The Sitka herring fishery has a well-earned reputation for rather degrading conduct as seiners — some of them, at least — go hog wild in hopes of landing a lucrative catch.
Every season, it seems, we see more and more evidence of Sitka's cutthroat style of fishing, thanks to the proliferation of digital recording devices and YouTube videos.
Recently, we posted news on our sister blog, The Brig, that one seiner, Daniel Crome, had been charged with a misdemeanor in connection with a vessel collision last season.
Deckboss was curious to learn more about the case, so he requested copies of the charging documents from the Sitka court clerk.
As you will see, authorities had the benefit of audio and video recordings to make the case against Crome.
One wonders whether it's time for changes at Sitka, to bring a bit more decorum into the fishery. And to reduce chances for a real tragedy.
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13 comments:
If these non-licenced captains had Coast Guard Master Licences, they would know the rules of the road. Collision, alisions, and rammings would bring heavier consequences, like loss of licence.
I don't believe that Daniel Chrome is unaware of the rules of the road, he is just competing for success along with everyone else in that fishery. Are you suggesting licensing for all captains participating in commercial fishing? I believe the idea would be strongly resisted by fisherman but could be effective in reducing the carnage. If the penalty could include limiting participation in fisheries then boat operators would probably pay attention.
Now can we get Daniel to keep his crew from painting the boat name on shorelines? That practice is so 1970.
Yeah, if only these guys knew the rules of the road, none of these rammings would happen.....
Seriously, that fishery has some of the best fishermen in the state. Throw out the masters license and the rule book, those guys are trying to catch fish by any means necessary. If you're in the way of that mission, then no amount of USCG licensing is going to solve the problem. It's a shootout, with the combine guys using boats as a defensive line.
Until they figure a more rational way to conduct the fishery, I don't see that changing.
It's a bit like sports, don't go on the field if your not able to take a hit. Stay on the porch, the big boys are playing.
We all know the big boys aren't interested in anyone telling them what to do..what? study for a U.S. Coast Guard license? Then stand a chance of being responsible for crew safety and then stand a chance of loosing it all?? No that wouldn't happen until someone gets killed, then it will. Before it gets to this the big boys should ask the Coast Guard to support a equal share fishery.
If the C.G., doen't support a safer fishery, keep ramming each other and go to your congressman to get them to.
There doesn't have to be a board directive for equal split. The fishermen could do that themselves. You could make the argument that people in favor of the equal split are purposely involving themselves in accidents during the fishery to further their agenda.
The big boys are playing?
"the number of entry permits necessary to harvest the allowable commercial take of the fishery resource during all years in an orderly, efficient manner, and consistent with sound fishery management techniques"
Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at the touch, nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Crome better get some Chrome, he's going to need it, soon.
When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of education
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's
a sunny day
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together
for one night
I know they'd never match
my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse
in black and white...
Red over Red, one Captain is Dead, his balls are in the Riggin!
"...But, besides our power and intent as towards our fellow-men, there must be a certain degree of power over the object. If there were only one other man in the world, and he was safe under lock and key in jail, the person having the key would not possess the swallows that flew over the prison. This element is illustrated by cases of capture, although no doubt the point at which the line is drawn is affected by consideration of the degree of power obtained as against other people, as well as by that which has been gained over the object. The Roman and the common law agree that, in general, fresh pursuit of wild animals does not give the pursuer the rights of possession. Until escape has been made impossible by some means, another may step in and kill or catch and carry off the game if he can. Thus it has been held that an action does not lie against a person for killing and taking a fox which had been pursued by another, and was then actually in the view of the person who had originally found, started, and chased it. The Court of Queen's Bench even went so far as to decide, notwithstanding a verdict the other way, that when fish were nearly surrounded by a seine, with an opening of seven fathoms between the ends, at which point boats were stationed to frighten them from escaping, they were not reduced to possession as against a stranger who rowed in through the opening and helped himself. /2/ But the difference between the power over the object which is sufficient for possession, and that which is not, is clearly one of degree only, and the line may be drawn at different places at different times on grounds just referred to. Thus we are told that the legislature of New York enacted, in 1844, that any one who started and pursued deer in certain counties of that State should be deemed in possession of the game so long as he continued in fresh pursuit of it, and to that extent modified the New York decisions just cited. So, while Justinian decided that a wild beast so badly wounded that it might easily be taken must be actually taken before it belongs to the captors, Judge Lowell, with equal reason, has upheld the contrary custom of the American whalemen in the Arctic Ocean, mentioned above, which gives a whale to the vessel whose iron first remains in it, provided claim be made before cutting in..."
Mr. J. Holmes,
Pray he's not in your Insurance Pool, that 7 Fathom Opening from the 7th Amendment, could only confuse em in Petersburg.
How much a ton? $$$
Them big boy's got the small head too...
Just put a squad of marines on each vessel and integrate it into a training scenario. Sabers and bludgeons only, no firearms.
Why does the US Coast Guard turn their heads on this one? They are failing miserably on this foolish at best fishery.
"Stay on the porch"? hahahaha.....Pull your head out of your ass, not all your senses are working.
the boats that use combine tactics are actually breaking the law interference of commerce. Jamie ross couldn't catch crabs off a toilet seat if he wasn't in a group and here we see him hitting the crimson beauty.
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