An Email from NOAA Recreational Fisheries Coordinator

[Mahigeer]

I just got this Email and thought to share it.
April 21, 2015

Good evening,

Based on a recommendation of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing to modify the existing Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) recreational daily bag limit in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off California, and to establish filleting-at-sea requirements for any tuna species in the U.S. EEZ south of Point Conception, Santa Barbara County.

The proposed regulations would reduce the existing bag limit of 10 PBF per day to 2 PBF per day and the maximum multiday possession limit (i.e., for trips of 3 days or more) from 30 PBF to 6 PBF.

In addition, the proposed regulations would establish requirements for filleting tuna at-sea (e.g., each fish must be cut into six pieces placed in an individual bag so that certain diagnostic characteristics are left intact), which will assist law enforcement personnel in accurately identifying different tuna species. These requirements would apply to any tuna species caught south of Santa Barbara (i.e., south of a line running west true from Point Conception, Santa Barbara County).

To view the proposed regulations and to submit comments, please visit: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documen...2015-0029-0001

Comments are due by May 6 2015, at 11:59 PM ET.
Regards,
Craig Heberer
Recreational Fisheries Coordinator
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region
WCR Recreational Fisheries Homepage West Coast Region, NMFS, NOAA | westcoast.recfish@noaa.gov | http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115

[Lipripper92592]

Freaking jerks...regulate, regulate, regulate! I love the "sound" science behind this one. Comment submitted to NOAA, but I can assure you my comments will fall on deaf ears.

[taggermike]

First the inshore, now the off shore.
And what the hells up with filleting tuna
In to 6 piece and all meat from one fish
has to go in to one bag? Thats worse than the
Reg on filleting hslibut at sea. Mike

[driftwood]

And Mexico says the bag limit is ZERO unit further notice.

[Kayak_Bernie]

Here is the major problem I see with this entire scenario, BFT are highly migratory, and they move across international borders without impediment. The VAST majority of these fish are picked off by international fishing vessels, that scoop up the BFT and countless other species of "bycatch" . Until something is done to prevent the over harvesting of BFT by these entities we must bear the brunt of the regulations. Is it fair, no, is it something...yes. It is like carbon emissions, we here in California are driving more and more energy efficient vehicles, and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, but developing countries continue to burn coal and oil at an alarming rate. We cannot control them and we will have to do our part to help regardless of how much it sucks. We have an obligation to the natural world to help if we can, decades of unchecked fishing across the globe have decimated BFT and if we impose lower catch limits we at least will be doing something to stem the tide of collapse of this fishery. By some estimates over 90% of the fish being caught are too young to have even spawned one time, that is just ridiculous. I for one love tuna, and I love sport fishing, I am willing to reduce my daily catch from 10 to 2 for the hope that maybe, just maybe my kids will have the some opportunity that I have been afforded, to catch a BFT. Join the CCA and let your voice be heard, contact your congressman and tell him to have the USA put sanctions on countires who overfish BFT and the like. We only have one ocean, and we are doing a really good job at decimating the fish stocks, once they are gone, we as humans are going to be witness to a ecosystem collapse on par with the ice-age extinctions, and our health and livelyhood depend on the health of the oceans, if the oceans die...we die...Simple as that.

[chris138]

I'm all for it. Close down mex, and regulate that shit in the US. Believe it or not, the folks over at NOAA Southwest Fisheries actually know a thing or two about our marine ecosystem. Try asking Dos Ballenas about the YT fishery. Ever stop to think, "wow the YT and WSB fishing has been really good the last few years" Hmm, i'm sure that has nothing to do with MLPAs...

Let's be honest... when's that last time any of you caught more than 2 BFT on a trip in US waters? Very few of us have, and even then probably only last year or in '98. If you think sport fishermen don't have an impact on the local fish populations, you've probably never seen a cattle boat on a good tuna bite. Those captains will rape the ocean in a heartbeat to get their counts up.

If the regs work as they are intended, you should only need to catch ONE bluefin each... like this 60 pound beast we caught THIS MONTH!!!

Saddle up boys! These monsters are in kayak range!

[chris138]

Originally Posted by taggermike

First the inshore, now the off shore.
And what the hells up with filleting tuna
In to 6 piece and all meat from one fish
has to go in to one bag? Thats worse than the
Reg on filleting hslibut at sea. Mike

The filleting regs are so that people don't cut up their BFT and try to say that it's YFT. All the pieces go into seperate bags, one piece per bag. But if you're catching bluefin, please don't commit the sin of filleting on the water. Gut and gill them, take them home whole and brine them for at least 12 hours prior to filleting.

I had to fillet that big one OTW in the sun... at the request of the crew. A damn shame.

