrycloth or an power/orbital buffer (yellow lambswool pad) and then you can buff out by hand or with the power/orbital buffer. \r\n\r\nIf you choose to go with Collinite 885 fleetwax paste, you will want to apply it in very small sections at a time and DO NOT LET DRY before buffing out the area. It is very difficult to remove once dry. We strongly recommend applying and buffing out by hand and when using this paste. The power/orbital buffer will make it just too hard to do small sections at a time. This requires a little more \"elbow grease\" but it\'s well worth the effort. \r\n\r\nIf this is not for you, then Collinite has the 870 Liquid Fleetwax available that is a very good wax as well and can be easily applied with a power buffer. It however will not last as long as the paste version. Some other very good waxes to mention are Meguiar\'s Flagship wax, Trewax Boat paste wax and 3M Ultra Performance paste wax. \r\n\r\nYou should take the time to clean, polish and wax your boat every two months and even more frequently when in tropical and warm sunny climates. \r\n\r\nYou will not want use these waxes on your non-skid areas, for your non-skid decks go with either Woody Wax® or Aurora\'s Sure-Step™ wax. These are both great products and highly recommended. \r\n\r\nHere is a little secret: No liquid wax will last as long as the paste waxes, no matter what brand you choose. They may be easier to apply, but certainly are not as efficient for outlasting performance. This is where you will have to make the choice as to whether you want apply a quality paste that takes a little more elbow grease or apply a high quality liquid wax that you will need to apply more often. \r\n\r\nPowerboat Reports®, which is the equivalent of Consumer Reports® but for the boating world, gave the Collinite 885 Fleetwax paste an excellent review all around for the longest lasting paste wax and the best superior protection for your boat. \r\n\r\nWell that pretty much covers the basics here on how to wash your boat, products recommended to remove oxidation and what type of waxes/polishes that are recommended and used by many professionals and boaters in the boating community. The best overall maintenance for your boat is preventative maintenance itself, if you just take the time to rinse, clean and wax your boat often, your boat should have that glossy shine for many years to come. \r\n\r\nSincerely, \r\n\r\nDamion Newton\r\n\r\n',1157601600),(18,'Officials Say Night Boating is Safe','Monday, August 07, 2006\r\n\r\nCOLUMBIA, S.C. - Some boaters say they wouldn\'t dare be on the water after dark, but there is no evidence that night boating is any more dangerous than being out during the day.\r\n\r\nThose who favor staying out a little later say the weather is cooler and the water less crowded.\r\n\r\nFred McCurdy, who lives near Lexington and has 16 years of boating experience, said he doesn\'t worry if he stays out on Lake Murray after sunset, but he does admit night boating requires more caution.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ve got to watch out for others more than yourself,\" he said. \"And I go where I\'m familiar with. I don\'t go anywhere else.\"\r\n\r\nWorries about the safety of boating at night came up after a woman was killed this month when her boat was hit after dark.\r\n\r\nState and local officials say there is no evidence that night boating is more dangerous, but they do say that boaters often are ill-prepared for special nighttime needs.\r\n\r\n\"Too many are unprepared if an emergency happens,\" said Capt. Clark Rowe, a Lexington County deputy who has patrolled Lake Murray for 10 years.\r\n\r\nState Department of Natural Resources officers do most of the patrolling on the 47,500-acre lake, with assistance from deputies in Lexington and Richland counties. Those patrols generally run from 8 a.m. to midnight each day and an officer is on call after midnight.\r\n\r\nState officials say more boating accidents happen in daylight, though they couldn\'t provide statistics.\r\n\r\n\"It\'s a different lake then (at night), but we have nothing to show it\'s more dangerous,\" said Robert McCullough, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Department.\r\n\r\nNight boating is rare except on holidays like the Fourth of July.\r\n\r\n\"Some nights, I can count them on one hand,\" Rowe said.\r\n\r\nAt night, state standards require most boats to be lighted when moving and all boats have to be lighted when anchored.\r\n\r\nSome boaters, like Ken Fox, however, say they won\'t go near the water at night.\r\n\r\n\"I consider it extremely dangerous out there,\" he said.\r\n\r\nInformation from: The State, http://www.thestate.com\r\n\r\n\r\n',1154923200),(20,'Demand is Driving up Boat Sizes','By Emily Fredrix\r\nAssociated Press \r\n      MANITOWOC, Wis. — David Ross slips off his loafers and climbs aboard the giant boat floating on the Manitowoc River.\r\nPamela Jones, Associated PressLady Pat, a 98-foot boat by Burger Boat, cruises along. The 143-year-old company\'s shipyard is about an hour north of Milwaukee.      Shoes can scuff the deep red onyx flooring on the Mirgab V, a 144-foot yacht built by his company, Burger Boat, for a family from Kuwait. All workers must remove their shoes — those making final tweaks on a glass elevator, or ensuring the lighted treads on a three-story bronze stairway stay bright, and others hooking up DVD and stereo systems to a projection screen.\r\n      In the next two weeks, the yacht, with its 8,100 square feet of living space, is expected to depart for the Mediterranean. The culmination of two years building the yacht marks a turning point for Burger Boat — it\'s the biggest yacht ever built by the company. And the projects only get bigger from here, said Ross, the company\'s president.\r\n      Boat builders around the country are making larger boats and moving into the yacht category, which is anything exceeding 28 feet, said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the trade group for the recreational boating industry.\r\n      For Burger Boat, the average boat size has stretched to 147 feet from 104 feet in 2003. Now business is booming at the 143-year-old company\'s shipyard in Manitowoc, about an hour north of Milwaukee. There are seven yachts in various stages of construction — a process that can take two or more years — and four other projects are in the works, he said. The boats will sell for $15 million to $50 million when they\'re complete.\r\n      Customers who already own boats want larger ones, and often they want to stick with the same brand, so companies at all size points are lengthening their boats, Dammrich said.\r\n      \"It\'s what the customer is demanding so you\'ve got to do it,\" he said.\r\n      People often start with smaller boats, then move up to larger ones as they become more involved in the sport, said Dusty McCoy, chairman and CEO of Brunswick Corp., the world\'s largest manufacturer of pleasure boats and marine engines, based in Lake Forest, Ill.\r\n      \"There is a phenomenon in boating where people do come into boating in smaller sizes, really enjoy it as a recreational activity and things get larger,\" McCoy said. \"They begin to understand the family possibilities, the entertainment possibilities, the enjoyment possibilities and they begin to buy larger boats.\"\r\n      Ralph Horn and his wife Pat owned a 65-foot boat for two years but decided to go bigger two years ago after they realized how much time they spent on water.\r\n      Horn, 65, had retired early after a career in the banking industry, and the couple couldn\'t decide where to spend their retirement.\r\n      \"We didn\'t have a place to go to in the winter, and we couldn\'t find a spot,\" said Horn, of Memphis, Tenn. \"Both of us agreed this is what we really want, so I said, \'Let\'s try a floating condo.\' \"\r\n      In two years, they have gone boating at least one week a month to places such as the Grenadines, Maine and the Caribbean on their 98-foot Burger Boat, which has five staterooms, granite countertops in the kitchen and a full-time crew.\r\n      Power boat sales, which includes any boat with a motor, were $9.4 billion last year, but while units were down less than 1 percent from 2004, spending was up 4.4 percent, according to the NMMA\'s annual report. Sales are expected to be flat this year, Dammrich said.\r\n      Considering that the average American boat is 25 feet long and costs $25,000, megayachts still comprise a small part of the American boat market, he said. There are between 12 and 20 such manufacturers nationwide, Dammrich said, and there are only 250 of these boats produced worldwide each year.\r\n      But new rivals are appearing. Cobalt Boat, which makes boats in the 20-foot to 30-foot range, recently built a factory in Tennessee for its new venture into yachting. It will make yachts between 42 feet and 52 feet initially and then gradually increase size, possibly into the 70-foot range, said Shireen Fitts, a spokeswoman for the company based in Neodesha, Kan.\r\n      \"I believe this market is continuing to grow,\" Ross said.\r\n      Burger Boat has more than doubled its number of employees to 450 since 2003. It also opened a sales office in Monaco last year, invested in new equipment — with the help of a state grant worth more than $1.1 million — and expanded its 143-year-old hull shop.\r\n      Viking Yacht is bracing for a similar expansion to make way for its new, larger boats, said Peter Frederiksen, spokesman for the yacht maker, based in New Gretna, N.J. Customers are continually buying larger boats with an eye to reselling them, often in a matter of a few years, he said.\r\n      Five years ago, the company\'s most popular boat was a 61-footer. Today, its strongest selling models range from 64 feet to 74 feet, with prices of $2.6 million to $3.6 million, and the company plans to make two 82-foot yachts in the coming years, Frederiksen said.\r\n      \"A fisherman — nothing will get him more excited about buying a new boat than being passed by a new boat,\" he said. \"His competitive nature says, \'I can\'t live like this. I have to go buy something bigger and faster.\' \" \r\n',1154923200),(19,'Fuel Prices Put Minor Dent in Boating Trips','By GINNY SKALSKI\r\ngskalski@islandpacket.com\r\nWhen Phil Smith began skippering for a North Carolina family about 10 years ago, it cost 89 cents a gallon to pump diesel fuel into their 43-foot Tiara fishing boat.\r\n\r\n“When I handed (the owner) the bill, he said, ‘If I ever have to start asking what the fuel bill is, you better start looking for another job,’” Smith recalled.\r\n\r\nAlthough fuel prices have since soared, especially in marinas, where fuel can cost a dollar more per gallon than at gas stations, Smith still is the family’s captain.\r\n\r\nOnly now he skippers the family’s 60-foot yacht, which sports a 1,700-gallon fuel tank and burns 100 gallons an hour.\r\n\r\n“They haven’t cut down on any of the trips at all,” Smith said last week, while taking a break from hosing down the shiny white yacht named M’Lady Jayne.\r\n\r\nFuel hikes are having varying effects on boaters, Hilton Head area harbormasters say.\r\n\r\nTransient boaters often steering luxury yachts seem to be docking at local marinas at about the same rate as last summer. Some local boaters, however, are looking for ways to conserve fuel.\r\n\r\n“Not too many people complain about it,” said Josh Keating, who oversees the Skull Creek Marina. “Most people just swallow their pride and pay for it.”\r\n\r\nStill, Keating said, local boaters are taking a little more time to plan their trips to sea, and some are splitting fuel bills with friends who climb aboard their boats.\r\n\r\n“You think twice now about where you’re going to go when you’re paying $4 per gallon for gas,” Keating said.\r\n\r\nDaufuskie Island residents Wendy and Turbo Campbell have been trying to limit their shopping trips and other appointments to Hilton Head Island, which they take on their 25-foot fishing boat, Daufuskie Gal.\r\n\r\n“When we go, we stock up,” Wendy Campbell said last week as she swept pine needles from the boat’s deck while docked at Palmetto Bay Marina.\r\n\r\nLately, the Campbells have been paying about $380 to fill their boat every 10 days or so. To conserve fuel, Wendy Campbell has slowed the boat down, adding about five minutes to the normal 30-minute cruise between the islands.\r\n\r\nBut fuel isn’t a consideration for all pleasure cruisers. It costs Texas resident John Lamar just $300 to buy diesel to steer his 57-foot Bristol Ketch sailboat from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to the Harbour Town Yacht Basin.\r\n\r\nHe needs fuel for his double-masted sailboat only when heading in and out of the marina or when he wants to run the generator to crank the air conditioning or cool down the refrigerator.\r\n\r\n“We bought the boat when fuel prices were a lot more reasonable,” Lamar said.\r\n\r\nSo far this summer, Keating has noticed fewer out-of-town boaters passing through the Skull Creek Marina, but he attributes it to rising boat insurance costs.\r\n\r\nTraffic has remained steady at Harbour Town, said harbormaster Nancy Cappelman.\r\n\r\nSome businesses have added a fuel surcharge for chartered trips, Cappelman said. Others increased prices for activities like fishing and parasailing, said Chris Wimmer, harbormaster at Palmetto Bay Marina.\r\n\r\nGinny Skalski is a reporter for the Island Packet, a McClatchy newspaper\r\n',1154923200),(97,'LIGHTNING PHENOMENA','Most lightning strikes occur in the afternoon--70 percent between noon and 6:00 p.m. As the air temperatures warm, evaporation increases. This warm, moisture-laden air rises and evaporates, forming fluffy cumulus clouds. As more moisture accumulates, the clouds darken and change into cumulus nimbus clouds--thunderstorm clouds--frequently, with a flattened top or anvil shape, reaching to 40,000 feet or more.\r\n\r\nLet\'s consider a few possibilities. Lightning strikes the ungrounded radio antenna on your boat. The metal antenna carries the electrical charge to the radio, which does not have a good conductor to the water. Your hand is on the radio, or on metal connected to the radio. Your feet are on a wet surface, which is in contact with metal which extends through the hull of the boat to the water. Your body may then become the best conductor for the electrical charge. \r\n\r\nA second example is a sailboat. Lightning strikes the mast. The electrical current follows the mast or wire rope to your hands, through your body to the wet surface, and then through the hull to the water. \r\nOr, while operating a motor boat, the lightning strikes you, passes through your body to the motor, and then to the water. \r\nOr, sitting in your aluminum or fiberglass rowboat, you are holding a graphite (a good electrical conductor) fishing rod. The rod is struck by lightning. The electrical charge passes through the rod, your body, then to the boat to the water. \r\n\r\nIn all four examples you could be seriously injured. You could be dead. \r\nYou need not even be in contact with the components of the boat struck by lightning. Unless the components of the boat which could conduct electricity are bonded together and are adequately grounded, there could be side flashes. A side flash occurs when the electrical charge jumps from one component to another seeking a better path to ground. You might be that \"better path.\" \r\n \r\nMINIMIZE LIGHTNING STRIKE DAMAGE\r\n\r\nDo not become a lightning target. Preferably stay off, and definitely get off, the water whenever weather conditions are threatening. Check the weather. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides a continuously updated weather forecast for Florida and its coastline via the VHF/FM channels WX1 (162.550 MHz), WX2 (162.400 MHz), WX3 (162.475 MHz). Never go boating without listening to this service. Their short-term forecasts are quite accurate, but small localized storms might not be reported. Therefore, it is important that boaters learn to read the weather. \r\n\r\nWatch for the development of large well-defined rising cumulus clouds. Once they reach 30,000 feet the thunderstorm is generally developing. Now is the time to head for shore. As the clouds become darker and more anvil-shaped, the thunderstorm is already in progress. \r\nWatch for distant lighting. Listen for distant thunder. You may hear the thunder before you can see the lightning on a bright day. Seldom will you hear thunder more than five miles from its source. That thunder was caused by lightning 25 seconds earlier. The sound of thunder travels at one mile per five seconds.\r\n\r\nYou are two miles from shore. The thunderstorm which is now five miles away is traveling in your direction at 20 miles per hour, which means it could be overhead within 15 minutes. Can you reach shore--two miles away--and seek shelter within that time? You better move! \r\nLIGHTNING-PROTECTED BOATS\r\n\r\nThere is no such thing as lightning-proof boats, only lightning-protected boats. All-metal ships are rarely damaged, and injuries or deaths are uncommon. These ships are frequently struck, but the high conductivity of the large quantities of metal, with hundreds of square yards of hull in direct contact with the water, causes rapid dissipation of the electrical charge. \r\nBut small boats are seldom made of metal. Their wood and fiberglass construction do not provide the automatic grounding protection offered by metal-hulled craft. Therefore, when lightning strikes a small boat, the electrical current is searching any route to ground and the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity! \r\n\r\nToday\'s fiberglass-constructed small boats, especially sailboats, are particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes since any projection above the flat surface of the water acts as a potential lightning rod. In many cases, the small boat operator or casual weekend sailor is not aware of this vulnerability to the hazards of lightning. These boats can be protected from lightning strikes by properly designed and connected systems of lightning protection. However, the majority of these boats are not so equipped. \r\nLightning protection systems do not prevent lightning strikes. They may, in fact, increase the possibilities of the boat being struck. The purpose of lightning protection is to reduce the damage to the boat and the possibility of injuries or death to the passengers from a lightning strike. \r\n\r\nIf you are considering the purchase of a new or used boat, determine if it is equipped with a properly designed and installed lightning protection system. Such a system is generally more effective and less costly than a system installed on a boat after it has been constructed. \r\nLIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM\r\n\r\nThe major components of a lightning protection system for a boat are an air terminal, main conductor, and a ground plate. Secondary components are secondary conductors, lightning arrestors, lightning protective gaps, and connectors (see Figure 5). \r\nThe mast, if constructed of conductive material, a conductor securely fastened to the mast and extending six inches above the mast and terminating in a receiving point, or a radio antenna can serve as the air terminal. \r\nThe main conductor carries the electrical current to the ground. Flexible, insulated compact-stranded, concentric-lay-stranded or solid copper ribbon (20- gauge minimum) should be used as the main conductor. \r\n\r\nThe ground plate, and that portion of the conductor in contact with the water, should be copper, monel or navel bronze. Other metals are too corrosive. The secondary conductors ground major metal components of the boat to the main conductor. However, the engine should be grounded directly to the ground plate. \r\n\r\nLightning arrestors and lightning protective gaps are used to protect radios and other electronic equipment which are subject to electrical surges. \r\nThe connectors must be able to carry as much electrical current as other components of the system. Further, the connections must be secure and noncorrosive. \r\n\r\nOn a large power boat or sailboat, a properly designed and grounded antenna could provide a cone of protection. Presently, however, the vast majority of the radio antenna is totally unsuitable for lightning protection. This is also true of the wires feeding the antenna. If the antenna is not properly grounded, it may result in injury or death and cause considerable property damage. \r\n\r\nSailboats with portable masts, or those with the mast mounted on the cabin roof, are particularly vulnerable as they are usually the least protected as far as grounding or bonding is concerned. \r\nIdeally, an effective ground plate should be installed on the outside of all boats when the hulls are constructed. Unfortunately, this is not often done. Such a ground plate would help manufacturers design safer lightning protection systems for the boats. \r\n\r\n',1242273600),(21,'Top Reasons for Boating','Content courtesy of DiscoverBoating.com\r\nWhether you want to rent or buy a boat, over a dozen studies have shown that being with family and friends, relaxing and being outdoors and close to nature are the primary reasons people spend time on the water. Recreation with family doesn\'t have to mean spending a fortune on a theme park vacation in order to have an experience that everyone will enjoy. Should you decide to buy a boat, the monthly payments can often be less than $200, which is well worth the improvement in quality of life.\r\n\r\nBoating is about Family\r\nWork. School. Music lessons. Sports practice. Ever feel like your family is being pulled in a million different directions? Bring them back together with recreational boating.\r\n\r\nTime spent on a boat is quality time. Whether you\'re fishing, swimming, tubing or just cruising along taking in the scenery, you\'re having fun together. You\'re not waiting in long lines, under the hot sun, bickering about what ride to go on next.\r\n\r\nOut on the water there are no distractions. You can focus on each other. You can have conversations. Share stories. Laugh. Reconnect and create memories that will last a lifetime. \r\n\r\nLife really is better on a boat.\r\n\r\nBoating Lets You Relax\r\nIt\'s hard not to relax when you\'re on a boat. Out on the water there are no faxes. No computers. No interruptions. There is the open water. The fresh air. The sun warming your face. And a sense of freedom and adventure you can\'t find anywhere else.\r\n\r\nWhether looking for blissful, deadline-free days or pulse-quickening adventures, you can find them with recreational boating. After all, you\'re the captain when you buy your own boat. The only rules are the ones that you make. And you\'re free to break those.\r\n\r\nWith a boat, great getaways are just a weekend away. You may be just a few miles from home, but it feels like you\'re a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine.\r\n\r\nGo boating—and find the freedom to be your best. \r\n\r\nYou\'ll never catch your limit of fun\r\nBuy a boat, and you\'ll never catch your limit of fun. There are always new places to explore. Bigger fish to catch. Friends to be found. And new memories to be made.\r\n\r\nReeling in the big one, catching a wave off the board or just taking in the scenery, after a full day of fun on the water, it\'s easy to remember why it\'s called the \"Great Outdoors\".\r\n\r\n',1155009600),(22,'Living the Boating Lifestyle','I was talking to a boat broker the other day and I ask him how boat sales were going.  He quickly responded and let me know that he did not sell boats but lifestyles!  I thought for a minute, smiled and said I believe you have hit it square on the head.  It was a pleasure spending time with him and enjoyed his view on boating.  \r\n\r\nBoating lifestyles is exactly what boating is all about whether you own a canoe or motor yacht. In my experience, boaters are a wonderful group and anxious to help other boaters and share this lifestyle.  In this article and the other two we are going to examine different types of boating and where your boating lifestyle may lead you and when to start planning for your new adventure.\r\n\r\nThis is my opinion of boating lifestyles and the ones we will be discussing:    \r\n\r\n1.	Weekend Warrior\r\n2.	Weekend Socialite\r\n3.	Family Dream Vacation\r\n4.	Island Hopper\r\n5.	Long Range Cruiser\r\n\r\nWeekend Warrior:\r\n\r\nThis would be the entry level into the boating lifestyle. You know this type well.  They show up at the dock on the weekend with a cooler full of there favorite beverage, food and supplies and head to the local hot spot where all the activities are. A local beach, waterfront pub or restaurant where everybody gathers to show off there boats and there cargo.  This lifestyle is open to about anything that floats and they know how to have a great time.  If you are ever in the Charleston Area put your boat in at one of the local landings and head to Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, Folly Beach Inlet, or Capers Island, there you will see some great entertainment, excellent swimming, sunning or just walking the beach meeting friends but no matter what you will have a large time. No appointment necessary just come on in just like the song Red Neck Yacht club, anchor your boat or run her up on the beach but come on in because the sun is hot and the people are friendly. I am Captain Dale Adcox with Yacht Masters and I can be reached at \r\ncaptdale@yachtmasters1.com.  Safe Boating and come join us.\r\n',1155268800),(23,'United Boatmen of New York and New Jersey and Recreational Fishing Alliance Rally Anglers to Address Fluke Problem','With severe and eminent cuts expected for the summer flounder 2007 total allowable landings, United Boatmen of New York and New Jersey (UB) and the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) are leading the charge to find a solution.  Over 75 concerned anglers and for-hire operators packed Laurelton Fire House in Brick, NJ on Monday night to attend a rally organized by UB and RFA.  The purpose of the rally was to gather input from members of the recreational fishing community to develop a strategy to address this serious problem.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“Summer flounder historically is one of the most economically and socially important fish targeted by recreational anglers from Massachusetts to North Carolina” states Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA.  “The economic impact generated from expenditures including bait sales, tackle sales, rods/reels, boat fuel sales and other fishing business makes summer flounder critically important to the coastal economies.  This illustrates how severe these unprecedented cuts will be.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe problem we are facing with summer flounder is directly related to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the nation’s primary legislation that dictates how to manage our federal fisheries.  As amended in 1996, Magnuson required that overfished stocks be rebuilt in 10 years, a provision that RFA strongly opposed because there was very little flexibility attached with this time frame.  This rebuilding schedule was not based on science and does not take into account other uncertainties and variables such as environmental conditions, ecological factors, predation, and loss of habitat all of which influence the size a stock can grow to.  The summer flounder population has been rebuilt to the highest size ever recorded, yet Magnuson dictates we must continue to rebuild the resource and it must be done by January 1, 2010.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n“RFA predicted this situation when the Magnuson Act was amended in 1996 when the arbitrary 10 year rebuilding schedule was created” continues Donofrio.  “Now we are seeing the results of poorly written legislation manifesting in summer flounder and it is very likely that salmon, red snapper, cod and other species will experience similar problems. A legislative solution is our best hope for summer flounder and this is why is RFA is so focused on the current Magnuson reauthorization.”\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRFA and UB have outlined a plan of attack focusing on two topics: 1) contacting key legislators, namely Representative Jim Saxton (3rd-NJ) and Representative Wayne Gilchrist (1st-MD), Chairman of the House Fisheries and Oceans Subcommittee, in mass asking them to recognize the need for flexibility in the Magnuson Act and 2) funding an independent science program to investigate the validity of the current rebuilding targets for summer flounder. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNow is the time that recreational anglers need to join RFA and aid the efforts of the tackling this and other important fisheries issues.  The importance of a well written Magnuson Act can not be understated as the future of all federal managed species are at stake.  All recreational anglers need to reach out to their member of congress, Representative Saxton, and Chairman Gilchrist.  Form letters are posted on the RFA website, www.joinrfa.org, and can be printed, signed and mailed.  RFA will remain at the forefront working for a solution to the summer flounder mess and working to include flexibility in the Magnuson reauthorization, but we need your help.  The recreational fishing community must unite on this critical issue.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nJOIN NOW TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO FISH TOMORROW\r\n',1155614400),(24,'Fishing through the Gas Crisis','How many of you were around in 1973 during the first gas crisis? I was in Miami at the time, and gas lines were long and frustrating during that shortage. We used to station people around the city to phone in when a gas station received a truckload of gas. Then we all made a dash top get in line for our small allotment. \r\nWe could only buy five gallons at a time most of the time, and woe be to the person who had the gall to pull a boat in for a fill up. He was likely to be strung up! But we still managed to find a way to fish. \r\nMany of us were steady customers of a full service station at the time, and a phone call or two resulted in an \"appointment\" to fill our gas tanks after the station closed. My Dad found a way to drop off five or six five-gallon tanks or six-tanks in the morning and they would be waiting for him in the afternoon. \r\nA nice $20 tip to the station owner didn\'t hurt that situation any. \r\nWe fished back then and found a way. But this current crisis is a bit different. Its not that gasoline is scarce; there is plenty of supply. What\'s scarce are the fifty and one hundred dollar bills required to fill your boat tanks! \r\nSo, how do we go about fishing and keeping the cost to a reasonable level. After all, my wife always figures that the fish we catch and don\'t have to buy at the market only end up costing us $20 a pound! \r\nHow far do you run to reach a wreck, or reef? What boat ramp do you launch from on any particular day? What type of fishing do you do - troll? bottom fish? drift? Do you move a lot? \r\nTake some simple steps that will help reduce the cost of fishing. Look into changing launch ramps. I know I run past two on the way out. Its cheaper to drive the truck a little further than run the boat - fifteen miles per gallon versus two! \r\nConsider changing your fishing method for a while. If you are used to trolling, try changing over to drifting with live bait. Maybe the billfish will have to wait for a while. Try looking for another specie. And try staying a little closer to shore. Those 40 and 50 mile one way runs will put a serious hole in your wallet! \r\nOne change that may actually mean more success is to stay put! How often do you pull anchor and move to another spot because the bite is slow? It could be the tide change or current direction that caused the slow bite. Hang in there in one spot. You will save the gas, and probably start catching fish when the current changes direction. \r\nSo make some conscious decisions to change the way you fish. Not only can it can save you money, but hey, this gas crisis could teach all of us some new ways to fish!  By Ron Brooks\r\n',1156132800),(25,'Weather or Not - Here We Fish!','\"I know the weather report said fifteen to twenty knots and seas five to eight feet, but that was for Okracoke. We\'re fishing way north of there out of Hatteras; it will probably be fishable.\" Ever heard any famous last words like that before? I have, and many times they came from my own mouth. I guess its something about the urge to fish that makes me think that some how, some way, everything will be fine once we get there. Needless to say I have made many a long drive only to either find out that the weatherman was right, or to embark on a miserable fishing trip. \r\nLet\'s consider something here. When the wind blows hard, it usually means a high pressure area is either on the way or here already. I learned a long time ago that blue bird skies behind a cold front generally means the fish have acquired a sudden case of lockjaw! Even those windless days when the high is sitting right on top of you fail to produce fish. \r\nWhy is that, you may ask? I asked a fisheries biologist that question one time and got the following answer: \r\n\"Fish have a lateral line down each side of their body. It\'s actually an organ composed of millions of sensing cells that other animals don\'t have. The fish can sense movement, vibration, change in current direction, and we believe changes in barometric pressure. In some fish it is the major sensing organ.\" \r\nSo, when the pressure rises, the fish quit feeding for some reason. I have logs that prove (subject to my fishing ability!) that we catch far fewer fish on a waxing high pressure situation than any other set of weather conditions, short of a hurricane. But I really believe that the reason they quit feeding is because they are full. \r\nHere\'s why. We were in Florida Bay on a hot June afternoon, drifting the flats south of Carl Ross Key in about five feet of water, catching a few trout and an occasional snapper. The wind was so still, that a good drift was almost impossible. \r\nAs is the case on a lot of hot afternoons in Florida Bay, a big anvil head thunderstorm built to the west and began moving east - directly at us. We continued to fish, convinced we could outrun the storm, or worst case, anchor way up on the flat and ride it out. \r\nBut, then the dark clouds began rumbling. Flashes of lightening were going straight down. This was none of that cloud to cloud stuff, this was the real deal. A waterspout (a fancy name for a tornado over water) spiraled down off the left leading edge of the cloud bank, but fizzled and went back up. \r\nYou need to realize that a thunder storm is a micro-low pressure area of its own, and the pressure drops noticeably as it approaches. That\'s why the wind picks up as it approaches. \r\nSo, the storm approached, the wind picked up, and the cool chilled air began blowing our way. Oh, one more thing - the fish turned on like there was no tomorrow! The explanation I received was that the fish sense the drop in pressure, which tells them that the water is about to be stirred and muddied, they will have a hard time finding prey, and they need to feed now!. \r\nSeems logical to me. It also explains the apparent lack of appetite the fish have behind the low pressure. I think Russ Chastain, our About.com Hunting Guide will tell you the same thing about game and a waxing high pressure. \r\nThe end to this story is a little comical, and very dangerous, but still true. As we caught one fish after another, our partner boat came idling over to us and asked if our rods were crackling. They said, \"Watch this\'\" and stuck their rods high in the air. I could hear the crackling static electricity from fifty yards away! \r\nAfter a lot of scrambling and yelling we got them to drop their rods, and then we both headed for the ramp. I guess we\'re lucky the other end of that crackle didn\'t show up. But, what the heck - we fish in any weather!  From Ron Brooks.\r\n',1156132800),(26,'New Fishing Line from Shakespeare','New from Shakespeare, Cajun Advantage co-polymer line ($7 and up) contains a UV blocker that is said to keep it from drying or fraying from long days in the sun. The red color disappears in the water, making it a great choice for targeting wary species of bottomfish, such as grouper and red snapper. Ultra-low memory and controlled stretch keep you tangle-free, while the abrasion-resistant formula withstands nicks and cuts from underwater wrecks and rocks. The line is available in four- through 200-pound test. Shakespeare; (800) 334-9105; www.shakespeare-fishing.com \r\n\r\n\r\n',1156132800),(27,'Bite Me Jigs','Machined from solid aluminum, Bite Me Jigs ($9) from Big Bites Tackle are aerodynamically shaped for maximum casting distance when the wind is howling and that school of yellowtail seems just out of reach. The lures have a unique darting action and sink more slowly than other metals. The fully anodized bodies resist denting and scratching, which also makes them great for nailing toothy pelagic predators while fishing on the troll.  Bite Me Jigs measure six inches, weigh 1.7 ounces and are available in nine colors. Big Bites Tackle; (215) 384-4079; www.bigbitestackle.com \r\n\r\n',1156132800),(29,'What\'s the right type of Boating Education?','By Wayne Spivak\r\nNational Press Corps\r\nUnited States Coast Guard Auxiliary\r\n\r\nWhat is the right type of boating education? I’ve been asked this question many times over the years. This is one of those questions that are hard to answer. \r\n\r\nIf you were to poll boating educators, they’d be split into three camps. You’d have the Traditionalists, the Electronics and the Hybrids.\r\n\r\nThe Traditionalists are those educators who feel that the right boating education, especially as it relates to navigation, is taught with charts, dividers, and parallel rules.\r\n\r\nThe Electronics believe that those tools are obsolete, and give them a combined Chart Plotter, RADAR and GPS, and they will navigate to the ends of the earth.\r\n\r\nThe Hybrids take a longer view, some would say, and believe that a little of this and a little of that makes for the safer, more knowledgeable navigator.\r\n\r\nDays of Yore \r\n\r\nFor a very, very, very long time, I was firmly entrenched with the Traditionalists. I would argue, and rightfully so, because I was in the correct camp, that charts, and dividers, lead pencils and rules were the only way a real navigator knew where he or she was, and which heading they should take to be where they wanted to be. I mean, hey, a compass, a watch and a chart and I’m there.\r\n\r\nSailor’s for hundreds of years made ocean voyagers using these tools. They were tried and they were true. They worked, and most importantly, they didn’t break and relied on human intelligence (high touch) to make them work.\r\n\r\nHowever, it is just for that reason, which my argument fell on deaf ears many times. It took a long time to learn how to navigate by paper charts and dead reckoning wasn’t all that accurate.\r\n\r\nThen in the last ten years a new camp sprung into existence. These people believed solely in the electronic equipment and its infallibility.\r\n\r\nThe Electronic Age \r\n\r\nWith the advent of low-cost LORAN sets, the age of Electronics was born in the maritime industry. Turn on a gadget, let it settle in and find the data sources (antennas) and in no time you have a Lat/Lon, a direction to your waypoint, and enough data in seconds that would have taken you hours to develop the old fashion way.\r\n\r\nGranted, LORAN wasn’t geared for true blue water voyaging, but it was great for coastal navigation, which is the mainstay of the recreational boater. Years went by, and the RADAR sets came down in price, and began speaking with the LORAN sets. Now we were able to obtain more information about our location and surroundings, making our trips easier and safer.\r\n\r\nMore years went by, and GPS became the location device of choice. That, along with your Chart Plotter and RADAR unit, and you could see everything you wanted, in real time, and plot your course right on your little gizmo.\r\n\r\nThe Electronics believe that there is no need to teach the concepts of the Traditionalists, because the electronics are easier, faster and more reliable.\r\n\r\nHow could that be, said many who were being swayed away from the Traditionalists, that paper charts are dead? They liked their paper. They liked the thrill of creating a DR (dead reckoning) and an EP (estimated position). They couldn’t wait to advance their EP and get a Running Fx. But they saw the need for electronics.\r\n\r\nThe Hybrids \r\n\r\nSo, the Hybrids were born. They believe in charts, and dead reckoning. They believe in using their Chart Plotters and GPS’s. They believe in the total marriage of both new and old technologies to increase their safety at sea.\r\n\r\nTo this end, they believe a nautical education, as it relates to navigation should be taught with Electronics, but based on traditional charting and navigating practices. Understanding the complete navigational theory make the Navigator a safer more informed boater.\r\n\r\nThe Debate continues \r\n\r\nI have been part of a debate between these three camps now for three weeks. E-mails have flown back and forth, some of them heated. But I can honestly say that most of us have joined the Hybrids.\r\n\r\nThere are several endearing reasons why both the Electronics and Traditionalists jumped ship, as they say. It comes down to some simple reasons. The boating public.\r\n\r\nThe question was asked, would you rather someone gets some boating education or none? We all said “some.” Would you want the boating public to purchase sophisticated electronic gadgets, but have no idea how to use them, or would you like to show them, and increase the across the board knowledge? We said “increase their knowledge.”\r\n\r\nSo we are working on creating a course that satisfies both camps. As one of our group said, “First teach the basics and then how the basics work in GPS.”\r\n\r\nAs an example Chapter 1 could be reading and understanding charts (the size of charts for local use and what they contain that you need to know when using your GPS). Some charts, even for the same area use different datum and some use different Lat/long (seconds vs tenths of minutes). These are things that are in most GPS user manuals, but new boaters do not understand what they are taking about. \r\n\r\nThe Traditionalists loved this, the Electronics said amen. \r\n\r\nBut until that ideal course is taught, we in the United States Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard Auxiliary implore you to take whatever boating education is available. \r\n\r\nRemember - An educated boater is a safer boater! \r\n\r\nFor more information about safe boating and boating education, contact the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (www.cgaux.org). You can reach us through your local Coast Guard Facility (www.uscg.mil) or in the telephone book, under Government.\r\n',1157601600),(30,'Boat Shows are a Great Place to Learn','Every year, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), hold boat shows throughout the country. This year, is no different, and with over twenty shows, a large portion of the boating public can attend. NMMA is not alone in providing boat shows, as many local and regional boating associations and trade groups also provide this service. \r\n\r\n Why am I extolling the virtues of boat shows? Aren\'t they just totally commercial ventures? The plain and simple answer is - yes and no. \r\n\r\nYes, boat shows are held so that the vendors can pitch their wares. Why else would the sponsoring groups go to such a risk on their capital, if there wasn\'t a financial reward at the end? \r\n\r\nAnd No, boat shows offer more than just sales people. \r\n\r\nMost shows have other interested boating groups attend (sometimes for free or a reduced rate), many of them are non-profit or volunteer, using the same venue as an outreach to their market, boaters. From environmental groups to boating education, search and rescue to law enforcement, each has something to offer to recreational boater. \r\n\r\nOne of the main reasons I have attended most of the last twenty New York City Boat Shows is that I like to see what\'s new in safety equipment. Where else, can I go, in one spot, and see the latest and the greatest! Sure, I look at the nice new big boats, that I can only afford when I marry that filthy rich heiress (don\'t tell my wife). \r\n\r\nBut let\'s get back to safety. At the New York Boat Show, if I was a new boater, or even a seasoned boater, there were groups that could provide me with important information about safety. \r\n\r\nThere was of course the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, handing out safe boating information, course schedules and teaching both children and adult alike with our own USCG Cutter Coastie! \r\n\r\nThere were the New York State Park Police, New York City Harbor Police and New Jersey State Marine Police to help people understand the laws in their particular areas of responsibility. \r\n\r\nThere were different groups that provide services to search and rescue groups and fisherman, the National Weather Service, and the Department of Environmental Protection. \r\n\r\nAll of these organizations are there to educate you, the boater in areas that are part of the larger landscape of recreational boating. Take advantage of these fine organizations to help make your sport a safer more environmentally safe sport. \r\n\r\nWhat I failed to mention was all the commercial vendors who manufacture and distribute safety equipment. You\'ll usually find the manufacturer\'s at the larger boat shows. Here you can ask the actual product managers questions on how their product works, and what\'s on the drawing board. \r\n\r\nMany of the vendor\'s have raffles, so if you\'re very lucky, you might walk away with a new EPIRB or PFD or survival suit! All the vendors have literature, and I strongly advise you to take and read them. \r\n\r\nThere is lots of important safety information contained in most vendors\' literature, having nothing to do with direct sales information. \r\n\r\nDid I mention that you might also win a boat, at one of these boat shows? So, take the family and go to a boat show, a marine event or festival this year. You may just walk away a smarter safer boater! \r\n\r\n',1157601600),(31,'RFA Members Instrumental in Protecting Striped Bass','Silver Spring, MD - In a move that will surprise many, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced today, Friday, September 8, 2006 that it will continue the closure of striped bass fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).  