BajaNomad

Blue Fin Tuna Suspended for remainder of 2014

BajaGringo - 7-14-2014 at 06:51 PM

No more fishing around the tuna pens I guess...

Bluefin tuna fishing suspended

Bassaholic - 7-14-2014 at 07:25 PM

I read the article, it didn't say anything about sport fishing specifically. It seemed to be talking about the comercial fleet. However, I must say I know nothing about that Quota and the legal talk they use. Guess it would only take a phone call to the San Diego landings to find out.

BajaGringo - 7-14-2014 at 09:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bassaholic
I read the article, it didn't say anything about sport fishing specifically. It seemed to be talking about the comercial fleet. However, I must say I know nothing about that Quota and the legal talk they use. Guess it would only take a phone call to the San Diego landings to find out.



I believe it is for sport and commercial fishing:



redhilltown - 7-14-2014 at 11:20 PM

It's like Santa Claus...I want to believe it is true...I hope it is true...

But...

msteve1014 - 7-15-2014 at 11:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by redhilltown
It's like Santa Claus...I want to believe it is true...I hope it is true...

But...


Why would you WANT to believe we can not keep Bluefin in Mexico???

weebray - 7-15-2014 at 03:58 PM

Because it has been determined that further take of that species in the calendar year 2014 may be detrimental to their sustainability. That's why.

BajaRat - 7-15-2014 at 04:18 PM

Not a great sign for our beloved fish, Sign of the overfishing changing times :no:
P.S. I've only eaten a little.....shhhhhhh
I did think they were doomed in the 60s but what a comeback till...

micah202 - 7-15-2014 at 04:27 PM

.
......maybe better titled ''summer holiday for blue-fins''

....I know it's a bit tough on sport-fish businesses ,,but so too would extinction :no:

freediverbrian - 7-15-2014 at 05:41 PM

If the blue fin fishery needs a break to sustain the population I am for it. Now what about shark and many others spices that need some management. Must be no money in the blue fin fishery to influence Pesca.

redhilltown - 7-15-2014 at 11:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by msteve1014
Quote:
Originally posted by redhilltown
It's like Santa Claus...I want to believe it is true...I hope it is true...

But...


Why would you WANT to believe we can not keep Bluefin in Mexico???


I get where you are coming from. I have seen first hand the difference between commercial fishing for Blue Fin tuna up close and personal...a few of us spending hours to catch a few and then a commercial fleet with spotter planes scooping up thousands in a few minutes. But if we have to forgo catching some to keep the fleets from raping the oceans I can live with that. There are plenty of other fish to keep us occupied. For now...

weebray - 7-16-2014 at 06:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by freediverbrian
If the blue fin fishery needs a break to sustain the population I am for it. Now what about shark and many others spices that need some management. Must be no money in the blue fin fishery to influence Pesca.

In fact, Mexico is stepping up to the plate and managing their fisheries. Vedas (temporary bans) are now common in the shark fishery and a complete ban on commercial shark and ray fishing is on the horizon. While this is a popular move and I support it I also am aware of the devastating effect this will have on the people at the bottom rung of this ladder, the fishermen. These people are multi generational and have no place to go. It's a grim reality and not often talked about.

micah202 - 7-16-2014 at 08:02 AM

.
...^^....true ,,I'm sad for the local panga-fishers,,,,they pretty much have it from all sides:no:

msteve1014 - 7-16-2014 at 02:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by weebray
Quote:
Originally posted by freediverbrian
If the blue fin fishery needs a break to sustain the population I am for it. Now what about shark and many others spices that need some management. Must be no money in the blue fin fishery to influence Pesca.

In fact, Mexico is stepping up to the plate and managing their fisheries. Vedas (temporary bans) are now common in the shark fishery and a complete ban on commercial shark and ray fishing is on the horizon. While this is a popular move and I support it I also am aware of the devastating effect this will have on the people at the bottom rung of this ladder, the fishermen. These people are multi generational and have no place to go. It's a grim reality and not often talked about.


In fact, Mexico passes all kinds of new laws then selectively enforces them. people with deep pockets will continue to kill marlin, dorado and tuna. Others will go without, or be criminals.

Aqsurfer - 7-16-2014 at 03:58 PM

Hola Nomads,

The ban on blue fin comes in large part due to US pressure on Mex through the IATTC. It is good to see them finally stepping up and addressing this issue.

Freediverbrian is spot on when he said:

"If the blue fin fishery needs a break to sustain the population I am for it. Now what about shark and many others spices that need some management. Must be no money in the blue fin fishery to influence Pesca".

