http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk Trade Talk Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:46:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last month Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts was derided nationwide for registering his new boat in the tiny-and-thriving boat tax haven of Rhode Island. Many presume that the Senator’s intent was to avoid the significant sales and boat excise taxes that Massachusetts imposes on its registered boaters. Political damage control has ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=173 I recently wrote a marketing column in Trade Only about the need for marine businesses to have crisis communications strategies. I referenced the Tiger Woods debacle and compared it to David Letterman and discussed how a well-orchestrated, pre-emptive strike paid off for the king of late night, while Wood’s lingering ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=172 When my editor offered me a chance to cover the Korea International Boat Show I jumped at the opportunity. It was a chance to experience a different culture, see first-hand how a country with a recreational marine industry in its infancy is growing its boating culture, and learn about a ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=171 I am a real estate appraiser who specializes in marinas, and I have some basic advice for marina owners, fishermen, hotel owners and others damaged by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As if hurricanes, fuel prices, closed fishing areas and a recession weren’t enough, we now must ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=170 My beliefs about the economy are complicated. We just came out of the Strictly Sail Pacific sailboat show -- the largest all-sail show on the West Coast -- and the feedback from exhibitors across the board was refreshingly positive! Crowds were out and buying boats, accessories, gear and services -- maybe ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=169 Dale Jones recently lost his job. The chief of NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement was removed from his position and publicly berated in news articles, op-eds and blogs across the country. While it’s easy to declare his departure a victory for reform, I think we need to look harder at ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=168 According to market research, the current economy has taken its toll on marinas. Now, in addition to the traditional risks they face, marinas must contend with crimes stemming from economic hardship. U.S. Deputy Attorney General David Ogden noted that the “current economic downturn has already meant an upswing in some areas.” ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=167 What a difference a year makes. Business is still way off, but the surprise and fear that permeated last year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show as the economy tumbled a bit further each day was mostly gone. The consumers walking the docks at FLIBS seemed to have found their collective sea ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=166 A 2004 report by the National Research Council (NRC) titled Improving the Use of the “Best Scientific Information Available” Standard in Fisheries Management called on the National Marine Fisheries Service to implement important guidelines for use of scientific information in preparing fishery management plans. The NRC report went on to ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=165 Subpar service and a lack of professionalism have plagued the marine industry for years. Now, more than ever, folks on the service side of the business need to make improvements. The old ways — if they left the consumer frustrated or confused — have to change. These days, who can ... http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/tradetalk/?p=164