Bill Introduced to Ban Sale of Billfish

[amarshall]

When I was the dock manager at Snug Harbor Marina in the 90s I saw a few blue marlin sold from local boats. Usually it went to the smokers.

Not sure how much domestic marlin is sold now.

Senators Vitter and McCain introduce bill banning billfish trading - swordfish is excluded
[US Fed News] - October 18, 2010 - WASHINGTON, Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana has introduced the bill (S.3812), legislation that would 'prohibit trade in billfish.'

The bill, introduced on Sept. 21, was co-sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona. It was referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

A copy of the full-text of the legislation follows:

S.3812

To prohibit trade in billfish and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the 'Billfish Conservation Act of 2010'. SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY. Congress enacts this Act pursuant to article I, section 8, clause 3 of the United States Constitution. SEC. 3. BILLFISH DEFINED. In this Act, the term 'billfish'-- (1) means any fish of the species-- (A) Istiompax indica (black marlin); (B) Istiophorus platypterus (sailfish); (C) Kajikia albida (white marlin); (D) Kajikia audax (striped marlin); (E) Makaira nigricans (blue marlin); (F) Tetrapturus angustirostris (shortbill spearfish); (G) Tetrapturus belone (Mediterranean spearfish); (H) Tetrapturus georgii (roundscale spearfish); and (I) Tetrapturus pfluegeri (longbill spearfish); and (2) does not include the species Xiphias gladius (swordfish). SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON TRADE IN BILLFISH. (a) Prohibition- No person shall offer for sale, sell, import, or export, or have custody, control, or possession of for purposes of offering for sale, selling, importing, or exporting, billfish or products containing billfish. (b) Penalty- A violation of the prohibition in subsection (a) shall be subject to penalty under section 308 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1858) and such a violation shall be treated under such section 308 as an act prohibited by section 307 of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1857).

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[Heli Sports]

When I was the dock manager at Snug Harbor Marina in the 90s I saw a few blue marlin sold from local boats. Usually it went to the smokers.

Not sure how much domestic marlin is sold now.

Sale of Atlantic Billfish species has been prohibited since 1989.

I believe that the NMFS also prohibits the sale of Striped Marlin harvested on the west coast, however commercial harvest and sale of Marlin species is permited in Hawaii and there are Blue and Striped Marlin being sold at the Honolulu Fish auction every morning.

Striped Marlin are excellent table fare. It's fairly common on the menu at fish restaurants on the west coast and occasionally at high-end restaurants in Manhattan as well.

Any billfish species currently being sold within the continental United States are surely sourced from Hawaii or imported from Central America and elsewhere...

[amarshall]

Sale of Atlantic Billfish species has been prohibited since 1989.

I believe that the NMFS also prohibits the sale of Striped Marlin harvested on the west coast, however commercial harvest and sale of Marlin species is permited in Hawaii and there are Blue and Striped Marlin being sold at the Honolulu Fish auction every morning.

Striped Marlin are excellent table fare. It's fairly common on the menu at fish restaurants on the west coast and occasionally at high-end restaurants in Manhattan as well.

Any billfish species currently being sold within the continental United States are surely sourced from Hawaii or imported from Central America and elsewhere...

I guess that's why it went to the smokers. Wasn't much HAACP reporting back then...

[tunatamer73]

Sale of Atlantic Billfish species has been prohibited since 1989.

I believe that the NMFS also prohibits the sale of Striped Marlin harvested on the west coast, however commercial harvest and sale of Marlin species is permited in Hawaii and there are Blue and Striped Marlin being sold at the Honolulu Fish auction every morning.

Striped Marlin are excellent table fare. It's fairly common on the menu at fish restaurants on the west coast and occasionally at high-end restaurants in Manhattan as well.

Any billfish species currently being sold within the continental United States are surely sourced from Hawaii or imported from Central America and elsewhere...

Is it true that most of the billfish caught and sold from central America are sold to the USA for use in cat food. I think Tred Barta spoke about this in one of his shows. If so what a shame.

[Heli Sports]

Is it true that most of the billfish caught and sold from central America are sold to the USA for use in cat food. I think Tred Barta spoke about this in one of his shows. If so what a shame.

I dont know if that is true, I have never heard it before. Tred is certainly capable of embellishing a story, but I doubt he would just make something like that up.

It sounds a little fishy to me. Striped Marlin is quite valuable. Tsukiji and Kanazawa auction prices for Makajiki sometimes exceed 2000 Yen/kg. Striped Marlin cuts can sell for around $17/lb or so in the U.S. When fish is tight, Sashimi grade Nairagi hammer price can approach $10/lb or so at the Honolulu Fish Auction.

Seafood used in making pet food usually costs pennies. It would be a terrible waste of the resource to use billfish for cat food...

[twofinbluna]

Seafood used in making pet food usually costs pennies. It would be a terrible waste of the resource to use billfish for cat food...

I agree, it really would make no sense for them to be using that for cat food.

[clt_capt]

The info in the linked report is a few years old, but as of 2007, the US was the largest importer of billfish...
http://www.gentnergroup.com/wp-conte...inal073107.pdf