Dean, what are your thoughts on pelagics?
04-02-2010, 12:01 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Dean, what are your thoughts on pelagics?
Dean,
There has been much debate of late about the health of the tuna stocks around the globe. Recently, the CITES initiative was defeted in the UN. This would have limited or even banned tuna fishing to allow the stocks to rebuild. In the US, the NOAA regulations change from year to year, but recreational fishermen are allowed to catch two tuna per day. One under 43 inches, and one between 43 and 75 inches. We can catch and keep one fish per year over 75 inches. The commercial guys can only catch fish over 75 inches. There is also a tonnage limit. Once a certain volume of fish are caught the fishery is closed for the season. Some say the smaller fish should not be taken at all until the stocks rebuild further.
Here in New England, the general impression is that tuna and other pelagic species off the coast of the US are doing well. But this is based on the local fishing action, which may be unusually good in our area because of unusual water temps or because bad things are happening elsewhere. Have you seen any studies that you find reliable on this subject? What are your thoughts?
There has been much debate of late about the health of the tuna stocks around the globe. Recently, the CITES initiative was defeted in the UN. This would have limited or even banned tuna fishing to allow the stocks to rebuild. In the US, the NOAA regulations change from year to year, but recreational fishermen are allowed to catch two tuna per day. One under 43 inches, and one between 43 and 75 inches. We can catch and keep one fish per year over 75 inches. The commercial guys can only catch fish over 75 inches. There is also a tonnage limit. Once a certain volume of fish are caught the fishery is closed for the season. Some say the smaller fish should not be taken at all until the stocks rebuild further.
Here in New England, the general impression is that tuna and other pelagic species off the coast of the US are doing well. But this is based on the local fishing action, which may be unusually good in our area because of unusual water temps or because bad things are happening elsewhere. Have you seen any studies that you find reliable on this subject? What are your thoughts?
04-02-2010, 12:35 PM
#2
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I'm about to head out the door to make what I'm sure will be many, many trips to Home Depot. 
However, I can tell you this. At the current population level, the world obtains only two percent of its total food supply from the ocean and fisheries worldwide are being depleted at an unprecedented rate even at that low of a percentage. While I don't recall the exact source for that figure at the moment, I do know that it came from a reliable and non partisan source.
I find it rather alarming, to say the least. We humans tend to be terra-centric and, generally speaking, rather oblivious to the fact that we live on the backs of a few relatively small rocks in the middle of a vast, but rather delicately balanced ocean.
I'll dig through some of the stuff in my office and try to come up with some more info for you.
However, I can tell you this. At the current population level, the world obtains only two percent of its total food supply from the ocean and fisheries worldwide are being depleted at an unprecedented rate even at that low of a percentage. While I don't recall the exact source for that figure at the moment, I do know that it came from a reliable and non partisan source.
I find it rather alarming, to say the least. We humans tend to be terra-centric and, generally speaking, rather oblivious to the fact that we live on the backs of a few relatively small rocks in the middle of a vast, but rather delicately balanced ocean.
I'll dig through some of the stuff in my office and try to come up with some more info for you.
04-02-2010, 01:16 PM
#3
by the way congrats bill, you sent me to the dictionary.
I had no clue what pelagic species meant.
pretty much the opposite of littorals.
I had no clue what pelagic species meant.
pretty much the opposite of littorals.
04-02-2010, 02:59 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Thanks, Dean. I'm getting into tuna fishing this year, and I'm a little confused about the strength of the blue fin, yellow fin and smaller tuna fisheries. I know I'm not going to make much of an impact, but I read a lot of comments from fellow fishermen and many of them seem contradictory.
Last year, 60 minutes, or some news show, did a piece on tuna fishing world wide. When I saw large ships capturing entire schools of giant blue fin tuna, it became clear to me, the rod and reel guys are not the problem on a world wide basis. But the rod and reel guys may be a big problem here in the United States. I just don't know.
Jerry, lots of fish are pelagics. It really refers to where the fish live in the ocean and water column. Tuna are pretty special. Unlike other fish, they can actually maintain a body temperature higher than their surrounding waters.
Last year, 60 minutes, or some news show, did a piece on tuna fishing world wide. When I saw large ships capturing entire schools of giant blue fin tuna, it became clear to me, the rod and reel guys are not the problem on a world wide basis. But the rod and reel guys may be a big problem here in the United States. I just don't know.
Jerry, lots of fish are pelagics. It really refers to where the fish live in the ocean and water column. Tuna are pretty special. Unlike other fish, they can actually maintain a body temperature higher than their surrounding waters.
04-03-2010, 05:40 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Thanks Barbara. I'll take a look.
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04-05-2010, 10:24 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Dean, here is a link to the 60 Minutes piece, "King of Sushi." They save the really scary stuff till the end. The purse seine ships, of which there are several hundreds, can catch up to 3,000 BFT at a time. They then keep them in huge net pens at sea and feet them sardienes and mackerel until they have added about 20% of their body weight. They are then processed and flash frozen at sea for the Japanese market.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=442...ated;photovideo
One question I had was about the tuna migration to the Mediterainian. Do all BFT go there to spawn? I thought those off the Atlantic coast travelled to the Gulf of Mexico to spawn.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=442...ated;photovideo
One question I had was about the tuna migration to the Mediterainian. Do all BFT go there to spawn? I thought those off the Atlantic coast travelled to the Gulf of Mexico to spawn.
04-06-2010, 05:51 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Are they a different species than the BFT that migrates to the Med.?