Flip Side / Fish Conservation

[Big Fish Billy]

Well as we compile stories of "What fishing means to me" let's consider the real initiative/agenda the politicians may or may not know they're talking about, how to conserve the resource. I think we can all agree, they are not aiming at the grandpa/grandson, sitting in a canoe, watching a bobber. They are aiming at various depleted fisheries, caused by the buffalo hunter/whaler philosophy, of killing every last one until they're gone. What is better, relationally/commercially, overfishing until there is nothing left and going out of business, or having some restrictions and fishing another day. So as we're compiling our stories, let's compile some solutions.... for the "unknowing politicians"...who knows, they may take some. If you don't come up with good solutions, they're going to come up with them for you...

Here's a couple of mine:

Atlantic Giant Bluefin Tuna - 80"

Other area species, size limits and/or 1 closure per species per year.

Have at it....

[jackdaniels]

good point billy

[Big Fish Billy]

Yup, just what I thought, everyone wants to moan and cry...no real solutions proposed.....

[JD5652]

Enforce existing ICCAT quotas in the Med.....

[clt_capt]

Mahi - 5 per person/30 Per boat...

[Deep C]

I've got a few...
Fluke- 4 at 16" Per man
Striped bass- 1 at 22" Per man from land, 2 at 28" from boat
Mako- 63" 3 per HMS permit
YFT- 10 per boat over 30 "
BFT- 2 per boat over 30"
Sea Bass- 6 per man
Mahi- 4 per man
Snook- 1 at 22"
Redfish- 1 at 26"
Cobia- 2 at 30"
Trout- 4 at 15"

The kicker.... Fishing must cease when limit is reached.

[Big Fish Billy]

I've got a few...
Fluke- 4 at 16" Per man
Striped bass- 1 at 22" Per man from land, 2 at 28" from boat
Mako- 63" 3 per HMS permit
YFT- 10 per boat over 30 "
BFT- 2 per boat over 30"
Sea Bass- 6 per man
Mahi- 4 per man
Snook- 1 at 22"
Redfish- 1 at 26"
Cobia- 2 at 30"
Trout- 4 at 15"

The kicker.... Fishing must cease when limit is reached.

Deep, that sounds good to me except for BFT, 30" is hardly out of the "womb"...

[Deep C]

Much of the year on the north end of Jersey or in the Jersey mudhole though even 30" is tough to get... 30" or 50" or even 60" they're all juvies barely out of the womb.

[Big Fish Billy]

You know a lot of this talk lately is really about BFT and a way to let them grow. The answer is a hard one, and will reverberate across all species. First you have to kill the market, Japs, that'll be hard enough, there'll be black market sales from all over the world. Back in the day when 800 pounds was a small one, there wasn't even a market, we had to pay to have the fish taken away and used for cat food. Then when the Japs got into it, and tried to control the price, you couldn't stop guys from fishing even when the price dropped from $25 pound to $10...guys want to fish. And that was really recreational and charter at that time...then the "big boats" got into the act...White Dove out of Gloucester once dragged and netted 300 fish at 800 pounds each, flooded the market, and put themselves out of business. Then you add in bycatch/kill etc, and you have a nightmare...that's why I started the thread, us guys that are more knowledgeable than the "scientists" need to present a solution...it's gonna hurt one way or the other.....

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

The Truth???? It really is us...... How you ask? Canned tuna, Fillet O fish, B.K. big fish, all you can eat seafood....stop it or we will continue on this dreaded tailspin. Industrial Commercial Fishing! Cheap seafood, we ***** and moan about Japan, what about us? we are all guilty of this, I no longer will support it. No more canned tuna no more fillet O fish.....no more. My solution?
make most fishing rod and reel commercial. (for the comms)
Starkist 200 tons a day of tuna.......what about Bumble Bee and Chicken Of The Sea. We can stop but I doubt anyone will want to stop eating Tunafish sandwiches. Look up West Africa and the tuna purse seines over there.