The EEZ includes all of the coastal waters from three miles off shore out to the United States\' territorial waters. \r\n\r\n\r\n\"This news is a great relief to striped bass fishermen everywhere,\" said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). \"It was a bad idea from the very beginning, but we have seen this kind of thing happen before.  An idea is floated and a few who might benefit from it in the short run get it rolling like a down hill freight train.  They do not care about the long term effect to the majority of others involved in the fishery.  It is just a bad idea.\"  \r\n\r\n\r\nRFA and Maryland Saltwater Sportsmen’s Association (MSSA) were part of a massive letter writing campaign supporting the continued closure.  NMFS received nearly 8,000 comments from RFA members from Maine through North Carolina pointing out that lifting the harvest ban would, in the long-term, damage the stock.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"We first picked up on this issue at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) striped bass management board meeting,\" said Bill Windley, President of the MSSA. \"We knew that it had some appeal to a few people, but we were stunned when NMFS joined the supporters.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nA federal moratorium on harvesting Atlantic striped bass in the Mid-Atlantic EEZ was implemented in 1990, and it imposed possession and harvest prohibitions by both recreational and commercial fishermen.  This conservation measure contributed to the eventual recovery of the striped bass stock and continues to keep the fishing mortality rate below the applicable target.  \r\n\r\n\r\n\"The ongoing recovery of Atlantic striped bass is arguably the crowning achievement of US fisheries management, a success that was only possible due to recreational anglers swaying policy decisions against what NMFS and the ASMFC wanted, which was to open the EEZ,\" continues Jim Donofrio. \"Recreational anglers and their efforts are truly responsible for this success.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nStriped bass produces a tremendous economic impact for the recreational fishing industry. The successful rebuilding of the striped bass fishery is responsible for generating $2.41 billion in direct sales and supporting 68,301 jobs. The unique aspect of the striped bass fishery is that it is a stable, consistent fishery, which has given anglers the confidence to make substantial investments and upgrades in the fishery.  Such a tremendous economic boom could not have been achieved without this consistency.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"Striped bass are one of the most important inshore species for recreational anglers and the recreational fishing industry,\" continues Donofrio. \"This is a prime example of how effective conservation and management can greatly benefit coastal economies.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national 501(c)(4) non-profit grassroots political action organization whose mission is to safeguard the rights of salt water anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s marine fisheries.\r\n\r\n',1157947200),(32,'HERRING PLAN NEEDS SUPPORT NOW','For several years, there has been a lot of concern from recreational and commercial fishermen, as well as whale-watch operators and environmentalists, about the large quantities of herring that are being removed annually from near-shore Gulf of Maine waters by large, efficient midwater trawlers. Herring serve as critically important forage for groundfish, tuna, striped bass, bluefish, whales and other marine mammals, but in recent years, it appears that virtually entire schools of herring are being removed from specific areas (called \"localized depletion\"), resulting in lack of feed for these important predators. \r\n\r\nThe New England Fishery Management Council has been crafting a new herring management plan for over a year now (known as Scallop Amendment 1), which would, among other things, ban midwater herring trawling in a region within 30 miles of the coast from Cape Cod to Canada (known as Herring Management Area 1A) from June 1st through September 30th annually. This would allow traditional fisheries for bluefin tuna and groundfish, as well as whale-watching, to be conducted during the summer months without the threat of localized herring depletion, which causes predators to move to other areas in search of food. However, the plan was not approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in time for the \'06 season (and still has not as of early September) so the big trawlers have been pounding our coastal waters with their huge nets all summer.\r\n\r\nBesides herring depletion, waste and bycatch have been serious concerns as well. A letter written to Dr. Bill Hogarth, the head of NMFS in Washington, DC, on July 20th by Rich Ruais, Executive Director of East Coast Tuna Association, sums up the problem. Rich wrote:\r\n         \r\n\"I have confirmed through personal conversations with two tuna captains who have made direct observations of a massive dumping of dead herring, whale codfish, haddock and, at least one seal on the northern end of Jeffreys Ledge on July 19th, 2006, in the late afternoon.  In my conversations with the reporting captains, I insisted there be no embellishment to their description of the sighting of the dumped fish.\r\n         \r\n\"The dead fish slick was seen to extend for at least one mile and was estimated to be a minimum of 100 yards across.  The captains reported the numbers of discarded cod and haddock visible was very substantial. Both captains reported seeing two midwater trawl vessels in the immediate area treading water.  Neither captain actually witnessed the dumping of the catch, so it is not definitively known if the two midwater boats seen were the offending vessels.  I have the name of the vessels seen in the immediate area. \r\n         \r\n\"One of the tuna captains used a shrimp basket to quickly collect two boxes (200 lbs.) of bait and several of the whale cod from the slick for personal use.  He reported the cod to be very fresh, so the dumping most likely occurred earlier that day.  Both captains reported they could not cross the slick for fear of clogging their engine cooling strainers due to the density of floating herring.  Tuna fishermen, including these two captains, have sighted two dead whales (one small humpback and one minke whale) in the same area, although one of the whales was in such poor shape it was obvious that it was in the water prior to this recent dumping.  \r\n        \r\n\"I cannot convey to you the outrage and disgust of tuna and groundfish fishermen over this situation.  There is very little tuna fishing effort this summer because most of the General and Harpoon Category fishermen do not believe there is adequate forage in the Gulf of Maine to hold visiting giant bluefins.\r\n          \r\n\"I am copying the State (Marine Fisheries) Directors on this note with the hope that some will try and investigate this recent dumping and do all in their power to prevent further incidents.  I have also asked East Coast Tuna Association fish dealers to provide free disposable cameras to the few boats trying to document additional dumping incidents.\r\n          \r\n\"What can NMFS do to correct this waste and damage to the discrete coastal herring stock from continuing?  Recent NMFS trawl surveys are showing a 50 percent decline in coastal herring abundance, confirming our reports that herring in the Gulf of Maine are in trouble.  At a minimum, can NMFS redeploy observers to 100 percent of the midwater herring fleet attempting to fish in Area 1A? I hope NMFS will recognize the seriousness of this situation.\"\r\n \r\nSince the time this letter was written, a NMFS observer who was aboard one of the herring trawlers, implicated with the incident, confirmed that there was indeed a \"dump\" of an estimated 10,000 pounds of herring on July 19th. According to Rich, the observer claimed she was \"too high up on the boat\" to see any groundfish or mammals in the net. Could it be that the operator of the trawler knew that he had cod and/or mammals in the bottom of the net, and thus chose to dump the remaining herring and bycatch rather than risk exposing it to the observer? \r\n \r\nThere have been a number of credible reports this summer of similar herring dumping and bycatch incidents by midwater trawlers. RFA members are encouraged to contact Dr. Hogarth at (301) 713-2239; fax (301) 713-1940; email: bill.hogarth@noaa.gov. Tell him that Scallop Amendment 1, as submitted, needs to be approved and implemented as soon as possible, that 150-foot midwater herring trawlers have no place in the near-shore waters of the Gulf of Maine, and that these industrial-scale fish-extraction operations are far better suited to offshore waters where they will not impact small-boat commercial and recreational fishermen and whale watching. Above all, tell him we need a responsible herring fishery that will allow a good percentage of herring to remain in the sea as a forage base for a wide variety of fish and animals. That\'s the real message.  \r\n\r\nFor more information, contact Capt. Barry Gibson, New England Regional Director at 207-633-5929 or barrygibson6@aol.com.  \r\n\r\n',1158120000),(33,' Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG)','MOREHEAD CITY - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced another round of grants to help improve docking facilities for recreational transient, non-trailerable boats along the navigable waterways of the United States for federal Fiscal Year 2007.\r\n\r\nThe grants are part of the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program authorized by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Act of 1998 and funded by excise taxes on motorboat fuel.\r\n\r\nThe BIG program provides states with funding for mooring buoys, day-docks, transient slips, safe harbor facilities (including temporary safe anchorage or a harbor of refuge during a storm), floating and fixed piers and breakwaters, dinghy docks, restrooms, retaining walls, bulkheads, dockside utilities, pump out stations, trash collections and recycling facilities, dockside electric, water and telephone capabilities, navigational aids and marine fueling stations.\r\n\r\n\"This is an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties between communities and recreational boaters, and promote economic growth by providing enhanced public access,\" said Brian Cheuvront, the BIG coordinator for North Carolina. \"We encourage private marinas, municipalities and local governments to review the grant guidelines and criteria and take advantage of this program to improve their recreational boating facilities and boost their economy,\" said Cheuvront.\r\n\r\nBIG program funds are distributed each year over a four-year period. To ensure each state gets a share, funding is provided on a two-tiered basis. For Tier-1 grants, all states get at least $100,000 per grant cycle as long as their proposals meet the program\'s guidelines. Tier-2 projects are designated for larger, more expensive undertakings and are awarded on a nation-wide competitive basis.\r\n\r\nBIG transient facilities must be built in waters deep enough for boats 26 feet and larger to navigate at a minimum of six feet of depth at low tide. One-time dredging will be allowed to provide access between open water and a tie-up facility.\r\n\r\nFor information about grant availability in North Carolina\'s coastal waters, please contact Brian Cheuvront, N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, by mail at P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557; by phone at 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632; or via e-mail at Brian.Cheuvront@ncmail.net. The deadline for applications is September 29, 2006.\r\n',1158292800),(34,'LOCAL BOAT DEALER RECOGNIZED',' Little River, SC -- Carolina Boat & Yacht Sales of Little River was recently recognized by Wellcraft and Rinker boat manufacturers as being at the vanguard among their entire dealer network. Both companies presented awards to the Little River boat sales organization at recent dealer meetings.\r\n At the annual International dealer meeting for Wellcraft Boats in Sarasota, Florida, July 16th, Carolina Boat & Yacht Sales earned two awards: one for achieving third place in  total retail sales volume among all Wellcraft Dealers Worldwide and fifth place in Overall Customer Satisfaction.  Carolina Boat & Yacht Sales was the only top-ten volume dealer in the nation to be so honored.\r\n \"I\'m proud of what Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales, Little River, SC has been able to accomplish,\" said Wellcraft President Dean Samuelson.  \"They have reached the very highest levels of sales achievement.\"  In addition, \r\n Samuelson goes on to say, \"as a CSI award winner, Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales has proven that business success and first-rate customer service go hand-in-hand.  We are very proud of their superior performance and achievements.\"   On July 17th, upon attending the Rinker Dealer meeting held in Sanibel Island, FL, Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales was taken by surprise when they were called to the podium to receive the \"Rinker Rookie of the Year Award\" for being the top performing new Rinker Dealer.  In addition, Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales was welcomed into the exclusive \"Rinker Commodores Club,\" for achieving more than one million dollars in retail sales.  \r\n\"We were totally taken by surprise,\" says Bryan Edwards and Mike Glover, owners of Carolina Boat and Yacht Sales, \"We never expected to be given such high honors after only seven months with Rinker Boats! We are very pleased to be representatives for Rinker Boats and hope to build upon their over sixty years of boat building excellence.\"\r\nCarolina Boat & Yacht Sales opened for business in March 2003 and currently employs 10.The business sells and services new Rinker and Wellcraft boats, used boats and does full line boat and yacht brokerage.  Carolina Boat & Yacht Sales is located on Highway 9 in Little River.  They can be reached at (843) 390-9800 or at www.cbysales.com .\r\n',1159156800),(35,'South Carolina - DNR Stocks Nearly 2 Million Red Drum in Coastal Waters','For the second year in a row, S.C. Department of Natural Resources marine biologists released about 1.8 million red drum in South Carolina\'s estuaries. Red drum are also known as spottail bass and redfish, and are considered to be the most popular inshore species sought by saltwater anglers in this state. \r\n\r\nIn only a three-month period between September and December 2003, S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) marine biologists released 1.76 million juvenile red drum into three estuaries. This includes 575,000 fish in May River in Beaufort County, 588,000 in the North Edisto River between Leadenwah and Toogoodoo Creeks in Charleston County and 605,000 in Murrells Inlet in Georgetown County. \r\n\r\n\"It\'s a big accomplishment to stock such a large number of fish, and it is due to the extraordinary dedication of the staff involved in the production, marking and release of the fish,\" said Wallace Jenkins, DNR marine biologist. \r\n\r\nThis was the second year in a row that the stocking efforts were expanded from the Charleston area to include May River and Murrells Inlet. One new area that was stocked in 2003 was the North Edisto River, which received 588,000 fish as a result of a DNR - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cooperative effort. This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\'s Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery on Wadmalaw Island was very successful at its red drum production efforts. \r\n\r\nThe goal of the stocking project is to increase the population of red drum along South Carolina\'s coast. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission currently defines the red drum fishery as \"over-fished.\" But changes in size and catch limits that were enacted by the South Carolina General Assembly in August 2001 are projected to significantly help the population move to a position of \"sustainable\" when the next assessment is completed in 2005. \r\n\r\nThe DNR controls the spawning and production of fish used in its stocking process. The approach mimics the fish\'s natural cycle by having the red drum spawn, or reproduce, during their regular mating season of August and September. Once the adult red drum spawn in the Charleston lab, biologists move the larvae to rearing ponds at the DNR\'s Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton. When the offspring reach about 1 inch in size they are harvested, marked and released into their natural marsh habitat at sizes similar to that of wild juveniles. \r\n\r\n\"The primary difference is that the stocked fish are protected from predators for their first month of life compared with their wild counterparts, which enter the estuary near the bottom of the food chain and are more vulnerable to predation and environmental influences,\" Jenkins said. \r\n\r\n\"Marking\" the fish consists of exposing them to a chemical called oxytetracycline, which binds to their bones and shows up as a yellowish color when viewed under a special microscope. \r\n\r\nThe marking of the fish is important for DNR biologists to evaluate the success of each year\'s stocking efforts. Biologists look for the chemical mark on the ear bones under a special microscope to count how many fish in a particular area are stocked versus wild, in order to determine the success of the program. \r\n\r\nThe DNR is seeking assistance from the public to obtain any heads, known as \"racks,\" from red drum legally taken by fishermen. The public can take the racks to specially marked freezers located near the stocked areas. Biologists will use the ear bones from these donated fish to help assess the success of the stocking project. \r\n\r\nRevenues from the Saltwater Recreational Fishing License Program support this project\'s goal to increase the abundance of the state\'s most popular saltwater game fish. \"In effect, fishermen themselves play an important role in the red drum restocking program,\" Jenkins said. Funds from the S. C. Sea Grant Consortium and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration Act also support the program. \r\n\r\n- Written by Jennie R. Davis - \r\n\r\n',1159156800),(36,'Exotic Fishing Locations','I know that when I was a child, I would watch American Sportsman, hosted by Curt Cowdy on Saturday afternoons, and in particular enjoyed each fishing episode they produced. I was amazed when the anglers would go to those exotic locations and catch sailfish, marlin and tarpon. I would watch the fish sky rocket into the air as the anglers attempted to land these large fish. It was unbelievable that someone could land those giant monsters on a hook and line. The battle would seem to last forever... \r\n\r\nWell, you know what? YOU can also go fishing for sailfish, blue martlin, tarpon and other species of fish. Many think that doing so is only for the rich and famous; that they have to go to exotic fishing locations to catch these types of fish. But it\'s really not the case. You can catch sailfish in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. \r\n\r\nMy personal favorite is Florida. The Palm Beaches, the Stuart and Jupiter areas, and the Keys are where I have sailfished and you can catch them pretty easily there, too. Most charterboat captains are knowledgeable and experienced ,but it does pay to ask around and compare prices, attitudes and knowledge. \r\n\r\nCapt. Glen Miller of GONFISHIN V at Holiday Isle in Islamorada is an excellent captain. As some of you know, I produce a television fishing show, ADVENTURES IN FISHING WITH CAPT. RAY KELLY, and we have filmed Capt. Miller and his crew for the past two years during the Presidential Sailfish Tournament held at Cheeca Lodge. In 1996, he took third place with 7 sailfish! There was unbelievable action. He is a very knowledgeable captain and quite personable as well. And for you tournament anglers, The Presidential is a great event to look into. \r\n\r\nAnother great charterboat is the HOOKER II in Charleston, SC with Capt. Chuck Griffin. I would have to say that it would be a toss up between the action with Captains Miller and Griffin as to the best episode that we have produced for our TV Show. On a trip with Capt. Griffin, his two beautiful female anglers caught king mackerel, blackfin tuna, barracuda, mahi-mahi, and amberjack -- including an 80+ pounder. He also specializes in sailfish and blue marlin. \r\n\r\nCapt. Allan Foreman of the Country Girl at Pirate\'s Cove in Manteo, NC is another great boat which specializes in blue marlin, tuna and king mackerel. \r\n\r\nI certainly would not say that these places are exotic, but you still have a very good chance of catching those great fighting sportfish. \r\n\r\nThere are other places that you head to for sailfish and marlin, and your chances of catching them may even be better. Two of these places are Cancun, Mexico and Kona, Hawaii. The fishing is fabulous in both of these locations and the prices are not really that high. In Cancun, a great charterboat is The Calcutta docked at the Hacienda Del Mar Marina. The boat is captained by Allan Poole. He is an excellent captain with a vast amount of experience is sailfishing. When we filmed a show on The Calcutta, they had two sailfish up and landed in three hours and fought a double until one of the sailfish shook the hook. Unbelievable action! \r\n\r\nIn Kona, we filmed on board The Janet B and again unbelievable action. On a half day morning trip, one angler landed two nice wahoo and a Blue Marlin. I was amazed at the action on a half day trip. The owner, Jim Wood, went back out in the afternoon and caught another Blue Marlin weighing 395 pounds. That show was another one of the best shows filmed for ADVENTURES IN FISHING. Granted, Mexico and Hawaii may be considered Exotic locations but there is fabulous fishing. It costs a little more to go to Hawaii than Cancun but it\'s definitely worth it. So save your pennies and before you know it you\'ll get there. \r\n\r\nWe all look forward to vacations. The stresses of work and life in general can get to all of us at various times in our lives. Hobbies and pasttimes can help us cope with some of those stresses. Sportfishing is an excellent way to get away from it all. Fish stories can be told over and over. The fish always seem to get bigger as the stories are repeated. And that\'s part of fishing. But you have to get out there and give it a try. Until the time comes when you can go on one of these fishing adventures I\'ve just described, remember to watch those television fishing shows. You, in a sense go on these trips also. You get an idea of what it is like to be battling those big giants. There is no doubt that if you are like me, you\'ll get hooked on fishing from watching TV shows and become motivated to visit some of these exotic locations. \r\n\r\nIn the meantime, there is another fantastic place to fish. The place is right here on Long Island. Long Island has some of the best fishing in the world. But remember when you go fishing, take a child with you. Expose children to fishing and I guarantee you, that they\'ll be talking about those trips for the rest of their lives. Who knows...you may even get that child hooked on fishing. And that is the theme of all my articles...\"Let\'s get kids hooked on fishing...NOT on drugs!\" \r\n\r\nYou can go to the above locations to fish on your own, or we can make your arrangements for you. If you want to go fishing with us, give ADVENTURES SPORTFISHING a call at (516) 929-6711. We have reasonable rates specializing in children and beginners. Of course, experienced anglers can also have a great time. If you would like to be featured on our television show, ADVENTURES IN FISHING, we can even do that. \r\n\r\nAnd remember- \"Let\'s get kids hooked on Fishing...NOT on drugs!\" \r\n\r\nVisit Capt. Ray at his website http://www.adventure-fishing.com or drop him a line at raykelly@optonline.net \r\n',1159156800),(37,'Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales Named New SC Cabo Dealer','Effective immediately Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales (JBYS) is now the CABO Yachts dealer for South Carolina. CABO, the most recent line added to the Brunswick-owned Hatteras Collection of premium offshore sportfishing boats, is a natural addition to the Hatteras and Albemarle lines JBYS already represents through their Charleston, SC office. As a dealer representing the entire Hatteras Collection, JBYS provides their customers with a full range of high quality offshore fishing boats from 24 feet to 90 feet. The ability to provide such a broad range of product in the same family allows customers to enjoy consistent product quality and service within the Collection as their expectations and resources evolve through their years of boat ownership.\r\n\r\n\"Randy Ramsey and his crew have an outstanding reputation and we look forward to building on our already strong mid-Atlantic presence with the expertise of the Jarrett Bay team,\" commented CABO\'s V.P. of Sales & Marketing Greg Bourque. \"JBYS is as equally excited to expand the product offerings for our existing customers as we are to welcome South Carolina CABO customers to our full-service family. With offices all along the mid-Atlantic seaboard and our 175-acre comprehensive repair facility centrally located in Beaufort NC, JBYS looks forward to ensuring our CABO customers spend as much time on the water as possible,\" added JBYS President, Randy Ramsey.\r\n\r\n',1159416000),(38,'U. S. POWERBOAT SHOW HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE','Annapolis, MD. - When the 35th annual United States Powerboat Show opens on the City Dock October 12th, there will be something for nearly everyone on display. “If you like boats and boating, then this is the show to attend,” according to Powerboat Show Manager Dee Newman. “We will have around 600 boats on display on land and in the water, and every imaginable accessory and gadget to go with them.”\r\n  \r\n“Many of our exhibitors choose to introduce new boats, products or services at our show,” Manager Newman explained. “For example, this year we have new boats ranging from a 64 foot trawler yacht being introduced by Nordhavn Yachts to an 8 foot inflatable dinghy being debuted by Caribe Inflatables. New products go from a condo slip for your yacht in Belize being presented by Sapodilla Marina and Yacht Club to an innovative bottom paint being introduced by Sea Hawk Paints.”\r\n  \r\n“Other new boats at the show include a new 360 Express Fisherman from Albemarle Boats, a new Grady-White Express 305 and a new Shamrock, the 260 Stalker. The trend toward fast trawler yachts is represented by the Donelle 35, which cruises at 24 knots. The more traditional motor yachts are well represented also. Down East Yachts is introducing their Vicem 58 Flybridge, Martimo Offshore is premiering two yachts, the Martimo 52 and its big sister, the Martimo 60,” she continued. “One of the more interesting “crossover” boats this year is the Island Packet PY Cruiser, the first powerboat entry from this traditional sailboat builder.\r\n  \r\nMany new products are also being introduced at this year’s show, according to Manager Newman. “ On board electronics continues to be an area where new developments follow one another very quickly. SI-TEX marine and Nobeltec are both introducing new navigation systems. And last but not least, this is a powerboat show after all, and Mack Boring will be introducing a new line of Yanmar diesel engines.”\r\n  \r\nThis year’s show is sponsored by long time sponsor Volvo as well as Foremost Insurance (Zurich) and K. Hovnanian Four Seasons at Kent Island.\r\n \r\nThe 35th annual United States Powerboat Show will take place on the City Dock in Annapolis. The show begins on October 12th and runs through October 15th. \r\n\r\nParking is available at the Navy Marine Corps stadium and shuttle busses run to and from the show for an hour before and after the show. Special parking arrangements are in place for Saturday during the Navy football game. Follow directions on posted signs for alternate parking locations.\r\n  \r\nFor more information call the show office at 410-268-8828\r\n',1159761600),(41,'Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales awarded exclusive territory as newest GB sales and servicing dealer','Grand Banks Yachts, builder of high-quality cruising boats for 50 years, is pleased to announce the addition of Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales as the exclusive sales and servicing dealer for the Carolinas. \r\n\r\n\"Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales is very well respected in our industry, with a proven record of success as a top dealer in the region,\" said Neil McCurdy, Vice President of Sales for Grand Banks Yachts. \"The team at Jarrett Bay is very knowledgeable and professional, and we\'re very excited to have them join the Grand Banks family to represent our entire model line in the Carolinas.\" \r\n\r\nThe appointment is part of Grand Banks\' ongoing efforts to grow and strengthen its world-wide network of Authorized Dealers. The company currently has more than a dozen dealers with over 30 locations throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. \r\n\r\n\"Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales is enthusiastic about our new relationship with Grand Banks Yachts and their customers,\" said Rob Miltz, Vice President and General Manager for Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales. \"Grand Banks is an extremely well respected brand with a long standing reputation for building very high quality products. We believe this will be a very good fit with the other premium brand yachts we sell and service.\" \r\n\r\nJarrett Bay Yacht Sales will handle Grand Banks with sales offices at Beaufort and Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, and at Charleston, South Carolina. Warranty and repair work within the region will be coordinated through Jarrett Bay\'s 175-acre industrial park located on North Carolina\'s Intracoastal Waterway in Beaufort. With ample dockage space and 50- to 220-ton travel lifts available, Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales is fully equipped to offer any service required from Grand Banks owners. \r\n\r\nAbout Grand Banks - Since 1956, Grand Banks Yachts, Ltd. has built yachts of superior quality that have become industry hallmarks and earned a loyal following around the world. Renowned for their handmade craftsmanship, distinctive good looks, and tried and true all-weather capabilities, Grand Banks yachts continue to be the choice of discerning boaters today. Learn more about the company and its Heritage, Eastbay, and Aleutian series yachts at www.grandbanks.com ',1161144000),(40,'Ship Shape Part I : How-to Tips For Boat Owners','0ur boat had been at anchor for about an hour as we boated redfish one after the other. Our success soon came to a disappointing halt, when an oncoming vessel made several attempts to anchor within a few feet of us. The skipper hurled his anchor out with the finesse of an Olympic discus thrower, accompanied by flaring anger at each unsuccessful attempt to become stationary. \r\n\r\nAfter dredging up the bottom and scaring off the fish, he sped off leaving a large wake that jostled the surrounding boats whose crews yelled obscenities to the fleeing offender. \r\n\r\nWhy could he not anchor? A simple piece of chain of about three feet in length had not been attached between the anchor shackle and the rope. A seemingly simple obscurity as this can cause much inconvenience not only to the recipients aboard but to others as well. While most of us are aware of the advantages of having the most obvious things like a spare \"kicker motor\" or Coast Guard regulated safety equipment, there are still a number of things that are often overlooked until the situation gets critical– then, it may be too late. \r\n\r\nConsider the anchor. We all have one on our boat. But, do we make it a good practice to carry enough anchor rope to secure the vessel even under unusual wind conditions. Generally, for an anchor to perform properly one should figure about three foot of rope or more for every one foot of water you plan on anchoring in and use an anchor rated no less than that specified for the length of your boat. \r\n\r\nIt won\'t hurt in some cases to pick one rated oversize if you are subjected to extensive anchoring in open water, such as overnight, etc. \r\n\r\nPutting three feet or more of three-eights chain at the shackle end of the anchor aids in weighting the rope down so as to cause the anchor shank to lie horizontally to the bottom, thereby forcing the flukes to penetrate more readily. \r\n\r\nCarrying a spare anchor setup is a MUST for more than one reason. If you have ever lost an anchor due to it being snagged or left untied, you already know what that can do for a fishing trip; not to mention your wallet. Your safety may also be jeopardized if you are adrift without a spare. \r\n\r\n To prevent the loss of an anchor setup due to it being improperly tied, use a large floater (cork) such as those employed on crab traps or trawl nets. This can be accomplished by tying a piece of at least 80 lb. mono through the hole of the cork with a large snap swivel attached for connecting to the anchor rope end. This will hold the rope visibly afloat provided it is not in water deeper than its rope length. \r\n\r\nDepending on the areas where you fish, sea bottoms may present certain problems when anchoring. Thus choose the correct anchor type for the bottoms that you encounter: sand or mud bottoms, rock or shell bottoms, etc. If not, you may be donating to the benefit of underwater reefs. \r\n\r\nLosing your anchor setup to the bottom can be costly. What\'s worse is when someone fails to tie it to the boat properly. It\'s safe to say that most anchors are probably lost due to being snagged rather than being improperly tied. \r\n\r\nHowever, in my years of fishing I have thus far only lost but one anchor– the one that wasn\'t properly tied to the boat. I am not saying that snags don\'t present themselves periodically, but I can usually free it. This can be contributed to using a slip-ring type anchor, which aids in dislodging stubbornly embedded anchors. \r\n\r\nThis type anchor has a release ring that is designed to slide along a slot in the anchor shank, enabling the flukes to be extracted from the opposite direction when snagged. This is the perfect anchor for Louisiana waters and has indeed been the answer to preventing lost anchors all along the coast. \r\n\r\nIt has been my experience, though, that this anchor for some reason is not as readily available as other types, which may be why most do not use it. Or, it may be that using other types keep the suppliers in business. \r\n\r\nAnother problem boat owners experience, after switching fuel tanks, is prolonged cranking to restart the engine. Disturbing thoughts race through your head– while adrift toward rock jetties or other obstacles– as you anxiously wait for the fuel pump to prime the engine from the auxiliary tank. \r\n\r\nOftentimes, owners of boats with dual tanks and a manual switching valve and/or manual primer-ball can find themselves in a serious dilemma when running out of fuel and having to switch to the auxiliary fuel tank. But, this can easily be remedied with the use of an electric fuel pump, all of which is controlled at the dash with the mere flip of a switch. It doesn\'t matter what type of engine you\'re running; this system can easily be installed either by yourself or a professional. The electric fuel pump can be used ahead of the already existing manual fuel pump(s) and may be controlled with an on/off switch at the dash panel. \r\n\r\nOn all engines using mechanical fuel pumps, including diesels, the existing pump will be unhindered even if the electric fuel pump is deactivated. This means that if the electric pump is turned off, the existing pump will pull fuel through the electric pump without any restriction. Therefore, you can use the electric pump only for priming or as a backup-pump if the existing pump ever fails. Running the electric pump at all times will not cause any problems, but may not be necessary in some cases. On outboard motors that use a suction diaphragm pump, it may not be possible for it to pull fuel through the electric pump. So in this case, use the electric pump as the primary pump wiring it to the boat\'s ignition switch at the ignition terminal. An on/off toggle switch is unnecessary. \r\n\r\nThe additional fuel pump should not alter the fuel mileage or performance. It is of importance, however, to find the driest area for mounting the electric pump and one that allows the pump to be no higher than the fuel tank, if possible. \r\n\r\nA good quality silent type fuel pump can be purchased at most automotive parts stores. The pump and wire connections should be spray coated with a heavy duty rust inhibitor for corrosion protection after completion. \r\n\r\n A marine or automotive electric switching valve can be installed in the place of the manual fuel tank switching valve. This valve also can be controlled with the use of an on/off switch, usually supplied with the valve kit. Also, coat all connections and the valve as mentioned, regardless if you use a marine or automotive type and always mount electrically operated components in a dry area not subjected to water spray. \r\n\r\nMake sure with both switches (valve and pump) the feed wires (hot wires) are fused and are connected at the running terminal source of the ignition switch so that they are deactivated when the ignition switch is turned off. Doing this will prevent battery drainage. Do not use ignition coil positive wire at the coil for source of current and do not leave the ignition key in the \"on\" mode (point type ignition) with the engine not running as this may bum ignition contacts (points) in the distributor. \r\n\r\nAfter completion, run engine and check for any fuel leaks and proper operation of pump and switching valve before going on a trip. \r\n\r\nWhen properly installed this system should re-prime carburetor(s) after emptying either fuel tank within a few seconds of cranking, thus expediting restart and saving wear and tear on starting components– and your nerves. \r\n\r\nHave you ever noticed that engine and/or lower unit failure usually likes to surface when you have reached the furthest point from the launch site? I don\'t mean breakdowns that are easily repaired on the water, either. \r\n\r\nCase in point: about 20 years ago we had just made the long haul down Southwest Pass from Venice, Louisiana, with the smoothest of performance from my outboard. Right at the mouth of the pass my engine abruptly locked-up upon deceleration. I mean the flywheel could not be turned a fraction of an inch, even with a pull bar. \r\n\r\n What was the culprit? Monofilament line– discarded overboard by a careless individual– in lodged between the prop shaft and seal. This caused the gear oil to escape through the prop shaft seal after which saltwater entered, wreaking havoc on the the internal gears and bearings of the lower unit. It was destroyed and rendered non-rebuildable. The new one cost $1,600.00. \r\n\r\nHindsight is a wonderful thing, isn\'t it? How much wiser we become with age and experience! I now regularly check my prop shaft and have prevented monofilament prop seal damage on more than a few occasions. In fact, I am willing to bet that half of the boat owners reading this will find upon their inspection the same problem. If you catch it in time, the seals may only have to be replaced. \r\n\r\nYou can appreciate that it is not always fanaticism when you see boats that utilize dual bilge pumps with automatic float switches that are automatically activated in case one fails. If you have a bilge pump and do not have an automatic float switch on it, you are at a very bad disadvantage. It may well be likened to having a toilet without a flushing handle. \r\n\r\nHaving an automatic bilge pump allows water to be pumped out without having to remember to turn the switch on every time. Leaving your boat at the dock unattended without this device is welcoming a sunken ship– no matter what size vessel. \r\n\r\nHopefully, the above tips will take some of the \"error\" out of the \"trial-and-error\" when it comes to problems boaters often encounter.  By Jerry LaBella\r\n',1160107200),(42,'Haul Out Basics - by David Pascoe','Hauling a boat out of the water always entails some risk no matter how it\'s done. Dry storage facilities have long used fork lift trucks for this purpose, but its hard not to notice that these machines just keep getting bigger and bigger. The largest are rated at 15 and 20 tons or 30,000 to 40,000 lbs. These machines are adapted from those used at port facilities to handle shipping containers.\r\n\r\nFork Lifts Several years ago my jaw dropped when I saw one of these behemoths hauling a 40’ sportfisherman which probably weighed around 35,000 lbs. In fact, a nearby marina is now routinely handling 35 – 40 footers with this monster. The question came to my mind as to whether boats are designed to be handled this way.\r\n\r\nWhen a fork lift lifts a boat, all the weight of the boat settles onto the forks, obviously. What is less obvious is that how the weight is distributed on the forks depends entirely on the shape of the hull. When first used, fork lifts lifted outboards and stern drive boats. These boats all have their engines in the rear and their chines are relatively straight lines. That means that most likely the boat weight will be fairly well spread out on the forks. But what about boats with curved chines?\r\n\r\nThe potential for damage exists when too much of boat weight rests on one spot, as would be the case with a curved chine boat. FRP has many strong points, but point loads attack the weakness of the material. We see this all the time when untrained boat yard personnel set boats down on only two small blocks, sometimes resulting in the keel crushing.\r\n\r\nMid engine boats are much more at risk of being damaged when lifted with a fork lift. This is because this type of boat usually has a curved chine line. This makes for a load point rather like a basketball sitting on concrete – only a very small area of the hull bottom is bearing the entire weight of the vessel on the lift fork. The potential for damage is therefore very high. The risk is even higher for cored bottoms since these are even more vulnerable to point loading damage.\r\n\r\nFor example, Sea Ray made the mistake of coring its 54 footer all the way around the keel. The right way is to have only solid fiberglass where the two halves of the hull meet. In several cases, when set down on five 10” timbers as keel blocks, the keel crushed at all five points. The blocking was adequate but the construction of the keel with a core was not. Since most boats are bottom cored, this presents the same problem as the above example.\r\n\r\nTypically a bottom core terminates right at the chine, the very point at which the fork lift will load the hull. This can result in crushing of the core as well as core disbonding. The damage can occur and not be noticed. Two things may then happen. First, the beginning of core disbonding is initiated and will become progressive due to stress during vessel operation. Secondly, core failure can occur through repeated hauling, eventually resulting in a fracture failure.\r\n\r\nThe question the reader will be asking is how do I know whether this is a problem for my boat. If you have an mid engine inboard engine boat chances are that it has not been designed to be lifted with a fork lift. Secondly, if your boat is more than five years old, it is very probable that it hasn’t been designed for this. If you have a stern drive boat, it is a reasonable assumption that it is designed with fork lifting in mind.\r\n\r\nI’ve checked numerous boat owners manuals and the vast majority were entirely silent on the method of hauling, so the best thing is to call the builder before hauling on a fork lift. This should include all inboard boats above 30 feet. Moreover, as we see more and more boat yards replaced by condominiums, the probability is that reliance on forklift type marinas will increase.\r\n\r\nTravel Lifts This type of lift uses nylon slings and usually only causes hull damage when a hull is defective. On the other hand, damage to rub rails occurs routinely. Rail damage typically occurs either when the lift is small and the boat is large. In other words, the boat is wide enough that the straps will lift straight up and pinch the hull somewhat. The nylon slings stretch and insodoing pull the rail with them. If the rails are not strongly attached, they can either bend or be torn off. Normally the yard personnel will place bumpers under the rails to try to keep the slings off the rail, but this doesn’t always work. Sometimes the rail is just too weakly attached and it bends or pulls loose. The number of slings used doesn’t make much difference.\r\n\r\nHull pinching can occur when the beam of the boat approximates the spread of the straps. The most common lifts are 60 ton and 18 feet wide. Forty and fifty ton lifts are usually wide enough to avoid causing damage, but older 20 & 30 ton lifts are narrower and this is where I see most damage occurring. Boats around sixty feet have beams in this range. However, vessel beam is not the only factor. The depth of the haul slip plus the drop of time also affects the spread of the straps. The further down the vessel is, the more likely pinching will occur. Pinching by the straps places enormous loads on both the rails, deck and hull sides. It is not unusual to hear loud popping sounds when boats are lifted under such conditions. The popping, as you might guess, is fiberglass breaking within the hull. Damage is occurring though people are usually unaware of this as there are rarely any outward signs. However, visible damage does occasionally occur, typically in the form of cracks.\r\n\r\nThe best way to avoid these serious problems is; don’t haul larger vessels in smaller lifts such as the 30, 40 and 50 ton models, where the beam is approaching the maximum width of the lift. You know this when the vessel is a tight fit. Secondly, if there is a deep tidal fall – say four to six feet or more -- avoid hauling at low tide. If this is unavoidable, locate the internal bulkheads and get the straps placed on the bulkheads. Some builders mark the lifting points in this way, but many do not. Lifting on bulkheads will go a long way toward eliminating compression damage.