First, it’s a new beginning because the magazine has changed ownership. As you may know, Philips Publishing has sold the magazine to San Diego-based Maritime Publishing. Maritime Publishing is a division of Training Resources Limited, the largest privately held provider of maritime training in the Western United States.
The magazine’s new publisher is Dave Abrams, the CEO of Training Resources Maritime Institute. He’s a former U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer and a certified instructor with the National Safe Boating Council, as well as an authorized instructor for the USCG Auxiliary Boating Skills & Seamanship program. So why would Dave enter publishing? His interest arose out of a desire to help mariners stay educated and informed, not just through historical practices associated with training, but through current industry news and events. For him, it’s all about the mariner, and the overall maritime community. Dave is a connector, and helping people connect with each other through the various training and media platforms is the ultimate goal.
Helping guide the path is yours truly, Mark Nero, Fishermen’s News’ new managing editor. To longtime readers of FN, my name may be familiar; prior to the publication going on hiatus in 2020, I occasionally wrote for eFN, and have more than 25 years’ experience as a professional journalist and have worked mostly for various publications that cover the goods transport industry.
By the way, in mid-March, Maritime Publishing acquired Professional Mariner and Ocean Navigator magazines from Portland, Maine based Navigator Publishing, bringing additional maritime-focused publications into the family.
Professional Mariner is a news magazine with a 30-year history of focusing on the needs of USCG-licensed professional mariners.
Ocean Navigator, founded in 1985, focuses on seamanship for self-reliant recreational mariners. I’m also very pleased to say that many of bylines that you previously saw in Fishermen’s News are joining us in this new journey. You’ll regularly read the work of Alaska Bureau Chief Margaret Bauman in the magazine; and longtime maritime reporter Peter Marsh is also returning.
In addition, John Platt & Irene Marie Hurwitz’s beloved “California Waypoints” column has been revived; and you’ll also see opinion pieces in these pages by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.
Although some of the names associated with the magazine have changed, our commitment to providing you with quality, substantive news remains the same. We’re personally and professionally invested in the industry and cover it while living in and around the communities that we report on.
This issue of FN covers the months of April and May, and the next issue will have a June-July cover date. After that we’ll return to a monthly schedule the rest of the year – with the exception of a combined November-December issue.
If you happen to read this and aren’t a current subscriber, please consider purchasing a one-year subscription for yourself or someone else who may be interested. Or, if you operate a business, please consider purchasing an ad. Subscribers and advertisers are essential partners to ensure that we keep Fishermen’s News a healthy and economically viable source of news about the West Coast commercial fishing industry. We’re dependent upon your ongoing support. Thank you.
MARK NERO is a veteran maritime journalist who has written for numerous publications over the years, including Fishermen’s News and Pacific Maritime Magazine. He was named managing editor of Fishermen’s News in March 2021.
Managing Editor Mark Nero can be reached at: mark@maritimepublishing.com