Tuna From Shore

[Mr. Sandman]

Again this illustrates how rule makers are out of touch with reality. I don't understand the permit reasons in the first place! (I have one though) What are they actually doing besides issuing permits? I see no reason for permitting except that it is a baby step towards saltwater fishing lic's. I think what ever they are doing could be done without permits. For the most part there is little enforcement. It is nearly impossible to enforce this.

How many of you actaully sent in your catch results of tuna fishing EACH DAY YOU WENT? You are suppose to within 24 hours of fishing. I am calling the feds on you.

Surf fishing...If you catch one I doubt anyone will say anything but the rule is you have to release it. In my view, they never considered the possiblity of a surf caster being able to catch one so they made the lic for boats.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

How many of you actaully sent in your catch results of tuna fishing EACH DAY YOU WENT? You are suppose to within 24 hours of fishing. I am calling the feds on you.

People SHOULD even if some don't. The catch reports help track where the fish are (for better enforcement) as well as how agressively any given age class is being fished. Catch reports are given to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. All our regulations and size restrictions are based on them.

You can even do it online. People should respect this incredible (and vulnerable) fishery. This fish isn't a scup or some other fast breeding, boring fish. What happened last year off of RI wasn't even remotely normal. People think I'm joking when I say it was probably once in a lifetime. Hopefully it will happen again. Better regulation will increase the chances of it.

[MakoMike]

Sandy,
FWIW, I heard numerous reports from earlier this year when the bluefins were close tot he beach in RI of RI DEM issuing citations to boats fishing for tuna without the federal permit. Supposedly the fines were a couple of grand.

[MoroneSaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

Again this illustrates how rule makers are out of touch with reality.

I hope this isn't too far off topic. It's got nothing to do with tuna from shore, but is another illustration of how inept enforcement agents can be.
I was returning from a scalloping trip on George's Bank this past summer when we were stopped by the Coast Guard for a rountine boarding/inspection.
We are allowed to possess 300 lbs of monkfish for every 24 hours that we fish. We fished for 13 days and had about 3000 lbs of monk aboard. When they checked the fish hold, the CG told us we were in violation because the possession limit was 300 lbs for the entire trip.We assured them they were wrong, but they stated that they were certain. They proceeded to hold us up for over an hour while they flipped through regs in thier binders, contacted "the mother ship" to consult with other officials and so forth. Of course, they turned out to be wrong, and sent us on our way with profuse appologies and quite a bit of embarassment to themselves.

Moderators: Please move this to some other thread if it's too far