\r\n\r\nNow a word about large late model boats that have huge windows down near the deck, or even in the hull. The area in way of these windows is extremely weak and placing a lifting strap in way of the window can cause compression that results in the window seal being broken with resultant leakage. Some Carver boats are a prime example of this problem.\r\n\r\nWhose fault is lift damage? In most cases it is the boat builder’s for not making the boat strong enough to be lifted by normally available means. Dry storage marinas that use fork lifts have proliferated in the last decade or so. That means that builders should be well aware of the stresses placed on a hull when lifted this way, and should engineer their hulls accordingly. Thus, they cannot claim that abnormal handling is at fault. For larger, heavier vessels, this is not the case. It is very doubtful that 35-40 footers are designed with fork lifts in mind. If damage ensues as a result, assessing fault will be much more difficult.\r\n\r\nIf your rub rails tear loose on a travel lift, it\'s really not the yards fault; the boat should have been able to take it since most can. I can tell you from long experience that such cases brought against builders for damage rarely succeed because larger vessels are normally hauled this way. The rails should be designed to withstand these stresses. One exception might be that the builder fails to place fender blocks between the strap and rail, below the rail. Fender blocks will lessen the load on the rail, but not eliminate it. I’ve seen many rails damaged even with the use of fenders.\r\n\r\nHaving viewed several thousand boat haulings first hand, it’s an understatement to say that most hauling crews are sloppy and inconsiderate. It’s not unusual to see one man trying to handle the whole show, nor is it unusual for damage to occur simply through carelessness. It is prudent to whip out your digital camera and take a few picks of the hull before delivering the boat to the yard, particularly if you won’t be present when hauled. That’s because when your hull scrapes against that low, unprotected concrete piling, plowing a large gouge in the side, unless you can prove that it didn’t occur previously, you don’t have a supportable claim. Oh, yes, and be sure to turn on the camera’s photo dating facility.\r\n\r\n\r\nKeel Blocking A boat owner should not leave it to a boat yard to know how to block his boat. The yard cannot know whether the hundreds of hulls he deals with are strong or weak, or require special care. It is the boat owner’s responsibility to know this – this is a ship owner tradition hundreds of years old. As a rule of thumb, there should be one block for every 10 feet of vessel length on deck. Whenever in doubt, add one more. Never, ever suspend any hull between only two blocks – one at each end. The minimum is three. The width of the block is important, for this affects load bearing area of the keel and that is what this is all about. Block width should be no less than 8” for boats 40 feet and over. Under that, six inches minimum. No 4 x 4’s should be used.\r\n\r\nWhat about jack stands? Occasionally I see boats in the 25-30’ range sitting on jack stands alone. Not good because boats are NOT designed to bear weight in that manner. The purpose of jack stands is hold the boat upright, not to hold the weight of the boat.\r\n\r\nIt is wise to draw yourself up a blocking plan – in old nauticalese known as a graving plan. It doesn’t have to be fancy, a rough drawing will do, e.g. keel blocks go here, here and here. Add any special instructions, such as sizing of keel blocks. Make a dozen copies and put them onboard. When needed, give to the yard manager telling him this is the way it should be done.\r\n\r\nWinter Lay Up Over the winter a boat will be resting on its keel for a very long time. For this reason it is extra important that adequate shoring be used. One very important feature that is often overlooked is that the keel blocks need to be level. Usually the yard men just throw them down and plunk the boat down on them. Think of what happens when two blocks are high and one is low. Effectively a three block shoring now has only two supporting blocks! Its not hard to imagine the effect of a heavy boat sitting like this for six months. A good yard will run a string level across the blocks to ensure that they are level.\r\n\r\nSo what’s the big deal about shoring except for possible keel crushing? It’s a misshapen hull. This is much less a problem for a short haul but for winter layup its definitely a big deal. The way they build boats today, it is a mistake to think that a fiberglass hull won’t distort; they can and they do.\r\n\r\nGood yards have well prepared storage areas that have been compacted by years of travel lift operation over a heavy gravel surface. Before contracting for winter layup, make an inspection of the storage area. What you don’t want to see is soft ground where the travel lift wheels have sunk into the surface, causing ruts. Note whether the area appears swampy or prone to standing water. Frozen wet ground is bad news since it will turn to pudding come spring.\r\n\r\n\r\n',1162789200),(43,'Hatteras 38 Convertible Review - By David Pascoe','The more recent sibling to the 36 and 37 Convertibles, it\'s very much the same boat but with the furniture arranged differently and a tad larger. It\'s 1\'10\" longer than the 37 and weighs about 3,000 pounds more, but you\'ll still find it with those great 6-71 Detroit Diesels that will push it along at respectable speeds. All three of these boats are a great choice in this category, with the major difference being age.\r\nThe 36 is the older of the three, yet for several years both the 36 and 37 were offered side by side (possibly an inventory problem here). The 37 is actually only 6\" longer than the 36. The 38 makes its first appearance in 1988, the 36 in 1983. Appearance-wise, the major difference is the aft raking house windows, no front windshields, and a redesigned bridge layout. The cockpit could be a tad larger, though I didn\'t measure it and could be wrong about that, but it\'s definitely bigger than the 36.\r\nThe 38 now has balsa cored hull sides, whereas the other two don\'t. Other than that, all three appear to have the same basic hull shape,  except that the 38 has a moderately deep keel and 4\'4\" draft, whereas the 37 has no keel and a 3\'3\" advertised draft. The deck is glassed to the hull and the rub rails seems to be considerably beefed up over earlier models where stress cracking was a common occurrence on the toe rails. Zero stress cracks on this one. Or maybe the owner just knew how to drive it. I\'d opt for the former.\r\nThe 38 sports a single 475 gallon fiberglass fuel tank, more than a third larger than the 330 gallons of the earlier models.  This is much larger than you\'ll find in most similar boats. Needless to say, with full fuel and water, it slows down a bit more.\r\nAs mentioned in my other reviews, one thing I really like about this boat is that it is about as low maintenance as you can get. There is really very little to keep up with on the exterior - no wood, no cheap plastic or aluminum junk (other than the window frames) to run the maintenance bills up. Our survey model was 12 years old, spent its life in south Florida, and had the original paint that still looked very good. Only the decks non-skid had been repainted along with the aluminum window frames.\r\nWhen it comes to convertible sedans of this size, there are two ways to go. You can have a good sea performer, or you can have a beautiful, spacious interior. You can\'t have both. Hatteras opted, as they always have, for performance, and that\'s what this boat is all about. Shown right is a photo of the bow entry of this boat compared to that of your typical \"family cruiser.\"  If you know your way around boats, these photos tell the whole story. The forefoot is VERY deep and slices through waves very nicely, thank you. Combined with its heavy weight (Travelift scale read 32, 500 lbs with 3/4 fuel), it is a first rate rough water performer. End of story.\r\nYet even with JT 6-71TIBs souped up to 456 hp, it\'s not a speed demon. Twenty five knots tops with a 21-22 knot cruise upwind with a half tower. And the lifespan is in the dumps at that power rating. 410 hp is the limit for good longevity with this engine. That\'s an historical fact, so forget about what anyone else may say. Cat 3208\'s at 375 hp are the other engine option, so figure 18-21 knots with these engines. But because of her deep hull and weight, this boat does not perform well at 18 knots. She really needs to be kicked up to 20 before she rides at optimal trim and efficiency. I wouldn\'t want this boat with anything but the 6-71\'s.\r\nIn terms of overall quality for a production boat, they don\'t get any better than this unless you want to move up to a late model at double the price. The interior is your basic Hatteras Afromosia dark paneling in the salon, with light vinyls forward to lighten things up a bit. Whereas the you\'ll find the 36 & 37\'s with dark wood forward.\r\n(Note: Many people mistake this wood for teak. Actually, it\'s a very hard, very durable veneered plywood called Afromosia, which I conclude is the most durable wood paneling material available. While many people want light colored woods such as white oak or ash, those woods are highly susceptible to staining and are a poor choice as far as durability is concerned.)\r\nWith two staterooms forward, the areas are a bit cramped, though bigger than the comparable Bertram models, but not claustrophobically so. At least there are no colliding doors. As typical in this size boat, the master cabin (this doesn\'t really qualify as a STATE room) double berth takes up most of the floor space. But hey, there\'s a foot space down each side so that you at least don\'t have to crawl in bed head first, on hands and knees. Oh,  how I detest beds like that -- especially when you\'re trying to bring food and drink with you, as I usually do. Yeah, I know, Moma said you\'re not supposed to eat in bed, but somehow that never quite sunk in.......\r\nThe galley is best described as unremarkable. The usual L-shape with all the usual stuff in the usual places. The storage space in the immediate galley area is less than adequate, and you may have to use other cabinets within the salon to store galley stuff.\r\nThe door is in the center with an L-shaped sofa aft and to starboard, again, the same old layout because there\'s not much else you can do with these smaller boats. No room to get fancy. The space really comes from its nearly 14 foot beam, so while small, it\'s not cramped and you\'re not likely to trip over the coffee table because there\'s room to walk by it. The catwalks are wide, so there\'s good storage space up underneath. The salon may tend to look smaller because the area up under where the windshield used to be is filled with cabinets, but the deck space remains the same. On the one side is where the microwave goes, the other the TV and other such goodies get built in.\r\nHead size is adequate with fiberglass stall shower and Vacuflush system. This system has finally been perfected, and works well.  You could put your pants on in there without a serious struggle. You can sit on the head to tie your shoe laces. As for two in the shower, well, it could be done without much bruising.\r\n\r\nOne really nice feature are the optional, built in tackle centers that are all \'glass, hold up well, and are nicely designed for a variety of uses other than just fishing junk and stinky bait. The in-deck fish box is huge, and though it takes two people to lift it out, it\'s very light and comes out easily. Not like wresting with an alligator, as most are. Below, everything is immediately reachable for servicing.\r\nThe bridge sacrifices some practicality for style and space with the swept-back forward coaming. It\'s definitely smaller than the earlier 37\' models. There\'s room for two pedastal chairs, though the driver has to move out of the way to let someone sitting in the passenger seat pass by. Otherwise, the ergonomics are pretty good. The ladder up to the bridge has winged handrailings, making for an easier climb, though the ladder is smack in front of the bait freezer and gets in the way a bit. The objective here is obviously to allow adequate room for a fighting chair.\r\nThe generator is at aft engine room and is a bit tough to reach due to two salon deck supports that get in your way. This engine room layout could have been done better. For example, there is an open bilge sump pit full of oily water that one nearly has to step in to get forward and outboard of the engines. Were it not for this, servicing stuff at this end wouldn\'t be much of a problem, and I would certainly make some adjustments here so as to avoid this unpleasantness if you\'re a do-it-yourselfer.\r\nThere are no air conditioners under the beds. The compressors are in the engine room where they belong.\r\nAll hardware is stainless steel and is solidly bolted. No loose, leaking stanchion bases. No plastic hardware crumbing in the noonday sun.\r\nNo stress cracks in superstructure or decks. No leaky windows or hatches. No crushed or stress crack rub rails.\r\nAfter 12 years with good maintenance in the tropics, this does not look like an old boat. No one would be embarrassed with this one. It\'s a fine example of good engineering in a boat that\'s built to last.\r\nPrice at this point in time: around $200K, more for later models.\r\nThese are \"reviews\", not surveys, and bear no resemblance to our survey reports. We do not publish the results of the surveys that we perform. Please note that the purpose of these reviews is educational, to help you discern the differences in quality among boats generally. They are not offered as a means to help you evaluate any particular boat builder. We have no other reviews than those posted.\r\n\r\n',1162789200),(44,'Pursuit 3000 Offshore Review - by David Pascoe','Definitely a dedicated fisherman, the Pursuit 3000 has much to offer the serious angler, starting with a twelve foot beam on a 31 footer and an extra large cockpit. Pursuit makes some boats that they call \"express fisherman\" but this one won\'t leave you with any illusions about it doubling as a booze cruiser. Unless, of course, your guest like sitting on the gunwale. It\'s distinguished by the notable lack of seating and the tall wrap-around cockpit coaming topped by a 6\" wind deflector but no windshield to speak of. And with three pedestal chairs forward, there is seating only for three unless one uses the center island as a seat, which everyone aboard does.\r\nThis style was originally born of a custom boat builder (Rybovich, if I\'m not mistaken) and is one of the more nicely styled examples. Numerous builders have put out a boats of its type including Luhrs, Topaz, Bertram, Hatteras and a few other lesser knowns such as the Rybo Runner. Its distinguishing feature is the raised coaming with no windshield frame. \r\nTo keep the water off, one relies on removable soft enclosures that, on this boat, are very easy to put up and take down, a nice feature on those days of 90+ degrees and humidity with no wind. With the enclosures down and the boat moving, air flows nice under the tower for some natural air conditioning. And besides, who likes to look though those vision-distorting plastic windows?\r\nAs thirty footers go, this seems like a big boat. That\'s mainly due to a lack of clutter that yields a large cockpit, interrupted only by the  center island. I\'ve been on a number of boats with islands like this, the most distinguishing characteristic of which I noted was the tendency to walk into the damn things, so when I approached the Offshore 3000 I thought \"Uh, oh!\" \r\nI found myself pleasantly surprised at the end of the day when the island proved to be no problem at all. Containing a live bait well, small tackle box and bait cutting board atop, I found myself using it as a convenient seat at times and a table at others. Those of you who are frequent readers know that I\'m obsessive about cluttered deck areas and good ergonomics and traffic patterns. Well, this layout really works OK despite my first impression that it might not be so good.\r\nThe one aspect that I didn\'t like was the way the fish box was built into the transom gunwale juts out into the cockpit, breaking up the smooth line of most belly rails. Fortunately it doesn\'t interfere with the opening of deck hatches because someone was thoughtful enough to design the hatch so that it is not interfered with by the overhanging box. Here we\'ve got a wide (about 48\") but narrow hatch across the deck that yields access to rudders, bilge pump, steering gear, etcetera.\r\nThis one is fitted with the optional shorty tower, aka marlin tower, that is nicely designed and doubling as a bridge with seating for two. Apparently it\'s this lack of a superstructure that gives the boat a very stable feel to her. We came to a dead stop out in the Gulf and the rolling moment was negligible. Nice.\r\nIf you expect to see one of those great Tiara helm panels you\'ll be disappointed. With a center helm, this one is decidedly plain-Jane and unremarkable. The companionway down into the cabin is a tad narrow and the three pedestal chair arrangement, while a little cramped, is not too bad.\r\nFor engine compartment access we have a center hatch which drops you down between the two engines and where the bilge here is fairly deep. Here we have standing room only, as when I tried to bend over to get in there to check the oil, etcetera, there wasn\'t room to move. So, we go through the long wait for the electric openers to lift the large hatch section up two feet at one end to an engine compartment that\'s like crawling into an alligator\'s mouth.\r\nWell, it\'s really not all that bad, but one does end up stepping on a lot of things that shouldn\'t be stepped on before one has his feet firmly planted on deck. At this point you can stand up -- albeit hunched over -- and move rather freely to do your thing, like trying to get three foot long dipsticks back into the hole with the dang things bending like spaghetti.\r\nActually, these Volvo KAMDS44 engines fit pretty well with the exception of it being really tough to get at the outboard side of the port engine, and hard to do things like adjust belts and service water pumps at front of engines. Otherwise, there\'s good access to batteries, strainers, filters and so on for the do-it-yourselfer. Shafts have lip seals, there are full size bronze strainers and Racor filters standard.\r\nSitting at the aft end is a Next Gen 5.0Kw gen set that after five years seems to be doing well. The Volvo engines likewise are doing well but for bad gaskets on both turbos and a leaking fuel pump.\r\nAs one can imagine, with only 520 hp performance is not spectacular, topping out at 25.1 knots with a cruise at 3200 RPM of around 20 knots or you can bump it up to 3400 for 21+ knots. Her strong suit will be range and fuel economy running at about 16 gph at low cruise. Earlier models had Vovlo 230\'s making for a very slow boat and wisely they abandoned that engine in a hurry. If you want to go faster, Crusader 454\'s and Cummins 315\'s will push her speeds of 31+ knots but that single 250 gallon fuel tank will empty in a hurry.\r\nThe hull is noticeably deeper than typical Pursuit hulls of earlier years and this was reflected in a much improved ride. The motion in an undulating two foot swell was easy and almost pleasant; it has the feel of a heavy boat. And with heavy bow flare, she\'s quite dry.\r\nThe hull sides are balsa cored but the bottom is solid glass. Cockpit deck is NidaCore plastic honey comb. Stringers are glass over plywood, but are heavily and completely glassed with excellent attention to detail.\r\n \r\n\r\nThe cabin is generally unremarkable with vee berth forward and a convertible upper/lower berth to starboard. The upper, because of the angle of the deck jutting out, I would describe as unusable. The galley is against the aft bulkhead (see photo) with a tiny sink, under-counter reefer, and microwave faced in an overhead cabinet above. Head compartment is smallish but useable with a glass liner. Sit on the pot and take a shower if you dare!\r\n \r\n\r\nI\'d size her up as having good, solid design while giving very good quality for the price. Good performance, clean intelligent design, simple systems and easy maintenance are her strong points.\r\nThese are \"reviews\", not surveys, and bear no resemblance to our survey reports. We do not publish the results of the surveys that we perform. Please note that the purpose of these reviews is educational, to help you discern the differences in quality among boats generally. They are not offered as a means to help you evaluate any particular boat builder. We have no other reviews than those posted.\r\n\r\n',1162789200),(45,'Albamarle 305 Review - by David Pascoe','Everybody\'s been asking about them. We\'ve gotten hundreds of requests for  reviews on Albemarle boats, the only problem being that we hadn\'t surveyed one. That state of affairs recently changed when this 1997 model 305 came our way.\r\nFully loaded and with a tower, this one is powered with 300 HP Caterpillar 3116 engines that are the first pair of this model engine that we\'ve run across that did not have any problems. At least other than the fact that the starboard aluminum engine beds had gone loose because these were improperly installed.\r\nWhich leads me to say that I was somewhat disappointed with this boat after having heard so much raving about Albemarle boats. Let\'s start with the fact that it\'s certainly good looking and, despite its small size does tend to attract attention. But once I got beyond the ooh, aah, stage and started looking closely, my enthusiasm started to wane. And why, I wondered, did this four year old boat already have two owners going on a third?\r\nTo begin, the gel coat on all the upper surfaces was wiped out after only four years; heavily oxidized and  looking like occasional polishing hasn\'t done it much good. Then, when I walked up to the foredeck, I was astonished to feel it flexing under my feet. Stress cracks showing up around the windshield coaming were apparent symptoms of the deck weakness. The windshield is painted aluminum and was notably weak in the center section.\r\nThe hull is a moderate deep vee with an unusually full bow for a Carolina boat. Unfortunately, the broker would not allow us to take the boat out into the Gulfstream, so we haven\'t a clue as to how well it  performs in rough water. Though it was hard not to notice that the vee bottom is very heavily rounded in the mid section. While this will increase speed performance, it will definitely cause a harder ride. I would expect a good, but not great ride.\r\nOur trial run consisted of a series of short blasts up the Intracoastal and on into Lake Worth in Palm Beach. Although not a real speed burner, topping out at 30 knots, this boat is very fast to accelerate, proven by a driver who knew two speeds: full and stop. With a 1.5: gear ratio it turns 20 x 23 four blade props for a vibration-free run.\r\nChine flats are 4\" wide at the stern and angle downward, and would presumably be more effective at retarding roll that horizontal chines.\r\nHull construction seems to be solid glass all the way around as we did not find any sign of coring with the possible exception of the transom. The deck is bolted to the hull. No external stress cracking on the hull was found. Internally it was a different story. Glass tabbing was found broken or fractured in three areas, the cause of which was not immediately clear.\r\nBulkheading is the usual plywood; we could not determine the nature of stringer construction.\r\nOne peculiar thing is that there is a false bottom on the inside of this hull, the reason for which we didn\'t understand, yet it caused a costly problem that soon became apparent.\r\nWhen opening the hatches and looking down into the bilge, we didn\'t see any water, though along the centerline a number of holes showed that there was space below what looked like the bottom of the boat. There is a generator aft under the cockpit deck; when looking in that area, no water was visible either. However, once we  got underway, a very a large amount of water ran aft, so much so that the generator partly went under water. The armature cooling fan caught this water and was throwing it all over the compartment. Moreover, is was obvious that this was not the first time this had happened, judging by the amount of corrosion on the genny. That explained why there w as no power output from the unit.\r\nMoreover, we did not discover any provision for dewatering this hidden compartment, though such may have existed at one time. The bilge pumps were positioned above the hidden compartment, so that water had to rise to that level before the pumps would actuate.\r\nGaining access to the generator is not fun either. The cockpit deck hatch has one of those huge fish boxes installed in it that requires two persons to remove it. To complicate matters further, this hatch does not lift up all the way, because the bait well built into the transom prevents full opening of the hatch. To get the box out, you have to remove the hatch, which is another two man job to put it back into place. I spent a half-hour alone attempting to get it on and failed.\r\nAh, one other minor detail: the generator exhaust is installed lower than the water line. . . . .\r\nMoving along toward the engine compartment, an hours worth of looking for the switch that actuates the electric lift failed to locate it, so I had to await the arrival of someone who knew how to open up.  Turns out the switch is up under the gunwale where no one would dream of looking.\r\nA tall helm pedestal chair is mounted on the hatch in front of the lower helm. Obviously, to lift the hatch the helm chair has to be removed. Unlike some of the Tiaras, this gigantic hatch at least opened far enough to allow reasonable access to the engine compartment. Just one problem: once the hatch is open, one cannot get to the helm or anything else forward of the hatch, nor can you operate the boat from the lower station with the hatch open. This boat had a tower control station, but for boats without a tower, it would not have been possible to  complete the engine survey/sea trail.\r\nThe engine compartment is tight what with the engines being installed very close together. I could not get my body between the engines to reach the area aft of the turbochargers. I wouldn\'t want to own this boat if I did my own maintenance.\r\nYet another unfortunate situation involved the engine room insulation, which is foam padding glued onto the under side of the deck, which was falling off and crumbling, burning on hot manifolds and fouling the bilge pumps.\r\nSomewhere under the cockpit there is a fuel tank, but there is no access to it and not even a glimpse of it could be seen. Condition of aluminum tank: unknown. Nor does is there a removable deck section. To get at it the deck has to be cut out.\r\nThe cockpit area is separated into forward and aft sections by molded cabinets on each side, both of which block sliding door storage lockers in the gunwales rendering them unusable. The forward cockpit area is rather tight, what with the pedestal chair mounted smack in the middle of the traffic pattern. The helm itself is simplistic and angular, with a broad surface area for flush mounting electronics. Three items will fit here, including a nice Northstar 961X. Wheel and control positioning is acceptable and the opening vent section of the windshield is nice for cooling off, though it\'s got some really cheap aluminum hardware that functions poorly. There are also vent openings on the windshield sides.\r\nOur test model had a full size fighting chair and it was nice to be on such a small boat with plenty of cockpit room even with a chair. This is offset by the badly cramped forward cockpit half. The upshot is that this is a good layout for serious bill fishing, but less so if general entertainment figures into the your picture. You quickly get tired of doing battle with that pedestal chair.\r\nThe cabin area is somewhat larger than similar boats with a rather unusual berth/seating arrangement. One side starts out as a vee berth, but then on the opposite side the berth/seat is set more perpendicular to the centerline, making for an odd angle, but giving a bit more floor space that permits easier movement around the table which, for most vee berth set ups, does  not work well. This one works out better.\r\nThe galley is across the aft bulkhead, again unusual, though the amount of counter space is small, it\'s not as bad as some. The head compartment is large enough to avoid complaint. The interior is fully linered and there were no significant cabin leaks.\r\nAnother squawk point: the electric panel is located immediately inside the cabin door.  Accidentally leave the door open and a sudden rain storm comes up . . . . well, you get the idea.\r\nMany of these complaints are things that used boat buyers will put up with seeing as how they\'re paying a lot less than a new boat price. But when buying a new boat, and paying a premium price, a discriminating buyer will likely turn his nose up at so many design glitches. For all the rave talk we\'ve heard about Albemarle, perhaps we expected too much.\r\n\r\nThese are \"reviews\", not surveys, and bear no resemblance to our survey reports. We do not publish the results of the surveys that we perform. Please note that the purpose of these reviews is educational, to help you discern the differences in quality among boats generally. They are not offered as a means to help you evaluate any particular boat builder. We have no other reviews than those posted.\r\n',1162789200),(46,'World Record Cobia Caught In North Carolina','Big fish gets bigger as Lucas\' cobia catch now a world record\r\n\r\nBy Tom Ham \r\nWilson daily News\r\n\r\n\"It\'s a great, prestigious thing — a once-in-a-lifetime achievement,\" \r\n\r\nWilson sports fisherman Billy Ray Lucas was recently informed by the International Game Fish Association that his cobia catch of 116 pounds, eight ounces on June 11 has been proclaimed an angling world record. Earlier, the prize was declared a North Carolina record by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.\r\n\r\n\"It\'s a great, prestigious thing — a once-in-a-lifetime achievement,\" Lucas gratefully said. \"I surely wasn\'t looking for it; it just happened.\r\n\r\n\"In the whole wide world, I\'m the individual who caught the biggest cobia (in the 80-pound test line category).\"\r\n\r\nThe accomplishment has motivated Lucas, the owner of Billy Ray\'s Auto Service, to pursue a rockfish world record. The standard is 78 pounds and Lucas\' largest catch has been 36 pounds.\r\n\r\nOn the second Sunday in June, Lucas, aboard Captain Troy Crane\'s Marauder vessel along with partners Randy Glenn, Joe Smith; retired captain Vernon Barrington and mate Jeff Floyd, headed out of Oregon Inlet.\r\n\r\nLucas, while fishing on his boat, Rockfish Crazy, the previous day was almost 100-percent convinced he spotted the record cobia.\r\n\r\nIn the same area near Salvo, he landed the state- and world-record fish on 50-pound test line after a fight of nearly 45 minutes.\r\n\r\nHowever, the cobia was recognized as a world record for 80-pound test line instead of 50 because it overtested.\r\n\r\n\"Specifications allow 52.76 and mine came back at 53.51,\" Lucas explained. \"They overtest 90 percent of the time. I had no control over that.\"\r\n\r\nHowever, the magnitude of the accomplishment was anything but diminished.\r\n\r\nLucas shattered a record (106-plus pounds) that had existed since Sept. 30, 1980. The 50-pound test world mark of 112-plus pounds was recorded in 1986.\r\n\r\n\"They bumped it one line class,\" Lucas noted, \"and it blew the 80-pound record out of the water.\"\r\n\r\nThe accomplishment has resulted in Lucas receiving more than notoriety.\r\n\r\n\"I\'ve got some tackle endorsements,\" he said, \"and some potential sponsorships for my fishing. It\'s nothing extravagant, but you get noticed.\"\r\n\r\nLucas plans to mount the record cobia, although he\'s not certain where it will be displayed. He expects a mold to be available within the next few days.\r\n\r\nAnd he iterates the carcass will not be thrown away. The N.C. Musuem of Science of Raleigh has expressed an interest in obtaining it and Lucas also mentions donating it to a special wing of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.\r\n\r\nLucas turned to sportfishing upon terminating a successful Late Model Stock auto racing career in 2001.\r\n\r\nHis largest cobia catch since that record-setting Sunday has been 57 pounds. Now, rockfishing holds more appeal and Lucas plans to head to Mann\'s Harbor or Oregon Inlet 8-10 times per month.\r\n\r\n\"I\'m more serious than I was (about fishing),\" Lucas admitted. \"And rockfishing is my passion. I enjoy catching this fish. I have read a lot about them and I fish for them entirely different from most folks.\"\r\n\r\nLucas doesn\'t deny he will be ever mindful of another world record.\r\n\r\n\"It would be cool to break the world record,\" he excitedly said. \"And if it\'s meant to be, it will happen. If not, I will fish to have fun.\"\r\n\r\nHowever, Lucas does note that the next rockfish world record-holder will become an instant millionaire.\r\n\r\nDon\'t forget your friends, Billy Ray!\r\n',1165640400),(47,'72 inch bluefin tuna caught & landed from Archer\'s Creek','Greg Dennis Lands Bluefin Tuna In Archer\'s Creek!\r\nGreg Dennis from the Reel Outdoors in Emerald Isle!\r\n\r\n72 inch bluefin tuna caught & landed from Archer\'s Creek in Bogue Sound North Carolina!\r\n\r\nThis is Madi Sawyer, Greg Dennis\' stepdaughter, and I\'m writing to inform all of you with the most accurate information regarding the blue fin tuna caught in Archer\'s Creek North Carolina.  We live on Archer\'s Creek and so I was lucky enough to see it all!\r\n\r\nGreg Dennis and Hugh Sutton (neighbor across the creek) witnessed something rather large swimming around the creek and both hopped in our 16 ft. Carolina Skiff to check it out.  They were unsure of what exactly it was at first, and after casting towards the fish with light tackle, they eventually foul-hooked the tuna, and once they got close to the tuna, they gaffed it thinking it was a yellow-fin tuna.  Since they were in 3 ft. of water, the tuna was unable to swim quickly enough and so it was relatively easy to pull right up to the fish.  There were several of us watching from our docks less than 50 yards away in complete disbelief.  After Greg almost fell out of the boat while gaffing the tuna, they brought the fish to the dock so we could all take several pictures.  The pictures are linked below.  They then took the fish to Island Harbor Marina where the Marine Fisheries and Federal guys met up with them.  They had no intentions of selling this fish or they obviously wouldn\'t have split his stomach at the dock. \r\n\r\nAnd yes, Greg has his commercial license and tuna permit but the tuna permit was for his 25 ft. parker, not his 16 ft. skiff.  Therefore, the tuna was confiscated.  Fines at this point, were unsure of, hopefully none... but it was worth every second! \r\n\r\nGreg knew it wasn\'t the right thing to do by gaffing this fish but he also had no idea at the time that it was a blue fin tuna.  How often does a 77 inch blue fin tuna end up in Archer\'s Creek?  So just out of curiosity, what would you have done?? http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mascheer99/albums\r\n',1165640400),(48,'Congress Passes Magnuson-Stevens Act','Washington DC- December 11, 2006 – Congress passed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) in one of its final votes of the year.  The legislation reflects compromise between the House of Representatives and the Senate; Republicans and Democrats.  The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) appreciates the efforts of Congressional leaders, and the Bush Administration, to bring together conflicting agendas and to push for improvements to the way our fisheries are managed.\r\n\r\n“As with any major legislative effort, you have to pick your battles and operate within the uncertain and constantly changing environment on Capitol Hill” said Jim Donofrio, RFA Executive Director.  The RFA commends Congress for improving recreational data collection, prohibiting arbitrary decisions on new no-fishing zones, recognizing the importance of the industry in making catch allocations and distributing disaster relief, and providing flexibility in the rebuilding time frame for summer flounder.“\r\n\r\nThe RFA successfully argued for inclusion of language to extend the rebuilding time frame for summer flounder. “NMFS indicated that they would use the language in the bill to grant recreational fishermen immediate relief.  We now have to work with NMFS to ensure that they do in fact take the necessary steps to implement an emergency rulemaking which increases the quota for summer flounder in the 2007 season,” according to Ray Bogan, RFA general counsel.  Members of the of the New Jersey and New York delegations were instrumental in getting this provision included.\r\n\r\nAnother amendment to the MSA calls for a new arbitrary time in which statutorily defined “overfishing” has to be ended. The RFA successfully argued that a balance of conservation and reasonable angling opportunities was justified and helped reduce the severity of this provision.\r\n\r\n“The response from anglers was great. It’s invaluable to be able to tell anglers, captains and crews of for-hire boats, tackle shop operators and other marine businesses that their efforts were worthwhile”, explained Captain Tony Bogan, a Director of The United Boatmen of New Jersey and New York; an industry group which represents party and charter boat owners and operators. \r\n\r\nIn the United States, the recreational fishing industry contributes more that $31 billion dollars per year. “The recreational fishing community really made their voice heard.  Senator Stevens, Senator Inouye, Congressman Pombo, others members of Congress, and Bush Administration officials listened to our concerns, and for that we are thankful” said Jim Donofrio.\r\n',1165899600),(49,'Florida Marine Tanks Brings 100 Jobs to North Carolina','Raleigh, NC - The 13-year-old Boating Industry Services (BIS) program of the NC SBTDC has successfully aligned with the NC Department of Commerce (NC\r\nDOC) to create an effective boating industry recruiting partnership. This collaborative effort has resulted in luring the highly-respected Florida Marine Tanks to Vance County. \r\n\r\nFounded in 1974 by industry pioneer Vincent DiRosa, Florida Marine Tanks is a manufacturer of fuel, water, and holding tanks for the boating industry.\r\nThe $10 million company will make Henderson its third manufacturing location, creating 100 jobs and investing $2 million during the next three years. Headquartered in Miami, with a manufacturing site in Dexter, Mo., Florida Marine Tanks is purchasing two buildings in the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park with about 83,000 sq. ft. of production space, and will begin operations by spring 2007.  The majority of the new jobs will be skilled production positions, and while individual wages will vary greatly, the average weekly wage of the positions will be $455 plus benefits. \r\n\r\n \"A North Carolina facility will enable us to better serve the marine industry,\" said Rosemarie Fiori, president of Florida Marine Tanks Inc. \"We thank the state and Vance County for their support.\" \r\n\r\nFlorida Marine Tanks received a $50,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. One North Carolina Fund grants require and are contingent upon a local match. Through the use of this Fund, more than 20,000 jobs and $3 billion in investment have been created since 2001.\r\n\r\nCombining 15 years of boating industry experience, SBTDC Boating Industry Services Director Mike Bradley is known in the industry and has leads and contacts that keep him apprised of relocation activity in boat building and boat product manufacturing companies nationally and internationally. Jay Tilley, Retention and Expansion Specialist, has the considerable resources of the Department of Commerce in a state known for its boating enterprise.\r\nTogether, they provide confidentially to the prospects and statewide access to resources in all 100 counties including buildings, building sites, workforce, and incentive packages - all focused on the requirements of the prospective company.\r\n\r\nNorth Carolina\'s boating industry is a heritage industry with strong growth potential. With over 100 companies building boats, and over 3,000 product and service companies, the state is growing a cluster of business-connected companies that greatly benefit from the proximity of quality products, materials and services necessary for every facet of boat building. Add the economies offered by keeping the transportation costs lower by networking within the state, and the prospects for continuing growth of this industry is strong.\r\n\r\nThe SBTDC is North Carolina\'s business and technology extension service. It is administered by North Carolina State University on behalf of The University of North Carolina System, and operated in partnership in partnership and with funding support from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Defense Logistics Agency, the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the North Carolina Department of Commerce.  The SBTDC provides business counseling and management education services to business throughout North Carolina from 17 offices across the State.  \r\n\r\nFor more information about Florida Marine Tanks, visit www.floridamarinetanks.com. To learn more about the NC boating industry and the SBTDC Boating Industry Services, visit www.NCwaterways.com.  To find out more about NC business recruitment services, visit www.investnc.com',1165986000),(50,'The States of Boating','Chicago, IL - (December 12, 2006) –The start of winter marks the start of boat show season when thousands of boats will be bought and sold across the country. To get ready, Discover Boating, the national consumer awareness program for the recreational boating industry, took a look at how many boats are already on the water and released new data today showing overall boat registrations increased 1.3 percent to 12.9 million in 2005. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe national rankings reveal Florida as the top boating state for the second year in a row with nearly 974,000 registered boats, followed by California, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The top five boating states accounted for nearly one third of all boat registrations. The data was compiled in conjunction with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)\'s 2005 U.S. Recreational Boat Registration Statistics Report.\r\n\r\n“Not only did boat registrations increase, but we also saw an increase of 2.3 million in overall boating participation in 2005 to 71.3 million,” said Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA and Discover Boating. “These numbers tell us that boating is growing in popularity as a leisure time activity.” \r\n\r\nDespite most of the nation in the grips of winter weather, now is the time when prospective boat buyers start shopping for a boat. Over the next three months there will be hundreds of boat shows in markets across the U.S. where visitors can browse a wide selection of boats and negotiate with dealers under one roof to find the boat that’s right for their budget and lifestyle. \r\n \r\n“Winter is the ideal time to shop for a boat because boat shows allow people to view and board all makes and models in one place at one time – all while being able to negotiate pricing that isn’t typically offered during the warmer months,” Dammrich said. “By shopping now—especially in cold weather states—people can make an educated decision and have their boat ready to hit the water come spring.”\r\n\r\nThe top 10 states for registered boats in 2005 were:\r\n1. Florida (973,859 registered boats)\r\n2. California (963,758 registered boats)\r\n3. Michigan (944,138 registered boats)\r\n4. Minnesota (853,489 registered boats)\r\n5. Wisconsin (639,198 registered boats)\r\n6. Texas (614,616 registered boats)\r\n7. New York (508,536 registered boats)\r\n8. South Carolina (416,763 registered boats)\r\n9. Ohio (412,375 registered boats)\r\n10. Illinois (380,865 registered boats)\r\n\r\nRegional Rankings\r\nThe Great Lakes region remained number one in regional rankings, with the Inland region falling from second to third behind the South Atlantic region.\r\n\r\nThe top regions for boat registrations include:\r\n\r\n    *\r\n      Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) – 3.4 million registrations\r\n    *\r\n      South Atlantic (FL, GA, NC, SC) – 2.7 million registrations\r\n    *\r\n      Inland (AZ, AK, CO, ID, IA, KS, KY, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, SD, TN, UT, VT, WY) – 2.1 million registrations\r\n\r\nThe top 20 boating states represented nearly three out of every four boats registered in the U.S. in 2005. NMMA used registration data supplied to the U.S. Coast Guard by the each state to develop the registration statistics report.\r\n\r\nA complete list of state-by-state rankings, as well as additional information on how to get started in boating, can be found at www.DiscoverBoating.com/BoatRegistrations. Visitors to the site can also find information on upcoming boat shows in their area and advice on choosing a boat to suits their needs. \r\n\r\nBoat registration statistics are compiled by individual states. The federal government uses these statistics to allocate Aquatic Resource Trust Fund dollars among the states each year. NMMA uses the registration data to develop its estimates on annual state dollar sales of new boats, motors, trailers and marine accessories. This comprehensive sales information will be available in May.\r\n\r\nThe full 2005 U.S. Recreational Boat Registration Statistics Report will be available in January and can be ordered by contacting the NMMA fulfillment department at 312-946-6200. The cost is $150 for NMMA members; $300 for non-members.\r\n\r\nAbout Discover Boating\r\nDiscover Boating is a public awareness effort managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) on behalf of the North American recreational boating industry. Discover Boating programs focus on increasing participation and creating interest in recreational boating by demonstrating the benefits, affordability and accessibility of the boating lifestyle while helping to educate potential boaters and offering opportunities to experience the fun and togetherness of being on the water on a boat. Each year, more than 71 million people in the U.S. enjoy boating, the recreational activity that \"connects like no other.” To find out more, visit DiscoverBoating.com.',1167800400),(51,' NORTHEAST HERRING NEED PROPER MANAGEMENT',' It seems like Atlantic herring just can’t get any respect. In the 1960’s and early 1970’s uncontrollable foreign fishing fleets crushed the offshore Georges Bank herring resource until the stock collapsed. Some scientists at that time believed the stock to be extirpated. But after the Magnuson Act was passed in 1976 with a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, the biomass began to rebuild rapidly in the 1980’s. In 2003 the U.S. stock assessment estimated the stock complex biomass to be a stunning 1.80 million metric tons! But a Canadian assessment using the same database reported a biomass one-third the size estimated by U.S. scientists.