More of this Feature • Part 1: Squid Pro Quo, sliplease.com, and more • Part 2: Pirate Patrol, Fish Paradise, and more
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Elsewhere on the Web • Sliplease.com

SQUID PRO QUO
From the state that legalized medicinal marijuana and banned smoking in bars comes another bit of far-out, forward-thinking legislation: California wants to pass a law that protects an appetizer.

Up to now squid, a.k.a. calamari, has been fished without limit, without quota, in a phrase: California Gold Rush style. And since the sea critters began gaining popularity a decade ago--first baiting fishermen's hooks, then baiting yuppies into restaurants--the annual squid harvest has grown 500 percent, to about 125,000 tons last year.

Though scientists say there's no immediate danger to squid populations, the California Department of Fish and Game wants to make sure the 10-tentacled species never faces the kind of crisis now crippling billfish. "This is in all likelihood still a healthy fishery," says Marijo Vojkovich, a senior marine biologist in the Department's Santa Barbara office. "But we know very little. We're recommending measures that will make sure the catch is sustainable."

In May the group proposed a new set of squid-fishing rules, including quotas, a limited number of boat permits, and increased research and oversight. Biologists point to squid as a crucial link in the Pacific food chain. Like herring and anchovies, they serve as a food source for salmon, sea lions, whales, and dolphins. If squid populations nosedive, so will other species. "This is the state's most valuable fishery," says Karen Garrison, a policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Fund. "If the Legislature acts, it is an example of good fisheries management."

ONLINE: www.sliplease.com
Here's the perfect Web tool for Florida boaters who like to plan ahead. At sliplease.com you can quickly find out if dock space is available at marinas up and down the coast and then grab it. By filling out a short form that includes your travel times, boat length, and any special docking requirements, you can submit your query and, within 24 hours, receive a response. If space is available,

sliplease.com can make a reservation for you. If you're out of luck at one marina, the site will suggest three or four others nearby as backups. Instead of slogging through Yellow Pages or logging on to marina Web sites, you can plot your next cruise in minutes.

ON SHELVES: WOMEN AND THE LAKES
Great Lakes maritime historian Frederick Stonehouse has completed his latest collection of Lakes lore, this time culling real-life stories of women who made major impacts on the area's marine trade over the last century. From deep-sea divers who recovered priceless treasures to ship captains who fought ceaselessly for equal rights, Women and the Lakes: Untold Great Lakes Maritime Tales pulls back the curtain and reveals the unsung women who helped revolutionize an industry. Among them you'll meet Capt. Celia E. Persons, one of the first female Great Lakes captains; Maebelle Mason, a 14-year-old who single-handedly rescued a man and his boat when it capsized offshore; and Harriet Colfax, who was keeper of the Michigan City Light until retiring at age 80.
$15.95, paperback. Avery Color Studios.

JULY EVENTS
7: The 24th annual Vintage Boat Show in Alexandria Bay, NY. Phone: (607) 756-2059.
14-23: The 23rd annual Wooden Boat Festival in Toms River, NJ. Phone: (732) 295-2072.
20-25: The 34th annual Sydney International Boat Show in Sydney, Australia. Phone: (61) 29-438-2077.
20-22: The Clinton Harbor Boat Show in Clinton, CT. Phone: (860) 529-2123

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