The big shift is on and commercial fishers are now targeting dorado and billfish. This practice has been going on for years now and each year the illegal fishing grows and becomes more brazen. For more background on this, check out this 3-part documentary on youtube about the issue - here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vN_g2-JU_E

msteve and micah: you guys are correct in pointing out that it is the local guys in pangas that get the shaft. It does not have to be this way. The coops on the pacific side are recognized globally as models of community based/sustainable fisheries management. This could be replicated in the gulf - absolutely no doubt about it. Problem is CONAPESCA and commercial interests. For more on this please check out the 3-part documentary.

The illegal fishing of dorado and billfish is currently being done under a loophole in the shark law NORMA 029. 029 allows for incidental bycatch of reserved species, it does not however permit its commercialization (the language and legislative intent on this is very clear). The illegal take is increasingly showing up in Mexico's stream of commerce and being exported to the US in violation of US law.

Commercial interests are currently working at CONAPESCA and the Camara de Diputados to open up dorado to commercial fishing. I am working with Vince Radice on these issues. We recently founded a conservation organization, The World's Aquarium. The site is still being built but has good info on who we are and what we are doing.

www.worldsaquarium.org

Feel free to contact me directly for more information at:

aqsurf@aol.com

Peace,
Aaron Quintanar

BajaGringo - 7-16-2014 at 04:43 PM

Aaron - sincerely appreciate your info, efforts and dedication.

Couldn't find much info on the blog - anything more out there or is this relatively new???



[Edited on 7-16-2014 by BajaGringo]

Bajahowodd - 7-16-2014 at 04:48 PM

The ever growing population of the world places greater demands on the fisheries.

If you recall, commercial fishermen have depleted a number of species, simply because they were in high demand and their prices were relatively low. Think Orange Roughy. There are others.

weebray - 7-16-2014 at 06:19 PM

While I agree that there are enforcement inequities and I agree that the co-ops have been successful in parts of Baja let me assure you that the relatively small shark fishing community is directly affected by enforced vedas. They do not fish in defiance. I happen to know many of them personally. For many years they have been hostile to "us" concluding that it is us, as in U.S. that is shutting them down. I have been able to show at least some of them that even their own people are starting to wake up to the fact that the current rate of harvest is not sustainable. My point here is that these families are extremely hard working people doing what there people have been doing for many generations. I would welcome ideas that would help these people transition. They live in a hostile environment isolated from the rest of the world. Some of them would prefer it to stay that way. I can't say I blame them.

Aqsurfer - 7-16-2014 at 06:35 PM

Hola BajaGringo,

A lot more information at Vince's site, this is where Vince began blogging and posting info about the gulf, Guaymas and San Carlos:

http://sancarlos.tv/category/pod-cast/

Search around after watching the podcast on Billfish Conservation and Lacey Act.

Thank you for your kind words, we love the gulf and the peninsula and therefore have no choice but to step up. If anyone sees any illegal commercial fishing of dorado or billfish, please let us know where, when, boat info, gear sets, etc. This type of information from fishers goes along way in getting results.

Peace,
Aaron

worldsaquarium - 7-17-2014 at 12:48 AM

Thanks for the info on Blue Fin. I have not been following what has been happening on the pacific side of the Baja lately but vedas on blue fin are probably a mix of good news and bad. Good news some body is finally giving the fish a break and bad news that the fish need the break.

Also thank you Aaron for mentioning the dorado issue which is very near and dear to my heart. This year we really do hope to get some traction on the illegal dorado fishery and once and for all end the illegal exportation of Dorado from Mexico into the U.S.

I would also like to reiterate what Aaron posted above. Please do let us know if anyone has any info on the commercial fishing of doardo or billfish in Mexico, as stated it is very illegal indeed and even more so when the fish cross the border.

A french film crew from the Thalassa TV network did a very nice video on our efforts and can be seen at this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZstAPZqDYmQ

Perhaps this belongs on another thread but one thing everyone should start to hear about soon, and that we will be writing about frequently at worldsaquarium and sancarlos tv, is the new rules that Conapesca has come up with for the commercial sardine fishery. Norma 003, which governs the sardine fishery looks like it is about to get amended, and the amendments won't be for the better.

what a great forum, I will certainly have to start checking in here more often!

Saludos de San Carlos!

Vince

BajaGringo - 7-17-2014 at 06:28 AM

Thanks for the info and all your efforts Vince. And welcome to the forum!

Martyman - 7-17-2014 at 02:13 PM

Outlawing incidental bycatch would be a good start.
I was a biologist for National Marine Fisheries on a Korean ship in the Bering sea. When we started catching too many halibut, king crab or salmon (valuable species) we were forced to move and only go after lesser fish like Pollock or Atka Mackerel. If any of those species were found on board the license was suspended.
If they are allowed to keep dodos or bluefin... they will and say it was incidental.