Boat’s of Newport

TASTE BOATS OF NEWPORT

TRAPPERS

TRAPPING CRAB

Dungeness crabbing is seasonal, usually from December 1 to August 15. The majority of the catch occurs during the first two months of the season. Most vessels participate in a combination of other fisheries during various times of the year.

Crabbers are rigged with a large hydraulic block (crab block or gurdy). Mounted just behind the pilot house, it is used to haul in pots. Because the catch is delivered to the market live, the vessels have a circulating seawater system in their holds. Most pots are circular, measure three to four feet across, and weigh from 75 to 120 pounds. The 3⁄4-inch welded steel frames are wrapped with strips of used inner tube to protect the steel from corrosion. Stainless steel wire is used to weave a three- to four-inch-diameter mesh over the wrapped frame. Tunnels on opposite sides allow crabs to enter the trap. The traps are baited with herring, squid, or razor clams. A ring on the top side gives undersized crabs an escape route. A single line with usually two cylindrical plastic buoys is attached to the trap. Buoys are marked or colored to distinguish one vessel’s pots from another. Each fisherman has an ODFW-registered number on the bouys.

Crab boats typically have a two- to four-person crew. The crew pushes the pots over one at a time as the vessel follows a particular depth line, usually between 3 and 80 fathoms (a fathom equals six feet). Pots are retrieved one at a time by snagging the buoy line with a hooked pole. The line is placed in the block, which hauls the pot into the vessel. Each vessel is allowed to fish a certain maximum number of pots (check current regulations). When the traps come up, they are emptied, the catch is sorted, and the pot is rebaited and put back out. A two-person crew can average 30 to 40 pots an hour. Traps can hold up to 60 crabs. Crab pots are checked every one to seven days, depending on fishing conditions.

MANAGING THE CRAB FISHERY The fishery is managed with limited entry permits (fishermen need a permit to fish for crabs, and only 450 permits are issued for this fishery). Furthermore, the fishery is managed by size and sex restrictions, ensuring a healthy population. Only male crabs are harvested, and the shell on the crab has to be at least 6 1⁄4 inches. This size is reached at four years of age and allows the crab to reproduce for one to two years before being harvested. The crabs can live to be 9 to 10 years old. Landings of Dungeness crab range from 3 million to 18 million pounds, with the average catch at 10 million. Dungeness crab populations fluctuate a great deal from year to year, depending on oceanographic conditions. Dungeness crab rivals Maine lobster as a gourmet item, and in recent years a live crab market has developed. PURSE SEINES

THE NETS

Purse seines, or movable nets, are used to encircle fishThe top of the net is a float line with corks, or buoys. The net is held in a vertical position by a weighted lead line. The net also has a wire cable, run through ringson the bottom, which is used to draw the net together. Purse seine fishers often use spotter planes and sonar to locate the fish. Once the school is located, a small skiff takes one end of the net and then circles the fish with the net. The wire cable is winched in to close off the bottom of the seine. Then the other lines are pulled in as well to bring the captured school of fish closer to the mother ship, where the fish are pumped out of the net and put into fish holds filled with refrigerated sea water.

THE VESSELS Purse seine vessels are in the 60- to 85-foot range. A typical catch is 35 or 40 tons, and vessels are able to fill their hold with one or two sets. Seine boats are recognized at the dock by having on their stern a smaller skiff that is used to pull the net around the schools of fish. The skiff usually has a prop guard to keep the net from getting tangled in the propeller.

THE PACIFIC SARDINE FISHERY Purse seines are used to catch schooling species such as mackerels, sardines, and anchovies. A purse seine fishery for Pacific sardines resumed on the Oregon coast in 1999. In 2001, just over 28 million pounds were landed. Most of the sardines landed in Oregon are exported. Much of the harvest ends up in Japan as bait for the longline fishery or for human consumption. Only the highest-quality fish are used as bait. There is potential to further develop the sashimi market in Japan (sashimi is a dish consisting of raw fish cut in thin slices and served with sauce). In 2001, 20 percent of the catch was shipped to Australia as feed for tuna farms. Only a small amount of the catch is sold in Oregon, usually to high-end restaurants in Portland.

THE GEAR

Long-lining involves using a longline (ground line) with baited hooks on leaders attached at intervals. Sablefish (black cod) and halibut are caught on longline gear. The longline is stretched over the bottom, anchored at each end, and marked by surface buoys, poles, and flags. Hook size, spacing, fishing time (soak time), and fishing depth vary. Onboard gear consists of poles about 17 feet long with 12- to 14-inch flags and 60-inch round buoys that are usually stored near the pilot house.

Longline boats have a distinctive appearance. The boats have a baiting tent, shed, or table on the stern. Chutes and pulleys are visible and are used in haul- ing or setting out the longline. The longline or ground- lines are stored in tubs. The hooks on the longline are hung on the rim of the tub to keep them from getting tangled. The tubs on the work deck hold the ground line with the hooks placed around the rims.

HALIBUT A halibut groundline might cover three miles with up to 800 hooks and take three hours to retrieve. The lines are set in 30 to 150 fathoms (1 fathom equals 6 feet) and soaked 6 to 12 hours before hauling. A 100-fathom length of groundline with approximately one hundred hooks is called a skate. The line off the ground- line to which the hook is attached is called a gangion. One or more baited skates tied together and laid out along the bottom with anchors on each end are called a set.

