Sword....life on the line

[Contrast]

I had waited to see a couple episodes before posting, and now I can say I'am totally disgusted....

I can't agree with you more. What was interesting is the Discovery Channel now states that the show is "not necessarily their beliefs"... or something to that effect in the beginning of the show. I don't remember seeing that on the earlier episodes. The Discovery Channel is probably getting a lot of emails regarding this show...

I can't wait to see this movie about the long line and purse seine fleets... I don't think this documentary will be cutting out the by-catch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bedirwk95Oc

http://endoftheline.com

[capt. jakeg]

I can't wait to see the end of the line movie myself. Before I finish my comment, I totally support small scale commercial fishing. I would even be open to supporting small scale longlining if there were some way of eliminating bycatch or just being more discriminate. I have been unfortunate enough to witness longlining and purse seining in action and I honestly believe there is no way the ocean can sustain this type of fishing. There is too much technology, mind numbing amounts of fish are caught, and it is happening everywhere in the ocean. The fish never get a break and these large scale commercial fishing boats and the corporations that own them would kill every fish in the ocean for a paycheck. The public needs to be made aware of this and something must be done.

[ReelProShop]

They should have done the show with the commercial Harpoon fleet or the buoy guys in South Florida. You should here some of the noise on the radio between the comm and rec guys down here. Sad in a way but entertaining for sure.

These are the only two comm fishery's that have very little if any bycatch that is "released" dead.

-Tek

[fat2na.com]

I worked on the Frances Anne back in the days of "The Perfect Storm" obviously I survived, it was sketcky though. I was that greenhorn for the first few trips. You have to remember that the guy in this show is a putz, if he weren't he'd probably just get the typical BS from the crew that every greenhorn has to go through to prove their worth. Just like crab boats. I had experience in that fishing industry but nothing truely prepares you for that kind of fishing except that kind of fishing.
Those were the days that the crews bonus came from the shark fins we had in baskets in the focsule (SP). Yes, there is most definately a bunch of shit that goes on behind the scenes that isn't only sketchy but wrong. It's been happening since the dawn of long line fishing and will continue until the end.

As far as the crews that they are following, Chomper is a bad example, he's a shallow water fisherman in water he has no business being in, he's plain and simple an uneducated jackass. No-one owns the ocean and he has every right to the grounds that the "locals" do, he's just a jerkoff for setting another boat down. Keep in mind that there's a show being made and it makes for good TV. As far as I'm concerned, and I've never fished the Bearing Sea, long-lining is a hardcore, long day filled, ass busting type of fishing. We can all sit here and watch, and play computer jockey but unless you've lived that life, even for a few months, curb the negative comments, becasue you just don't have a clue as to what it takes to be out there. That being said, yes, that "surfer" thought he could hack it but it's no suprise he can't, most likely no fault of his own. His buddy probably told him it was no big deal, just some long sleepless days.... but unless you're conditioned to that type of work and sleep deprivation, it is a big deal.

When I worked on deck of the Frances Anne, I thought I had what it took and after the brutal trials and tribulations, I realized i did, but to be respected you just have to put your head down, bury any pain, and keep on keepin on. The toughest part of my time on deck was the constant , for sometimes months at a time, playing of America's "Been through the desert on a horse with no name", that tape played over and over and over FOREVER. It's indelibly etched.

Bottom line is unless you've lived that life or you're the guy in the bar who has the 6 empties sitting next to him and agrees to join a crew going to sea for months at a time to fish for swords in the heart of hurricane season, keep the comments on the constructive side.

[rarhomes]

I worked on the Frances Anne back in the days of "The Perfect Storm" obviously I survived, it was sketcky though. I was that greenhorn for the first few trips. You have to remember that the guy in this show is a putz, if he weren't he'd probably just get the typical BS from the crew that every greenhorn has to go through to prove their worth. Just like crab boats. I had experience in that fishing industry but nothing truely prepares you for that kind of fishing except that kind of fishing.
Those were the days that the crews bonus came from the shark fins we had in baskets in the focsule (SP). Yes, there is most definately a bunch of shit that goes on behind the scenes that isn't only sketchy but wrong. It's been happening since the dawn of long line fishing and will continue until the end.

As far as the crews that they are following, Chomper is a bad example, he's a shallow water fisherman in water he has no business being in, he's plain and simple an uneducated jackass. No-one owns the ocean and he has every right to the grounds that the "locals" do, he's just a jerkoff for setting another boat down. Keep in mind that there's a show being made and it makes for good TV. As far as I'm concerned, and I've never fished the Bearing Sea, long-lining is a hardcore, long day filled, ass busting type of fishing. We can all sit here and watch, and play computer jockey but unless you've lived that life, even for a few months, curb the negative comments, becasue you just don't have a clue as to what it takes to be out there. That being said, yes, that "surfer" thought he could hack it but it's no suprise he can't, most likely no fault of his own. His buddy probably told him it was no big deal, just some long sleepless days.... but unless you're conditioned to that type of work and sleep deprivation, it is a big deal.

When I worked on deck of the Frances Anne, I thought I had what it took and after the brutal trials and tribulations, I realized i did, but to be respected you just have to put your head down, bury any pain, and keep on keepin on. The toughest part of my time on deck was the constant , for sometimes months at a time, playing of America's "Been through the desert on a horse with no name", that tape played over and over and over FOREVER. It's indelibly etched.

Bottom line is unless you've lived that life or you're the guy in the bar who has the 6 empties sitting next to him and agrees to join a crew going to sea for months at a time to fish for swords in the heart of hurricane season, keep the comments on the constructive side.

I don't think any body here denies commercial long line fishing is hard work. There are lots of people that work hard in this country but constructive comments about the long line fishing industry will be few and far between in coming.

Capt Rick

[aprilfool]

i did it so i know what you are saying! spent some time on the midnight sun and i will tell you it is the only way to really learn what this is all about, current ,water temp. moon cycles etc. we trolled quite a bit as well and it is amazing how much you learn spending a month at a time out there?

[Contrast]

Bottom line is unless you've lived that life or you're the guy in the bar who has the 6 empties sitting next to him and agrees to join a crew going to sea for months at a time to fish for swords in the heart of hurricane season, keep the comments on the constructive side.

I think most of these comments are about the "process" of long line fishing and the fact that the world's oceans clearly can NOT sustain fishing at these levels and the world's fisheries are on the brink of disaster, some may say we have already hit that point.

And these comments are not about whether or not one works hard all day and night, nor are they about the character of the people who work on these vessels...

[clt_capt]

Quote of the Week:

"Don't hook him with the F*&king Gaff"

[aloop]

boat is rolling, deck is slippery from the fish blood and water, fish goes out the side door, saw it happen twice on the show. Solution a draw gate, the gate falls down on the deck when pulling a fish onto the boat then pops back up to prevent a loosing $$$ again.

[capt. jakeg]

We all understand it is hard work on a longlining boat. I was just saying it is very wasteful. There's a lot killed for that one fish that actually comes aboard. Thats the only point being made.
Nobody was saying anything about the people working the boats, but if we wanted to bring up a whole new topic altogether, how many crackheads and methheads work on them things? There are plenty of hard working, good people, but there is never a word about the plenty of "unsavory" types. I know there are addicts in all walks of life, but these kind of boats seem to be magnets.