Longliners Mandatory Use of "Weak" Hoooks

[KP161]

NMFS came out today and said Gulf of Mexico longliners must use "weak" hooks. Weak hooks are no more than thinner guaged wire than what they normally would use. Theory is bluefin can straighten the "weak" hooks and swim free while yellowfin and swords cannot. They tested it for awhile and it was "recommended" that the longliners use the weak hooks but now it is mandatory. NMFS gives the longliners 2 choices of specific hooks they can use. In testing the weak hooks did cut down on bluefin bycatch.

Atleast they are somewhat trying I guess. Maybe if they make the PLL use weak hooks if they set on a school of 500lb bluefin all they would get back is 30 miles of straightened hooks. It is an attempt to reduce dead discards.

I would also think that a 600lb sword could straighten these hooks so longliners might frown upon using weak hooks but if you think about it in the long run that might be good for the sword population as well. Larger breading swords and bluefin swim free. It's a start I guess. Better than what is going on now I would think.

[Heli Sports]

It's obviously better than nothing. Charlie Bergman believes that the use of these hooks will significanly reduce the amount of dead-discards in the Gulf of Mexico, but I don't think it's enough.

NMFS knows exactly when and where the highest level of interaction by this fleet is taking place. Why they refuse to implement strategic time/area closures and relax bycatch requirements for this fleet makes no sense to me...

[KP161]

NMFS knows exactly when and where the highest level of interaction by this fleet is taking place. Why they refuse to implement strategic time/area closures and relax bycatch requirements for this fleet makes no sense to me...

I don't know enough about the longliners interaction with bluefin other than it's appparently 160mt worth (170mt in 2009 but people don't know that). But like you say I would think there are times of year & places that they could close to avoid high interaction. And at the same time implement these "weak" hooks. Get this dead discards down to 50mt.

Do people realize when the scallop boats catch too many yellowtail flounder as by catch they get SHUT DOWN from fishing. No more scalloping. Done. Finished. They don't allow them to just keep on racking up flounder discards. They take it very seriously.

They put observers on board and say you catch too many bluefin and you're shut down and you can bet your *** they'd figure it out. The way it is set up now you can bet that these guys say "I can keep 2 bluefin. That means I want to catch about 30 bluefin so that I can cull out 2 primo fat fish." They certainly don't keep the first 2 skinny silver fish and release the others. These guys are very, very aware of what pays the bills and what doesn't. It's their job.

[KP161]

It's obviously better than nothing. Charlie Bergman believes that the use of these hooks will significanly reduce the amount of dead-discards in the Gulf of Mexico, but I don't think it's enough.

NMFS knows exactly when and where the highest level of interaction by this fleet is taking place. Why they refuse to implement strategic time/area closures and relax bycatch requirements for this fleet makes no sense to me...

Another thing is....let's say one of these sword boats doesn't catch a single bluefin on a trip in the sword waters. Now, they are allowed 2 bluefin per trip I believe. You can bet on the way back in they purposely steam to bluefin waters to do a set to get their 2 fish. And whatever dies in the process dies. Because it's the rules they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't do this. They aren't going to leave 2 fat bluefin on the table and the $ if it is on their way in.

[twofinbluna]

It's obviously better than nothing. Charlie Bergman believes that the use of these hooks will significanly reduce the amount of dead-discards in the Gulf of Mexico, but I don't think it's enough.

NMFS knows exactly when and where the highest level of interaction by this fleet is taking place. Why they refuse to implement strategic time/area closures and relax bycatch requirements for this fleet makes no sense to me...

The weak hooks are a step in the right direction but given that a lot of the bluefin discards occur outside of the Gulf of Mexico, and the new rule only requires the weak hooks in the Gulf of Mexico, there is only so much it can do.

KP- good points about the scallop/flounder issue, and the different way that issue is handled versus this issue.

[BeaufortTuna]

Another thing is....let's say one of these sword boats doesn't catch a single bluefin on a trip in the sword waters. Now, they are allowed 2 bluefin per trip I believe. You can bet on the way back in they purposely steam to bluefin waters to do a set to get their 2 fish. And whatever dies in the process dies. Because it's the rules they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't do this. They aren't going to leave 2 fat bluefin on the table and the $ if it is on their way in.

Longline boats come in without bluefin on the majority of their trips. They have VMS on their boats so they can't just go set anywhere. The last thing a longline boat wants to do is make a set on bluefin. They will lose gear which could be worth more than a couple bluefin.
What you say here is pure conjecture and not based on reality. Longliners do not want to catch bluefin or any other non target species and do their best to avoid them.

[Dogfish87]

Sure the good ole' BFT gets a chance to make a good run, to straighten the hook out, towing a longline?????

[BeaufortTuna]

Sure the good ole' BFT gets a chance to make a good run, to straighten the hook out, towing a longline?????

Maybe you don't believe it but this research has been tested and peer reviewed. Maybe you know more than tested science but maybe you don't. Charlie bergman and the fishermen in the gulf put a lot of work into this and it will work.

[seaworm1]

The weak hooks are a step in the right direction but given that a lot of the bluefin discards occur outside of the Gulf of Mexico, and the new rule only requires the weak hooks in the Gulf of Mexico, there is only so much it can do.

KP- good points about the scallop/flounder issue, and the different way that issue is handled versus this issue.

I completely agree that using the weak hook strategy is a step in the right direction, BUT if science and testing hs proved that the weak hook reduced bft bycatch, WHY ONLY IMPLEMENT IT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO????

[Animal 1]

BT,I only know what I see on tv,and in books,but on "Swords"those guys jump for freaking joy,every time they get a bft.