[bubblehide]

Statistically speaking, the recreational fishing take is not significant. What needs to be regulated is the commercial take. What really needs to happen is that Our fishery need to be managed with recreational fishermen being a priority, rather than the commercial industry like as it is now.

[momo fish]

Good point and One can only hope... The biggest issue seems to be the non oversight on international take by commercial.. Don't see that ever happening in my lifetime but who knows..

Originally Posted by bubblehide

Statistically speaking, the recreational fishing take is not significant. What needs to be regulated is the commercial take. What really needs to happen is that Our fishery need to be managed with recreational fishermen being a priority, rather than the commercial industry like as it is now.

[Silbaugh4liberty]

uploadfromtaptalk1430110304055.jpguploadfromtaptalk1430110310607.jpg

Sent from the Future

[nickc5]

Haha. This is awesome Silbaugh. Grown men bickering like teenage girls on social media…..

Originally Posted by Silbaugh4liberty

Attachment 15333Attachment 15334

Sent from the Future

[Silbaugh4liberty]

Originally Posted by nickc5

Haha. This is awesome Silbaugh. Grown men bickering like teenage girls on social media…..

Thanks Nick! Figured that it's more fun to intervene with some humor rather than my opinion.

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by Silbaugh4liberty

Thanks Nick! Figured that it's more fun to intervene with some humor rather than my opinion.

Good thing you didn't add your opinion this time....cause' last time you offered it you called some boaters "assholes"...now they really want to run us all over now....! ! Hopefully Chuck Norris shows up to save the day...

[Silbaugh4liberty]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Good thing you didn't add your opinion this time....cause' last time you offered it you called some boaters "assholes"...now they really want to run us all over now....! ! Hopefully Chuck Norris shows up to save the day...

uploadfromtaptalk1430162661390.jpguploadfromtaptalk1430162674791.jpg

Don't count on it Tony! Here's the sign I made for him in '05. Somebody posted my platoon online too. I'm on the truck holding my sign, so my head is cut off.

Anyway, we're still fighting ISIS.

SO, you better be Packin the next time you're Yackin!

Asshole boaters!

[Saba Slayer]

For all you experts on global warming and fishing...please make your comment where it will count...those of us on BWE already know you're an expert on all affairs, political and worldly!

We now have an opportunity to comment on the proposed recreational bluefin tuna regulations for 2015-2016.
Many of us are familiar with the Pacific Fishery Management Council process that decided on a compromise
approach to reducing recreational bluefin tuna catches in the Eastern Pacific. What many of us may not know is that
this compromise has not yet been officially made into law. First, a comment period is required. This will likely give the folks that would like to see all recreational bluefin fishing stopped completely a final chance to have their way.
It would be greatly appreciated if you all could go online to the following website; http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa....shing_wcr.html

and then click on http://www.regulations.gov/#!documen...2015-0029-0001 to read background and the text of the rule.

Then click on...

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketD...NMFS-2015-0029
This will bring up the comment page that you can make your thoughts known on this subject.

This is really important and will make a big difference in whether we will be able to fish bluefin tuna off California this year!

[bubblehide]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

For all you experts on global warming and fishing... ... ...those of us on BWE already know you're an expert on all affairs, political and worldly!

...

Jim, I've been called names before, but never like this.

But hey, the rest is spot on buddy!

[Saba Slayer]

Originally Posted by bubblehide

Jim, I've been called names before, but never like this.

But hey, the rest is spot on buddy!

My post was not meant for any one expert in particular on fishing or global warming...

[ful-rac]

I gave'm hell!

[bubblehide]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

My post was not meant for any one expert in particular on fishing or global warming...

No worries Jim, I was just having fun with it, while trying to bring a little attention back to your links.

[chris138]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

For all you experts on global warming and fishing...please make your comment where it will count...those of us on BWE already know you're an expert on all affairs, political and worldly!

We now have an opportunity to comment on the proposed recreational bluefin tuna regulations for 2015-2016.
Many of us are familiar with the Pacific Fishery Management Council process that decided on a compromise
approach to reducing recreational bluefin tuna catches in the Eastern Pacific. What many of us may not know is that
this compromise has not yet been officially made into law. First, a comment period is required. This will likely give the folks that would like to see all recreational bluefin fishing stopped completely a final chance to have their way.
It would be greatly appreciated if you all could go online to the following website; http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa....shing_wcr.html

and then click on http://www.regulations.gov/#!documen...2015-0029-0001 to read background and the text of the rule.

Then click on...

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketD...NMFS-2015-0029
This will bring up the comment page that you can make your thoughts known on this subject.

This is really important and will make a big difference in whether we will be able to fish bluefin tuna off California this year!

Comment sent, thanks for the link.