SABLEFISH Spacing for sablefish is much closer than for halibut, with hooks every 3 or 4 feet. They are fished at 100 to 400 fathoms. Sablefish are soft mouthed and can wiggle free of hooks. They also can be consumed by bottom dwellers,so the lines are hauled after four to six hours. Most sablefish are beheaded and gutted, frozen, and exported to Japanese markets. High in oil content, sablefish make an excellent fish for smoking. A new addition to Nye Beach, Pacific Kitchen, located just across from Don and Ann Davis Park comes a new restaurant. The Pacific Kitchen at Nye Beach has something for everyone, with an extensive menu that includes delicious appetizers, fresh seafood, burgers, as well as Southwest staples. A great place for children, with a menu specifically tailored for kids! Stop in for lunch, dinner or cocktails and discover Newport’s savory new gem. If you want to try a little bit of everything, check out their ala cart menu. End your meal with one of their desserts and specialty drinks! A great stop on the way back from a long day at the beach.

CAFE STEPHANIE

Cafe Stephanie has been a local’s favorite since opening in 2005. Located in the heart of Historic Nye Beach, Cafe Stephanie offers breakfast and lunch daily. Everything homemade and from the heart, Cafe Stephanie is named after the owner herself! In the mood for fantastic pastries and cinnamon rolls? You won’t find better anywhere else. Plus every order comes with a freshly baked scone. Bring the whole family, they have a great kids menu! From breakfast to lunch, you’ll find the best options. Homemade soups are on offer everyday! Be sure to stop in at Cafe Stephanie’s, you won’t want to miss it!!

TAPHOUSE AT NYE CREEK

Hidden in the heart of the Historic Nye Beach overlooking the beautiful Oregon Coast. Taphouse invites you to enjoy their variety of delicious menu items and 32 select rotating taps! Taphouse at Nye Creek has everything perfect to accompany an evening at a taphouse, from burgers to pizzas to wings! With the most tap handles in Newport, there is a beer for everyone to enjoy! Take a seat on the open air patio on warm summer nights or sit up to the bar for beers, cocktails, and more! Next time you’re in Nye Beach, stop by the Taphouse at Nye Creek!

BARGE INN

Barge Inn Tavern has been a local establishment for decades, and standing since 1936. The Barge Inn is famous for its cheeseburger, which gets its distinct flavor from an old well-seasoned cast steel grill. Their other choices are hot dogs, beer and wine – “we don’t even serve French fries”. As limited as the menu is, the clientele is surprisingly diverse. Fishermen come in as early as 7 am for their morning coffee. Business people stop by for cheeseburgers at lunch. Regulars often laugh away an entire afternoon and tourists return year after year to feel like locals for a few hours. The Barge Inn is a great way to experience what local Newport residents enjoy. It is much more than a Tavern, it has been the local hang out since its inception. “Home of the Winos, Dingbats, and Riff Raff.” Located right on the Bayfront, come by the Barge Inn on your next afternoon down on the waterfront.

Salmon trollers supply fresh chinook salmon to markets. The boats vary in size from 18-foot day boats to trip boats up to 60 feet. Smaller vessels return to port daily whereas larger vessels might stay at sea up to eight days.

A troller fishes for salmon by towing a number of lures or baited hooks through the water. Fishing lines are rigged to a pair of outriggers (trolling poles) three to six inches in diameter. When lowered, the outriggers hold the fishing lines away from the boat. A type of wedge stabilizer (flopper stopper) might also be attached to each outrigger to help stabilize the boat. When not in use, the outriggers are held vertically by brackets secured to a crossbeam (crosstree) on the masthead. The gear is built to withstand the shock of hard-striking fish. Many of the vessels have a trolling pit in the stern so that fishermen can steer while operating the gear.

Stainless steel lines are fished from each outrigger. Two to six lines are used, and each line is limited to four lures on monofilament leaders (spreads) attached at intervals of two to four fathoms (a fathom equals six feet). A 10- to 50-pound weight (cannon ball) takes each line to the desired depth. Fishing lines are set and retrieved using hydraulic gurdies (mechanical cranks). To spread out the lures and to prevent tangles, the crew uses float bags to float up to two lines per side behind the boat.

LURES The lures, which are barbless, can be fished from just under the surface down to 80 fathoms, at speeds of one to four knots. They include spoons, flashers, plastic or rubber squid (hootchies), and natural baits, such as anchovy or herring. Fish depth, troll speed, type of lure, and area fished all help to determine the number and species of salmon caught. Professional trollers can easily target the species they want to catch. Current fishing regulations protect wild Oregon coho, and so salmon trollers fish deeper to catch chinook.

The fisherman uses the gurdie to bring in the fish. The fish is stunned, gaffed on board, bled, dressed, and washed before it is stored in an iced or refrigerated hold. Salmon trollers can fish up to 50 miles offshore. The season usually occurs from April through October. A troller fishes for albacore tuna, as for salmon, by towing a number of lures, or baited hooks, through the water. Albacore trollers tow artificial lures on the surface at faster speeds (from four to eight knots) than those used for salmon, to catch fast-moving, hard-hitting tuna. Action can be fast and furious, with fishermen pulling in fish as fast as they can. A day’s catch can range from nothing to several hundred fish. A good day’s catch might be 300 tuna, with individual fish weighing up to 30 pounds.

Albacore trollers, called jig boats, tow 10 to 20 lines of varying lengths from the outriggers and stern. A lure (jig) is attached to the end of each unweighted line. Jigs have metal heads, plastic skirts or feathers, and large barbless hooks and are shaped to look like squid. There is a cord attached to each line, called a tag line. The tag line is used to pull the fishing line within reach, where a mechanical reel is then used to bring the fish the rest of the way in. Each fish is landed by hand, unhooked, and then bled and prepared for icing.

Albacore boats are from 38 to 100 feet long and have a crew of two to three fishermen. The larger vessels can range hundreds of miles offshore, and a trip can last a month or more. The catch on these vessels is fresh frozen at sea. Albacore usually arrive in the summer with the warm current from Japan and leave in the fall, but water conditions influence whether and when they appear off the Oregon coast. Albacore prefer a water temperature