Think Like A Fisherman
Top 10 Websites for Local Fishermen's Daily Research
A fisherman's career is built on real-world experience. But being a fisherman today means doing research, too—most fishermen do a good bit of morning reading before heading out to sea. What they focus on depends on whether they're contemplating changing the fish they will pursue or just assessing the week’s weather patterns.
Here are a few of Cape Cod fishermen's top 10 websites for keeping up with everything from the latest fisheries rules to the next storm.
Weather, weather, weather
It’s not sun or rain that makes or breaks a fisherman’s day; it’s wind and waves that rule the day. Here are some must-check references.
- FishWeather – like a one-stop shop
- NOAA Fisheries Service, Greater Atlantic Region This is where the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration consolidates information about federal regulations affecting fishing in our region. The Commercial Fishing section includes Bulletins and Fishery Regulation Information Sheets that summarize regulations applicable to vessels in federal waters. Under the Quotas and Landings section, fishermen can check weekly reports on the percentage of quota harvested for each species.
- New England Fishery Management Council This is the go-to site for updates and meeting information relating to all the species managed in New England waters between three and 200 miles offshore. The council provides federal management of species such as cod, skates, monkfish, scallops and dogfish.
- Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission This is a compact of all the Atlantic coast states which have joined together to manage the fish species that migrate up and down the East Coast and are caught within three miles of shore. Many species get management input here, including bluefish, lobster, striped bass and dogfish.
- Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Fishermen find materials for permitting and reporting here, as well as current quotas and landings on quota-managed species. These are, by the way, not always aligned with federal regulations, so fishermen need to track both sets of regulations and data.
- Fish Auction Prices Unlike those of us who know exactly how much our paychecks will be, fishermen often don’t know what price they might get paid until they land at the dock. Checking prices here gives them an indication of what pricing has been like at the fish auctions where much of their catch is sold.
- Cape & Islands Harbormasters Association Quick links to harbormasters in all Cape Cod ports. Very handy.
Keeping Up with the Industry and the Community
- Commercial Fisheries News
- National Fisherman
- Cape Cod Times
- The Cape Cod Chronicle
- The Fishery Management pages of the Federal Register, which is the daily journal of the U.S. government. The Fishermen's Alliance helps our local fishermen stay aware of issues on the table and opportunities to comment on the regulatory process.
- Facebook Let’s be honest, everyone loves to check out who’s posting what on Facebook and fishermen love to see each other’s photos and videos. We are making an effort to capture all we can on our page for everyone to enjoy.