\r\n\r\nFishery managers here in the U.S. are now dangerously ignoring the Canadian view of a much smaller biomass and have encouraged rapid development of a fleet of very large and efficient midwater pair and single trawl vessels to catch high quotas of the low valued herring. Many fishermen and herring scientists believe a biological and economic disaster is in the making or is already well underway, especially in the Gulf of Maine, because of the failure to follow precautionary herring management policies. The herring stock complex includes separate spawning stock components on Georges Bank and in coastal waters and near shore banks such as Jeffreys Ledge in the Gulf of Maine. .\r\n\r\nHere’s what the herring midwater trawl controversy in the Northeast is all about.\r\n\r\nTransition to Midwater Single & Pair Trawl Fleet.\r\n\r\nPrior to 1994 purse seine gear was the primary method of catching herring in New England waters. The traditional use of the herring product was for lobster bait and for canned sardine and other specialty products such as steaks and tidbits. In the mid to late 1990’s NMFS scientists, apparently ecstatic to have a rebuilt resource, became quite vocal in support of fast development of the herring fishery. Scientists were heard to say that as much as a million metric tons a year could be taken for several years without impacting the biomass and that 400,000 tons might be the long-term sustainable yield. These numbers quickly attracted the attention of businessmen from as far away as Ireland and Seattle and the equivalent of a herring “gold rush” was on for the next several years. In many cases, effort was relocated from places like Ireland where midwater trawling, a new and efficient method, had decimated the local stocks. Despite the importance of herring to the Gulf of Maine and the surrounding coast, and the real evidence of the damage these types of vessels were capable of (for example, just over the Hague Line in the Bay of Fundy, Canada had seen a herring stock collapse due to trawling almost 4 decades ago, and, ever since, have banned the gear), overzealous managers turned the overly optimistic herring science into action. .\r\n\r\nBetween 1994-97 midwater trawl gear replaced purse seine gear as the primary gear and by 2003 midwater pair and single vessel trawlers were accounting for 70% of the herring catch in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine and for 81% of the total herring catch in the Northeast. To catch the enormous volume of herring promised by the scientists more efficient midwater trawls and larger vessels would be required particularly to fish the offshore waters of Georges Bank. New herring processing plants in Gloucester and New Bedford were developed, with government financial support, to freeze herring for expanding overseas markets. In 2002 the 150’ Dona Martita and 115’ Nordic Explorer from the North Pacific made the journey through the Panama Canal to supply product to the New Bedford plant. In 2004 the former New England purse seiner Connie Jean (150’ with 1.2 million lb. fish hold capacity) was sold and came back from the Pacific after 10 years of tuna fishing to transport herring and mackerel from the fishing grounds to the New Bedford plant. While in 1996 there had been only 3 pair trawlers, by 2004 there were 16. .\r\n\r\nThe results were highly predictable: by the end of the nineties, the massive trawler fleet had begin to change the Gulf of Maine from a marine wonderland to a marine desert. .\r\n\r\nLocalized Herring Resource Depletion.\r\n\r\nPurse seine gear is generally rated by environmental groups as ecosystem friendly because the fish are brought to the boat alive and can be released if conditions such as small size or bycatch is present. Purse seine gear for herring also can only be fished at night when the herring are near and visible at the surface and the gear usually catches only a part of the herring assemblage available. .\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, the midwater fleet has grown to 25 vessels with many of these in the 150’ size range and fish holds capable of holding more then a million pounds of herring. When these vessels hook up to pair trawl they are deadly efficient on an enormous scale. Imagine the effect of two 150’ vessels a quarter mile apart towing, with 2,500 horsepower, one side of a small mesh net with a mouth between 200’ to 300 feet across and towing at five knots. Literally, nothing in the net’s path escapes nor survives, not fish, not mammals and not bluefin tuna. This fishing activity is permitted within 3 miles of the coastline directly eliminating the forage necessary for many other commercial and recreational fisheries such as striped bass and bluefish. .\r\n\r\nAnd it is not only the size of the midwater pair trawl operation but the fishing pattern of the fleet that causes the most severe damage. Herring mostly school up on relatively small and discrete fishing grounds and this, of course, attracts other fish, birds and mammals. The midwater vessels concentrate here (same as the tuna boats) and repeatedly, 24/7, crisscross these grounds with their huge nets. Research has shown that schools of herring disturbed by fishing gear quickly regain their school structure (even after large reductions in the available biomass are made) making them especially vulnerable to repeated tows. Even if they did not possess this characteristic, the midwater vessels have forward looking sonars which allows efficient and cost effective tracking and catching of relatively small assemblages until an area is nearly devoid of forage. This efficiency is incompatible with rebuilding objectives for numerous Northeast species of much greater recreational and commercial value then .06 cents per pound herring. .\r\n\r\nPurse seine gear could never be this efficient hence the 40 years of compatibility of tuna harpoon and rod and reel boats with the traditional herring fishery. This localized herring resource depletion by the midwater boats is having terrible impacts on every other fishery trying to share these limited fishing grounds. Currently NMFS and state herring biologists deny that localized resource abundance is a concern with herring. Apparently, they must believe that there is an inexhaustible supply of herring waiting to fill the voids created by intensive fishing by efficient midwater vessels. .\r\n\r\nThis efficiency of midwater trawling has now effectively killed the traditional early June and July bluefin tuna harpoon season in the Gulf of Maine. Between 1995 and 2001 the rod and reel catch in the Gulf of Maine also declined dramatically from 190 to 66 mt while the overall catch shifting to other areas with available forage increased from 531 mt to 929 mt in 2001. A statistically significant negative relationship (see Figure 1) has been demonstrated between increased herring midwater catches and declining rod and reel catches. Each year since has been worse than the year before. Every year the tuna leave earlier, along with the whales and other fish that rely on herring. The last two years have been worse than any on record. This summer has been the worst by far, with less than 20 fish caught in the Gulf of Maine all summer. The storied Maine harpoon fleet, which never stopped fishing until October every year, has not fished since early August. The whale watch and charter boat fleets haven’t fared any better. Nor have recreational fishermen. Everyone is suffering. .\r\n\r\nOverfishing in Gulf of Maine.\r\n\r\nThe current herring plan manages the fishery with area “soft” quotas (i.e. no provision to pay back for overages) and for the Gulf of Maine the quota has been set at 60,000 mt. But recognized herring scientists Dr. Vaughn Anthony and Dr. Andy Rosenberg (both former NMFS scientists) have stated publicly that 60,000 mt is too high for the inshore resource. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee has formally advised in 2003 that “the current concentration of harvest in the inshore Gulf of Maine is of concern and may be excessive”. If 60,000 mt annual quota is “of concern” and “may be excessive” what damage to the discrete inshore spawning component was done by newly revised (and dramatically higher) reported catches from this resource of 83,303, 95,485, 88,069, 75,533 respectively for the years 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999. These catches made just prior to implementation of the plan amount to 102,390 mt above the level of catch deemed risky for the inshore component by highly qualified scientists. Just this year the TRAC determined that the inshore herring stock represented 18% of the total stock. They believed, as did the Herring PDT, that a TAC in Area 1A based on this 18% would mean a safe level of removal from inshore would be somewhere between 35 and 42,000 mt- far, far below the massive removals of the last decade or more. .\r\n\r\nNMFS has been made aware of the views of many herring purse seine, tuna fishermen, groundfish fishermen and whale watch naturalists that the Jeffrey’s Ledge spawning stock has already been wiped out by the midwater trawl fleet similar to the “Trinity Ledge” (formerly the closest spawning/fishing grounds to Yarmouth, N.S.) stock collapse in Canadian waters. It is not a new phenomenon for near-shore sub-stocks to be damaged while offshore resources remain underutilized. Despite all of the above, here we sit in 2006 and are being told that we may see the 60,000 mt inshore TAC remain in place until at least 2009. This despite the mounting evidence that shows a precautionary approach is the prudent one. .\r\n\r\nMidwater Bycatch Problems.\r\n\r\nCommercial fishermen in New England have always known that the name “midwater gear” was a fallacy – that any trawl gear can be made to fish the bottom if the Captain is competent. In a move generating controversy with groundfish fishermen, the New England Council in 1999 gave the midwater vessels a blanket exemption from restrictions on access to groundfish spawning and other closed areas. The premise was that the midwater gear was defined as a gear “incapable” of interacting with bottom dwelling groundfish. .\r\n\r\nIn August of 2004 this myth was shattered when massive amounts of haddock bycatch were discovered by Maine Marine Patrol and NMFS enforcement aboard several midwater trawl vessels landing in Maine and Gloucester. The vessels had been fishing on Cultivator Shoals on Georges Bank and returned with up to 4.5% of their catch of juvenile haddock between 4” and 14” small. One vessel had 32,000 lbs. of baby haddock before the agents stopped counting. In the NE Council’s Herring Amendment 1, they make clear that these boats are fully capable of fishing on bottom. .\r\n\r\nThe damage being done to the groundfish stocks for which hundreds of families have suffered to rebuild, will never recover when these boats are given a free pass to fish anywhere they want. While countless 30-40 foot groundfish draggers are banned from closed areas like Jeffrey’s Ledge, these 150’ pair trawlers to the same areas, with bigger nets, smaller mesh, at a higher speed, all year round. These boats have made a mockery of the whole rebuilding plan for species like cod and other highly regulated species. .\r\n\r\nIn 1997 the State of Maine observed 54 midwater trawl tows and documented 9 giant bluefin tuna bycatch. The fleet executes thousands of tows each year on 1,060 fishing trips (2001) so one can only imagine the horrendous total wasted bycatch of giant tunas. In 2004 a midwater vessel was caught attempting to smuggle two giant bluefins for sale. In 2003 Maine Marine Patrol questioned some of the midwater boats when 11 dead whales washed ashore, some with wounds that appeared to be not naturally inflicted. .\r\n\r\nThis record of bycatch alone would ordinarily shut down any fleet in any region and on any coast, under the stringent Magnuson Act mandates to eliminate bycatch. But this midwater trawl fleet appears to be “Teflon coated”. The states of Maine and Massachusetts support for the midwater fleet is impenetrable thus far and this, in turn, dominates the New England Council’s perspective on midwater trawl issues. .\r\n\r\nHerring as Forage Considerations.\r\n\r\nRecent research has identified that herring is important forage for: 8 major groundfish species including cod, pollock and haddock; monkfish and spiny dogfish (dogfish alone eating in excess of 67,660 mt per year); 6 major pelagic species including bluefin tuna, swordfish, bluefish and striped bass; 9 species of sharks including blue sharks; short and long finned squids; 7 varieties of marine mammals including humpback whales, harbor porpoises, pilot whales and more. In other words, herring is crucial forage for just about every species of recreational and commercial importance in New England. The most recent dogfish assessment (42nd SAW) adds urgency to the forage issue, as an official doubling in dogfish biomass has occurred, and the herring these excess dogfish eat is not accounted for in the management models. .\r\n\r\nIn 1994 the National Academy of Sciences criticized the international stock assessment for bluefin tuna for not taking into account availability of forage as a factor given the known fact that tuna migration patterns are heavily linked to forage levels. It is not surprising that bluefin in the west the last few years have preferred Canadian and North Carolina fishing grounds over New England’s given the availability of copious quantities of herring and menhaden respectively available in those regions. Canada has banned the use of midwater trawl gear for almost 30 years now. .\r\n\r\nThe Sustainable Fisheries Act has mandated rapid rebuilding of all U.S. fisheries and in New England this is weighty task given the plight of the prior 25 years. No one knows what the forage requirements and other impacts will be of an ecosystem with much larger populations of groundfish, dogfish, bluefin tuna, sharks and more. The increasing population of dogfish for example, has recreational and commercial fishermen alike screaming over the serious negative impacts on fisheries for striped bass, bluefish and bluefin tuna. .\r\n\r\nWe do know the obvious though, that with increasing predators, there will be dramatically higher need for herring to sustain these increasing and rebuilt populations. Charter boat captains and commercial cod fishermen are already complaining about skinny codfish with empty stomachs in the Gulf of Maine. .\r\n\r\nGiven the evidence of grave risk to the herring stock in the Gulf of Maine, the damage being done to other fisheries by herring midwater trawl gear, the bycatch problem and the need for forage for increasing populations of fish, the current herring management policies, to be polite, are grossly inadequate. Allowing continued unfettered midwater trawl access to coastal and offshore groundfish protected areas is not simply unwise and unjustified, it is inequitable to thousands of recreational and commercial fishermen who have sacrificed to conserve these fish. .\r\n\r\nA group in New England, the Coalition for the Atlantic Herring Fishery’s Orderly, Informed and Responsible Long Term Development (aka CHOIR) has been working since 2002 to make sure that the herring fishery isn’t given free reign to destroy the Gulf of Maine and the livelihoods of those who work on it. In 2005, CHOIR , along with thousands from the general public, wrote in showing support for a Purse Seine/Fixed Gear Only “Buffer Zone” in Area 1A, which is the inshore area in the Gulf of Maine. This Buffer Zone would allow for more traditional- and sustainable- methods, such as fixed gear and purse seining to fish in the inshore while pushing the big trawlers offshore. .\r\n\r\nThe support shown for this Buffer Zone was overwhelming. Thousands had spoken, and luckily, the New England Fishery Management Council was listening: at its January 31-Februray 2nd meetings in Portland Maine, the Council voted 13-2 to pass the Buffer Zone, along with a couple other actions such as a limited access program, in what would be known as Amendment 1 to the Herring FMP. .\r\n\r\nWhile many had assumed the battle was over, it was really only beginning. Despite the public mandate to set up this Buffer Zone, the powerful midwater trawl lobby has worked hard to undercut the public’s and NE Council’s wishes and to stop the Buffer Zone from being passed into law. They have been putting a lot of pressure on both NMFS and certain members of Congress to stifle the momentum and allow for these big trawlers to continue causing great damage. .\r\n\r\nThe Purse Seine/Fixed Gear Only Buffer Zone is what many believe to be the last chance for the Gulf of Maine and it’s many fisheries and industries. The tuna and whales continue to leave earlier every year; the groundfish will never have a chance to rebuild, as the boats catch the forage the stocks are relying on to rebuild, as well as causing great harm by towing in closed areas; the recreational fisheries have been damaged greatly by the lack of food for key species like bluefish and striped bass. So many things rely on herring and the Buffer Zone would be the first key step in protecting this valuable resource. Written by Rich Ruais & Chris Weiner.\r\n\r\n*If you would like to help protect the Gulf of Maine, you can either write or call to the addresses/people shown, explaining your support for Amendment 1, as submitted by the New England Council. Click here to view a Sample Letter. This includes, among other things, the Purse Seine/Fixed Gear Only Zone in the Gulf of Maine. .',1167800400),(52,' ASMFC GAFFS RECREATIONAL SUMMER FLOUNDER FISHERMEN','RFA Continuing to Work for Positive Outcome\r\n\r\nJust when recreational anglers had the chance to keep the 2007 summer flounder season viable, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Summer Flounder Management Board dropped the ball. In a last minute motion offered by Gordon Colvin of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the ASMFC overruled a motion that would have set the commercial and recreational summer flounder quota for state waters at 19.9 million pounds. Had the ASMFC set the total allowable landings (TAL) at 19.9 million pounds, recreational anglers and fishing businesses dependant upon reasonable access to summer flounder would have been able to scrape by and remain in the fishery. However, ASMFC\'s failure to set the 2007 quota makes the likelihood of a 12.9 million-pound TAL a reality.\r\n\r\n\"This represents a lost opportunity to restore the faith of fishermen in the ASMFC,\" stated RFA Executive Director Jim Donofrio. \"It is obvious that the recreational fishing industry can not look to the ASMFC for leadership. Time and time again, certain commissioners have proven their lack of interest and understanding of the industries\' needs by failing to consider our testimony or comments during their deliberations and purposely swaying the commission position away from measures that would have less severe impacts on the industries.\"\r\n\r\nThe Mid-Atlantic Council approved a 19.9 million-pound TAL for 2007 at their August meeting based on the findings from the Summer Flounder Monitoring Committee, which included current high level of abundance and the unnecessary economic impacts that would occur with a drastic reduction in TAL. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) immediately indicated that based on their revised estimates that a TAL of 12.9 million pounds must be set to ensure a 75 percent probability of meeting the rebuilding target. NMFS claims such a position is necessary to comply with the statutory framework and to avoid a lawsuit from environmental groups. ASMFC is not bound by the same legal constraints as NMFS and could have used their best judgment and an ounce of common sense to set the summer flounder TAL in state waters at 19.9 million pounds for 2007.\r\n\r\n\"The ASMFC has become a rubber stamp for NOAA policy,\" continued Donofrio. \"Anglers from New York and other states that voted in favor to reconsider the 19.9 motion should contact their Governors and ask them to question the actions of their state representatives on the ASMFC.\"\r\n\r\nReasons for the drastic cut in quota stem not only from a rebuilding target that is set extraordinarily high but more importantly from an arbitrary 10-year rebuilding timeframe. The summer flounder population has been rebuilt to its highest level ever recorded, yet the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires that we continue to rebuild the resource and that it be completed by January 1, 2010. The current problem with summer flounder illustrates the importance of amending Magnuson to include flexibility and economic consideration for rebuilding fish stocks.\r\n\r\n\"NMFS\' hands are tied and the ASMFC is not going to help us,\" said Donofrio. \"This fix will not come from the regulatory agencies but from putting in long hours speaking with Members of Congress on how important this fishery is to the Mid-Atlantic. Recreational anglers need to ban together to fix this looming disaster.\"\r\n\r\nOn the heels of this setback, RFA met with key Members of Congress to inform them of the negative impacts on jobs and the economy that will occur if the NMFS recommendations are put in place. \"Our meetings were extremely positive,\" continued Donofrio. \"A great deal will depend upon the outcome of the election, but the RFA will not give up on exploring any and every option to fix summer flounder.\"',1167800400),(53,'Women’s Boating Survey Sheds Light On Boating Skills, Education','A recent online survey of over 400 women by BoatU.S. shows that parents play an important role in teaching their daughters recreational boating skills. But when girls grow up, many women believe there aren’t enough boating educational opportunities, especially those that are tailored for women.\r\n\r\nThe newly released results of the BoatUS “Boating Learning and Education Survey for Women” showed that nearly half of all women respondents (47%) said it was a parent who they first remember teaching them boating skills, and 47% also said they had first gone boating before age 10.\r\n\r\n“What the survey essentially tells us is that families play an important part in introducing boating to young girls, but as adults they want to learn more in relaxed settings, perhaps away from a well-meaning spouse,” said Elaine Dickinson, Executive Editor of DIY Boat Owner magazine ( a BoatU.S. publication for do-it-yourself boaters ) and the leader of the BoatUS Women in Boating initiative.\r\n\r\nOver two-thirds (67%) of women said they had taken some type of formal classroom boating training and 73% had some hands-on instruction, but there was clear support for more all-women courses (59%). Forty-two percent said that there aren’t enough opportunities for girls and women to learn how to operate a boat, and when asked what kind of learning opportunities are needed, 80% said more hands-on events for women.\r\n\r\nAlso of interest was that three times as many women found a women-only course, seminar or training “effective” as those who didn’t (33% to 11% respectively). “While there is much debate on whether women-only instruction is better, there is no doubt that women boaters prefer to learn in an environment that doesn’t have the pressure associated with co-ed instruction,” said Dickinson.\r\n\r\nThe topics that female respondents said they want instruction in include boat systems such as engines or electrical (71%); navigation (62%) and upgrading boat-handling skills (52%).\r\n\r\nThe respondents to the survey were not just first mates. Over three-quarters (78%) currently own either a powerboat (55%) or sailboat (53%). To see full survey results, go to BoatUS.com/women.\r\n\r\nBoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States sponsors two annual women’s sailing conventions that teach a variety of boating skills in women-only settings. For information on the next one, the 18 th Annual Women’s Sailing Convention presented by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA) on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA, go to go to http://www.BoatUS.com/women. The other event is held annually in early June at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA. ',1168491600),(55,'Reasons Why Inboard/Outboard Powerboats Sink','After publishing a recent study identifying the causes for accidental outboard powerboat sinkings, Seaworthy, recreational boating’s damage avoidance magazine, has combed through the BoatUS insurance claims files to identify the reasons why inboard/outboard (I/O) powerboats sink. Interestingly, while outboard powerboats are similar in design to I/O’s — and often made by the same manufacturer — the study found vastly different reasons why each accidentally sinks.\r\n\r\nOutboard powerboats tend to sink at the dock due to poor cockpit designs that trap water, but an I/O’s weakest link is the delicate connection between the inboard engine and the outdrive unit, called bellows.\r\n\r\n“The use of bellows or boots — pleated, flexible rubber membranes — that run between the inboard engine and partially submerged outdrive to seal the transom where cables and shafts pass through have one weakness: a limited lifespan,” said Seaworthy Editor Bob Adriance. He says that bellows should be inspected annually — and more often in hot, sunny climates. “Any bellows that is over five years old is living on borrowed time,” said Adriance.\r\n\r\nHe adds, “Many boats have more than one bellows (driveshaft, shift cable, exhaust, etc.) any one of which has the potential to sink the boat. And if one shows wear, they all should be replaced.”\r\n\r\nHere are the top reasons why I/O’s sink: \r\n\r\nAt The Dock: \r\n\r\n#1 (44%): Leaking bellows. A surprising number were attributed the small shift cable bellows. \r\n\r\n#2 (23%): Failed below waterline fittings, hose clamps, and melted hoses as a result of overheating. \r\n\r\n#3 (15%): Failed above waterline fittings. Heavy rains overwhelm cockpit scuppers. \r\n\r\n#4 (11%): Poor docking arrangements: Boats or outdrives that snag on docks. \r\n\r\n#5 (6%): Uninstalled drainplug. \r\n\r\n#6 (1%): Miscellaneous such as a cracked engine block. \r\n\r\nWhile Underway: \r\n\r\n#1 (36%): Struck a submerged object such as rock or logs. \r\n\r\n#2 (24%): Failed below waterline fittings. \r\n\r\n#3 (20%): Leaking bellows. \r\n\r\n#4 (12%): Swamping. \r\n\r\n#5 (8%): Miscellaneous.\r\n\r\n',1168491600),(56,'MAINTENANCE CORNER TWO-MINUTE DRILL - Capt Ramsey Chason','Teak decks, covering boards, and coaming boards represent a large investment, both in terms of time and money. Amazingly, a stroll down any dock will reveal unkept and neglected teak. On most production sport boats, teak presents a contrast against the bleach white silhouette, while making the boat stand out in a fleet.\r\n\r\nTeak maintenance does not have to be a black science. Rather, teak maintenance takes much less effort than commonly believed, so long as you start with a fresh, clean, well-sanded surface. Begin by taping off all adjoining painted surfaces and removing deck hardware and rod holders. For surfaces with deep ridges, usually resulting from improper maintenance; I begin with 60 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander. Be careful not to get overly aggressive, that’s some really expensive wood you’re removing! With the 60 grit paper the goal is to remove any ridges and leave an evenly flat surface. Following 60 grit, move on to 120 grit. This grade sandpaper is for smoothing, primarily used to decks. For covering boards and coaming boards I will usually go one step farther and wet sand with 200 grit wet paper. In order to avoid flat spotting rolled corners and edges, always hand sand these areas. \r\n\r\nOnce you have achieved a fresh sanded surface, maintenance is very easy and when performed properly should keep sanding intervals at twelve to eighteen months, depending on frequency of use and exposure. For the first few months clean teak with only soap and water using a soft brush (blue brush head, NEVER white), though I prefer to use white 3M pads (which are the least abrasive). Always brush across the grain using very light pressure. Scrubbing with the grain and using a stiff bristle brush will remove the soft grain from the wood, creating ridges. My routine for soaping involves one part sudsy ammonia to three parts water mixed with a healthy squirt of dawn dish detergent. At four to six week intervals, I follow the soap wash with a teak brightener, thoroughly rinsing the soap prior to use. When using teak brightener, a little goes a long way! Both parts of two-part teak cleaners should only be used for heavily soiled decks. When using two-part teak cleaner, be conscious to keep painted surfaces, gel coat, aluminum, and chrome plated surfaces wet. You may want to tape around these areas to avoid splash and splatter. Keeping these areas wet can be especially difficult during hot weather and bright daylight. I find this to be a great job for rainy days. Though you may not use a 3M pad for routine washes, I suggest always using one with two-part cleaners. Unless you enjoy having hands and feet that resemble a leper, always use quality rubber gloves and boots, and avoid eye contact when applying two-part cleaners. \r\n	\r\nShould mildew form on teak, the addition of bleach in place of sudsy ammonia in your wash bucket should eliminate the problem. Large amounts of mildew may require the use of an industrial strength cleaner such as Mold-Away. This maintenance regime should keep teak looking “show quality”.\r\n',1171170000),(57,'World Record Cobia Caught In North Carolina - By Tom Ham','\"It\'s a great, prestigious thing — a once-in-a-lifetime achievement,\" \r\n\r\nWilson sports fisherman Billy Ray Lucas was recently informed by the International Game Fish Association that his cobia catch of 116 pounds, eight ounces on June 11 has been proclaimed an angling world record. Earlier, the prize was declared a North Carolina record by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.\r\n\r\n\"It\'s a great, prestigious thing — a once-in-a-lifetime achievement,\" Lucas gratefully said. \"I surely wasn\'t looking for it; it just happened.\r\n\r\n\"In the whole wide world, I\'m the individual who caught the biggest cobia (in the 80-pound test line category).\"\r\n\r\nThe accomplishment has motivated Lucas, the owner of Billy Ray\'s Auto Service, to pursue a rockfish world record. The standard is 78 pounds and Lucas\' largest catch has been 36 pounds.\r\n\r\nOn the second Sunday in June, Lucas, aboard Captain Troy Crane\'s Marauder vessel along with partners Randy Glenn, Joe Smith; retired captain Vernon Barrington and mate Jeff Floyd, headed out of Oregon Inlet.\r\n\r\nLucas, while fishing on his boat, Rockfish Crazy, the previous day was almost 100-percent convinced he spotted the record cobia.\r\n\r\nIn the same area near Salvo, he landed the state- and world-record fish on 50-pound test line after a fight of nearly 45 minutes.\r\n\r\nHowever, the cobia was recognized as a world record for 80-pound test line instead of 50 because it overtested.\r\n\r\n\"Specifications allow 52.76 and mine came back at 53.51,\" Lucas explained. \"They overtest 90 percent of the time. I had no control over that.\"\r\n\r\nHowever, the magnitude of the accomplishment was anything but diminished.\r\n\r\nLucas shattered a record (106-plus pounds) that had existed since Sept. 30, 1980. The 50-pound test world mark of 112-plus pounds was recorded in 1986.\r\n\r\n\"They bumped it one line class,\" Lucas noted, \"and it blew the 80-pound record out of the water.\"\r\n\r\nThe accomplishment has resulted in Lucas receiving more than notoriety.\r\n\r\n\"I\'ve got some tackle endorsements,\" he said, \"and some potential sponsorships for my fishing. It\'s nothing extravagant, but you get noticed.\"\r\n\r\nLucas plans to mount the record cobia, although he\'s not certain where it will be displayed. He expects a mold to be available within the next few days.\r\n\r\nAnd he iterates the carcass will not be thrown away. The N.C. Musuem of Science of Raleigh has expressed an interest in obtaining it and Lucas also mentions donating it to a special wing of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.\r\n\r\nLucas turned to sportfishing upon terminating a successful Late Model Stock auto racing career in 2001.\r\n\r\nHis largest cobia catch since that record-setting Sunday has been 57 pounds. Now, rockfishing holds more appeal and Lucas plans to head to Mann\'s Harbor or Oregon Inlet 8-10 times per month.\r\n\r\n\"I\'m more serious than I was (about fishing),\" Lucas admitted. \"And rockfishing is my passion. I enjoy catching this fish. I have read a lot about them and I fish for them entirely different from most folks.\"\r\n\r\nLucas doesn\'t deny he will be ever mindful of another world record.\r\n\r\n\"It would be cool to break the world record,\" he excitedly said. \"And if it\'s meant to be, it will happen. If not, I will fish to have fun.\"\r\n\r\nHowever, Lucas does note that the next rockfish world record-holder will become an instant millionaire.\r\n\r\nDon\'t forget your friends, Billy Ray!\r\n',1171170000),(58,'THE CHARLESTON BOAT SHOW 2007 by Debbie Tumas','Thousands of boating and fishing enthusiasts packed the North Charleston Convention Center Complex last January for the 27th Annual Charleston Boat Show, which took place over three sunny days. \r\n     This indoor and outdoor show, presented by “Mercury,” featured over 100 boat dealers and manufacturers, as well as 100 booths with fishing and boating products and accessories. Marine companies came from all over the East Coast to the busy seaport of Charleston, which is a leading harbor for fishing, sailing and yachting.\r\n     Jacqui McGuinness, President of JBM & Associates, who produced this show and other boat shows around the country, said she was happy with the turnout and the great weather. “This has proven to be a really successful show, with lots for people to see and do,” she said. “We expect about 10,000 visitors coming through.”\r\n     There were many dock builders, boat lift companies, motors, marine clothes and shoes, marine insurance and financing companies, lures, sunglasses, and trucks such as GMC. In addition, there were special exhibits, such as Phillip Hain of Hot Springs, Arkansas, a fishing expert teaching techniques with a huge traveling glass aquarium tank. Bill Semple, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was teaching a children’s lure-building class, and Daniel Machowski, a marine biologist of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, was teaching bystanders how to tie nautical knots out of different ropes. Gene Adams, of the Charleston Angler, offered hands-on instruction for kids on basic fishing skills. \r\n     The layout of this boat show was organized and professional, with boats set up all over the grounds outside, as well as inside the Coliseum and Convention Center, and with booths lining the halls. There were boats of every size, from small Zodiac rafts and Mako’s, right up to 50-foot yachts. \r\n     Alan Small, a broker for Barrier Island Yacht Sales of Charleston, was one of many boat brokers wandering around the show. “This is the kickoff for Spring,” he said. “Sales are going well, and this show gets bigger every year.”\r\n     Nearby, a couple was looking over one of the boats being shown by Jarrett Bay Yacht Sales. “We come to this show every year, and this year we are looking for our dream boat,” said Ron Green, of Mount Pleasant, who came with his wife, Susan.\r\n     A salesman for Cape Fear Yacht Sales was showing off some Cruisers Yachts, Carver Yachts, and Marquis Yachts, several of the lines they carry. All around, these beautiful, streamlined yachts glistened in the afternoon sun.\r\n     Other exhibitors included Hinckley Yacht Services, Sea Ray of Charleston, Scout, Key West, Classic Yachting Solutions of Charleston, Everglades, Yamaha, Roth Bilt Boats, Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Sea Fox, and Chris Craft, to name a few.  \r\n       Dave Cherubini, President of Cherubini Yachts of Delran, New Jersey, said he flew down to support his new tri-state dealer, Classic Yachting Solutions, of Charleston. They are selling his state of the art, custom built runabouts in N.C., S.C. and Georgia. \r\n       Crowds gathered around numerous booths, to try on sunglasses, check out jet skis, and try different products. Marshall Solomon, of Marsh Marine, was on hand in his booth to demonstrate his fuel polishing service and barnacle buster. Many representatives showed pictures of their lift systems and floating docks. Tackle companies showed the latest in bait and lures, and non-profit boating groups like Sea-Tow and the Department of Natural Resources gave out literature on their organizations. Throughout the day, people took a break to eat a great lunch at the show, of local “Low-Country” shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes, and pork barbecue, provided by “Lowcountry Boils” of Charleston.\r\n       So even if you missed the Charleston Boat Show, you can still make the next one, also produced by JBM & Associates, which is the “Savannah Boat Show,” and takes place from March 30-April 1, 2007, in this scenic city. See you there!\r\n',1171170000),(59,'Grady-White Redefines the Family Cruiser','Spurred on by Grady-White customer and dealer requests for a multipurpose boat that\'s especially well suited for families with a wide range of water activity interests, Grady-White introduced the company\'s newest and largest dual console model, the 27-foot Tournament 275, at the New York National Boat Show December 30, 2006-January 7, 2007. The Tournament 275 design combines the amenities of an open inland cruiser with saltwater-tough safety and performance to create a new kind of family boat for the coast.\r\n\"More and more people are moving to the coast or purchasing second homes and enjoying all kinds of recreational opportunities on big water-not just fishing,\" says Joey Weller, director of sales and marketing at Grady-White. \"We believe this has created a substantial niche for our remarkably comfortable, versatile and functional family boat. As far as we know, it is the first open-style coastal boat created with the level of amenities you\'d expect to find in a top-of-the-line open inland family boat. The quality, reliability, safety and saltwater-tough performance define the Tournament 275 as a true Grady-White.\"\r\n\r\n\"We discovered a lot that went into this boat through the continuing development of our popular 22-foot Tournament 225,\" says David Neese, Grady-White\'s vice president of engineering. \"That 22-foot open-style boat, with its versatility and roomy head, made it possible for everyone in the family to really enjoy day-long outings and many different activities on bays, sounds and inshore waters. We listened to customers tell us what they are really doing and wanting to do with their boats, and learned about the importance of a roomy head on an open family boat. Our dealers and customers upped the ante by urging us to incorporate all those features and more in a boat with the size and performance to be safe and sure in practically any condition. We are so proud of the result-it is unlike anything else on the market. Now Grady-White families can get really enjoyable social features in a true saltwater hull in the super-versatile, super-family-friendly Tournament 275!\" \r\n\r\n\"In spite of the overall versatility-or perhaps partly because of it-the Tournament 275 is a terrific sportfishing boat, as is every Grady-White,\" says Weller. \"When the stripers, king mackerel or other game fish are around, this boat will hold her own with any center console or other \'fish boat\' in her size range. She comes complete with an ample 185-quart aft fully insulated fishbox and an additional 88-quart fish or storage box on the starboard side. The 32-gallon lighted livewell features Grady-White\'s full column water distribution inlet and an 1100 GPH pump. And because the Tournament 275 is so easy to maneuver in, she\'s just as comfortable, roomy and easy to use on an offshore trip as on the day you take the kids to your secret bottom-fishing spot.\"\r\n\r\nWhen the fishing\'s over, stow rods in any of the many rod holders or out of the way in a compartment that, accessed from the roomy enclosed lockable head area, runs underneath the bow seating. There is storage space galore all about the boat for snorkel and dive gear, water skis or tubes, picnic baskets, swim toys, a change of clothes and extra towels-you name it. There\'s even a handy pullout drawer under the helm for odds and ends. If there is an activity you and your family enjoy on or around the water, the Tournament 275 has the storage capacity and capability to make the whole family happy on every \"Great Grady Day\" at the coast.\r\n\r\nThe Tournament 275 is perfect for sunset gazing or cocktail cruising with friends. The roomy bow area features seating surrounding a nice removable table. Aft in the cockpit, an optional wet bar located on the starboard side of the boat includes a sink, drink and food prep area with a 35-quart running water capacity. Under the wet bar, Grady has added a simple but really nice touch: a trashcan! Aft-facing seats and Grady\'s newest creation, an electronically-operated pullout full size lounge seat aft of the companion seat, plus Grady-White\'s forward-facing patented fold away aft bench seating, create what might be termed a \"conversation pit\" as much as a \"cockpit.\" There are cup holders at every single seat. And the stereo system (satellite ready), along with the speakers are excellent quality so you can really \"rock the boat\" when party time comes.\r\n\r\nThere is a freshwater shower on the transom, too, that\'s great for cleaning sunglasses or reels or for a quick rinse off after swimming skiing, diving or snorkeling. The starboard side of the transom features an extremely nice fiberglass door with an oversized, super heavy-duty positive locking latch. This transom door makes it easy to bring fish aboard and also provides access to a new super-sturdy telescoping swim ladder. Grady-White\'s overboard-draining boxes and decks plus a pressurized raw water washdown ensure that clean up time is always easy: everything just hoses down, soaps up and brushes off. And of course, every piece of deck hardware aboard the Tournament 275 is premium grade 316 stainless.\r\n',1171170000),(62,'The Billfish Foundation Press Release','AUSTRALIANS HONORED AT THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S \r\n                            2007 TAG & RELEASE AWARDS\r\n\r\nMIAMI BEACH, FL. – The Billfish Foundation (TBF) today honored five Australians for their efforts in conserving the billfish species throughout the 2006 competition year.  Barry Alty, Darren Haydon, Dennis Deane, Bernard Vale, and Ross Newton were all honored for their catch-and-release efforts while offshore sea fishing.  These men were presented their awards at the historic Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club on Friday, February 16, 2007.  \r\n\r\n“The success of TBF’s efforts to conserve billfish and other large pelagic species relies heavily on the volunteer participation of captains, anglers, and mates in our Tag and Release Program,” Ellen Peel, President of TBF, said.  “Tonight, we honor these Australian members for their role in helping to conserve and protect the majestic billfish species.”\r\n\r\nAustralian Award Winners\r\n\r\nTop Release Angler - Blue Marlin – Pacific Ocean\r\nBarry Alty					\r\nSovereign Island, Australia\r\n\r\nTop Release Captain – Black Marlin – Pacific Ocean\r\nDarren Haydon				\r\nCairns, Australia\r\n\r\nTop Tagging Angler	- Black Marlin – Pacific Ocean\r\nDennis Deane				\r\nQueanbeyan, Australia\r\n\r\nTop Tagging Captain – Black Marlin – Pacific Ocean\r\nBernard Vale					\r\nCoral Bay, Australia\r\n\r\nTop Tagging Captain – Black Marlin and Sailfish – Indian Ocean\r\nRoss Newton				\r\nBroome, Australia\r\n\r\nTBF is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research, socio-economic awareness and public policy to conserve billfish worldwide, which helps ensure healthy oceans and strong coastal economies.  \r\nThe Annual Tag and Release Competition contributes significant data for scientists and decision makers to reveal billfish numbers, movements, growth, and other factors critical in understanding the species and its responsible managemen',1172034000),(63,'KENYAN HONORED AT THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S 2007 AWARDS BANQUET','The Billfish Foundation Press Release\r\n\r\nMIAMI BEACH, FL. – The Billfish Foundation (TBF) today honored Simon Hemphill, from Kenya, for his efforts conserving the billfish species throughout the 2006 competition year.  He was honored for his catch-and- release efforts while offshore fishing in the Indian Ocean.  Hemphill was received the awards for the Top Tagging Captain for Blue Marlin and Striped Marlin in the Indian Ocean.  He received his awards at the historic Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club on Friday, February 16, 2007.  He currently resides in Ukunda, Kenya.\r\n\r\n“The success of TBF’s efforts to conserve billfish and other large pelagic species relies heavily on the volunteer participation of captains, anglers, and mates in our Tag and Release Program,” Ellen Peel, President of TBF, said.  “Simon Hemphill is an example for anglers and captains fishing in the Indian Ocean to tag and release their catch in order to help advance the research of the billfish species.”\r\n\r\nTBF is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research, socio-economic awareness and public policy to conserve billfish worldwide, which helps ensure healthy oceans and strong coastal economies.  \r\nThe Annual Tag and Release Competition contributes significant data for scientists and decision makers to reveal billfish numbers, movements, growth, and other factors critical in understanding the species and its responsible management.\r\n\r\n',1172034000),(64,'MEXICAN ANGLERS HONORED AT THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S 2007 AWARDS BANQUET','The Billfish Foundation Press Release\r\n\r\nMIAMI BEACH, FL. – The Billfish Foundation (TBF) today honored two residents of Cabo San Lucas for their efforts conserving the billfish species throughout the 2006 competition year.  