Fishing Blog
Per Sportfishing Magazine Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) reports that Environmental Police Officers from its Division of Law Enforcement commandeered a giant bluefin tuna caught and killed by a Massachusetts charter boat. The officers seized the tuna the week from the charter boat in Rhode Island waters east of Point Judith.
DEM officers determined the captain had paying clients aboard his boat but didn’t have a required state commercial fishing license nor a Rhode Island Charter/Party fishing permit to fish in Rhode Island state waters.
The boat was escorted to port by the DEM, where the fish was confiscated and sold to a licensed seafood dealer. The captain was issued a criminal summons for the violations. Money from the sold fish is held in escrow by the state.
The tuna could have been worth as much as $10,000, as this is prime time for bluefin tuna, which is a highly valued food held in high esteem for sushi, particularly in Japan. The 113-inch seized tuna could have weighed well over 800 pounds, with an estimated age of 15 years, according to some statistical charts of bluefins.
DEM stated that giant bluefins on the coast are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem and offer great opportunities for properly licensed commercial fishermen. Rhode Island Environmental Police Officers are committed to protecting this vital resource for the benefit of properly licensed fishermen who pursue the fish, said DEM.
In recent weeks giant bluefin tuna have been in good supply not far off the Rhode Island and Massachusetts coasts. Baitfish that big tuna relish have been abundant, and where goes the food goes the gamefish. Tuna target mackerel, herring, menhaden, squid, bluefish, butterfish, false albacore and others.
One report stated that about 30 giant bluefins were caught on Sept. 11 off Scarborough Beach, Narragansett, Rhode Island. A 600-pound, 100-inch bluefin was caught less than five miles off the Sakonnet River, and others just a few miles off Newport.
Reportedly the near-shore fishing was so good and anglers were so successful, that the commercial and recreational allocation limits for giant bluefins were all filled for September, less than half-way through the month.
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Mahi Mahi (Dolphin - Dorado) are fast-growing fish that live no more than five years. They can reach speeds of up to 50 knots. Dolphin fish feed on flying fish and squid
The dolphin fish also has the distinction of being one of the fastest growing fish. Mahi mahi is a favorite of many anglers because visually speaking you won’t find a prettier fish in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico. These fish, with their electric hues of blue, yellow and green, are like free-swimming neon signs
February is a top month for wahoo fishing. You can catch wahoo in one of 2 ways, either by trolling or dragging live baits around.
Trolling is the best technique. First off, wahoo's love a fast moving bait and trolling allows us to pull lures around at a good clip
SAVE THE MAHI PETITION
To: NOAA Fisheries
Please accept this letter as public comment on behalf of 5,000 individual anglers who have signed the Save The Mahi petition
We’re writing today regarding Atlantic Mahi Mahi and Wahoo – Amendment 10
Florida Sportsman Magazine, South Atlantic Fishing Environmentalists (SAFE),
The Billfish Foundation, The West Palm Beach Fishing Club,
International Game Fish Association
Dolphin are an extremely important species for recreational fishing, in Florida alone over 1-million anglers pump more than 9-billion dollars into the economy annually. In fact surveys regularly show dolphin are the most popular catch among off shore sport fishermen. Downward trends apparent in NOAA Fisheries data for both recreational catches and commercial landings are cause for alarm. Equally concerning is NOAA’s ongoing failure to invest in a current stock assessment.
Scientists may assume dolphin populations are abundant and insulated from over-fishing due to the fact that the species is a prolific spawner and widely distributed throughout tropical/subtropical oceans. However, U.S. anglers and charter boat captains by the thousands are seeing a fishery in trouble. Hundreds of public comments made on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s public comment section for Amendment 10 were calling for stricter limits to the dolphin fishery.
