Play'N Hooky

I was renewing my HMS Permit today in preparation for my trip to Venice this weekend and praying for a miraculous change in the WX forecastwhen I noticed that the rules had changed for Tuna according to the NMFS website. Did I read it correctly that after February 9, 2008you cannot keep BFTcaught in the Gulf? Has that always been the case? Not that I would ever have to worry about that, but was just curious.

Play'N Hooky

Radio Check!

Anybody out there?

Chris Couture

I am pulling this from memory and would suggest researching it more but I believe that Bluefin only span in the Gulf of Mexico and one other place. This is why they are off limits during a certain time of the year in the Gulf. I think it's like from January until June or July but am not real sure.



I do remember a few years back when a boat caught a big ass bluefin in a tourney but they couldn't bring it in because they were just a few days out from it being the season for bluefin.



I will do some research and see if I can back this up...



Added::::



The other area is the Eastern Mediterranean...

Play'N Hooky

Yes, that is what the NMFS website said,that the Gulf was their spawning area and that they could not be "targeted" in that area. I just wanted to make sure that "not targeted" meant the same thing as "not thrown in the fish box" if you happened to catch one by shear dumb luck, which would likely be the only scenario available to me.

off route II

there is a season but i don't know when it is. i watched a boat weigh in onethat weighed 829#.it was june of '06at OB marina and it is the current alabama state record.

whatcon

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=633 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width=126>










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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=390 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom noWrap ?left?><H2>News</H2></TD><TD noWrap align=right>last updated: 2/7/2008 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><A name=news265>NMFS Adjusts Recreational Bluefin Tuna Retention Limits</A>

In the 2008 final BFT specifications and effort controls, which took effect on January 30, 2008, NMFS set the recreational daily vessel/trip retention limits to one school BFT (measuring 27 to &lt;47 inches curved fork length) and two large school/small medium BFT. NMFS indicated in that action that an Angling category adjustment may be necessary once complete LPS estimates for the 2007 fishing year were available. In an effort to limit large school/small medium BFT landings to the available subquota (183.4 mt) for 2008, NMFS is reducing the daily retention limit of large school/small medium BFT. Effective February 10, 2008, through December 31, 2008, the Angling category daily vessel/trip retention limit will be one school BFT (27 to &lt;47 inches) and one large school/small medium BFT (47 to &lt;73 inches). This limit applies to vessels permitted in the HMS Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category and the HMS Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally). This action does not change the annual Angling category retention limit of one large medium/giant BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel. NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fishery closely through dealer landing reports, the Automated Landings Reporting System, state harvest tagging programs in North Carolina and Maryland, and the LPS. Depending on the level of fishing effort, NMFS may determine that additional retention limit adjustments are necessary prior to December 31, 2008. Closures or subsequent adjustments to the daily retention limits, if any, will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9260, or access the internet at www.hmspermits.gov, for updates on quota monitoring and retention limit adjustments. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Play'N Hooky

The next news item on that page is the one that I had a question about:

<A name=news231>Recreational Atlantic Tunas Retention Limits</A>

The recreational daily bluefin tuna (BFT) retention for limit for HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels (while fishing recreationally) is 1 BFT/vessel/day/trip, measuring 27 to less than 47?, and 2 BFT/vessel/day/trip, measuring 47 to less than 73" CFL. This limit is in place until February 9, 2008. Effective February 10, 2008, through December 31, 2008, the retention limit will be 1 school BFT and one large school/small medium BFT. HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Heaboats are also eligible to retain 1 BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel per year as a ?trophy? fish for the boat. <U>These BFT retention limits are effective for all areas, except for the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is designated as a spawning grounds for BFT and therefore NMFS does not allow vessels, commercial or recreational, to target BFT while fishing in this area.</U> The recreational yellowfin tuna daily retention limit is 3 yellowfin/person. The minimum size for yellowfin and bigeye tuna is 27" curved fork length. There are no recreational limits for bigeye, skipjack or albacore tunas.

Bryan Bennett

The key word in the NMFS literature is "target." Because the GOM is a known spawning area for Bluefins, recreational anglers cannot "target" them, but, unless something has changed, a HMS-permitted vessel can retain one bluefin per year as an "incidental" catch. How one defines "target" is debatable, as dragging a ballyhoo around in the gulf for migratory species seems to lend itself to the fact that you might catch a bluefin. I believe the incidental retention rule is in place because NMFS realizes that if one is caught on sporting gear it will probably be spent and unrevivable. You do have to report it if you catch one and I have heard that if you bring one in that is inadequately iced, and a NMFS official witnesses the poor condition of the fish, then that can get you in some hot water. I've always wanted to luck into one...my friend Mark Russocaught one on the Sea Reaper last year that weighed 496 pounds down around Lloyd's ridge. Bit a hardtail that he was targeting...um...something else with...fun topic.

Xiphius

Thats right, I'm with OffRoute we only have giants (breeding stock) and targeting these fish is off limits. I understand Caribe may be going on a satelitte tagging excursion with some NC fisheries biologists. They are expected to have fixed wing support in attempting to spot the schools in attempt to catch to affix the transponder.

Chris V

For the most part your right but believe it or not in the fall and through early winterthere are school size bluefin around the elbow and the nipple. Althought they are not commonly taken, fishermen who do catch the few out there need to take the necessary steps in identifying any small tunas they catch to prevent harvest of undersized bluefin. I have caught small bluefin in those areas from october through early december and there are enough identifying marks on them to prevent a hefty fine for those who mistake them for blackfin or bigeye tuna. For one, small bluefin will usually have vertical bifercated bars on them similar to a wahoo. If these are not present look at the pectoral fins. On a bluefin these will be very short, usually shorter in length than the head of the fish whereas the pectoral fins on blackfin,bigeye and yellowfin are usually much longer. Do not use the color of the finlets to identify small bluefin; they can vary from bright yellow to a silvery gray.

By the way Xiphius, those plasmas are on the way.

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