Jose Ramon Alucano and Martin Vigil were honored for their catch-and-release efforts while offshore fishing on the Pacific Ocean.  Alucano received the award for Top Release Captain of Striped Marlin in the Pacific Ocean while Vigil received the award for Top Tagging Captain of Striped Marling in the Pacific Ocean.  Both men were presented their awards at the historic Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club on Friday, February 16, 2007.  \r\n\r\n“The success of TBF’s efforts to conserve billfish and other large pelagic species relies heavily on the volunteer participation of captains, anglers, and mates in our Tag and Release Program,” Ellen Peel, President of TBF, said.  “Tonight, we honor these men and women for their role in helping to conserve and protect the majestic billfish species.”\r\n\r\nTBF is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research, socio-economic awareness and public policy to conserve billfish worldwide, which helps ensure healthy oceans and strong coastal economies.  \r\nThe Annual Tag and Release Competition contributes significant data for scientists and decision makers to reveal billfish numbers, movements, growth, and other factors critical in understanding the species and its responsible management.\r\n\r\n',1172034000),(65,'RFA LEAD SPORTFISHING GROUPS IN SUPPORT OF HERRING PLAN APPROVAL','Press Release - The Recreational Fishing Alliance was a key player, and the most active sport fishing proponent, in pressing the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to approve Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishing Management Plan.\r\n\r\nOne of the major elements of the new plan, crafted by the New England Fishery Management Council, was to address mid-water trawling of herring in the area known as 1A, the near-shore (out to 30 miles) Gulf of Maine stretching from Cape Cod to the Canadian border. Heavy trawling pressure, including pair trawling (where two boats tow a single net hundreds of yards wide), during the past several summers has resulted in “localized depletion” of herring in a number of key areas where this important forage fish congregate. “The boats, most of which are 80 feet or longer, are just too efficient and remove so much herring in a particular area that there’s little left to provide feed for tuna, cod, other important fish species, and marine mammals,” said Capt. Barry Gibson, RFA’s New England Regional Director. “This has had a devastating effect on recreational, party and charter fishing, as well as the whale watch industry, as predator species have simply moved far offshore or to other areas looking for feed. Sport and small-scale commercial bluefin tuna fishing, for instance, has pretty well been eliminated in the Gulf of Maine due to this industrial-scale removal of herring.”\r\n\r\n\r\nThe new plan will ban herring trawling in Area 1A from June 1st through September 30th annually. During this period herring can only be harvested by purse seining, a more environmentally-friendly type of netting that typically only takes a portion of any particular herring school, leaving the rest for predators. “We’re very hopeful that recreational fishing will improve significantly in New England waters next summer due to the new restriction,” said Gibson, “which will also help provide a needed economic boost to the area’s boat and motor dealers, marinas, and tackle stores.”\r\n\r\n\r\nThe RFA, part of a broad-based coalition of fishing and environmental groups that pushed hard for the plan, coordinated support from a number of regional recreational and party/charter groups, and was not timid when it came to speaking out. “Barry Gibson, who has two decades of experience in fishery management at the federal level, wasn’t afraid to stand up at a public hearing dominated by commercial herring fishermen and demand that the trawling restriction be approved,” said RFA’s Executive Director Jim Donofrio. “We’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect the interests of recreational fishermen and our industry.” \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n',1172293200),(66,'OVERFISHING IN THE RED SNAPPER FISHERY','Dear RFA Member:\r\n\r\nRed Snapper is arguably one of the most important recreational fisheries in the country; one that not only has considerable economic value but significant social importance as well. The responsible management of this fishery is extremely important to the recreational fishing sector in the Gulf region. Based on failed information, NMFS is posed to implement severe reductions in the recreational red snapper fishery. \r\n\r\n\r\nThere have been many changes in the fishery since the dramatic overfishing of the stock due to shrimp bycatch. The 2005 hurricane season, combined with foreign competition has reduced red snapper bycatch in the domestic shrimp industry to a minimum that was occurring in the 1990’s. The reduction in mortality from the shrimp fishery has been replaced, if not exceeded, by an out of control illegal and unreported commercial red snapper fishery. Millions of pounds of red snapper are harvested in this illegal fishery that supplies the year-round demand for fresh fish yet the current stock assessment does not account for these drastic changes in the fishery, and, as a result, influences the assessment by greatly underestimating the stock size. In August, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council decided to delay setting the 2007 red snapper specifications until the stock assessment is updated in early 2007. \r\n\r\n\r\nThe NMFS has posted notice that it will over-ride the Council and immediately take action to address overfishing in the red snapper fishery. This hasty action will result in a reduced 6 million pound TAC, 15 inch minimum size limit, a 4 month season, and a 2 fish bag limit for anglers. Without a doubt this level of reduction will produce catastrophic impacts felt Gulf wide. Recreational anglers will be losing two and one half months of our six month season and have our bag limit cut in half. Frankly, this is unacceptable. \r\n\r\n\r\nPlease visit WWW.JOINRFA.ORG(click on NEWS then Click on Overfishing Red Snapper article) to download and print two form letters that should be mailed, faxed or both to Carol Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce, and Dr. Roy Crabtree, NMFS Southeast Regional Director before, January 26, 2007. RFA believes that the Council has taken the right course of action by delaying setting the 2007 red snapper specifications until the new assessment is released. NMFS should respect the decision of the Council and stand down their attempt to supersede their best judgment. Anglers need to support the Gulf Council on this issue and tell NMFS to leave management of the red snapper in the hands of the Council.\r\n\r\n',1172293200),(67,'Dophin Tagging','The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ Dolphin\r\nTagging Study will step into a new dimension of high-tech\r\nmonitoring this summer. This phase will employ archival\r\nsatellite pop-off tags similar to those used on billfish and\r\nbluefin tuna.\r\nThe high-tech tags to be utilized are the PTT-100 HR\r\nArchival Satellite pop-off tags manufactured by Microwave\r\nTelemetry. They provide one of the first opportunities to\r\nstudy the dolphin’s vertical movements in the water column\r\nand to document their water temperature preference. These\r\nminiature computers record water pressure, temperature, and\r\ntime of day every few minutes, generating a detailed portrait\r\nof the dolphin’s use of the water column and the temperature\r\nselection throughout each day for a 30-day period.\r\nThe most unique advantage the satellite tags offer is that the\r\ndolphin do not have to be recovered in order for us to learn\r\ninformation. The tags are designed to release, or pop off from\r\nthe fish automatically. At a preprogrammed time, the\r\nmicrocomputers will release from the fish, float to the surface\r\nand download information via satellite back to the tag\r\nmanufacturer. The data is then forwarded to a computer at the\r\nS.C. Department of Natural Resources.\r\nThe cost of the tags at over $4,000 each limited the project\r\nto purchasing only seven tags. Additionally, the large size of\r\nthe tag requires that only dolphin of 40 pounds or more be\r\ntagged. Such a large size requirement limits the study to\r\nusing these tags on only the largest of the species, which may\r\nnot be representative of the entire population.\r\nThe satellite pop-off tag weighs about two ounces, and\r\nfeatures a main body that is just over 13 inches in length and\r\n0.8 to 1.6 inches in diameter. It carries an eight-inch nylon\r\ncoated stainless steel antenna.\r\nThis effort to use the satellite tags this summer will likely\r\nbe the first attempt in the U.S. to document the vertical\r\nmovement behavior and water temperature preference of\r\ndolphin. Fishermen have frequently reported catching dolphin\r\non downriggers and planners. This study will hopefully\r\ngather information on how deep dolphin dive, how much time\r\nthey spend in deeper water, and what temperatures they\r\nprefer.\r\nCurrent plans in this pilot study call for two satellite tags to\r\nbe deployed in the Florida Strait in May of 2005. Three tags\r\nare allotted for use off the South Carolina coast in June and\r\nJuly. The two remaining tags are designated for use in the\r\nMid-Atlantic Bight in August. The project will be seeking\r\nassistance from fishermen in each area who are\r\nknowledgeable in catching big dolphin and who are willing to\r\ntag and release a trophy bull for science.\r\nFishermen Needed\r\nEntering its fourth year in 2005, the dolphin study is in\r\nserious need of experienced offshore boat owners who are\r\nconcerned enough about the future of dolphin to tag and\r\nrelease their smaller catches for science. Boat owners who\r\nfish in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, Gulf of Mexico and eastern\r\nBahamas are needed to tag dolphin to help answer questions\r\nabout the movement of dolphin from their regions.\r\nThis project offers offshore fishermen the chance to\r\nactively participate in scientific research. Anglers often voice\r\ntheir concerns that no research is being done on popular\r\ngamefish in their area. Well here is the opportunity! Anglers\r\nwho want to know more about dolphin in their area should\r\nsign up to participating in this project. The more dolphin\r\ntagged in an area, the greater the opportunity there will be to\r\nlearn about the fish in that area.\r\nAnglers interested in participating in this study can register\r\nat http://dolphintagging.homestead.com or should contact the\r\nproject leader listed at the end of the newsletter.',1173931200),(68,'Proposed Regulations to Reinvigorate Atlantic Swordfish Fisheries','As noted in earlier TBF articles and comments, the North Atlantic swordfish recovery presents a unique challenge – responsibly managing increased landing limits at levels that will insure continued recovery of swordfish stocks.  This proposed rule does not consider any modification to the closed zones, changes to the new buoy gear fishery, or recommendations for a rod and reel handgear commercial fishery.\r\n\r\nCatching more of the U.S. baseline quota of 3,907 metric tons, would contribute to retaining an effective negotiating voice before the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), where most negotiating voices are governmental and commercial fishing interests.  If the U.S. commercial negotiating voice were to be diminished because the U.S. fishery could no longer compete with other nations, then restraints and conservation measures would most likely diminish as well at the international level, impacting all U.S. highly migratory fishing interests.  TBF is networking with recreational fishing interests in other nations to increase the recreational fishing voice on all delegations.  A better balance in negotiating voices can improve conservation, management and sustained production of healthy stocks of swordfish.  However, while striving catch more of the U.S. quota, it may be wise to exercise some restraint to avoid initiating a stock decline once more.    \r\n\r\nThe recovery (abundance up to Maximum Sustainable Yield, or MSY) of North Atlantic swordfish continues to generate excitement.  Recovery benefits that are \"up for grabs\" in this rule are the result of ten years of management restraints coupled with Mother Nature\'s production of several large year-classes of juvenile swordfish and longline closures to protect juvenile fish.  This is a success that will hopefully be repeated by white marlin and blue marlin.\r\n\r\nThe real challenge this Rule creates is how to continue exercising some conservation restraints while authorizing increased landings.  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) cannot abandon their responsibility to protect juvenile swordfish, their nursery areas and critical spawning zones or other seriously overfished species, such as Atlantic marlin and bluefin tuna.  At the same time, all fishing interests desire to \"be rewarded\" for the restraints that contributed to the stock\'s recovery, and the U.S. should be a competitive nation before ICCAT.\r\n\r\nThe Preferred Alternatives: \r\n\r\nIssue 1 - Retention Limits\r\n\r\nAlternative 1c:  Increase retention limits for commercial vessels with an Incidental Swordfish Permit (48 vessels eligible out of 91) from 2 to 30 swordfish per trip (trips average 8 days), except for vessels participating in the Squid Trawl Fishery, which would go from 5 to 15 swordfish per trip. \r\n\r\nTBF can support this alternative to help catch the U.S. quota, but there appears to be no government analysis of the potential increase in incidental marlin catches that might be caught as the vessels strives to land the new authorized incidental take of 30 swordfish.   If the proposed 30 fish retention number is the average number of swordfish currently being discarded dead through highgrading for the two largest they can now sell, then there would be no additional negative impacts.  However, monitoring of marlin bycatch to determine if it increases is essential.  If marlin bycatch increases, the newly authorized number of swordfish that can be retained needs to be reduced. \r\n\r\nMost of the Incidental Swordfish Permitted longline vessels target yellowfin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, the fishery that produces the highest incidental catch of Atlantic marlin.  Both species of Atlantic marlin are seriously overfished and cannot withstand additional pressure and mortality.  The same fishery also has an incidental catch of bluefin tuna in the Gulf, an internationally recognized spawning ground on which targeted longline catch is not authorized.  The U.S. commercial bluefin tunas fishery is in severe decline; therefore, bycatch levels of bluefin must be monitored. \r\n\r\nMore consideration should also be given to reinvigorating marlin stocks by proposing measures to reduce incidental catch of marlin and bluefin tuna in the Gulf.  This could be accomplished either through more zones closed to longline gear or a possible transition to green stick gear, if research indicates the incidental catch would be lower with green sticks.  \r\n\r\nAlternative 1f: Increase the bag limit for recreational HMS Angling Permitted vessels (25,238 vessels) from 3 to 4 swordfish per trip, but retain the 1 swordfish per person bag limit.\r\n\r\nTBF supports this Alternative as a means to help catch the U.S. quota; however, most of the recreationally caught swordfish are caught in the zone closed to provide protection to juvenile swordfish.  Most of the fish currently caught in the zone are juveniles.  TBF recommends that an increase in the minimum size limit be implemented for all swordfish caught from within closed zones. \r\n\r\nRetaining some protections for juvenile swordfish is important.  Half the swordfish population does not become sexually mature until five years of age, at which the average size is 164 pounds, whole weight.  Full sexual maturity is not achieved until age 8 at which the average weight is 230 pounds, whole weight.   \r\n\r\nIllegal sales continue to be a point of concern, a point that demands closer enforcement oversight.  The newly authorized buoy gear, a commercial hand gear, is already generating conflicts with the recreational fishery.  Consideration should be given to a rod and reel handgear commercial fishery, with more than the current number of permits being issued.\r\n\r\nAlternative 1e: Increase the retention for the recreational HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (4,173 vessels) from one swordfish per paying passenger, up to a maximum of 6 swordfish per Charter Vessel and 15 swordfish per Headboat, per trip. \r\n\r\nTBF can support this Alternative as a means to help catch the U.S. quota.  \r\n\r\nIssue 2 – Vessel Upgrading Restrictions\r\n\r\nAlternative 2e: Modify vessel upgrading restrictions for vessels that are authorized to fish for swordfish and tunas with pelagic longline gear (i.e., vessels permitted as Limited Access Swordfish [Directed and Incidental – 277 total vessels]; and Limited Access Shark and Atlantic Tunas Longline permits –176 vessels of the 277).  These vessels could be upgraded, or permits transferred, as long as the upgrade or permit transfer does not result in an increase in vessel size (LOA-length overall, GRT- gross tonnage, and NT – net tonnage) of more than 35 percent of the vessel first issued HMS limited access permit.  The Alternative also removes horsepower upgrading restrictions.  Some vessels have already taken advantage of an earlier approved upgrade allowance of 10%, leaving those only a 25% upgrade option if this Alternative is approved.\r\n\r\nTBF supports an increase in size and horsepower for the longline vessels for it provides greater safety and range for each trip, which should provide a better opportunity to fish for the quota.  Larger vessels fishing further from closed zones within U.S. waters should also reduce user group conflicts.  However, if the increases in length and horsepower also results in larger drums and longer longlines on each vessel, restrictions should be approved to restrict the longline length to no more than the current average length to avoid longer soak times and increased incidental catch mortality.  The larger and more powerful vessels should be prohibited from fishing buoy gear in the closed zones.\r\n\r\n',1173931200),(69,'Wildlife authorities move to halt manatee harassment','It’s OK to swim with manatees in most areas, but swimmers must keep their distance or risk a citation. Intentionally touching a manatee or doing anything that disrupts the animal’s natural behavior is illegal.\r\n\r\nState and federal authorities have fielded hundreds of complaints during the past few days in connection with video footage on the Internet that shows people standing on manatees and trying to ride them. Officials hope to put a stop to it by alerting the public that law enforcement officers are watching and are prepared to issue costly citations when they see people harassing manatees.\r\n\r\nSeeking out Citrus County’s warmwater springs, manatees show up in ever-increasing numbers during the winter months, attracting thousands of tourists. Tour boats and guides operate at peak capacity during this time of year, catering to and assisting visitors eager to see the manatees in their natural habitat. \r\n\r\nThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service) law enforcement officers and biologists work diligently to protect these animals and are supported in these efforts by the local community; including tour-boat guides, dive shops and citizen volunteers.\r\n\r\nAccording to Jim Kraus, the Service’s Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge manager, “Our position is that swimming with manatees in local waters is allowable, and limited animal-initiated contact is acceptable. However, in these videotapes there is clearly too much of a good thing.\" \r\n\r\nFWS has established interaction guidelines for how and how not to behave around manatees when in the water.\r\n\r\n“We strongly encourage observance of the established guidelines and need the cooperation of all involved to maintain a protective environment that balances education value of these opportunities and the conservation needs of the animals,” Kraus said. “Passive observation (observing from a distance) is the best way to interact with manatees and all wildlife.” \r\n\r\nAccording to the FWS guidelines, if you are swimming, diving or boating when manatees are present: \r\n\r\nOperate boats at idle and slow speed where posted speed zones are in effect. \r\n\r\nDo not enter designated manatee sanctuaries for any reason. Sanctuaries are in effect Nov. 15 - March 31. \r\n\r\nObserve manatees from the surface of the water and at a distance. Manatees on the bottom are likely to be resting or feeding. \r\n\r\nNever ride, chase, poke or surround manatees. \r\n\r\nNever separate a mother and calf or an individual from the group. \r\n\r\nAvoid excessive noise and splashing that could disturb bottom-resting manatees. \r\n\r\nUse snorkel gear when attempting to watch manatees. The sound of scuba gear may cause them to leave the area. \r\n\r\nDo not feed manatees or give them water. \r\n\r\n“The sanctuaries designated in the Crystal and Homosassa rivers are areas where manatees can choose to be away from people where they remain undisturbed in order to rest or conserve energy in warmer water near the springs during cold spells,” Kraus said. “This is why the Service has roped off part of the Three Sisters Springs area.”\r\n\r\nCrystal River National Wildlife Refuge was established on Aug. 17, 1983, specifically for the protection of the manatee. The refuge aids in preserving Florida’s most significant naturally occurring warmwater haven for manatees and provides critical habitat for approximately 11 percent of the nation’s manatee population. The temperature of the water flowing from more than 30 natural springs remains a constant 72 degrees Fahrenheit. \r\n\r\n“Manatees are susceptible to cold and hypothermia and cannot survive for extended periods when water temperatures fall below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. These warmwater springs are essential for manatee survival,” Kraus said. \r\n\r\nTo see how well manatees cope with boaters and visitors, some studies have been conducted and others are ongoing. Research conducted around the Crystal River area since 1990 has shown that the manatees will go to the sanctuaries more frequently when boat traffic increases. According to FWC biologists, these studies also noted some manatee behavioral changes when humans were swimming nearby, including decreased resting and suckling and increased swimming. It is believed that some manatees will avoid people altogether and others will leave the sanctuaries to seek out human contact.\r\n\r\nWhile these studies show that manatees do respond to boaters and tourists in varying ways, FWS biologists note that to date no significant problems related to cold stress or calf separation have been seen in this region.\r\n\r\nKraus is quick to point out that does not mean harassment of these animals is acceptable.\r\n\r\n“Most of the businesses, residents and visitors understand the value these wildlife opportunities afford them and comply with established guidelines and law,” Kraus said. “However, there are some who either are uninformed about or choose to ignore the law and the guidelines. It’s simple: passive observation and limited animal-initiated interaction are acceptable, harassment is not.” \r\n\r\nHarassing manatees is illegal under federal and state laws. In general, harassment is an intentional or negligent act which significantly disrupts a manatee’s normal behavior patterns, including resting, feeding and nursing activity. \r\n\r\nLaw enforcement officers can cite people for harassment or for entering the manatee sanctuaries. \r\nFWC’s Division of Law Enforcement routinely conducts targeted manatee zone enforcement details in all coastal waters of Citrus County. \r\n\r\n“These enforcement details primarily target speeding vessels in restricted areas,” said Capt. John Burton, area commander in Crystal River for FWC. “This is where the likelihood of injury or death is highest.” \r\n\r\nTo minimize the risk of injuries to manatees, boaters should: stay in marked channels; wear polarized sunglasses to improve their in-water vision; obey posted boat speed zones; use poles, paddles or trolling motors when in close proximity to manatees; have someone help scan the water when under way; and realize that manatees often travel in groups or with their young, so if one is spotted, look for more. \r\n\r\n“Boaters should scan the water near or in front of the boat looking for swirls resembling large footprints, a repetitive line of half-moon swirls, a mud trail, a snout or a fluke (tail) breaking the water’s surface,” Burton said.\r\n\r\n“FWC also targets complaints of harassment, fishing and swimming in closed areas. Information from concerned citizens is used to help provide more effective enforcement and protection,” Burton said. To report any wildlife law violations, call 1-888-404-3922. Callers can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward if the information leads to an arrest. \r\n\r\n“We are committed to protecting the manatee and all of our natural resources, as well as the public who enjoys our unique recreational opportunities,” Burton said. \r\nFor more information about the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge and the manatee sanctuary locations, visit www.fws.gov/crystalriver/.\r\n\r\nAdditional information about the manatee and FWC protection efforts is at: MyFWC.com. Information on FWS manatee efforts is at www.fws.gov/northflorida.\r\n',1173931200),(70,'Georgia Saltwater Marshes','Many of today\'s fishermen are unaware of the natural and historical processes that have taken place in the formation of Georgia\'s salt marshes, nor do they fully understand the unique role they play in maintaining the delicate balance of nature so vital along our coastal estuaries.\r\n\r\nCreated as a result of glacial processes during the ice ages, the origin of Georgia\'s marshlands can be traced back to the melting of the continental glaciers resulting in higher sea levels. One theory suggests that sediment, sand, and soil brought down by the rivers, blown by the wind, and washed ashore by the waves gradually built up into ridges and dunes on the landward side of the shoreline. Water from the melting glaciers resulted in rising sea levels that flooded the coast and mainland, and the ridges were given prominence as barrier islands. Ocean waters behind these islands formed lagoons, and later the marshlands. This process took place several times; thereby creating additional marshes between more barrier islands, and finally the salt marshes as we know them today.\r\n\r\nDeveloped from the lagoons that filled with sediments and deposits from rivers and streams flowing to the ocean, the marshlands of Georgia gradually began to assume their status as a vital part of some of the world\'s greatest estuaries.\r\n\r\nThe most common of the salt marsh plants in Georgia is a tall cane-like grass called smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, which virtually covers the coastal marsh area. The environment in which the salt marsh flourishes is neither all terrestrial nor all marine, but rather a combination of both.\r\n\r\nSalt marsh actually does better in a fresh water environment but is not often found there because of the competition from other species. But in the zone where land meets a saltwater bay, very few plants can survive. Most plants die when flooded by salt water at high tide, but salt marsh has the ability to remove most of the salt from the water it uses. This is accomplished by keeping high concentrations of dissolved solids in the root structure and extracting salt through highly specialized salt glands on the leaves.\r\n\r\nThese plants are hardy and have extensive underground structures. The plant\'s root system grows horizontally, giving rise to new plants. This allows the marsh grass to spread rapidly. That\'s important, because these structures hold the marsh together and slow erosion. An added benefit of the plant\'s root structure is that the plant is protected from hazards such as freezing or fire.\r\n \r\n This salt marsh grass is responsible for the continuation and survival of the balance of nature within the estuarine ecology. Georgia\'s coastal marshlands encompass approximately 378,000 acres in a four to six mile wide band behind the barrier islands. Thriving in the waters of the estuaries, these marshes have been identified as one of the most extensive and productive marshland systems in the United States. It is production almost beyond comprehension, producing nearly twenty tons to the acre; it is four times more productive than the most carefully cultivated corn. Georgia\'s salt marshes produce more food energy than any estuarine zone on the eastern seaboard.\r\n\r\nThe tide is truly the life blood of the marsh bringing its contribution with each coming and going. The incoming tide nourishes and feeds the grasses of the marsh and the outgoing tide transports food and nutrients produced by the salt marsh to the sea. In general, the higher the tidal range the greater the production potential. Georgia tides average approximately 6 1/2 feet but exceed 10 feet during high spring tides.\r\n\r\nAs the salt marsh grasses die and decompose, nutrient by-products are produced and taken by the outgoing tides and begin to feed an ever-growing number of organisms until all forms of marine life in the estuary have benefited. The minute, decaying grass particles feed small fish, plankton, oysters, shrimp, clams, and crabs. The marsh serves as a nursery ground for young fish, shellfish, and crustaceans that in turn support larger fish and the cycle goes on and on. In addition, the stems and grass provide refuge for many adult animals in estuaries where salt and fresh water mix.\r\n\r\nThe salt marsh serves as a primary nursery ground for many economically important fish and shellfish. Were it not for the marsh, juvenile populations of crabs, shrimp, and fish would be greatly reduced.\r\n\r\nThe commercial catches of many popular offshore food fish show a direct relationship to the ratio of marsh versus open water inshore. In other words, in regions where the inshore areas contain abundant salt marshes, the offshore regions are more productive yielding more fish and other important food species. Catches of many species of shrimp are greatly increased by the amount of salt marsh inshore of the commercial fishing area.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, our salt marshes act as buffers against offshore storms. Without their dissipating effect, hurricanes and northeasters on the Atlantic coast would do much more damage. The destructive fury of large storm waves and tides is greatly reduced by their passage across the marsh. The grass absorbs most of the wave and current energy, which lessens the damage that can be done.\r\n\r\n\r\n',1173931200),(71,'Attention Fort Lauderdale Anglers','If you fish off of Fort Lauderdale, please go to the link below to fill out a quick electronic survey seeking to quantify fishing activities off the Fort Lauderdale Coast.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nhttp://www.suezenergyna.com/ourcompanies/lngna-questionnaire.shtml\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThis survey was created in response to public comment from TBF and other concerned stakeholders on the potential impact on recreational fishing of a planned Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Deepwater Port to be permitted eight to ten miles offshore of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The applicant, Calypso LNG, has created a web-based survey to identify the fisheries and recreational activities potentially impacted by this project.  We encourage all anglers and boaters who use this area to be counted.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWHAT IS IT?  Called the \"Calypso,\" the project is designed to provide natural gas to south Florida. The proposed location would be in Federal waters approximately 8 to 10 miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale to the northeast of Port Everglades in a water depth of approximately 800 to 950 feet.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe major components of the deepwater port would be two unloading buoy systems, eight mooring lines consisting of wire rope and chain connecting to anchor points on the seabed, eight suction pile anchors points and natural gas flow line. The flow line would transport natural gas from the buoy system to an existing Florida Gas Transmission Pipeline.  Transport and regasification vessels would be at the buoy system port at all times.  A patrol vessel will be present on the location 24 hours a day to keep vessels away (800 meters) from the exclusion zone for safety and homeland security concerns. A second zone, to be identified by the U.S. Coast Guard, would be designated as \"area to be avoided.\" Currently the U.S. Coast Guard is developing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. The report is expected to be released in late June or early July for public comment. Project construction is expected to take 3 years, with a startup of 2010. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHOW CAN I LEARN MORE? \r\n\r\nQuestions of Applicant – Title:  Calypso Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater\r\n\r\nSuez Energy International\r\n\r\nhttp://www.calypsopipeline.com/ or email\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nQuestions about License Application Process - Reference #:  USCG-2006-26009\r\n\r\nMs. Mary Jager, U.S., U.S. Coast Guard \r\n\r\n(202) 372-1454 or email\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nQuestion about EIS Process - Reference #:  USCG-2006-26009\r\n\r\nMr. Brad McKitrick, U.S. Coast Guard\r\n\r\n(202) 372-1443 or email\r\n',1178769600),(72,'TBF Comments on Atlantic Exempted Fishing Permit','Below you will find comments submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) in response to a request from the Blue Water Fishermen\'s Association for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP).  If approved, this exemption would allow 13 longline vessels to fish an area now closed to longlining in federal waters 40 miles north of Fort Pierce (~ 280  N. Latitude) and east of the axis of the Gulf Stream, continuing northward and east to the 100 fathom contour and the northern boundary of the Charleston Bump closed area.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF opposes the issuance of such an EFP as the intent of the permit is not scientific or experimental but is solely to allow longlines to fish in the closed area.  The area closures to this gear were implemented to reduce the bycatch and mortality of juvenile swordfish, white and blue marlin and sailfish and they have succeeded at that goal.  The NMFS recently allowed multi-hook bouy gear into these areas and there has yet to be an evaluation of the impacts and extent of commercial catch this gear will afford the industry.  The closures have achieved the bycatch reduction goals and have created a dynamic and economically strong recreational swordfish fishery in an area previously devastated by commercial overfishing.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nApril 25, 2007\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMichael Clark\r\n\r\nHighly Migratory Species Division (F/SF1)\r\n\r\nNational Marine Fisheries Service\r\n\r\n1315 East-West Hwy\r\n\r\nSilver Spring, MD 20910 \r\n\r\n                                                               Transmitted Via Email\r\n\r\n                                                               Atlantic HMS EFP\r\n\r\n                                                               I.D. 030107C       \r\n\r\nDear Michael,\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe Billfish Foundation (TBF) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the 13 Exempted Fishing Permits requested by BlueWater Fisherman\'s Association to fish  within some waters of the east coast closed zone. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF does not support the requests to approve the EFPs.  The area was closed to provide protection of juvenile swordfish within a nursery area, protection for sailfish and protection for severely overfished white marlin and blue marlin.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe hooking of undersized swordfish within waters of the zone, even if released, is going to contribute to mortality of juvenile fish, fish that are important within their own year class.  Allowing fish within each year class to grow and reach age and size of sexual maturity within the zone before migrating beyond will contribute to the replenishment of the stock, and thus, the catches of many nations.  This zone is a well spring for all International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) fishing nations\' and deserves the current protections to remain in place.  Already there is concern over the number of undersize swordfish being caught by other gear within the zone.  This issue needs addressing separately during the next Amendment process to also better insure protection of swordfish stocks and continued fishing opportunities by all interests.    \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIf longline gear is approved to fish within waters of the closed zone, the gear will also target yellowfin tuna, a species currently of higher value than swordfish.  Longline fishing for tuna in the zone will increase the mortality of severely overfished white marlin and blue marlin.   The highest marlin bycatch by U.S. vessels occurs in the tuna longline fishery.  Ironically, as the agency considers these EFP applications, it is in the middle of  the process to re-assess white marlin under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  It is extremely important to keep in mind that even though the 2006 analysis of white marlin stocks indicated a slight upturn, the science noted this indication comes with a number of concerns.  We at TBF remain cautiously optimistic.  However, white marlin are still severely overfished.  Catch history indicates that longlining within the waters now of the east coast zone and just beyond produced a reasonably high interaction rate with white marlin.   Why would the agency authorize any federal action that might increase white marlin mortality while they are re-assessing the same species under the ESA?   This would not be logical and might trigger subsequent actions by others on the whole ESA issue.  In light of the severely depressed status of white marlin, even if a 50% reduction in their bycatch within the zone could be demonstrated with the newly required commercial circle hooks, that would be good overall, but irrelevant for considering opening the zone in light of their status.  Knowingly increasing white marlin mortality at this time is unreasonable and would not demonstrate good judgment.  When white marlin recover to the point North Atlantic swordfish have recovered, then the issue of whether a 50% reduction in a bycatch rate within a zone could be re-examined.  If white marlin were to be listed under the ESA, which we hope does not occur, the significant fishing restrictions that could result on all gears would likely cause far greater negatives on the pelagic longline fishery than the restraints of fishing outside the present closed zones.   The government taking action that knowingly would increase white marlin mortality at this time would contribute to the further decline of white marlin. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSailfish, which have received fewer stock assessments and scrutiny than swordfish or marlin, are also benefiting from the closed zones, as are other non-HMS species.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nBycatch reductions from the use of the newly required circle hooks in the commercial pelagic longline fishery would be positive and should be clear justification for the continued use of the hooks.  Fishing within the closed zones is not necessary to prove reduced bycatch mortality, especially on severely overfished species, like white marlin and blue marlin.  In fact, this sort of data is being collected in the U.S. longline fishery as it uses the circle hooks in all waters open to the gear.  A comparison with historic bycatch data in the open waters can easily be made utilizing the fishing effort that currently exists. Hopefully, this circle hook gear change in the longline fishery can be exported to other nations and become a standard operating procedure.  Successes in reducing bycatch and targeted catch mortality should be a goal shared by all users and one that guides all management authorities.  Only when stocks reach a relative abundance level at or near MSY, should consideration be given to modification of requirements that would result in increases in mortality.  North Atlantic swordfish is one recovery, though the majority of the stock is still juvenile, and one that we should use as the standard for recovery for all other highly migratory species. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe closed zones, east coast and in the Gulf, are successful living demonstrations of good fishery management in light of the status of multiple species, especially marlin.  The zones are working.  Modifying the zones could result in additional mortality of white marlin and blue marlin.  If any action is taken relating to closed zones at this time, TBF recommends an additional closed zone in the western to north central Gulf of Mexico to provide more protection for white marlin, blue marlin and bluefin tuna.  This area has produced the highest marlin bycatch by U.S. vessels anywhere in U.S. waters.  Now is not the time to open closed zones, it is time to take additional action on behalf of marlin and bluefin tuna.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nEllen M. Peel\r\n\r\nPresident\r\n',1178769600),(73,'A Ray of Hope for Atlantic Highly Migratory Fish','FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. – Today, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) announced that current stock assessments indicate signs of the start of a recovery for white marlin and blue marlin.  The announcement came after the stocks of both species have steadily declined for over 40 years. The news also comes during the same year that stock assessments for North Atlantic swordfish reflected a recovery.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF was quick to highlight that the lessons are multifaceted.  All is not lost for overfished stocks of highly migratory species because even they can respond to restraints in fishing from management actions spurred by improved science and better monitoring. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\"This is the first step in rebuilding the blue marlin and white marlin populations,\" said TBF President Ellen Peel, \"but current management measures must remain in place, without an increase in fishing pressure, for rebuilding to continue.\"  TBF supports research to finds ways to reduce bycatch of billfish.  \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTwenty years ago, TBF made a commitment to provide direct financial funding to the Enhanced Research Program for Billfish at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).  At the time, the new Billfish Research Program had little or no funding for billfish.  TBF began funding the ICCAT Billfish Research Program at $5,000 a year, which soon increased to $25,000 a year, to provide resources for scientists to gather data for stock assessments.  Before this, some countries could not afford scientists to work with fisheries to gather essential data.   TBF\'s support of science has greatly improved the scientific community\'s knowledge of Atlantic marlin, particularly in the area of stock abundance where Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear is recognized as a leader. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nUnder the guidance of Dr. Eric Prince, who was in charge of ICCAT\'s Billfish Research Program, the expenditures of TBF\'s funds led to an invaluable compilation of catch and effort data, which is required for all subsequent stock assessments even to this date.  These data contributed significantly to all the assessments and the resulting TBF-supported recommendations before ICCAT, which curbed mortality of Atlantic blue marlin and white marlin, giving these stocks an opportunity to rebuild.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF is the world\'s leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research, socio-economic awareness and public policy to conserve billfish worldwide, which helps ensure healthy oceans and strong coastal economies.\r\n \r\n\r\n',1178769600),(74,'The 2006 TBF Tag & Release Competition','The 2006 TBF Tag & Release Competition officially ended October 31, 2006.  TBF would like to thank all participants for their outstanding commitment to billfish conservation.  The winners were recognized during the Miami International Boat Show at the Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club on Friday, February 16, 2007.\r\n\r\nRYBOVICH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Henry C. Rexach, Jr. \r\n\r\nConservation Record Holders\r\n\r\nRELEASE ANGLERS - Atlantic\r\nBlue Marlin – Stan Walker\r\n\r\nSailfish – Bob DeGabrielle\r\n\r\nWhite Marlin – Bob DeGabrielle\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRELEASE CAPTAINS – Atlantic\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Eddie Morrison\r\n\r\nSailfish – Walt Spruill\r\n\r\nWhite Marlin – James \"Bubba\" Carter, III.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRELEASE ANGLERS – Pacific\r\n\r\nBlack Marlin – John Angus\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Barry Alty\r\n\r\nSailfish – Jaime Fullana\r\n\r\nStriped Marlin – Paul Bender\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRELEASE CAPTAINS – Pacific\r\n\r\nBlack Marlin – Darren Haydon\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Yoan Alcala\r\n\r\nSailfish – Juan Fulgueira\r\n\r\nStriped Marlin – Jose Ramon Alucano\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTAGGING ANGLERS – Atlantic\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Stan Walker\r\n\r\nSailfish – Bob DeGabrielle\r\n\r\nSwordfish – Susan Royal\r\n\r\nWhite Marlin – Bob DeGabrielle\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTAGGING CAPTAINS – Atlantic\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Billy Borer\r\n\r\nSailfish – James \"Bubba\" Carter, III.