As a long time follower of TwoFin and his efforts, I'd like to put another question out there that i can not find a single example of in all the threads i've read on here: reporting your catch.
One prolific recreational poster recently typed" I'll do whatever i want on my own boat"... he was of course talking about pooning a juvenile fish. I dont think there is anyone on here who begrudges a man his right to poon as many 125lb fish as he legally can ...but how many of you, who legitimately love the fishery and all the pleasure it brings you...start handing out the steaks at the dock...pop another frosty...bust out the wasabi...load the bayliner on the trailer...and the day is done? Hero time.
lets take a quick count on how many fish each of us has boated...and reported this season so far. TELL THE TRUTH. With truthful reporting, we could calculate our own little picture of local metric tonnage... It aint gonna happen though, is it? I'll be very very surprised if that figure comes even close to what DMF has on their books. You see, being gung ho, loving the fishery, and then NOT reporting all your juvenile fish is the epitome of selfish. Me me me.
So- lets take a tally. I've got my bean counter right here, ready to extrapolate the math.....
I'ver caught and killed 5, all reported, released 3 on those trips; also reported. I have also released ~ 25 on 3 other trips when none were kept. NMFS system does not allow you to report those; shame on their data collection and modelling technique.
Flip side.
1. How many commercial guys who are wading through "rats" throw one on ice and keep one for the grill?
2. How many scumbags - rec. or commercial keep and sell shorts into the back door of a restaurant after hours?
Out of 10+ trips I have kept 2 fish this year. Both in the upper 60 inch class. I kept one and passed it out to family and friends and my fishing partner kept the other which he passed out to family and friends. Both these fish were reported to nmfs.
Not to add fuel to the fire but what about the charter boats? What percentage of the juvenile tuna that were taken this year do they account for? I know that most of the successful boats come in with a 60-70 inch fish more often than not.
I don't have a problem with this at all. I just think if we're going to count than we can't leave out the fish that were taken on the charter boats because it is a big number.
The post brings up a good point. Hopefully most everyone is reporting and playing by the rules. My philosophy is that is good karma to play by the rules even if I think most of them can suck at times but if I go around breaking rules or stretching the truth (or the fish) it will somehow come back to haunt me. I don't play by the rules to make nmfs or anyone else happy, I do it because it is the right thing to do. Hopefully the fish caught are always eaten, released or sold. If someone is out there wasting fish for bragging rights then they should be pooned!!!Do what is right and hopefully the fishery will continue for our children, there children and so on!!
None... Zip zero zilch... I typically will keep just one a year but mostly I stay off their backs and look for the yellowfins instead... Even there we keep maybe eight to ten a season then leave them alone...
My mate and one of my regular side customers though eat as much as they can get their hands on. They eat it round the clock til its gone... We jammed the guys boat with a limit of slob yellowfins, a dozen good tiles, and a 160lb mako during a trip last year. I don't think a week passed before I could see them both pacing and circling waiting for the next meat smack down...
Taking into consideration, the manner in which NMFS has structured the comm. laws, whether it be fluke regs, striped bass regs, or bluefin tuna regs, you will hear of individuals crossing that line. Now more than ever. There will "ALWAYS" be some that have a friend who owns a restaurant or their buddy may have a comm. license to sell or what have you. Last year, there were many reports of bluefin tuna being loined right on the boat and smuggled into port so as to be sold to the restaurants. After a lengthy investigation, five were arrested, brought to court and fined heavily. I'd be willing to bet that they're on the water again this year doing it all over again. This took place in Perkins Cove ME. Ironically, a hotspot for stickboats!
As for rec guys on the water chasing these fish, I like to believe that ours is a pretty tight knit community. I believe that the majority are playing by the rules, calling in their fish. I know that all of the fish that I have been part of this year were recorded. Oh, and I'm almost out of steaks!
The main part in the equation as a whole is education,....period! Not just education regarding what the fishes characteristics are or how they feed or where they swim to after CCB. But BFT education 360 degrees. How to properly release a fish, maybe listen to Eric at one of his seminars regarding tagging. Using the proper gear for these fish. Most people can't fight these guys with a spinning rod properly! Remember, a six hour fight isn't good for the quality of a fish. Now for what I believe to be a much larger issue than a few fish not recorded is terminal tackle and knowing it better than you know your wife. Of course that may be easy for some of us because we spend more time with our gear than we do or better half! Take the time to try a number of knots and see which one works best for you, learn how to make a proper crimp connection. I just saw a thread here with a pic of a stinger that was picked up floating in the water. There are a couple of issues with the rigging on that stinger bait, not very surprised it was found floating without the rest of the bar. Can one imagine how many tuna are killed due to negligence!! Now that is a real problem! Can never blame anyone for wanting to tangle with these fish, they are awesome. Even the juvies! And if your allowed to kill a juvie legally, then by all means go ahead. Enjoy, they're delicious. And you keep the neighbors happy too! Makes it a lot easier to ask for favors. Hell, I haven't had to shovel or plow my driveway in ten years. So happy fishing everyone, I hear there's a giant bite right now a little east!!
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that's freaking funny.
Take the time to try a number of knots and see which one works best for you, learn how to make a proper crimp connection. I just saw a thread here with a pic of a stinger that was picked up floating in the water. There are a couple of issues with the rigging on that stinger bait, not very surprised it was found floating without the rest of the bar. Can one imagine how many tuna are killed due to negligence!!
Now that is a real problem! Can never blame anyone for wanting to tangle with these fish, they are awesome. Even the juvies! And if your allowed to kill a juvie legally, then by all means go ahead. Enjoy, they're delicious. And you keep the neighbors happy too! Makes it a lot easier to ask for favors. Hell, I haven't had to shovel or plow my driveway in ten years.
So happy fishing everyone, I hear there's a giant bite right now a little east!!