An Email from NOAA Recreational Fisheries Coordinator

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by PapaDave

I'm not real sure how much this regulation will effect most anglers. Last time I caught a blue fin was on an 8 day trip two years ago.

Personally, for one trip, two blue fins are plenty for me.

I do think that if we are to be regulated that restrictively that the commercial interests should be also.

Hey! Who has the popcorn!?!?

Probably right, this regulation isn't going to effect most anglers because how often does an angler catch 2 bluefin a trip let alone 10 in US waters...? The truth is not often. To me it seems....(I could totally be wrong about this, but I don't think so)...but they're trying to fix something that isn't a problem to begin with. Why?

In my opinion, the bluefin out there are going to get caught no matter what we do. If we regulate the sportfishery and reduce the limit to two, the fish we don't keep or catch will eventually be caught by the commercials. I'm all for protecting the fishery but let's do it in a way that will have some real impact. Here's a suggestion....how about the commercials be limited to a hook and line fishery like the guys on the east coast like we see on wicked tuna. Lets do away with all the seiners, how about that? Now that would make a huge impact.


Pass the popcorn please!