\r\n\r\nSwordfish – Cory Burlew\r\n\r\nWhite Marlin – James \"Bubba\" Carter, III.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTAGGING CAPTAINS – Indian\r\n\r\nBlack Marlin – Ross Newton\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Simon Hemphill\r\n\r\nSailfish – Ross Newton\r\n\r\nStriped Marlin – Simon Hemphill\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTAGGING ANGLERS – Pacific\r\n\r\nBlack Marlin – Dennis Deane\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Martha Macnab\r\n\r\nSailfish – Fernando Aguilar\r\n\r\nSpearfish – John Angus\r\n\r\nStriped Marlin – Paul Bender\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTAGGING CAPTAINS – Pacific\r\n\r\nBlack Marlin – Bernard Vale\r\n\r\nBlue Marlin – Gene VanderHoek\r\n\r\nSailfish – Ron Hamlin\r\n\r\nSpearfish – Gene VanderHoek\r\n\r\nStriped Marlin – Martin Vigil\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYOUTH RELEASE ANGLERS\r\n\r\nAges 9-10 – Thomas Matthew Hardy\r\n\r\n            Runner Up – Matthew Edwards\r\n\r\nAges 13-15 – Travis Gill\r\n\r\n            Runner Up – James Angus\r\n\r\nAges 16-17 – James Alan Ott\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nYOUTH TAGGING ANGLERS \r\n\r\nAges 9-10 – Jacob Pearcy\r\n\r\n            Runner Up – Matthew Edwards\r\n\r\nAges 13-15 – David Fine\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOVERALL RELEASE WINNERS\r\n\r\nTop Angler – Jaime Fullana\r\n\r\nTop Captain – Brad Philipps\r\n\r\nTop Female Angler – Joan Vernon\r\n\r\nTop Youth Angler – Travis Gill\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOVERALL TAGGING WINNERS\r\n\r\nTop Angler – Fernando Aguilar\r\n\r\nTop Captain – Ron Hamlin\r\n\r\nTop Female Angler – Martha Macnab\r\n\r\nTop Youth Angler – Jacob Pearcy\r\n',1178769600),(75,'Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!','FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT BETTY BAUMAN AT 954-475-9068\r\n\r\n\r\n\"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" Honored by National Week of the Ocean \r\n\r\nFT. LAUDERDALE, FL 5/07 - - The \"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" seminar series received the Individual of the Year award from Week of the Ocean, Inc., a marine education program based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Citing LLGF as an inspirational opportunity to invite women into fishing, Week of the Ocean selected LLGF and its founder, Betty Bauman, for leading the country when it comes to producing programs that welcome women into the sports of fishing and boating. \r\n\r\nRecognized by the National Marine Educators Association, National Week of the Ocean is a grassroots program designed to promote appreciation, protection and responsible use of the ocean. Cynthia Hancock, President, quoted, \"The South Florida Community joins us in saluting LLGF for its contributions through teaching women to fish and for incorporating the catch and release ethic.\"\r\n\r\nCommented LLGF Founder, Betty Bauman, \"We are honored to receive this award, which recognizes our efforts with this underserved segment of the population - women - who can make the difference when it comes to practicing conservation efforts and becoming stewards of the marine resources.\"\r\n\r\nFor ten years, the \"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" seminar series has served to open the door to fishing for women, teaching conservation skills to anglers as they learn to fish. The weekend seminars encompass a Friday Conservation Reception, Saturday sessions for conservation, inshore, offshore and bottom fishing, followed by a fly fishing demonstration. After lunch, women participate in hands-on skill training sessions including casting, net casting, ballyhoo rigging, hook usage, boat handling, trailer backing, proper release techniques and more. On Sunday, an optional fishing excursion on the water, inshore and offshore where available, is offered. The program concludes with fish filleting demonstration.\r\n\r\nThis unique program has received national, regional and local coverage, including Inside Edition, NBC\'s Nightly News and more. To expand their scope, the group has partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission through the Sport Fish Restoration Program, as well as corporate partners such as Mercury Outboards, Bass Pro Shops, Ranger, BoatU.S. Marine Insurance, Gulfstream Int\'l Airlines, Shimano, Sebago and Lowrance. Other partners, such as Magic Tilt Trailers, Eagle Claw Hooks, Maxima fishing line and more, have joined the efforts to teach fishing and conservation skills to this new audience of anglers.\r\n\r\nThe 2007 schedule includes a seminar at Pirates Cove in Stuart, FL, May 18-20 and a ladies-only trip to Alaska on July 30 - Aug. 3. Fall dates are Islamorada, FL on Sept. 14-16 and St. Petersburg, FL, Oct. 12- 14. \"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" also offers memberships in local chapters in Florida.\r\n\r\nRegistration for the seminars are $135 per person ($150 Islamorada), including instruction, use of equipment, hands-on training, Welcome Reception, meals, T-shirts and more. The Fishing Adventure, with tackle provided, is additional. For more information, call (954) 475-9068, email billfishbetty@hotmail.com or visit www.ladiesletsgofishing.com. \r\n\r\nVisit our website! » \r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSincerely, LLGF Headquarters 954-475-9068 \r\n\r\nLLGF Staff \r\n\"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\r\nemail: billfishbetty@hotmail.com\r\nvoice: 954-475-9068\r\nweb: http://www.ladiesletsgofishing.com\r\n',1178769600),(76,'Banderas Bay Big Game Fishing & Bikini Tournament','The Banderas Bay Big Game Fishing & Bikini Tournament August 29th through September 3rd 2007 \r\n\r\nAn RFA fundraising event sponsored by TUNABITE.COM in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in conjunction with the 23rd Annual Ujena Bikini Jam. \r\n\r\nTournament Highlights:\r\n•Best time of the year for billfish and giant yellowfin tuna. \r\n•Fully equipped boats with world renowned captains. \r\n•Bikini model on every boat as observer and radio operator.\r\n•Professional photographer on every boat. \r\n•Fishermen compete for Cash prizes based on largest tuna/game fish and high score catch and release billfish. \r\n•First place Teams gets an invite into the IGFA 2008 World Championships. \r\n•Models compete for best image and best tournament operator award. \r\n•Photographer competes for best image award/cash prize. \r\n•Portion of the proceeds donated to the Recreational Fishing Alliance. \r\n\r\nIf there is only one tournament you fish all year, this has to be the one! The Banderas Bay Big Game Fishing Tournament consists of 2 days of offshore fishing and is an IGFA world cup-qualifying event. The winner will receive a cash prize and an invitation to the IGFA world championships. Observers for the catch and release portion of this tournament are swimwear models provided by Ujena Modeling Agency and there will be a professional cameraman on each boat to document the fishing. Other events held during the Ujena Bikini Jam week include the El Tigre Golf Tournament, Bikini Acrobatics Competition, Photographers Competition, Five K Race, Professional Makeup Artist for Print Competition, Costume Party, Talent Show, Nightly Parties and a final Awards Ceremony for models, photographers and all fishing tournament entrants. Combined cash and Prizes for all events are expected to exceed $200,000.00. \r\n\r\nAngler lodging is all-inclusive at a five star resort and includes all the food you can eat at the five on-site restaurants, open bar, VIP passes and transfers to all off grounds nighttime events. Add to that the charter fee for you and a friend on a 31’ to 35’ charterboat with world-renowned captains, all the rods, tackle bait and your tournament entry fee and the total cost is approximately $1,850 per person double occupancy. The golf tournament includes greens fees and is an additional $100 \r\n\r\nFor private boat owners with 2 persons fishing, a captain and a deck hand the tournament boat entry fee is $1,000 for each day of fishing in the tournament. Five nights lodging is required for 2 persons. Lodging includes food, drinks and all nighttime events as above at $795.00 per person double occupancy. \r\n\r\nThe fishing tournament will be a two-day event. Each day will be separate from the other. Either day is eligible to win first place in the event. There are four parts to the fishing tournament event alone. \r\n\r\n1. First place is heaviest weighed game fish (billfish not included). Prize amount is 40 % based on entry fees collected and is expected to exceed $10,000. In addition, with 10+ boats in the event; an invite to bring your team to the IGFA world cup will be included.\r\n\r\n2.Second place is the best catch and release Billfish/Sailfish scored by release points. Prize is 30 % of entry fees. According to our records, this has been welcomed by locals as the first catch and release billfish tournament to be held in Puerto Vallarta.\r\n\r\nNote: Sponsored prizes and positions will be announced as received.\r\n3.The Ujena bikini models portion of this competition: A $1,000 cash prize from Tunabite.\r\n4.The photographer position for this event:\r\nA $500 cash prize from Tunabite.\r\n$200.00 Scholarship from Ujena.\r\nUjena Image award.\r\nIn the running for Ujena Photographer of the year.\r\n\r\n\r\nBoth models and photographers have a huge opportunity coveted by many past winners such as Jenna Morasca winner of Survivor Africa and the Ujena outstanding achievement award. This event will guarantee exposure to the fashion and video industry as well as many other publishing companies and advance all entrants’ careers. Tournament entrants get the chance of a lifetime to get photos and video of themselves participating in a big game fishing tournament with the models in this event. \r\n\r\nFor further information and to make reservations go to: Tunabite.com\r\nTunabite.com will make a contribution to the RFA for each boat registered through the tournament website with the RFA logo.',1182225600),(77,'LONGLINERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK','Pelagic drift longlines are one of the most indiscriminant fishing gear types resulting in high levels of bycatch of protected species and non-targeted fish such as marlin, bluefin tunas and juvenile swordfish. For this reason, numerous closed areas specific to pelagic drift longlines were implemented to curb their excessive bycatch. In time, these closed areas were instrumental in the successful recovery of North Atlantic swordfish in addition to creating outstanding sailfish and marlin fishing off the south Atlantic Coast. But in light of this conservation victory, NOAA is now considering issuing exempted fishing permits for upwards of 13 longline boats to fish these areas and completely reverse all that has been gained.\r\n\r\nThe driving force behind NOAA’s consideration of opening up the closed areas is the domestic longline fleet who have failed to meet their annual swordfish quota as part of the ICCAT treaty. In our domestic fisheries management system, not exceeding annual harvest quotas, particularly during periods of high biomass, is viewed in a positive light. However, in the international arena of ICCAT, consistent failure to meet the US swordfish quota has caught the attention of other contracting nations; namely Mexico, Canada, and Taiwan who are already engaged in political maneuvers to seize our unharvested swordfish. In an effort to increase our domestic swordfish landings and retain our quota, NOAA, in recent months, has increased recreational bag limits, incidental trip limits, and lifted numerous upgrade provisions on pelagic drift longline vessels. In addition, buoy gear was recently authorized as a gear type permitted to land swordfish. The effects of this new gear has not been analyzed, nor has the effects of these exemptions been evaluated.\r\n\r\nRFA is strongly opposed to NOAA issuing exempted fishing permits for pelagic longline vessels to fish in closed areas. Ironically, the areas that the longliners are trying to get back into, the Charleston Bump and the East Florida Coast, are closures that were put in place because they protected swordfish nursery areas and stopped the high level of juvenile swordfish bycatch observed to be occurring in those areas.\r\n\r\nCurrently, RFA is working on a permanent solution to prevent situations like this from happening in the future. We will be pushing for the United States ICCAT Delegation to offer a recommendation at the fall meeting that would allow countries that are in compliance and don’t meet their annual harvest quotas to retain the balance of their quota as a ‘swimming conservation reserve’. Consistent with the ICCAT Charter, the reserve would have to be carried over for a time certain. During that time the individual ICCAT member country must make a good faith effort, through adjustments to its commercial and recreational fisheries, to achieve their quota on a regular basis. Such a recommendation would give the US an opportunity to utilize any unused swordfish quota and make adjustments in response to the needs of fishermen. Furthermore, we would have more control over the benefits that result from our conservation efforts. RFA will be working with ICCAT members towards this goal in the coming months.',1182225600),(78,'HIJACKING FISHERIES MANAGEMENT','How Pew Charitable Trusts has co-opted the management process using paid-for science and a well-oiled media machine.\r\n\r\nIn late 2006, “Fisheries Face Collapse by 2048!” was the headline read and heard around the world – at least in the world of Washington, DC. It just so happens that Congress was debating the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at that precise moment. The press stories sighted a study led by Dr. Boris Worm of Dalhousie University. While objective observers might question elements of the study, it was the media hype that the Pew Charitable Trusts (“Pew” or “the Trust”) wanted out there as part of a carefully orchestrated campaign to influence the Congressional debate on the Nation’s primary fisheries law. Dr. Worm, a regular recipient of funding from Pew, working with SeaWeb, a Pew-funded public research group that specializes in media campaigns, worked on the message and the timing to get as much media coverage as possible. They were successful. Big media loves a crisis, and when you have the money and the manpower it’s easy to plant a good fish tale.\r\n\r\nDr. Worm’s article was quickly labeled by top fisheries scientists and managers for what it really was – a Pew advocacy piece like much of his prior work funded by the Trust. The kicker at the end of the piece calling for “no-fishing marine reserves” as the cure was the final giveaway, a goal high on the agenda of most Pew funded organizations! Worm’s work in the past had been branded “invalid”, “misleading” and “undermining the trust placed in science.” As it turns out this was a textbook study in disseminating misinformation disguised as science to a willing media with the express purpose of influencing Congressional debate. Such scare tactics have become the darling of the radical environmental movement.\r\n\r\nThe media firestorm was part of a broader, coordinated attack that included misleading ad campaigns aimed at smearing key politicians facing re-election. The targeted Members of Congress just happened to be those involved in crafting scientifically sound legislation that also recognized the needs of recreational fishermen and industry. This campaign was led by another Pew-funded environmental group, the Marine Fish Conservation Network.\r\n\r\nThe Pew Charitable Trusts is the 800-pound gorilla of ocean issues. Created with funding from the Sun Oil Company and sitting on a $4.1 billion war chest, it is an organization that refuses to let reality get in the way of their agenda. In public documents their self-mandated mission is to “save” the oceans. They claim that the primary purpose (of the Trust) ‘is to award grants to other organizations as well as direct planning and conducting projects and initiatives that carryout the organizations religious, charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes.’ This validates that Pew grant recipients are carrying out the ideas and motivations of Pew. The impact of such tactics is changing the direction of fisheries policy. True management and conservation is gradually being replaced by a call to stop all fishing through the use of paid-for science funneled to the media through Pew-financed conduits, and touted by Pew-funded environmental organizations. Much of their agenda is anti-fishing, even on well managed, rebuilt or rebuilding fish stocks, to the point of being little more than a cleverly disguised attack on the public’s access to the ocean. That’s recreational fishermen like us.\r\n\r\nFor example, Pew funding has enabled ecologists to drive the scientific agenda for the implementation of California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), which is now on course to close 20% of that state’s waters to recreational fishing. Pew Fellows serve on the Science Advisory Team of the MLPA, where they push closures while ignoring current fishery management practices, which, on the West Coast, are already the most restrictive in the world! Fishermen proposed a constructive network of MPA’s that exceeded Pew-funded scientific guidelines, but the political faction wanted blood! Their network lobbied the Governor for an even more extreme proposal and now California’s angling community is fighting a losing battle to stop a runaway train that is making it harder to find a place to fish.\r\n\r\nPew is a major grant provider to universities and professors in the marine sciences and the major provider of funds to environmental groups that push the party line. Those groups include The National Environmental Trust, Oceana, Earthjustice Legal Defense, the New England Aquarium, the Public Interest Research Group, National Audubon Society, National Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Conservation Law Foundation, Marine Conservation Biology Institute, Marine Fish Conservation Network, Wildlife Conservation Society, Friends of the Earth and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Combined, these groups have received over $200 million of Pew money and most have openly endorsed the implementation of arbitrary no-fishing zones!\r\nThe Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is particularly worrisome. It is attempting to become an umbrella group for sportsman’s organizations and has attracted the participation of some fishing organizations with the lure of Pew money. The American Sportfishing Association and the Coastal Conservation Association are among the board members of the Partnership. And when the going got tough during the Magnuson Act reauthorization, they ended up on the same page as the Pew-funded groups.\r\n\r\nThis is what Congressman Pombo, then chair of the House Resources Committee had to say recently. “Throughout the long process to reauthorize the Magnuson Act the RFA was consistently at the table, insisting on sound conservation policies based on the most accurate science. Their goal was clear, a sustainable fishery so that this generation of recreational fishermen and the following generations would have fish to catch. Most of the other organizations engaged in this debate had other agendas or were totally missing in action. At the end of the 109th Congress it was clear to me that the RFA was the only player left insisting on protecting the future of recreational fishing. I will always be grateful to them and respect their tenacity during what proved to be a difficult reauthorization.”\r\n\r\nSince the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Act in 1996 the management of U.S. fisheries, while far from perfect, has become a model for the rest of the world. Yet Pew continues to use scare tactics to drive its agenda domestically while the most egregious problems can easily be found abroad. Their agenda may sound laudable, but the reality is that their goal is to stop fishing. Pew used the money of its well-heeled donors like a school-yard bully during the debate and attacked those who stood in their way. Pew has seriously damaged the ability of recreational fishermen to do what we love to do – go fishing.',1182225600),(79,'Mexico\'s New Shark and Ray Fishing Regulations Threaten Billfish and Other Ocean Resources','Despite strong opposition from The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and scores of partners in Mexico, Mexican officials approved Regulation NOM-029 (Shark Norma).  This regulation, promoted as a way to stop the over-exploitation of sharks and rays, was rejected by Mexico\'s last two Presidents, but was strongly supported by commercial fishing interests in Ensenada, Sinaloa, Sonora, Mexican Fisheries (CONAPESCA) and some Mexican and United States Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWhile TBF applauds the shark finning prohibitions included in the package of regulations we note that commercial longline interests have long lobbied for the liberalized permitting requirements that are also part of the package.  There are elements of these rules that contain hidden potential to further reduce marine resources in and around Baja California Sur. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF will continue to work with the groups listed below to fight to rescind the bad rules.  TBF President Ellen Peel stated, \"We are working with our friends in Mexico to look for legal ammunition against the NOM-029.  We are looking towards federal legislation to overrule this threat to ocean resources, and we are continuing to network with conservation minded Mexican friends and supporters to overturn this foolish set of regulations.\" \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThree \"Trojan Horses\"\r\n\r\nBy-catch -- NOM-029 does not restrict by-catch, allowing all \"incidental\" by-catch to be kept.  By-catch runs about 60 to 80%.  According to the INP National Report in 1999 two longliners out of Magdalena Bay killed 11,743 striped marlin in 9 months.  This comprised 77.5% of the total catch.  Panga longliners with shark permits from Manzanillo kill 80% sailfish and sell 150 to 200 tons every month. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nReduction in Protected Zones  -- Under current regulations no commercial fishing vessels are allowed to fish for or possess marlin, sailfish, dorado and other protected species within the 50 mile conservation zones.  The only allowed fishing was under sportfishing bag limits.  This law provided strong protection to a wide variety of marine life.  Under NOM-029 these species can be targeted and retained. Commercial boats less than 30\' can come within 10 miles of shore with longlines (section 4.2.1).  Commercial longline boats between 30\' and 89\' can fish as near as 15 miles from the shore in the Sea of Cortes, and within 20 miles of the west coast of the Baja (4.7.3).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nCurrent Permits -- Section 4.3.1 of the new regulation restricts the issuance of new shark permits.  However, according to reliable sources in the fishing industry, there are approximately 4,200 boats that will be fishing from existing shark permits.  308 permits have been issued to fishing boats over 89 feet, and 225 permits to boats 89 feet or less.  More than 600 permits have been issued to pangas (22\' to 30\'), with 6 pangas able to work from one permit.  Based on current fishing practices, this means there are can be more than 1.5 million hooks in the Sea of Cortes on any one day, fishing for sharks, rays and other species.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe rationale for those promoting this regulation has been \"something is better than nothing, and this is only a start\".  Opponents point out, however, that the regulation will likely increase the overall fishing pressure on the fisheries it aims to protect.  This is particularly true for fisheries inside the current 50 mile protected zone, which will become new targets for commercial fishing.  Shark populations will face more depletion.  Longline boats will continue to rely on high levels of by-catch (billfish and dorado) that will deplete sport fisheries and impact tourism.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe people of Baja California Sur are working together to stop these regulations from going into effect.  They insist that the \"Norma\" must not become law, and that the public consulting process must be reinstated.  If NOM-029 becomes law, permits will be issued to at least 225 medium-sized fishing boats.  Once these shark fishing permits are issued, commercial boats will be able to fish under an \"amparo\" for at least a full year.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTBF supports the people from BCS who are demanding an immediate cancellation or suspension of this shark Norma until the following modifications are included: \r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\nThat the 50 miles zones already in the law be respected. This protects sharks as well as all other species which live inside 50 miles of the coast. \r\nThat incidental by catch be clearly defined, so that sports fish aren\'t commercially targeted. \r\nThat the sport fishing species which have been set aside by the Ley de Pesca for sport fishing to be respected and not commercialized. \r\nThat there is Regionalization of Permits, so that Sinaloa or Sonora boats, where there are even fewer fish, can\'t come and fish the Baja. \r\nThat the Armada de Mexico be in charge of (inspection and vigilance) enforcement.  \r\nThat solid stock assessment and fishing effort data be compiled in a comprehensive environmental impact study which should have been included.\r\nTAKE ACTION\r\n\r\nTBF, along with other groups, will fight to rescind these bad rules.  TBF President Ellen Peel stated: \"We are working with our friends in Mexico to look for legal ammunition against the Norma-29, we are looking towards federal legislation to overrule this threat to ocean resources and we are continuing to network with conservation-minded Mexican friends ands supporters to overturn this foolish set of regulations.\"  Good conservation pays, irresponsible management is short sighted and causes everyone to lose.  If you fish in waters off Cabo and the Sea of Cortez or you support responsible management in those waters, let your voice be heard by emailing your opposition the following:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFelipe Calderon Hinojosa, Presidente de Mexico, felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx \r\n\r\nCesar Nava, Secretario Particular, cesar.nava.vazquez@presidencia.gob.mx \r\n\r\nAlberto Cardenas, Secretario Sagarpa, alberto.cardenas@sagarpa.gob.mx\r\n\r\nRamon Corral, Comisionado Nacional de Acuacultura y Pesca, rcorrala@conapesca.sagarpa.gob.mx\r\n\r\nSaniago Creel Miranda, Coordinador del GPPAN, santiago.creel@pan.senado.gob.mx\r\n\r\nManlio Fabio Vbeltrones, Coordinador del PRI, beltrones@senado.gob.mx\r\n\r\nArturo Escobar, Senador PVEM, aescobar@senado.gob.mx\r\n\r\nLuis Coppola Joffroy, Senador PAN, luis.coppola@pan.senado.gob.mx\r\n\r\nJorge Alfonso Ituurbide Gurerra, Tecnico Secretaria Partiular Presidencia, aiturbide@presidencia.gob.mx\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe groups supporting the people of Baja California Sur include the following:  Funcacion para la Conservacion de los Picudos A.C., Sindicato De Propietarios De Embarcaciones De Pesca Deportiva De Los Cabos AC;  Asociaci&#243;n Mexicana de Marinas Tur&#237;sticas AC; Asociaci&#243;n Sudcaliforniana De Desarrolladores De Tiempo Compartido AC; Asociaci&#243;n De Hoteles De Los Cabos AC;  Uni&#243;n De Permisionarios De Carnada Viva De Cabo San Lucas; Camara Nacional De La industria De La Transformaci&#243;n De Los Cabos;   Camara Nacional De Comercio De Los Cabos;  Camara Nacional Restaurantera De Los Cabos;  Union De Pescadores Rivere&#241;os De Los Cabos;  Marina Fundadores;  Sea Watch; and The Billfish Foundation (TBF).\r\n\r\n',1182225600),(80,'LIONFISH OBSERVED OFF NORTH CAROLINA','Divers and fishers alert: Non-native Lionfish are beautiful but have venomous spines\r\n\r\nResearch efforts have begun by the Department of Commerce\'s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to determine the number and range of a venomous Pacific Ocean fish that was recently discovered in the waters off the southern Atlantic coast.\r\n\r\nResearch divers from NOAA\'s Laboratory in Beaufort, N.C., have observed an Indo-Pacific species of lionfish near two shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina. Local divers were the first to spot the species and have observed lionfish at additional sites. Officials are concerned because the lionfish is not a native species to the southeastern United States, and its venomous spines are dangerous to humans and other fish.\r\n\r\nOne lionfish was collected by a recreational scuba diver, and scientists at the Beaufort Laboratory sent the specimen to a lionfish expert for positive identification. The species is Pterois volitans, a popular salt water aquarium fish. The number of observations and distance between sightings suggest that more lionfish may be found off the coast and that lionfish may have been able to survive the winter water temperatures.\r\n\r\n\"Now that scientists have positively identified the species, we need to determine the distribution of lionfish along the southeastern United States,\" said Bill Hogarth, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service.\r\n\r\n\"We are also concerned that scuba divers and fishers may encounter this species in North Carolina or elsewhere along the southeast coast, and we want to get the word out about their venomous spines,\" said Margaret Davidson, director of NOAA\'s National Ocean Service. The dorsal, anal and pelvic spines of the lionfish are venomous.\r\n\r\nNOAA Fisheries and NOAA Ocean Service are developing and implementing a plan for the research that is needed in order to define the distribution of lionfish along the southeastern coast of the United States and to determine if they are reproducing.\r\n\r\nBeaufort Laboratory scientists will conduct the research utilizing several types of studies to determine the extent, range, and population of fish species. Research will focus on age and growth of the species along with their food habits. Field studies are conducted to document changes in species composition and abundance. Divers will also be utilized as necessary to assess current fish communities as part of their regular surveys. Once this information is gathered, officials will be able to ascertain what steps, if any, may be necessary to halt the spread of this species.\r\n\r\nScuba divers can help with the NOAA research effort by reporting lionfish sightings to Dr. Donald Hoss, Director, NOAA Beaufort Laboratory; 101 Pivers Island Rd. Beaufort, NC 28516-9722;\r\nphone: (252) 728-8746; fax: (252) 728-8784; email: don.hoss@noaa.gov.\r\n\r\nPlease be prepared to provide coordinates of where the lionfish was found and at what depth. If possible, a photograph should accompany the above information.\r\n\r\nA fact sheet containing a photo of a lionfish is available on the Internet at: http://shrimp.bea.nmfs.gov/research/lionfish_factsheet.pdf.\r\n',1182225600),(81,'NMFS STOPS LONGLINE VESSELS FROM FISHING IN CLOSED AREAS','Silver Spring, MD - The RFA received notification today from the National Marine Fisheries Service announcing that they will not approve 13 exempted fishing permits that would have allowed pelagic drift longline vessels to deploy their gear in closed areas off Florida and South Carolina. Pelagic drift longliners are one of the most indiscriminant fishing gear types resulting in high levels of bycatch of protected species and non-targeted fish such as marlin, bluefin tuna and juvenile swordfish. For this reason, numerous closed areas specific to pelagic drift longliners were implemented to curb their excessive bycatch. In time, these closed areas were instrumental in the successful recovery of North Atlantic swordfish in addition to creating outstanding sailfish and marlin fishing off the south Atlantic Coast.\r\n\r\n\"The outstanding offshore fishing, which has spurred tremendous social and economic benefits to our coastal communities along the south Atlantic, is a direct result of reducing bycatch associated with pelagic longline gear,\" states RFA Executive Director Jim Donofrio. \"All of our important HMS fisheries have benefited greatly from these closures and it is necessary to maintain the current closed areas to continue the recovery of swordfish, and marlin, and to prevent the further decline of bluefin tuna.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nDespite this conservation victory, NOAA was considering issuing exempted fishing permits for upwards of 13 longline boats to fish these areas in response to a scientific study submitted by a longline industry group, the Blue Water Fishermen\'s Association. The goal of the research was to find ways, namely fishing in closed areas, to increase domestic swordfish landings. Make no mistake, 13 longline boats with the hundreds of thousands of hooks would have had a devastating impact on marlin, bluefin tuna and juvenile swordfish if they were allowed to fish in these important conservation areas, and would completely reverse all that has been gained. RFA strongly opposed NOAA issuing exempted fishing permits for pelagic longline vessels to fish in closed areas and orchestrated a massive letter campaign which included RFA sending out over 10,000 letters of opposition.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"We have to commend our members who were highly involved in preventing this unnecessary research from being approved,\" continues Donofrio. \"The recreational fishing community is grateful to the legislators who weighed in on this issue which is very important to the fishermen in their congressional districts.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nIronically, the areas where the longliners were trying to get back into, the Charleston Bump and the East Florida Coast, are closures that were put in place because they protected swordfish nursery areas and stopped the high level of juvenile swordfish bycatch observed to be occurring in those areas. NMFS recently lifted vessel upgrade provisions and increased the incidental and recreational bag limits for swordfish to increase landings. RFA supported some of these measures and further encouraged NMFS to improve data collection programs in an attempt to produce better recreational swordfish landing estimates.\r\n\r\n\r\n',1188273600),(82,'SURF\'s RED!','With the arrival of fall, a sort of wild hiatus occurs, and not just along the Gulf of Mexico, either. Frenzied surf anglers also pepper the shores from as far north along the East Coast from Delaware all the way down to Florida. It is here that the sandy seashores become a pincushion for sand spikes and 8 ft. surf rods, not to mention the miles of tire tread prints from various 4 X 4 vehicles.  \r\nThe key target for most of these pursuers is bull redfish (bull red drum).\r\n\r\nWhat makes this type of fishing appealing to many anglers is you don\'t have to have a boat to tango with these brutes of the surf. With a minimal investment of a rod and reel, ice chest, and some items discussed later, an angler can have success otherwise limited to those with a boat.\r\n\r\nAccessibility is the key with this type of fishing, and it comes in many forms. You can fish off the beach, a bridge or jetties, or other structure if you have the proper equipment. Obviously, without a boat one would at least have to have a vehicle that would allow for the transporting of all the needed gear to the location of choice.\r\n\r\nCareful planning is important because this kind of angling is more often a waiting game. Therefore, to make it more pleasurable you need to bring all the needed amenities: lounge chairs, sun canopy, refreshments, radio, etc.\r\nThere\'s nothing real technical about this type of fishing, which basically involves casting a beefy piece of bait into the surf and waiting for a hookup. There\'s no need, either, for any fancy working of the bait to enhance a strike. What will be important, nonetheless, is that you periodically check the bait to make sure you haven’t lost it and to keep it freshly changed about every 30 minutes or so, depending on bait type and how hungry bait thieves become.\r\n\r\nThe saying that \"the more, the better\" is definitely a principle to follow when considering how many rods to use, but don\'t put out more than can comfortably be handled. Use no more than two rods per person and try to place baits in as many directions as possible, leaving a comfortable distance between each. Likewise, when fishing from a pier or bridge you would want to fish both sides, giving consideration to other occupants. Then, after everything is setup, pay attention to where the strikes occur, and relocate the rest of the rods and reels undergoing less action to that vicinity.\r\n\r\nOnce all the rods and reels have been cast out, the handles will have to be placed in a supporting device called a sand spike, or rod holder, which is driven and secured into the sand away from any lapping waves. This device may also be used wherever there\'s a place with a railing or similar fixture (bridge rail, pier post, etc.) so that it can be taped or tie strapped securely to an up right.\r\n\r\nA sand spike can be purchased at most sporting good stories, but you can construct one very easily. All you need for a sand spike is a 4 foot length of 1 3/4 PVC from your local hardware store. With the use of a hacksaw, cut one end on a 30-45 degree angle and the other end square. Clean the rough edges by scraping them with a razor knife. The angled end is driven into the sand; the other end is for the rod handle to go into.\r\n\r\nTo prevent loss of rod and reel you must make sure that the drag on spinning reels are set loose enough with bail closed. On bait casting reels, set them in free spool ratchet position, before placing them in the sand spike. After placement, test to see if they will remain secured in the spike by pulling out the line in front of the rod tip, simulating a fish strike. Adjust drag tension accordingly so that spike will not be pulled from the ground or fixture to which you attached it.\r\n\r\nThe game of patience begins when all lines are out and you\'re laid back sipping on a cold one, waiting to be pleasantly interrupted by the loud clamoring sound of your reel’s drag. When that happens, set the hook immediately and get the other lines out of the water. On bait casting reels put the reel into lock mode (fighting position); on spinning reels tighten the drag enough to set the hook and allow for the run.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDespite popular theory, it\'s not necessary to wait before setting the hook when catching bull redfish or black drum. These fish can engulf a fist-sized bait in one inhalation. If you wait a few seconds before setting the hook the fish may become gut-hooked, making it less likely to survive if you decide to release it.\r\n\r\nFight the fish long enough so that it wears down, and don\'t be overly concerned if there\'s a lot of wave action. Keep the line taut and use the waves to your advantage by allowing the surf to bring the fish right on the beach. Once landed, keep it clear of the lapping waves or it may be sucked back out to sea.\r\n\r\nFighting a bull redfish from a structure is an all together different challenge. Here drag tightening and rod manipulation can make a difference between landing or losing the fish. If a fish is headed for structure, such as piling legs, rocks, etc., and the present drag setting is unable to turn him, you may take a risk on tightening the drag more to head him off.\r\n\r\nHowever, if that\'s unsuccessful, you might try the \"gambling tactic\" if you are wary of line breakage due to abrasion. Since fish fight and run at the sensation of resistance, put the reel in free spool or break the bail open, which ever is applicable, and hope it steers clear of the potential obstacle. Allow the fish a few seconds and resume the fight with your rod tip pointing to where you want it to head–hopefully out of cover.\r\n\r\nFishing above the water from a pier or bridge presents a different challenge. Such places can make it difficult to landing the fish unless you have a bridge gaff handy. Remember, the longer the fish stays idle in the water, the more likely it\'ll rest enough and rebound, possibly putting you back in the same situation you just got out of.\r\n\r\nTackle is critical when scuffling with these broad-shouldered surf-runners. It is therefore important to use at least 25 pound test mono line, but braided line in at least the 6/30 class will be a better choice, particularly where structure is eminent.\r\n\r\nA stiff surf rod of 8 or more feet in length, with a reel of no less than 200 yards capacity will be mandatory. This type of rod makes for longer casts and added leverage for maneuvering these heavy-duty redfish away from critical structure.\r\n\r\nA simple, effective leader to use is a fish-finder rig. This rig allows the fish to take line without feeling the resistance of the sinker. These are especially useful when fishing the surf since the line will basically stay where you cast it.\r\n\r\nA fish-finder rig consists of a 2-3 ft. length of 40 pound mono leader with an 8/0 hook on one end and a barrel swivel on the other. On the tag end of the fishing line slide a large snap swivel (eyelet end) up the line and place a pyramid sinker (at least 4 oz.) to the clip side of the swivel. Then tie the tag end of the fishing line to the leader at the barrel swivel. Depending on size of bait, current and waves, the sinker weight might need to be increased or decreased. Pyramid sinkers are the key here since they will dig into the sandy bottom and hold your line in position.\r\n\r\nWhen using this type of leader setup, some have been puzzled when casting heavy baits with too light a sinkers. What takes place is a short cast with the bait traveling way beyond the sinker location. If this happens, increase sinker weight to equal or more than the bait\'s weight. This will allow the sinker and snap swivel assembly to remain nearer the leader section during the cast, preventing it from double backing and entangling itself.\r\n\r\nMany baits work well when going after bull reds; but make no mistake about it, fresh is best. Squid, mullet, pinfish, porgies, croaker all work well. But many veteran anglers choose whole or cracked crab because it is least prone to be taken by sharks, catfish, or picked clean by bait fish.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, no matter which one you choose, one thing is for sure - when the surf\'s red, the bull\'s will be fed!\r\n\r\nby Jerry Labella\r\n',1190260800),(83,'LADIES CATCH ON TO FISHING TECHNIQUES AT THE KEYS \"LADIES, LET\'S GO FISHING!\"® SEMINAR, SEPT. 14-16','ISLAMORADA, FL-9/07 - Women traveled from many different states for many reasons to learn fishing skills at the 8th Annual Keys \"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\"® seminar, Sept. 14-16 at Holiday Isle Resorts & Marina, Islamorada, FL. Pat Fitz, Naples, FL had recently married a fishing fanatic and wanted to step up to his level. Ann Medford, a journalist from Southhold, NY attended to understand the reason why fishing is a multi-million dollar industry. Lynn Butters, Brooksfield, FL treated herself to a special birthday weekend of fishing. There were also eight mother/daughter or relative groups who came to enjoy a weekend of learning about fishing together. \r\n\r\nKnown as the \"No-Yelling School of Fishing,\" this award-winning series for women, held in conjunction with Florida\'s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and presented by Mercury Outboards, kicked off with a Friday Welcome Reception at Holiday Isle. Learning commenced on Saturday, where fishing techniques were taught at beginner and intermediate/advanced levels to more than 80 women. Instructors and topics were: Capt. Lee Lavery/fishing basics; Capt. George Mittler/bluewater fishing; Capt. Skip Bradeen/bottom fishing; Capt. Eric Bass/flats fishing, Michelle Owen/Conservation and Capt. Randy Crenshaw/fly fishing. After lunch, the women participated in several \"hands-on\" fishing stations, such as conservation techniques, spin casting, net casting, releasing, knot tying, gaffing grapefruits, boat handling, trailer backing and reeling against pressure. To complete the experience, a fishing trip on Sunday gave the women a chance to practice their skills on the water and learn to fillet fish.\r\n\r\nThe ocean came alive for the Fishing Adventure on Sunday. Departing from Whale Harbor and fishing offshore and inshore, participants caught and/or released tuna, dolphin, snook, tarpon, snapper, grouper, mackerel, sea trout and more. Every boat caught multiple fish.\r\n\r\nThe date for the final 2007 seminar in St. Petersburg, FL is Oct. 12-14. Registration is $135 and charter rates range from $60 to $185. \"Ladies, Let\'s Go Fishing!\" also offers memberships in Florida local chapters. The public can be notified of the 2008 seminar dates by signing up for the email advisory list on www.ladiesletsgofishing.com. \r\n\r\nThe Islamorada seminar registration was $150 for the seminar, including meals, T-Shirts, goody bags, educational lectures, hands-on skill practice, use of equipment, door prizes and more. The fishing adventure, with fishing tackle and bait provided, was additional. A special sailfishing event is offered in Costa Rica on Jan. 21-25, 2008. Contact: LLGF, phone 954-475-9068, fax 954-474-7299, email: billfishbetty@hotmail.com, web site: www.ladiesletsgofishing.com. \r\n \r\nIslamorada Fishing Reports, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007\r\n \r\nWith perfect fishing conditions, every boat reported fishing action. In the report, \"caught\" could signify landing or releasing.\r\n \r\nOffshore: \r\n \r\nBlue Chip Too / Capt. Wayne Kvadus: Jeannette Rosenbruch, Doylestown, PA used a sabiki for the first time and caught blue runners. Lurue Lord, Statesboro, GA threw the cast net several times and caught lots of ballyhoo. All of the girls rigged bait bait, tied their own knots and they all caught fish! The ladies reported catching yellowtail, mutton snappers, dolphin and kingfish just to name a few.\r\n \r\nKiller White / Capt. Shaun Matthews: All six of the ladies caught fish - 10 blackfin tuna, the biggest weighing in at 25 pounds, skipjack tuna and yellowtails. Caryn St. John, Riviera Beach, FL gaffed her first fish!