There are about 700 permits of various classifications issued by the federal government to fish for sea scallops on the East Coast. Sam Hopkins of West Tisbury has one of them.

Since the death of James D. Morgan on Sept. 25 at age 94, I have enjoyed reading the tributes published in the Gazette.

It’s November, and that means bay scallop season has arrived on the Vineyard. But by most accounts, it will be an average to poor year for scalloping, both up Island and down.

The legendary Menemsha fisherman and one of the last of a breed of commercial draggermen that included Louis Larsen, Eric Cottle, Robert Flanders and others, died Tuesday.

The iconic Menemsha fisherman who piloted the Unicorn dragger during the heyday of offshore commercial fishing, died April 11. He had fished the waters off the Vineyard all his life.

Born and raised Menemsha fisherman Capt. Jeff Lynch said he relied on his fishing skills gained on the Island when he caught a 700-pound bluefin tuna in Cape Cod Bay last weekend. The giant fish was shipped to Japan to be sold at a fish market.