\r\n \r\nOld Hatt / Capt. Ron Moore: Each of the six women caught at least one blackfin tuna and some as many as four. They experienced offshore trolling and practiced rigging their own baits. Lynn Butters, Brooksville, FL celebrated her birthday by catching four fish.\r\n \r\nMiller Time / Capt. Dirk \"O\" Reich: Tina Cook, Hobe Sound, FL caught a 29 pound blackfin tuna. Claudia Garofalo, Palm Beach Gardens, FL caught a 25 pound bull dolphin. All six of the ladies caught blackfin tuna. The gals also learned how to tie a bimini twist and some secrets on how to cast net bait!\r\n \r\n*Whatever it Takes / Chuck Baldwin: The ladies caught over a dozen blackfin tuna. They experienced multiple hook-ups and also learned how to catch bait. Natalie Costello, Rockford, MI landed a respectable number of tuna for her first time offshore!\r\n \r\nCaribsea / Capt. Kenny Spaulding: The Captain took the ladies off the 409 and the West Hump. All of the ladies caught fish including 10 dolphin and 14 blackfin tuna. Laura Haughie, Boca Raton, FL caught her first tuna and dolphin ever! The ladies had nonstop action all day and lost several tuna to the sharks. \r\n \r\nInshore: \r\n \r\nCapt. Eric Bass: Piper Marsh, Summerland Key, FL caught a snook and her mother, Janice Czerwinski, Summerland Key released a tarpon. The ladies learned to sight cast and reported having a great time in the back country.\r\n \r\n*Capt. Kerry Wingo: Cindy Ypsilanti, Key Largo, FL released several redfish and landed one over 19\" as well as releasing a 16.5\" trout. Bonnie O\'Hara, Tulsa, OK released one trout and lots of snook. Arlene Haessler, Marathon, FL also released multiple snook, trout, redfish as well as one shark that put up a nice fight. Overall, the ladies released more than 20 snook!\r\n \r\nCapt. Mark Johnson: Valerie Jolley and Dieu Van Tran, Jacksonville, FL had a busy day! The ladies released over 50 fish including trout, snook, snapper, redfish, sharks, ladyfish and catfish. \r\n \r\nCapt. Randy Stallings: Jody Steele, Miami Beach, FL and Nancy Telese, Palm Beach, FL had a stellar day with over 37 releases combined! The ladies caught snook, trout, redfish and mangrove snapper.\r\n \r\nCapt. Bob Jones: Shannon Schiner, Coral Gables, FL and Sharon Zamojski, Deerfield Beach, FL spent the day practicing their fly fishing skills. The ladies reported a fun day of sight casting and released a few trout on fly.\r\n \r\n*Take the Ladies Fishing Sponsors\r\n \r\nComments from participants:\r\n\"Fishing is a humane sport, not a seek and destroy sport.\" - A. Medford, Southold, NY \r\n\"Fishing is not nuclear physics (quote from Capt. Eric Bass)\" - V. Cruz, Sorrento, FL\r\n\r\n\"I will teach my husband to fish and promise not to yell at him!\" R. Wagaman, Indialantic, FL \r\n\r\n\"Have fun, don\'t take \"excitement\" voices as yelling!\" - V. Cruz, Sorrento, FL\r\n\r\n\"Any woman would love it if they like to fish\" - B. Williams, Marathon, FL\r\n\r\nWe learned to fish as a team\" - A. Young, Palm Beach Gardens, FL\r\n\r\n \r\n',1190260800),(84,'The Quickie by Captain Ramsey Chason','Everyone loves a quickie.  Running both a 68’ Hatteras and 43’ Viking express with out a full-time mate, I’ve grown to appreciate quick fixes.  Sometimes shaving twenty or thirty minutes off a cleaning or maintenance project gives the added time to tweak your tackle or rig baits, especially true at tournament time.  Here’s a list of my favorites.\r\n\r\n•	Before washing your boat next time, apply liquid flitz metal polish to all of your stainless.  After washing and shamying the boat the stainless will be cleaned and polished in half the time.  \r\n•	When waxing the boat, wax over your stainless as well, that will add the protective coating missing from the flitz. (After using Flitz, it is always recommended to use another high quality protective wax.  I use Collonite Fleet or Insulator waxes)\r\n•	Use a hose clamp to compress your raw water pump impeller next time it’s due for a change.\r\n•	After applying rain-x to your EZ2CY spray curtains, use a damp shamy to remove the haze instead of buffing with a dry cloth.\r\n•	When stripping line off reels, run all of the lines through the top eye of one rod.  The larger diameter makes it easier to grab and all are finished in the time it takes to strip one.\r\n•	If you have teak covering boards, once a month, after washing down the boat, give them a quick hand sanding with 100 grit wet/dry sandpaper.  This will keep off the fuzz that develops after cleaning teak and will prolong the time between more aggressive sanding.\r\n•	If you routinely oil your teak, try mixing your regular oil half and half with Watco Teak oil.  Watco teak oil contains a mildewcide that will stave off the development of mildew in the oiled teak, keeping your teak bright and clean longer than a traditional oil application.\r\n•	Next time you’re changing the skirts on your Marlin plugs and artificial lures with octopus skirts try this.  After trimming off the proper amount, turn them inside out and spray the inside of the hole with Pledge or any other furniture polish, then push the head through backwards.  Check for proper fit and then tie off with waxed thread.  Grab the tail of the skirt in one hand and the head in the other; pull the tail of the skirt toward the butt of the plug head.  For the outer skirt, begin as you did for the inner skirt with trimming, turning inside out and soaking with Pledge.  The difference is now you insert all of the inner skirt through the hole.  Grab the inner skirt with one hand and the outer skirt with the other and firmly pull in opposite directions.  Finish off by tying outer skirt with waxed floss and pulling the skirt back to its right-side-out position.\r\n•	While we are discussing Marlin plugs, how are you securing the hookset to the rear of your lures?  By gluing a hook lock (a rubber piece similar to a door stopper or bumper) to the rear of your lures you can control the hooks ride angle with out cumbersome toothpicks.\r\n•	I apply small petcocks to the bottom of my Racor fuel filter bowls.  This makes draining water from the filter housing much easier and cleaner than removing the bolt that comes with the units.  However, you must add checking these petcocks to your engine room check list, accidentally knocking one open can create a nasty mess!\r\n',1196312400),(85,'To Buy or Not to Buy a Blistered Boat','One of the most frequently asked questions that a marine surveyor gets is, \"Should I buy a boat that has blisters?\" This is a question that I\'ve wrangled with for many years, and after a great deal of research involving thousands of boats. This essay will answer your questions a bit more directly than some of our more detailed blister essays, which many of you found hard to understand. That\'s understandable because this is a very complex subject. But be prepared that the answer is populated with a lot of ifs, ands, and buts. \r\n\r\nLet\'s face it, an awful lot of boats have blisters, so that finding one that doesn\'t (or won\'t get them) can be a difficult proposition. The short answer is that if at all possible, you should try to avoid that, if for no other reason than the potential expense you may face in the future. That expense may not result from the absolute necessity to repair the blisters, but the position you may find yourself in when it comes time to sell the boat. Particularly with newer model boats, say 1 - 3 years old, it is not unusual for buyers demand a reduction in price, or that the blisters are repaired. \r\nFor older boats, its usually much less of a problem, for the fact is that moderate blistering on an older boat rarely impedes the sale. Unfortunately, another fact of boating life is that there is a great deal of misinformation on this much talked-about subject. One common misconception is that blisters seriously weaken and/or damage boat hulls. In 30 years of surveying and examining around 4000 hulls, I have seen less than 10 cases where blisters have resulted in serious structural degradation of a hull where it was weakened to a point where some type of failure was immanent. \r\n\r\nWhat is a blister? First, let\'s understand that all fiberglass hulls absorb water to some degree because both the gel coat finish on the exterior, and the fiberglass reinforced plastic is porous. Since water is a solvent, it will react with the plastic resulting in the water and solvents in the plastic mixing to create a weak solvent solution, usually with styrene. This then softens the gel coat somewhat and, combined with a bit of gas or fluid pressure, results in the blister. \r\n\r\nMoisture Meters Here\'s a subject I get a lot of questions about, and one that I want to address it upfront. Since I have already stated that all fiberglass boats absorb water to some degree, and often without causing blistering, it follows that the use of a moisture meter is useless. Moisture meters measure only the surface moisture, and since gel coat and paint is very porous, the moisture meter is only going to tell you what you already know; it’s wet. It cannot tell you anything about the propensity of a hull to blister. While these instruments have their uses, predicting whether a hull is prone to blistering is not one of them\r\n\r\nAre blisters harmful? Yes, but. This is a question of how much harm. Blisters form at the interface between the gel coat and what is called the skin out mat, which is a layer of chopped, short-strand fiberglass that is used to prevent the coarser weave pattern of heavier fiberglass cloth from telegraphing through to the finish surface. You\'ve probably seen boats with a checkerboard pattern showing on the surface, and this is the reason why. Now, fiberglass fabric, being made of bundles of very fine glass fibers, is very porous also, most especially the outer layer of mat. Once the gel coat absorbs water, the fibers in the mat that are unsaturated with resin then spread the water around via the capillary effect. \r\n\r\nBlistering involves only the gel coat and surface mat in 99% of the cases. This is due to the fact that the structural fabrics, such as roving, get saturated better. Its also because the water is less likely to penetrate beyond the mat and, even if it does, woven fabrics do not have the weak gel coat factor and are much too strong to allow whatever pressure may develop within a void to cause a separation. The incidence of blisters occurring within structural laminates is extremely small. \r\n\r\nIf the resin used to make the hull is of a lower quality that will react with water, a process known as hydrolysis, which means nothing more than becoming saturated with water and dissolving, then the hull is poised to develop blisters. Many other factors also come into play here, such as how well the mat layer is bonded to the gel coat. \r\n\r\nSince the vast majority of blisters occur between the mat and gel coat (depicted in illustration above), this bond has to be fairly weak for the blistering process to occur. If the bond is strong, then blisters will not occur, even though there is a lot of water absorption. This is a very general, even generic, description of the blistering process. There are frequently numerous other factors involved which I will not address here. \r\n\r\nAside from the damage it causes to the surface, most of the damage done by the blister is to the gel coat and the skin out mat, which is not a structural part of the hull laminate. Remember, the mat is only there to prevent the fabric pattern from showing through to the surface. The obvious question is now, \"But isn\'t the water dissolving the rest of the plastic resin in the laminate?\" The answer to that is \"No, its not.\" At least not to any considerable degree. \r\n\r\nYou may have noticed that I have not used the word \"osmosis\" that we hear so much these days. Technically, water passing through the porous gel coat is not osmosis; its just water passing through a porous material. However, the blistering process may involve osmosis, a process which concentrates solvents within the space formed by the blister void. This concentration of solvents does indeed dissolve the plastic, but fortunately the amount of fluid involved is so small that it does not seriously threaten the laminate. \r\n\r\nOf course, the larger the blister, the more concentrated solvent is present, the more damage it will cause. Therefore the amount of damage, and therefore structural weakening caused by blistering, is directly proportional to size and number of blisters. This explains why only boats with very large blisters can end up with serious structural weakness problems. \r\n\r\nby David Pascoe\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n',1196312400),(86,'Grouper Fishing the Yeah Right Way',' I guess you could say there are three ways to Grouper fish. The wrong way, the right way, and the \"YEAH RIGHT WAY\" This article is about doing it the \"YEAH RIGHT WAY\". We are a charter company here in Southport, NC and the name of our company is \"YEAH RIGHT SPORTFISHING CHARTERS\" and our web site is  www.yeahrightcharters.com   I get so many emails about how we grouper fish I thought I would write an article on one way we do it, so here goes!!!\r\nFirst order of business if you are real serious about Grouper fishing is obtaining bait. Always put some frozen cigar minnows in the cooler, just in case live bait has disappeared that morning. Live bait is very attractive to a big grouper and he can hardly resist them!!\r\nIf pogys are easy to get on the way out, by all means, these are some of the best baits to have. Live Pin fish are excellent, catch these the evening before or put out a pinfish trap overnight. If the pogys and/or Pinfish are not available, stop on the offshore buoys and use a #12 Sabiki rig and jig up live cigar minnows and/or Spanish sardines. \r\nNow I’m not saying live bait is the only thing they will bite, I’m just saying it is usually the best. But, I have seen days when all they would hit was cut bait. Guess they are like us, we like hotdogs, but not all the time!!\r\nOK, you have your bait, now let’s head offshore!! Hopefully, if you are new to this you have talked to some other fishermen and have an idea  where you are going to start your hunt. Let’s say you went to the Frying Pan Tower which is approximately 34 miles offshore from where the Cape Fear River in North Carolina empties into the ocean. I would go into at least 80’ or more of water, grouper like deeper water. Now, pay attention to the way the current is running, let’s say the current is running to the West, this will be the direction you will want to travel especially if looking for ledges. You will want to look for drops (ledges) that drop off from hi to low, not low to hi. The drop from hi to low will provide a current break on the drop, if you see some fish markings here, you may be in business. Only way to tell is to anchor up and find out. You must be anchored up on the drop, in this fishing; close usually will not get the job done!!!\r\nYou have your bait and are anchored up on a drop with fish showing on the scope, now lets rig up for catching some grouper, we hope!! A good “stand up” rod in the 50 to 80 lb. class makes a good grouper rod. As for the reel you can do just fine with a PENN 114 (6/0), but, if you have access to a heavy two speed reel, that’s even better. I spool up with 50 lb. line, a 16 oz egg sinker and then I tie a 300 lb. test barrel swivel using a Palomar knot. To the other end of the swivel, using a Trilene knot I put about 3 feet of 150 to 200 lb. test leader and use a 10/0 PENN CIRCLE HOOK. I like the PENN hooks because they are offset at the factory and they are heavy wire. The heavy leader is used to help combat the abrasion your line will encounter while fishing the structure for grouper.\r\nNow, take your live bait and hook him just in front of the anal fin. This will allow your baits to swim in a natural fashion. Next put your rod in the rod holder and start letting your bait down a few feet and stop a few seconds, continuing doing this until you get to the bottom. If you just free spool all the way down, your bait will \"helicopter\" and get wrapped up your main line when it reaches the bottom. Having the rod in the rod holder and the weight on the bottom, crank up 2 to 3 turns on the reel. When the grouper finds your bait you may get a couple of tugs on the line, just leave it alone. When he takes the bait, you will know. When the rod doubles over from the pull of a big grouper, leave the rod in the holder and crank until you have all the stretch and excess line taken up on the reel. At this point you can remove the rod from the holder; it is advisable to have a \"fighting belt\" on to place the rod butt in. Grouper are powerful fish that can leave you with a big bruise without one!! There is no need to set the hook with a circle hook, and if you do, when you drop the rod in conventional style fishing, your grouper is back in the rocks and it’s game over, that grouper just won the battle. This way, there is no stretch left in your line and when you pull the rod out of the holder he is already coming your way. The first few feet in grouper fishing is the most critical; you have to get him out and away from the structure!! \r\nEven using this method you are still going to loose the battle sometimes, but, this has helped us land more grouper. When you break a grouper or two off, you may as well move to a new spot.  Remember not to over fish your grouper spots, you can fish them out. I like to hit my good rocks about once a year. Again, I’m not saying my way is the best way, it just works for me. Put your time in, ask questions, pay attention to the little details, experiment and soon you too will find what works best for you. I hope this will help you catch more grouper in the future and if you don’t get a bite your next trip out, it’s still better than a good day at work!!!\r\nFISH ON!!!!\r\nCapt Butch Foster\r\n',1196312400),(87,'President Bush Declares Stripers and Red fish \"Gamefish\" Status','On Oct. 20, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters. What does that mean? Why should you care? Read on. \r\n\r\nDefinitions, History \r\nAll anglers know that stripers and redfish are gamefish. To anglers, \'gamefish\' means fish that are fun to catch with a rod and reel. But to fishery managers, \'gamefish\' means a wild fish that can be caught only by rod and reel: They can\'t be caught in large quantities, like with nets, and can\'t be sold in stores and restaurants unless farm-raised (and thus not wild). \r\n\r\nUntil Saturday, stripers and redfish were not gamefish in federal waters, meaning they could still be caught by commercial fishermen and sold. The key word there is \'could\' because any and all fishing for these species in federal waters has been banned for more than a decade. \r\n\r\nWhy? Because everyone fished the heck out of them. Both striped bass and red drum were seriously overfished in the 1970s and into the 1980s. \r\nRedfish, once viewed almost as a trash fish, suffered from a cooked redfish craze which started when Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme got famous with his blackened redfish dish. In that case, the main culprit was commercial fishing to meet new, huge demand for redfish. East Coast stripers were just plain overfished, by commercial and recreational fishermen. \r\n\r\nThese population declines led to a drive by anglers to decrease the harvest of these species by imposing federal moratoriums on commercial and recreational striper and redfish fishing in federal waters. It was also banned in some state waters. Federal waters typically start 3 miles off the coasts, except for oil-rich states like Texas whose boundaries go out much farther. \r\n\r\nBack to the Present \r\nThe President\'s Executive Order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to put regulations in place establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters, and encourages the states to take similar actions in state waters. \r\n\r\nThis means a couple of things: \r\n1) No more commercial fishing of these species ever again in federal waters unless the Order is rescinded, something done extremely rarely and which can only be done by another President. \r\n2) Anglers right now still can NOT fish for these fish in federal waters. \r\nIn other words, this is a conservation measure with an eye to the future. Federal waters might not ever be reopened to these species, but if they are, it will only be for rod-and-reel fishing. \r\nThe President also encouraged states to use the gamefish designation for these species \"to prohibit commercial sales of the fish,\" according to White House materials. Some states already have this designation for these fish – for example, New Jersey has it for stripers. \r\n\r\nPresident Bush said Saturday: \"I hope the state officials take a serious look at (this) gamefish designation. It is an effective tool to protect endangered or dwindling species. It prohibits commercial sales, which remove the incentive to catch the fish for anything other than recreational purposes. \r\n\"State designations of gamefish have helped the recovery of species such as trout and largemouth bass and tarpon and snook. People need to take a look at this tool to make sure that the fisheries are robust. Strong fisheries mean local sales. Local sales mean (a) better local economy.\" The President added that the Order \"shows our commitment to conserving our nation\'s resources. Our hope, the hope of everyone here, is that decades from now our children and grandchildren will see oceans, lakes and rivers teeming with fish and sea life. \r\n\r\n\"I can\'t guarantee they\'re going to be able to walk across their backs like John Smith observed (earlier in his speech, the President mentioned Capt. John Smith\'s observation in the 17th century that stripers were so plentiful that a man could cross the water \'dryshod\' by walking on the backs of all the fish –Ed.). But I can guarantee that we\'re committed to taking care of that which we have been given. \"My hope is people look back at our oceans\' policies and our record of conservation and say, we\'re grateful that concerned citizens came together to protect our heritage.\" \"With this action, the President has secured a legacy for the recreational anglers and conservationists who have worked so hard on behalf of our marine resources,\" said Walter Fondren III, chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), the main force in conserving southern saltwater species. \"When CCA began to work on recovering red drum 30 years ago in Texas, we never imagined an event like this would ever be possible. We owe a debt of gratitude to the President for recognizing the high value placed on these resources by the citizens of this country.\" \r\nCCA president David Cummins said: \"From the darkest days of overfishing in the late 1970s and early \'80s, hundreds of thousands of people have worked tirelessly to conserve these resources. The President today has delivered the only reward that mattered to any of them – a better future for the resources they cherish.\" \r\n\r\nThe major pro-recreational fishing force in Washington is the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), which has many fishing tackle manufacturers among its members. Mike Nussman, its president and CEO, said: \"This Executive Order has the full support of the sportfishing industry. By signing the order, the President sends the right message about the need to ensure that striped bass and red drum endure as a species and as sportfish to be enjoyed by anglers now and for generations to come. \"We have been working with a number of organizations for years to see that this critical conservation measure came to be, and we applaud the President for his action.\" \r\n\r\nNussman added that \"recreational anglers are among this nation\'s most ardent conservationists\" and that stripers and redfish are \"two of the most highly-prized saltwater fish.\" The Executive Order \"works for anglers and works for the industry.\" \r\n\r\nTed Venker, CCA\'s communications director, summed up the Executive Order this way: \"This is a real break from the past, (when) these two species were managed predominantly as a commercial species and regulatory agencies neglected to take adequate account of the value of the species to recreational (anglers). That attitude was greatly responsible for the decimation these two species endured in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and from which they are still trying to fully recover. \r\n\r\n\"The Order is not a silver bullet. It is another tool to be used in the future to ensure that these two coveted sportfish are not subjected to the rampant commercial overfishing of the past.\" \r\nNotable \r\n\r\nWhy did this happen now? Washington sources told InshoreFan that several recreational fishing items were being proposed to the President, and because the President fishes for stripers in Maine and redfish in Texas, this was something he embraced. \r\n\r\nThe Executive Order applies to all U.S. coasts, including the transplanted striper population around San Francisco. \r\n\r\nThe White House also stated that it\'s \"working in our coastal areas to tackle the problem of marine debris, such as abandoned nets, which can destroy fish habitat. Next month we will announce a new strategy to deal with marine debris.\" And: \"We are encouraging other nations to follow our lead and end destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling on coral reefs and the use of explosives and chemicals.\"\r\n \r\nNotable: Presidential Witticisms \r\nHere are a few witty highlights from the President\'s speech Saturday: \r\n\r\n\"The Vice President tells me there\'s a lot of fine fishing here (coastal Maryland), and I\'m looking forward to going out and trying to catch some. I love to fish.\" \r\n\r\nOn the VP: \"The Secret Service won\'t let me go hunting with him.\" \r\n\r\n\"We\'re here today to talk about sport fishing. As a matter of fact, I\'m fixing to go do some sport fishing. I can\'t guarantee I\'m going to catch anything. I hope that frogman out there does his job.\"\r\n \r\nArticle courtesy of  www.inshorefan.com - InshoreFan.com, owned by InterMedia Outdoors, is the premier on-line source for inshore and near-shore tournament and recreational fishing news\r\n\r\n',1196312400),(88,'NMFS STOPS LONGLINE VESSELS FROM FISHING IN CLOSED AREAS','Silver Spring, MD - The RFA received notification today from the National Marine Fisheries Service announcing that they will not approve 13 exempted fishing permits that would have allowed pelagic drift longline vessels to deploy their gear in closed areas off Florida and South Carolina. Pelagic drift longliners are one of the most indiscriminant fishing gear types resulting in high levels of bycatch of protected species and non-targeted fish such as marlin, bluefin tuna and juvenile swordfish. For this reason, numerous closed areas specific to pelagic drift longliners were implemented to curb their excessive bycatch. In time, these closed areas were instrumental in the successful recovery of North Atlantic swordfish in addition to creating outstanding sailfish and marlin fishing off the south Atlantic Coast.\r\n\r\n\"The outstanding offshore fishing, which has spurred tremendous social and economic benefits to our coastal communities along the south Atlantic, is a direct result of reducing bycatch associated with pelagic longline gear,\" states RFA Executive Director Jim Donofrio. \"All of our important HMS fisheries have benefited greatly from these closures and it is necessary to maintain the current closed areas to continue the recovery of swordfish, and marlin, and to prevent the further decline of bluefin tuna.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nDespite this conservation victory, NOAA was considering issuing exempted fishing permits for upwards of 13 longline boats to fish these areas in response to a scientific study submitted by a longline industry group, the Blue Water Fishermen\'s Association. The goal of the research was to find ways, namely fishing in closed areas, to increase domestic swordfish landings. Make no mistake, 13 longline boats with the hundreds of thousands of hooks would have had a devastating impact on marlin, bluefin tuna and juvenile swordfish if they were allowed to fish in these important conservation areas, and would completely reverse all that has been gained. RFA strongly opposed NOAA issuing exempted fishing permits for pelagic longline vessels to fish in closed areas and orchestrated a massive letter campaign which included RFA sending out over 10,000 letters of opposition.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"We have to commend our members who were highly involved in preventing this unnecessary research from being approved,\" continues Donofrio. \"The recreational fishing community is grateful to the legislators who weighed in on this issue which is very important to the fishermen in their congressional districts.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nIronically, the areas where the longliners were trying to get back into, the Charleston Bump and the East Florida Coast, are closures that were put in place because they protected swordfish nursery areas and stopped the high level of juvenile swordfish bycatch observed to be occurring in those areas. NMFS recently lifted vessel upgrade provisions and increased the incidental and recreational bag limits for swordfish to increase landings. RFA supported some of these measures and further encouraged NMFS to improve data collection programs in an attempt to produce better recreational swordfish landing estimates.\r\n\r\n\r\n',1202274000),(89,'Powerwash Code Enforcement','Upfront, DWQ (Div. of Water Quality) are not the “bad guys” in this. They have been trying to control power wash contamination for years and conducted a study in 2007 that provided the data they were looking for to quantify these new enforcement efforts. In 2008, the DWQ will start enforcing water quality criteria at all waterfront [and land-locked] boat facilities across the state – most likely starting with coastal facilities. More exactly, if your business provides wash down, sanding, sand blasting, painting, or pressure washing for boats or it builds boats, your business will be visited and the quality of that visit for you will depend on what you are doing or can demonstrate that you are planning to do in the immediate future. The “to do” is to contain the resulting residue and waters from these services so that any water that can find it’s way into the surface waters or navigable waters of the state meets the quality standards designated. And it is important to know that there is no possible way that any of the water from these services will ever meet these criteria.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThis means that you will be manipulating and processing this residue-containing water by some third-party system that either contains the bad water and you ship it out by special and paid service or your wash areas become a car-wash-like service that collects and recycles the water until it is sludge and you then ship this sludge out by a paid service. This is really the sum of it without exception or wiggle room. It most likely means that you will be setting up a payment or revenue component associated with these wash services. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nTo see what this is all about, you have to take the time to look at the testing information and the summaries provided by a quite thorough study by \r\nDQR. These can be found at the Clean Marina website http://www.nccoastalmanagement.net/Marinas/workshops.htm. At this site, click on the Pressure Washing Regulations & Requirements link and go through every slide, and pay attention to the Wash Water Results slide well into the slide show. What this says in simple terms is that your power wash and your hand wash efforts at your boat service business or boat building facility will never provide resulting waste water that can meet the 3 micro grams per liter Copper for salt water sites (or 7 micro grams per liter Copper for fresh water sites) criteria. End of discussion. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNext click on the next link down: Pressure Washing Solutions and Economic Analysis. This link will take you through a study done by NC Sea Grant that discusses the technology, solutions, and economic analysis related to what your business will have to do in order to develop the strategy to meet the DWQ requirements. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIt would be exceptionally helpful here to be able to tell you what you need to do, what equipment you need to buy and how much it will cost you – but almost every answer is site specific and the unknowns outweigh the knowns at this time. There will be more soon from the DWQ as they will be writing a letter to every facility. The Clean Marina staff, NC Sea Grant staff DWQ staff will be working to provide you assistance. And our newsletter, website and special emails will try to keep you appraised of the status. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nMost owners understand the importance of controlling the powerwash residue and resulting contaminated water from traditional powerwash stations. The big hurdles are: (1) the difficulty and expense of retrofit for the existing yard needed to accommodate an acceptable washdown pit with sump and (2) the unknown (currently unknowable) mechanics, acceptable equipment and expense of meeting the NC requirements to respond to the less than 3 micrograms per liter of copper allowable in salt water locations. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n',1202274000),(91,'To Buy or Not To Buy...A Blistered Boat','\"One of the most frequently asked questions that a marine surveyor gets is, \"Should I buy a boat that has blisters?\" This is a question that I\'ve wrangled with for many years, and after a great deal of research involving thousands of boats. This essay will answer your questions a bit more directly than some of our more detailed blister essays, which many of you found hard to understand. That\'s understandable because this is a very complex subject. But be prepared that the answer is populated with a lot of ifs, ands, and buts. \r\n\r\nLet\'s face it, an awful lot of boats have blisters, so that finding one that doesn\'t (or won\'t get them) can be a difficult proposition. The short answer is that if at all possible, you should try to avoid that, if for no other reason than the potential expense you may face in the future. That expense may not result from the absolute necessity to repair the blisters, but the position you may find yourself in when it comes time to sell the boat. Particularly with newer model boats, say 1 - 3 years old, it is not unusual for buyers demand a reduction in price, or that the blisters are repaired. \r\nFor older boats, its usually much less of a problem, for the fact is that moderate blistering on an older boat rarely impedes the sale. Unfortunately, another fact of boating life is that there is a great deal of misinformation on this much talked-about subject. One common misconception is that blisters seriously weaken and/or damage boat hulls. In 30 years of surveying and examining around 4000 hulls, I have seen less than 10 cases where blisters have resulted in serious structural degradation of a hull where it was weakened to a point where some type of failure was immanent.\r\n \r\nWhat is a blister? First, let\'s understand that all fiberglass hulls absorb water to some degree because both the gel coat finish on the exterior, and the fiberglass reinforced plastic is porous. Since water is a solvent, it will react with the plastic resulting in the water and solvents in the plastic mixing to create a weak solvent solution, usually with styrene. This then softens the gel coat somewhat and, combined with a bit of gas or fluid pressure, results in the blister. \r\n\r\nMoisture Meters Here\'s a subject I get a lot of questions about, and one that I want to address it upfront. Since I have already stated that all fiberglass boats absorb water to some degree, and often without causing blistering, it follows that the use of a moisture meter is useless. Moisture meters measure only the surface moisture, and since gel coat and paint is very porous, the moisture meter is only going to tell you what you already know; it’s wet. It cannot tell you anything about the propensity of a hull to blister. While these instruments have their uses, predicting whether a hull is prone to blistering is not one of them.\r\n\r\nAre blisters harmful? Yes, but. This is a question of how much harm. Blisters form at the interface between the gel coat and what is called the skin out mat, which is a layer of chopped, short-strand fiberglass that is used to prevent the coarser weave pattern of heavier fiberglass cloth from telegraphing through to the finish surface. You\'ve probably seen boats with a checkerboard pattern showing on the surface, and this is the reason why. Now, fiberglass fabric, being made of bundles of very fine glass fibers, is very porous also, most especially the outer layer of mat. Once the gel coat absorbs water, the fibers in the mat that are unsaturated with resin then spread the water around via the capillary effect.\r\n \r\nBlistering involves only the gel coat and surface mat in 99% of the cases. This is due to the fact that the structural fabrics, such as roving, get saturated better. Its also because the water is less likely to penetrate beyond the mat and, even if it does, woven fabrics do not have the weak gel coat factor and are much too strong to allow whatever pressure may develop within a void to cause a separation. The incidence of blisters occurring within structural laminates is extremely small. \r\n\r\nIf the resin used to make the hull is of a lower quality that will react with water, a process known as hydrolysis, which means nothing more than becoming saturated with water and dissolving, then the hull is poised to develop blisters. Many other factors also come into play here, such as how well the mat layer is bonded to the gel coat.\r\n \r\nSince the vast majority of blisters occur between the mat and gel coat (depicted in illustration above), this bond has to be fairly weak for the blistering process to occur. If the bond is strong, then blisters will not occur, even though there is a lot of water absorption. This is a very general, even generic, description of the blistering process. There are frequently numerous other factors involved which I will not address here.\r\n \r\nAside from the damage it causes to the surface, most of the damage done by the blister is to the gel coat and the skin out mat, which is not a structural part of the hull laminate. Remember, the mat is only there to prevent the fabric pattern from showing through to the surface. The obvious question is now, \"But isn\'t the water dissolving the rest of the plastic resin in the laminate?\" The answer to that is \"No, its not.\" At least not to any considerable degree.\r\n \r\nYou may have noticed that I have not used the word \"osmosis\" that we hear so much these days. Technically, water passing through the porous gel coat is not osmosis; its just water passing through a porous material. However, the blistering process may involve osmosis, a process which concentrates solvents within the space formed by the blister void. This concentration of solvents does indeed dissolve the plastic, but fortunately the amount of fluid involved is so small that it does not seriously threaten the laminate.\r\n \r\nOf course, the larger the blister, the more concentrated solvent is present, the more damage it will cause. Therefore the amount of damage, and therefore structural weakening caused by blistering, is directly proportional to size and number of blisters. This explains why only boats with very large blisters can end up with serious structural weakness problems.  \r\n\r\nThis photo represents a typical case of extensive blisters, small enough to be called pimples. They are dime-sized and smaller, but no matter how many of them there are, they are very unlikely to threaten the structural integrity. But they do make sanding and painting the bottom very difficult, and will cause a slight speed loss on sailboats.	This is one of the few examples we\'ve seen where large blisters threaten the integrity of the hull. However, the problem here was that the builder used chopped strand mat that was over 1/4\" thick on a foam cored hull. The mat absorbed huge amounts of water, creating these enormous blisters. Thus the real danger to the hull was less a matter of blisters than the way the builder built the hull. In other words, too much of the structure was invested in a very weak material. This hull lacked strength to begin with, proven by the fact that it was also badly delaminated.\r\n \r\nVessel: Irwin 65\'\r\nSince the vast majority of boats develop only dime-sized blisters, the amount of damage or structural degradation resulting is very small, even when the bottom is extensively blistered. Even boats with numerous blisters up to about 1\" in diameter, usually show no significant weakening of the plastic. The illustration above shows the relationship of blister size to the laminate thickness. Here it can be seen that even if some of the plastic is dissolved under and around the blister (indicated by dotted line) in proportion to the overall laminate thickness, its not much, even when the amount of degradation is above average. The amount of blistering would have to be truly severe to have even minimal effect.\r\n \r\nThese conclusions are based on two completely different types of evidence. First is the fact that physical inspection, probing and sounding rarely reveals softening or degradation in the area immediately peripheral to the blister. Second, the fact that significant structural weakening will make its presence known (before failure) in the form of delamination, surface deformation and stress cracking. The good news is that I know of no reports of these conditions occurring as a result of blistering, unless the blisters are extremely large. We\'re talking here blister 4\" and larger, at which point the problem becomes rather obvious. From these facts I conclude that well over 95% of all hull blistering cases do not cause significant structural damage to the laminate.\r\n \r\nGetting back to our original question, \"Should someone buy a boat with blisters?\" can be answered from several viewpoints. If you insist on a boat without blisters, fine, then go try to find one. If its an older boat, you may have little choice, since blistering tends to run in certain builder\'s lines and you may have to look at quite a few before you find one. All things being equal, you\'d certainly want to choose a boat without blisters. Unfortunately, unless the seller is kind enough to tell you, you can\'t find out until the boat is hauled for survey, at which point you\'ve already invested some money in it. Its a fact that most blistered boats are sold without regard to the blistering, and this is one of the reasons why. In my experience, the number of cases where blisters cause the boat to be rejected, or give rise to price renegotiations is considerably less than 5%.\r\n \r\nIt’s a different story with newer boats, as well it should be, not only from the standpoint of the higher value, but from what\'s going to happen in the future. By the time a boat is 8-10 years old, whatever is going to happen to the hull has probably already happened. With a 2 - 3 year old boat, its rather likely that the blistering process is just beginning. The great unknown is just how extensive the blistering will become. Whatever your decision, it should be made in the awareness that the blistering could get a lot worse, and you should be prepared to accept that, or reject the boat. Renegotiating price to account for the problem should be a serious consideration.\r\n \r\nIs the Repair of Blistered Bottoms Mandatory? Based on the foregoing discussion, the obvious conclusion in most cases is negative. If the blisters cannot be shown to be causing significant damage, then repair is certainly not mandatory, despite the many horror stories you may hear from people trying to sell you a costly repair job. If the blisters are large and numerous, it would be wise to seek unbiased, professional advice before you proceed. Bear in mind that blister repair jobs are now big business for boat yards, so that taking advice from yard managers may not be a good idea.\r\n \r\nYes, blisters are unsightly and may cause a resale problem. These are all factors you must weigh, in addition to the very high cost, when deciding to repair or not. Further, you should also be aware that the number of failed blister repair jobs that surveyor\'s find is very high. No one\'s ever going to know why blister repairs fail because no one is going to spend the money to find out. That there are so many should also play a role in your decision to repair or not. And even though the repairer may give a warranty on the repairs, you\'d best get it in writing and read the fine print. Then make sure the repairer is likely to be around years later to honor that warranty if it becomes necessary.\r\n \r\nDavid Pascoe is a Marine Surveyor in Destin, Florida.  For more articles visit him at his website www.yachtsurvey.com.\r\n\r\n',1204174800),(92,'Powerwash Code Enforcement','Upfront, NC DWQ (Div. of Water Quality) are not the “bad guys” in this. They have been trying to control power wash contamination for years and conducted a study in 2007 that provided the data they were looking for to quantify these new enforcement efforts. In 2008, the DWQ will start enforcing water quality criteria at all waterfront [and land-locked] boat facilities across the state – most likely starting with coastal facilities. More exactly, if your business provides wash down, sanding, sand blasting, painting, or pressure washing for boats or it builds boats, your business will be visited and the quality of that visit for you will depend on what you are doing or can demonstrate that you are planning to do in the immediate future. The “to do” is to contain the resulting residue and waters from these services so that any water that can find it’s way into the surface waters or navigable waters of the state meets the quality standards designated. And it is important to know that there is no possible way that any of the water from these services will ever meet these criteria.\r\n\r\nThis means that you will be manipulating and processing this residue-containing water by some third-party system that either contains the bad water and you ship it out by special and paid service or your wash areas become a car-wash-like service that collects and recycles the water until it is sludge and you then ship this sludge out by a paid service. This is really the sum of it without exception or wiggle room. It most likely means that you will be setting up a payment or revenue component associated with these wash services. \r\nTo see what this is all about, you have to take the time to look at the testing information and the summaries provided by a quite thorough study by DQR. These can be found at the Clean Marina website http://www.nccoastalmanagement.net/Marinas/workshops.htm. At this site, click on the Pressure Washing Regulations & Requirements link and go through every slide, and pay attention to the Wash Water Results slide well into the slide show. What this says in simple terms is that your power wash and your hand wash efforts at your boat service business or boat building facility will never provide resulting waste water that can meet the 3 micro grams per liter Copper for salt water sites (or 7 micro grams per liter Copper for fresh water sites) criteria. End of discussion.\r\n \r\nNext click on the next link down: Pressure Washing Solutions and Economic Analysis. This link will take you through a study done by NC Sea Grant that discusses the technology, solutions, and economic analysis related to what your business will have to do in order to develop the strategy to meet the DWQ requirements.\r\n \r\nIt would be exceptionally helpful here to be able to tell you what you need to do, what equipment you need to buy and how much it will cost you – but almost every answer is site specific and the unknowns outweigh the knowns at this time. There will be more soon from the DWQ as they will be writing a letter to every facility. The Clean Marina staff, NC Sea Grant staff DWQ staff will be working to provide you assistance. And our newsletter, website and special emails will try to keep you appraised of the status. \r\n\r\nFor more information visit  www.ncwaterways.com\r\nOr email Mike Bradley (MBradley@SBTDC.org )\r\n',1204174800),(93,'Boaters Need Legislators To Act Quickly On Newly-Introduced “Clean Boating Act Of 2008”','WASHINGTON, DC, March 19, 2008 -- A newly introduced Senate bill, “The Clean Boating Act of 2008” (S. 2766) promises to be a practical solution to a looming permit deadline for recreational boaters, anglers, and charter boats. \r\nBecause of a lawsuit targeting ocean-going commercial vessels carrying ballast water, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to implement an “operational discharge permit” for all vessels in the United States – including recreational boats – by September 30, 2008. Without a change in law, all boaters will need to obtain this permit, as early as this summer. \r\nHowever, with a possible Senate vote in the next few months, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is urging recreational boaters to quickly contact their Senate and House legislators to support The Clean Boating Act of 2008. \r\nS. 2766 was introduced on Thursday, March 13 by Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). It follows two bills originally introduced in the spring and fall of 2007 as “The Recreational Boating Act of 2007\" (H.R. 2550/S. 2067) by Representatives Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) and Candice Miller (R-Mich.) and Senator Mel Martinez (R-Fla.). \r\n“Sens. Boxer and Nelson’s bill now has the best chance of gaining widespread political support. As a result, we need every boater, every angler, and anyone who uses a boat to contact their senators and representatives to ask for their support of this bill,” said BoatUS Vice President of Government Affairs Margaret Podlich. \r\n“S. 2766 recognizes the fact that normal operational discharges from recreational boats, such as engine cooling water or deck runoff from rain, should not be viewed under the Clean Water Act as being similar to a commercial ship’s ballast water,” said Podlich. “This bill does not weaken any existing environmental laws restricting the overboard discharge of oil, fuel, garbage, or sewage.” \r\nS. 2766 also requires the EPA and US Coast Guard to investigate the need for potential management practices for some recreational boat discharges over the next three years. Each step in this development process will include a public comment period and be subject to “reasonable and practical” criterion. \r\n“BoatUS has been working with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and other groups to seek a viable recreational boating solution to the upcoming September permit deadline. We appreciate the leadership shown by members of Congress who understand that applying a new permit to recreational boating will not accomplish anything tangible, and will only create a new unnecessary bureaucracy, ” added Podlich. \r\nTo help boaters contact their federal legislators or learn more about the issue, go to http://www.BoatBlue.org or http://www.BoatUS.com/gov.\r\nBoatUS is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters with over 650,000 members. \r\n',1210824000),(94,'Dealing with Offshore Thunderstorms','You’re thirty-five miles offshore in a small fishing boat and there is only one path back to the dock. The problem is – a big thunderstorm has built between you and the dock. What do you do? The decisions you make at this point could literally save your life. \r\nFirst, let’s look at some very basic knowledge regarding offshore fishing or boating – things that every boater should know. \r\nThe visible horizon distance on the water is about eighteen miles at sea level. For every foot you can get above the water, you extend the visible horizon distance. While you may not be able to see the shore or buildings on land from where you are, lookouts on a passing ship’s bridge will be able to see those landmarks. The higher you get, the more you can see. The same line of sight rule applies for VHF radio waves\r\nShort of an atmospheric anomaly called skipping, VHF radio waves are only as good as a straight line of sight. Skipping happens as radio waves bounce off the atmosphere and back to earth, sometimes several times. Where the waves return to earth, a radio receiver can pick them up, and sometimes that is several hundred miles away. \r\nAs with the visible horizon, the radio wave, straight-line distance can be increased by getting up off the water. A boat antenna needs to be located at the highest point on the boat. That will extend the effective distance. Couple that with a shore antenna that is on a tower, and the radio horizon is extended a number of miles. \r\nEven with a good antenna, the power driving the radio wave has to be sufficient to reach a distant antenna. Anyone going offshore without at least a twenty-five watt VHF is taking a big chance. Some boats head offshore with a five-watt hand held radio, and then wonder why they can’t raise anyone on a radio check. Some boats take a hand held twenty-five watt radio with a small antenna, thinking they are covered. While those radios are better than no radio, they are insufficient safety devices with which to head offshore beyond the visible horizon. \r\nSo, here we are, twenty miles offshore, and the thunder clouds are building. As you judge the wind and watch the clouds, you can see that the whole system is heading right at you. In the distance, lightning bolts are lighting up the interior of the thunderhead, and thunder rumbles lowly. One thousand one… one thousand two… one thousand three… You count the seconds between the lightning flash and the thunder rumble. Every five seconds of sound delay is roughly one mile in distance. And still you fish. \r\nThunderheads that build over land along the shore are miniature, self contained, low-pressure systems. As they move toward you the atmospheric pressure drops, and that drop in pressure does a couple of things.\r\nFirst, it causes the wind to pick up. As the pressure drops, wind begins to circulate around the system, heading down to the low pressure. In the northern hemisphere, that means a counterclockwise rotation, and the closer the storm gets, the higher the winds become. \r\nSecond, it causes the fish to really turn on. If the air pressure drops, the relative water pressure drops as well. Fish can sense the pressure drop with their lateral lines. Knowing that the seas will soon be churning and dirty, many species, particularly shallow water and bottom fish, will “feed up” before the storm. \r\nIt generally takes a combination of decisions surrounding the existing circumstances that lead to trouble. But fish going into a feeding frenzy, coupled with a decision to wait just “a little longer” are two that can really put a boat in jeopardy.\r\nLet’s assume we make all the right decisions regarding the pending storm. What actions do we take? Here are some basic rules to live by if you fish offshore. They can give you peace of mind, but more importantly they can save your life. \r\n1. Never head offshore without at least a twenty-five watt VHF radio wired to a good vertical antenna. As you leave the dock, call for a radio check. The Coast Guard is not the right group to call at this point. They monitor channel 16, the hailing channel, but they are far too busy to be checking everyone’s radio. Call the dock master at the marina, or one of the several emergency boat towing agencies. They will gladly respond to a request for a radio check. \r\n2. Never leave the dock to head offshore without a full tank of fuel. You should have enough fuel to fish all day and return to the dock with no less than a half tank of gas remaining. That may sound high, but the reason will be clear as you read below. \r\n3. For a fishing vessel, the deepest water you can safely and conceivably anchor in is about 150 feet. Even at that depth, you need a lot of anchor line. Plan to have an anchor line that is at least seven times the depth at which you may have to anchor – more is better. This depth to line length is called “rode”, and it is an important factor in keeping you boat anchored in a heavy sea. Given the amount of line required in a heavy sea, anchoring offshore in a storm should absolutely be your last choice. \r\n4. Keep several sealed gallon jugs of fresh water safely stowed on board. The additional space and weight are negligible compared to the need for that water in a boat adrift at sea for several days. \r\n5. The first four rules are not Coast Guard requirements; they are common sense. In addition to those first four, make sure your vessel meets all the Coast Guard safety requirements regarding PFD’s and signaling devices. You may need them.\r\nWith the rules in tow, we can now make intelligent choices regarding the storm now heading our way. \r\nMake a call on the radio to verify what you see. Find out which way the storm is headed. Ask about the winds. Tune to the predesignated weather channel for your area. If you are beyond the line of sight distance, ask any boat you can hail to relay your request. Find out what the storm is doing. Sometimes they build over the coast and sit until they cool off the air around them. Sometimes they move offshore. \r\nIf the storm is heading offshore, our first choice is to run, not away from it, but perpendicular to it. Heading for the dock is not possible; that puts us right in the teeth of the storm. Head ninety degrees in either direction and run out of the storm’s path. You now see the reason to have sufficient fuel! If the storm is large, you may need to run ten miles or more. If you make this choice early, it will likely be the only choice you need to make.\r\nIn the event you can’t outrun the storm and get out of its path, it’s time to batten down, don life jackets, and prepare for a ride. Seas can increase with amazing speed, and the danger factor multiplies equally fast. \r\nKeep the boat in gear and headed into the seas at an angle of five to ten degrees to the wind. Heading directly into big, steep waves will tend to bury the bow into the face of the next wave. A slight angle allows the boat to roll slightly, keeping the bow out of the water on the next wave. Too much angle will cause the boat to “breech” and possibly roll over. \r\nUse only enough engine power to safely mount and ride over the oncoming waves. At this point the engine isOnce again, your earlier fuel decisions play a major role. \r\nRain and water over the bow can fill a boat faster than most people envision. A good bilge pump is a necessity; make sure it works and that you use it as you ride out the storm. \r\nAnchoring becomes a choice only when your engine power is either dead or insufficient to keep you boat positioned. Without power, the boat will turn sideways to the wind in a breech. The very next thing that will happen is an overturned vessel with people in the water. \r\nBe prepared to get an anchor over quickly, but only as a last choice. The need for a long anchor line should be obvious. The anchor will, as it goes down, act as a drag and possibly pull the bow of the boat back into the wind. As it reaches bottom, feed out as much rode as possible and tie the line off on a bow cleat. Now, sit tight, keep the bilge pumps running and ride out the storm. \r\nRiding out a storm in a small vessel is a harrowing experience. The amazing thing is that with few exceptions, there is no need to go through that experience. Proper planning and preparation will take care of the circumstances before they become an issue. \r\nCheck the weather reports. We call the forecasters “weather guessers” at times, but overall, they are pretty accurate, particularly regarding afternoon thunderstorms. Plan your trip’s conclusion to avoid the storms. \r\nIf storms build while you are offshore, make a decision early to either head in or run out of the storm’s way. Staying to catch that last fish will needlessly get you in big trouble. The fish will be there another day – make sure you are there with them! \r\nMost of all, use common sense. That common sense tells us to be prepared even before we head out – and that means following the five rules we have already listed. \r\nShould we fear the water? No – but we need to have a whole lot of respect for the power that a storm can generate on that water. And, we need to be prepared to address that power.\r\nthe only tool that can help you accomplish boat positioning, and positioning is the only pertinent issue.\r\n',1210824000),(95,'Dockominium Conversions Rising','From ATM (www.appliedtm.com)  \r\n \r\nCharleston, S.C. —  Over one-third (38%) of respondents to a survey of marina managers by Applied Technology & Management, Inc. (ATM) currently have at least some dockominiums at their marina. In addition, survey findings indicate that dockominium conversions are likely to increase.\r\n \r\nDockominiums, defined in the survey, “boat berths that are owned or leased for 50 years or more,” bring in significant revenue for marinas, but some have criticized the practice for its potential to drive middle- and working-class boat owners out of the marina market. For the most part, however, marinas that have converted to or added dockominiums are happy with the results. \r\n \r\nAmong the survey’s findings:\r\n \r\n•                    23% of respondents are considering adding (or converting to) dockominiums in the future.\r\n•                    15% of respondents have rackominiums (owned drystack berths).\r\n•                    18% of respondents have dockominiums for megayachts.\r\nAnother key finding of the survey is that a shortage of slips is fairly widespread. About 71% of respondents said there was a perception of a slip shortage in their area for at least certain-sized vessels. Most respondents were from the Southeast (34% were from Florida), but a number of marinas in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic area also reported local perception of a slip shortage.\r\n \r\n“These findings highlight the need for communities to ensure that boaters continue to have access to the water,” says Sam Phlegar, Senior Vice President and Director of ATM’s Marine Division. “Many cities and towns will have to devise plans to expand opportunities for boaters to berth their vessels in order to accommodate existing and rising demand.”\r\n \r\nFor a copy of the full survey report, contact Linda Rodgers at lrodgers@appliedtm.com.\r\n\r\nBudget Called a Blow to ICW Dredging \r\n \r\nThe federal budget for 2009 released by President Bush last week is a discouraging step backward for one of the nation\'s most critical waterways, according to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association. The $2.2 million in the White House budget for the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the ICW through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida \"ignores serious navigation risks that commercial and recreational users of the 1,200-mile water highway face every day, and threatens its very future,” the association said, in a statement.\r\n \r\n“The budget is a token amount, given that the Army Corps needs approximately $30 million to properly maintain the waterway,” said David Roach, AIWA chairman and executive director of the Florida Inland Navigation District. “The nation\'s waterways have been ignored for far too long, and the American people already suffer the consequences of neglecting critical infrastructure. The lack of maintenance funding will be catastrophic to the economies of every state along the waterway unless Congress steps in and dramatically increases the president\'s proposal as it did last year.” Roach said the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway brings over $18 billion annually to the state of Florida alone. Studies have shown that the four other states also gain tremendous economic benefit from the waterway, he said. (See the article in the 2/15/2008 Soundings site.\r\n',1210824000),(96,'Fire in the Sky:  Lightning Dangers and How to Stay Safe','Most lightning strikes occur in the afternoon - 70 percent between noon and 6:00 p.m. \r\n\r\nHow thunderstorm clouds are created\r\n\r\nAs the air temperatures warm, evaporation increases. This warm, moisture-laden air rises and evaporates, forming fluffy cumulus clouds. As more moisture accumulates, the clouds darken and change into cumulus nimbus clouds - thunderstorm clouds - frequently, with a flattened top or anvil shape, reaching to 40,000 feet or more. Positive charges accumulate as a thundercloud passes overhead, a concentration of positive charges accumulates in and on all objects below the cloud. Since these positive charges are attempting to reach the negative charge of the cloud, they tend to accumulate at the top of the highest object around. \r\nOn a boat that may be the radio antenna, the mast, a fishing rod, or even you! The better the contact an object has with the water, the more easily these positive charges can enter the object and race upward toward the negative charge in the bottom of the cloud. When ightning occurs when the difference between the positive and negative charges, the electrical potential, becomes great enough to overcome the resistance of the insulating air and to force a conductive path between the positive and negative charges. This potential may be as much as 100 million volts. To help you understand the magnitude of this voltage, the voltage needed in an automobile to cause a spark plug to fire is only 15 to 200 volts! And the spark plug gap is only a fraction of an inch! \r\nOn water, boats are the highest objects in lightning\'s immediate area\r\nWhen lightning does strike, it will most often strike the highest object in the immediate area. On a body of water, that highest object is a boat. Once it strikes the boat, the electrical charge is going to take the most direct route to the water where the electrical charge will dissipate in all directions. \r\n\r\nConsider a few possibilities:\r\n\r\n1.	Lightning strikes the ungrounded radio antenna on your boat. The metal antenna carries the electrical charge to the radio, which does not have a good conductor to the water. Your hand is on the radio, or on metal connected to the radio. Your feet are on a wet surface, which is in contact with metal that extends through the hull of the boat to the water. Your body may then become the best conductor for the electrical charge. \r\n2.	On sailboats, lightning strikes the mast. The electrical current follows the mast or wire rope to your hands, through your body to the wet surface, and then through the hull to the water. \r\n3.	While you are operating a motor boat, the lightning strikes you, passes through your body to the motor, and then to the water. \r\n4.	Sitting in your aluminum or fiberglass rowboat, you are holding a graphite (a good electrical conductor) fishing rod. The rod is struck by lightning. The electrical charge passes through the rod, your body, then to the boat to the water. \r\nWorst-case scenarios\r\nIn all four examples you could be seriously injured. You could be killed. You need not even be in contact with the components of the boat struck by lightning. Unless the components of the boat that could conduct electricity are bonded together and are adequately grounded, there could be side flashes. A side flash occurs when the electrical charge jumps from one component to another seeking a better path to ground. You might be that \"better path.\" \r\nLooks like rain\r\nThe best way to avoid a lightning strike is to avoid becoming a lightning target. Stay off or get off the water whenever weather conditions are threatening. Keep an eye on the weather. Watch for the development of large well-defined rising cumulus clouds. Once they reach 30,000 feet, the thunderstorm is generally developing. \r\nNow is the time to head for shore. As the clouds become darker and more anvil-shaped, the thunderstorm is already in progress. \r\n\r\nDistant lightning\r\n\r\nWatch for distant lighting. Listen for distant thunder. You may hear the thunder before you can see the lightning on a bright day. You are two miles from shore. The thunderstorm, which is now five miles away, is traveling in your direction at 20 miles per hour, which means it could be overhead within 15 minutes. Can you reach shore - two miles away - and seek shelter within that time? You better move!\r\n\r\nThe scoop on lightning protection\r\n\r\nThere is no such thing as lightning-proof boats, only lightning-protected boats. All-metal ships are rarely damaged and injuries or deaths are uncommon. These ships are frequently struck, but the high conductivity of the large quantities of metal, with hundreds of square yards of hull in direct contact with the water, causes rapid dissipation of the electrical charge. \r\nBut small boats are seldom made of metal. Their wood and fiberglass construction do not provide the automatic grounding protection offered by metal-hulled craft. \r\nTherefore, when lightning strikes a small boat, the electrical current is searching for any route to ground and the human body is an excellent conductor of electricity! \r\n\r\nAt risk: small boats\r\n\r\nToday\'s small fiberglass boats, especially sailboats, are particularly vulnerable to lightning strikes since any projection above the flat surface of the water acts as a potential lightning rod. In many cases, the small boat operator or casual weekend sailor is not aware of this vulnerability to the hazards of lightning. These boats can be protected from lightning strikes by properly designed and connected systems of lightning protection. However, the majority of these boats are not equipped with these systems. \r\nAbout lightning protection systems lightning protection systems do not prevent lightning strikes. They may, in fact, increase the possibility of the boat being struck. The purpose of lightning protection is to reduce the damage to the boat and the possibility of injuries or death to the passengers from a lightning strike. \r\nIf you are considering the purchase of a new or used boat, determine if it is equipped with a properly designed and installed lightning protection system. This type of system is generally more effective and less costly than a system installed on a boat after it has been constructed. \r\nIn the event of an emergency thunderstorms over coastal waters are frequently unpredictable. Even with the best weather reports plus constant and accurate observations of climatic conditions, boaters can still be caught in open waters in a thunderstorm. Then, with or without a lightning protection system, it is critical to take additional safety precautions to protect the people on the boat. \r\n•	Stay in the center of the cabin if possible. If no enclosure (cabin) is available, stay low in the boat. Don\'t be a \"stand-up human\" lightning mast! \r\n•	Keep arms and legs in the boat. Do not dangle them in the water. \r\n•	Stop fishing, water skiing, scuba diving, swimming or other water activities when there is lightning or even when weather conditions look threatening. The first lightning strike can be a mile or more in front of an approaching thunderstorm cloud. \r\n•	Disconnect and do not use or touch the major electronic equipment, including the radio, throughout the duration of the storm. \r\n•	Lower, remove or tie down the radio antenna and other protruding devices if they are not part of the lightning protection system. \r\n•	Avoid making contact with any portion of the boat connected to the lightning protection system. Never be in contact with two components connected to the system at the same time. Example: The gear levers and spotlight handle are both connected to the system. Should you have a hand on both when lightning strikes, the possibility of electrical current passing through your body from hand to hand is great. The path of the electrical current would be directly through your heart - a very deadly path! \r\n\r\nThe importance of CPR\r\n\r\nMake sure you are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. Many individuals struck by lightning or exposed to excessive electrical current can be saved with prompt and proper artificial respiration and/or CPR. There is no danger in touching a person after being struck by lightning. \r\nIf a boat has been, or is suspected of having been struck by lightning, check out the electrical system and the compasses to insure that no damage has occurred.\r\n\r\nKeep a clear head and consistently practice good boating habits to avoid thousands of dollars in repairs and, more importantly, the potentially deadly dangers of lightning.\r\n\r\n',1210824000),(100,'Top Ten Boat Names for 2009','1. Seas the Day:  While this boat owner may feel they have no control over their declining retirement account, they are completely in charge while boating and intend to get the most out of their boating lifestyle. (This is the sixth appearance of this name and its cousin, Carpe Diem, on the list since BoatUS began tracking boat names in 1991.)\r\n\r\n2. Summer Daze:  A combination of warm weather and long days spent afloat on sunsplashed waterways may have put this boater into a dreamlike state.\r\n\r\n3. Second Chance:  Perhaps this boat owner has had a life changing experience and feels that their boat now gives them a second lease on life.  “Second Wind” is the sailboat equivalent. \r\n\r\n4. Aqua-Holic:  On the Top-Ten list for the last seven years, this boat name illustrates a boater’s chronic love for the waterways.\r\n\r\n5. Wind Seeker:  No doubt a true sailboat name for a wanderer or racer.\r\n\r\n6. Dream Weaver: Like the 1976 Gary Wright song that muses about an escape to dreamland, this boat owner may weave memories of good days spent on the water, sheltering them from the pressures of day-to-day life.\r\n\r\n7. Black Pearl: The name of a fast, stealthy and intimidating fictional ship from the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean films, this boat likely has plenty of kids aboard.\r\n\r\n8. Hydrotherapy:  Takes into account the healing nature that boating provides this boat owner.\r\n\r\n9. The Salt Shaker:  If you know what a “Parrot head” is, you’ll know what The Salt Shaker is for.  On a Saturday night this boat and its owner could be the most popular in the marina.\r\n\r\n10. Sea Quest:  This boat owner likely grew up watching Jacques Cousteau TV specials and wants to explore the world with their boat.',1242273600),(101,'Sea Creature wins 51st Big Rock','By Bruce Paul\r\n\r\nWinning the 51st Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament wasn’t just a figment of Steve Coulter’s imagination.\r\n\r\nThe Hatteras-based captain of the Sea Creature motored to the Big Rock scales Saturday with a 466-pound blue marlin to score a final-day victory and win $746,820 from the tournament’s $1,752,366 purse.\r\n\r\nSea Creature bumped Figment out of the top spot with the final blue marlin catch of the tournament. Figment captain Glynn Loftin of Swansboro and angler Kyle Culpepper, Wilmington, grabbed the inaugural tournament lead Wednesday with a 439-pounder. Loftin and Culpepper were standing at the weigh station as Coulter backed the Sea Creature up to the scales.\r\n\r\n“He’s got me,” Loftin said after glancing at Coulter’s fish before it was hoisted onto the scales. “He’s not in the 500-pound category, but I wish he was.”\r\n\r\nAs it turned out, Sea Creature catch came up 34 pounds short on the tournament’s instant prize worth $335,750 for the first catch over 500 pounds. The money from that division will be returned to tournament participants who paid to enter that division. \r\n\r\nThe Figment team was set to win $1,065,200 before Coulter came to the scales with a bigger catch. Figment slipped to second place worth $318,380.\r\n\r\n“That’s tournament fishing, baby,” Culpepper said with a long laugh. “I’ll take second place and $318,000 all day long.”\r\n\r\nSea Creature anglers Bobby Weeks, Beaufort, and Brad Sewell, Swansboro, were both credited with the catch. Their marlin swallowed two baits which forced Weeks and Sewell to fight the fish simultaneously.\r\n\r\nThroughout the fight, Coulter worried that one line would rub against the other and cause both to break.\r\n\r\n“That fish was very hungry and ate two baits” Coulter said. “He ate a left flat line mackerel with a circle hook and before my mate (Shane Austin) could get to him, it spun around and ate the right short rigger.\r\n\r\n“As long as one of them wasn’t cutting the other one, we felt like we had a good chance. It was pretty nerve racking.” \r\n\r\nSea Creature’s marlin took a lot of line to start off with and jumped away from the boat. As Weeks and Sewell reeled in their catch, Austin worked hard to keep one line from unhooking the other.\r\n\r\n“Two hooks can work against you sometimes,” he said. “The fish came to the boat pretty quick and then it took off and sounded on us. We brought it up backwards and that was about it.”\r\n\r\nCoulter captured his first Big Rock victory in ’92 as the captain of Outlaw. This time it was his boat, his mate and his crew.\r\n\r\n“Both wins are special, he said. “Anytime you win the Big Rock, against this competition, it’s special. There are a lot of good fishermen here.”\r\n\r\nAnglers on 70 boats fished the final day. Anglers finished the tournament with 137 billfish releases, including 7 blue marlins, 4 white marlins and 1 sailfish Saturday. \r\n\r\nCoulter was one of more than two dozen boats captains, anglers and mates that fished Saturday having won a previous Big Rock event. Sea Hag and Sea Striker – boats with multiple Big Rock victories – each recorded hook-ups Saturday. In the end, it was Coulter’s turn to get his second victory.\r\n\r\nCoulter’s first Big Rock victory was worth just $114,775 back when the total purse was less than $300,000. His second victory vaults his Big Rock earnings over $861,000.\r\n\r\nPiracy, captained by Chris Russell of South River, captured the release division with two blue marlin releases and two white marlin releases for 1,080 points and the first-place check of $71,728. Sea Hag, captained by Ken Kramer, Morehead City, had two releases Saturday and finished second in the release division to win $43,708. Sea Hag also won the dolphin division worth $6,332.50 and finished second in the Saturday daily release competition to win an additional $5,464.60.\r\n\r\nThird place in the release division went to Galot 3, captained by Joey Johnson of Harkers Island. The Galot 3 team received $29,139. \r\n\r\nFigment, owned by Mickey Corcoran, New Bern, received an additional $13,260 for finishing first in the tuna division thanks to the 98.25-pounder reeled in Monday by Clay Walker, Wilmington. The Figment team’s total winnings for the 51st Big Rock added up to be $334,427.\r\n\r\nCertifiable, captained by Joel McLeod of Jupiter, Fla., finished second in the tuna division with a 58.1-pounder landed Monday by Jeff Sussman of Princeton, N.J. Certifiable also won the wahoo division with a 57.15-pounder reeled in by Sam Peters of Savannah, Ga. to receive checks totaling $15,172.50.\r\n\r\nSizzler, captained by Daniel Spencer, Manteo, won the final daily release prize worth $8,195 for the release of two blue marlins Saturday.\r\n',1245470400),(102,'2009 Annual Blowfish Tournament','The 2009 annual blow fish tournament was once again a huge success with 33 boats entering.  That was down eight boats from the 2008 tournament but the competition was just as strong. Cape Point Marina in Harkers Island, NC hosted the tournament this year.  The tournament had been previously hosted by Charlie Billings of Marshallberg, NC.\r\n\r\nBo Anderson of Cape Point Marina gave the “lines in the water” at 9:00am and the competition was on.  The preferred bait by most anglers was fresh shrimp.  I usually freeze a few extra pounds in the fall each year for the annual March blow fishing.\r\n\r\nThe weather was windy and chilly but did not deter any of the anglers from trying to find their elusive quarry.  Bragging rights and $247.00 went to the first place winner Craig Collins with a 1.40 lb blow fish.  Second place went to Steve Clingan with a weight of 0.9 lb.  There was a five way tie for third with fish weighing in at 0.08 lbs.  The tournament culminated with a dinner of steamed crabs, fried fish and some other local island favorites.\r\n\r\nThe tournament is held each year in March.  Contact Bo Anderson at 252-728-6181 for details.\r\n',1245470400),(103,'Jigging for Black Sea Bass','\r\nBy Captain Richie Lott, Coastal Island Charter Fishing\r\nEach person has their own opinion about using bait or artificial lures and jigs. The truth be known, I would say that jigs are the way to go when the water temperature drops below 60 degrees. Whether you are fishing the creeks for trout or jigging offshore structure for snapper and sea bass, the right jig can be absolutely deadly!\r\nI started jigging offshore several years back. Captain Ed Stelle and I discovered its deadly ability after losing all of our cut bait to trash fish one morning. I searched through the console of my 26 C-Hawk for anything we could send to the bottom that might catch a fish. I stumbled across some jig heads and motor oil colored jigs and we began to rig.\r\nThe rig consists of 3 feet of 50-pound monofilament with a 3-ounce egg sinker sliding free above the 30-pound snap swivel. A &#189; ounce jig head is tied to the end of the 3-foot leader. This rig is effective when fishing in less than 60 feet of water. If you jig the 40 mile bottom or any other deep water, you will definitely want to TIE your weight to the leader instead of free sliding it above the swivel as it WILL tangle on the swivel every time you drop to the bottom.\r\nI have found certain colors work better than others by switching colors while there is a good bite going on with the color I am using. For instance, I have switched to a green while using a motor oil jig and watched my catch ratio get cut in half! Simply bring along several different colors with you to be safe. If you are marking fish on your bottom machine this time of year it will be mostly sea bass, so be prepared to catch the bigger fish on the jig. The smaller fish will hit the jig, but they tend to “spit it out” and the larger fish seem to hold on and simply inhale it! The fish caught on the jig are ALWAYS bigger.\r\nIn addition to the sea bass, red snapper can be caught the same way. We have jigged at the 40-mile bottom for large sea bass and caught the true American red snapper while stalking the bass. I don’t make it a habit to go all the way to the Snapper Banks to catch sea bass, but there are some large ones there, so when you catch your limit of snapper, you can go to work on the sea bass, too.\r\nThis time of year is as good as it gets for sea bass in Georgia. Almost any of the nearshore and offshore reefs will be holding large amounts of these fish if the weather will permit a safe exit into the Atlantic. Also, keep in mind that the times to fish are NOT on the full or new moon. The tide runs far too fast at these times to position your boat above the structure and fish every point of it.\r\nThe incoming tide is preferred for sea bass fishing, but if you don’t have it, fish anyway. The numbers of fish won’t be quite as high, but you’ll have yourself a good fishing trip regardless of tidal stage. Remember that anytime you are fishing in 45 feet of water or more, the snapper could be there, too.\r\nThis is simply glorified trout fishing in deeper water. The fish will normally hit the jig the instant your boat begins to drift and the jig starts to swim a bit. You can jig up and down, but honestly, there is no need to. The drift of the boat will do most of the work for you. You should position your jig just a touch off the bottom while fishing structure. This will prevent losing a pile of tackle and those bass will come a long way for that swimming jig, even in cold water.\r\nGive this a try if you haven’t already. It really produces some nice fish.\r\n',1245470400),(104,'Science for Sale - PEW Sinks $$$ into Sinking Industry','The Pew study finds that’s rebuilding summer flounder, black sea bass, butterfish and bluefish populations to federally mandated targets by 2007 would have generated an additional $570 million per year in direct economic benefits. Hutchinson noted however that the scientific targets keep changing, which should mandate more flexibility in the management process. “In 2007, the scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service were mandating a 197-million pound target for rebuilt summer flounder stocks, until a\r\nnew best available science target of 132 million pounds was set using 2007 data,” Hutchinson said, adding “Pew loves funding their own science, but these guys are dangling a carrot on a stick that never gets any closer, primarily because of the foundation’s own ideological conclusions and goals.”\r\nJohn Mantione, owner of J&J Tackle in Patchogue, NY and a representative of the \r\n\r\nNew York Fishing Tackle Trades Association (NYFTTA) said he wishes his anglers were given more opportunity to fish for fluke back in 2007, as he notes that’s the year that business started really tailing off in response to rising gas prices, economic instability and loss of access to a healthy fishery. “I’m down 20% in June of this year over June of 2008,” Mantione said, adding “my distributors are telling me that business in the marine district today is bleak.” For Mantione and others who rely on a business model of opportunity, the lack of access is destroying the industry. “These folks at Pew don’t\r\nhave to tell me how much money their uncompromising attitude is costing our coastal economy, I can see it with my own eyes and so does my family,” Mantione said. “In 27 years of business, we weathered plenty of storms before, but we’ve never had decreases like we had this past June during the fluke closure in New York.” \r\n\r\nWhile the research itself shows that denied opportunity is costing business owners dearly within the marine district, the RFA points out issues with the study, charging Pew with treating all facets of the fishery in absolute, inflexible terms. “It makes some broad assumptions,” said RFA research scientist, John DePersenaire. “During extremely low fishing mortality, the size of the commercial and recreational fishing industry remains constant with no attrition, while the amount of fish seems to be more important to the study than the actual access to the fishery in terms in economic activity. We know for a fact that these two assumptions are false,” DePersenaire added.\r\n\r\nDaniel Furlong, Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) pointed out that bluefish was considered rebuilt in 2007, and explains that the best available data on black sea bass shows that fishery is also fully rebuilt. “No doubt there will be some more economic benefit accruing to the Mid-Atlantic when butterfish and summer flounder are fully rebuilt, but I seriously doubt it will equate to $570 million inasmuch as our most valuable fisheries (surf clams and ocean quahog) generate only $60 million annually,” Furlong said.  \r\n\r\n“Quite frankly, I would have to argue that the recreational bluefish fishery was more economically valuable when it was overfished in the 80’s and early 90’s compared to now when it is fully rebuilt,” DePersenaire added. Dave Arbeitman, owner of Reel Seat Bait and Tackle in Brielle, NJ and a founding member of the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, said he sees where efforts to rebuild summer flounder stocks have already been successful, but the federal law won’t allow his customers access to healthy stocks. “These groups have been trying to stick with too radical of a rebuilding process, and if we had stuck with their model of rebuilding over the past few years we would’ve already been forced out of business,” Arbeitman said.  \r\n\r\n“The longer the public is denied access, the more likely they’re going to leave the fishery and leave the sport for good,” Arbeitman said, adding “These groups aren’t taking into consideration the fact that many anglers might just never return after having been denied access for so long.”  The RFA points out that legislation sponsored by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) to incorporate limited flexibility into the Magnuson-Stevens\r\nFishery Conservation and Management Act, the primary law governing most United\r\nStates ocean fisheries, would help provide recreational anglers more open access to rebuilding fisheries while providing the economic opportunity that the Pew study reports is currently being lost.  \r\n\r\n“The arbitrary and unnecessary deadlines are based on emotional policy decisions, not science,” said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA. According to Donofrio, there is limited flexibility language written into the Pallone/Schumer legislation which would help put fisheries management decisions back on track with scientific commitments at the federal level while allowing recreational anglers opportunity to access healthy and rebuilding fisheries. “RFA agrees with the Obama administration and (NOAA) Secretary Lubchenco that fisheries must be managed under science,” said Donofrio, while adding “all non-scientific rebuilding provisions must be removed from Magnuson.”  \r\n\r\nThe RFA is charging the Pew Environment Group as using their own newly purchased scientific study specifically to lobby against the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 legislation promoted by Rep. Pallone and Sen. Schumer. Lee Crockett who heads Pew\'s effort to reform fisheries policy has been arguing against legislator’s plans to lengthen the rebuilding deadlines in instances where a fish stock is on a healthy, rebuilding trend, saying \"The sooner they get rebuilt, the better from an economic perspective and a biological perspective.\" The problem according to the RFA is that from a biological perspective, there are some scientists who claim that some of these fisheries are already rebuilt.  \r\n\r\nDr. Bob Shipp, chair of the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama has been recognized as one of the foremost authorities on red snapper for the past three decades, and recently co-authored a paper on population dynamics which presents a very different conclusion than the one by scientists with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In a recent interview for Angler Magazine, Dr. Shipp said his studies indicate that unprecedented the increase in habitat from manmade reefs and the oil and gas industry has had a dramatic positive impact on the population of red snapper,\r\nwhich is not recognized in the current assessment due to its flawed methodology.\r\n\r\n“My feeling is that the stock is neither overfished nor is overfishing occurring, but rather, as offered in my paper, we are working toward an unrealized harvest potential,” Dr. Shipp said about the red snapper fishery. “I think the term ‘rebuilding’ is a misnomer, since it implies returning to an earlier stock level. There is little doubt we’ve gone beyond that.”\r\nDr. Shipp said he understands why it’s so hard to build mainstream scientific support these days for any optimistic fisheries news. “We do live in a culture that has witnessed terribly abusive overfishing practices, so it is understandable why there is resistance to ideas that are contrary to that culture,” Dr. Shipp said, adding “I would simply offer that NMFS has developed guidelines, based on Magnuson, that interpret the Act to require that we rebuild stocks to current potential, even if this exceeds historical or even virgin levels. I wonder if that was really the intent of the authors of the Act, especially given the negative socioeconomic impact of these guideline goals.”  \r\n\r\nWhile Southeast anglers are now rallying for support of the Pallone/Schumer legislation in an effort to suppress an imminent closure on the red snapper fishery, Crockett recently told the Asbury Park Press of New Jersey \"the bill doesn\'t help those groups\" because the closures are imposed to control overfishing, he said. According to the RFA, that statement isn’t accurate either.  “The legislation will most certainly help our southern groups if we as a community start to demand better science, and that’s precisely why Mr. Pallone and Mr. Schumer are calling for this rework of the federal fisheries law,” said Donofrio. “The environmental community likes to trumpet their own gloomy studies when they’re trying to kick us off the water, but whenever we point to independent research showing other views, the Pew folks are quick to throw around the ‘overfishing’ word.” \r\n\r\nDonofrio said the term overfishing is statutory, and is used by fisheries managers to describe how different fishing activities reduce stocks below an acceptable level. “NMFS recognizes several different types of overfishing including growth, recruit and ecosystem, and some levels of statutory overfishing are acceptable when you apply biologic or economic reference points,” Donofrio explained.  “Pew and the rest of the environmental business community just likes to say ‘overfishing’ because it scares the hell out of people, and that provides a good return on investment for these scientific studies they’re buying.”\r\n\r\n',1250136000);
