Russ - 2-23-2016 at 08:56 AM
This is a sad report but I'd like to inform you of the direr situation here. This is a large ponga with a 200hp + outboard. It has been out every
morning since my return 2 weeks ago. I talked to a couple of locals and the say the net they're using is 1 km long. As you can see from the photos the
net mesh is small and will kill/take everything. These guys set the net and send divers it to scare the fish into the net. The fishing from shore is
dismal now. After years of this practice from dozens of netters in pongas and the seiner & shrimper fleets there is a real threat that
fishing/fish stocks will not survive even with a moratorium of all fishing. It just makes me sick that the Government hasn't tried to stop this wanton
waste! We're at the mouth of the Bahia Conception and this should be a natural treasure for all of Mexico & the world to see and enjoy.
BigBearRider - 2-23-2016 at 08:59 AM
Are nets allowed in the first place? No matter the length?
Meany - 2-23-2016 at 09:03 AM
Very Sad. I've seen them over by dead mans as well. Fishing will be history soon. 
SFandH - 2-23-2016 at 09:41 AM
Saw two large pangas with nets launched several times at Santispac this past Nov/Dec. They would stay out 24 hours. Launch at night, return at night.
When they returned there would be an enclosed truck full of ice waiting. The catch was weighed in increments using a large scale and then thrown into
the truck. A man in the truck would shovel ice over the fish as they were thrown in. The unloading, weighing, and ice packing operation would take
well over an hour.
Russ - 2-23-2016 at 10:00 AM
SF&H, Yep, these guys have been doing this up & down the Baja for years. Bandits!
chuckie - 2-23-2016 at 10:12 AM
This is Mexico we are talking about...."what is allowed" has nothing to do with what is done. I have a video taken in that same area, with maybe the
same boat, of divers driving large schools of yellowtail into nets..And they were in the same locations for several weeks. Yellowtail fishing suffered
(DUH). It is what it is.....
Cochi - 2-23-2016 at 03:39 PM
I remember fishing on the Rogue in a drift boat and the guy I was with decided it would be a lot better to just hold up in the "HOLE" in front of the
bank fisherman. Can you hear the 2 ounce lead sinkers hitting the boat?
I know this would not work in this situation. It will definitely upset me again to witness this ugly sight, Russ. Ultimately, "pigs get fed and hogs
get slaughtered."
Gee, lets just go buy our dinner from Fish Camp!
blackwolfmt - 2-23-2016 at 04:03 PM
Dang shame for sure BTW russ is that beach erosion getin worse it looks kinda nasty like that casa's time is runnin out
larryC - 2-23-2016 at 05:19 PM
Exact same situation in BoLA and has been going on for decades. Shore fishing in BoLA not too great.
Pescador - 2-23-2016 at 08:10 PM
Okay, when they wrap a circle around a school of feeding yellowtail close to shore, they put out divers, to move the net towards the center and they
take every thing that moves and sell the the fish buyers. But when they put a net along the shore, divers do not do much of anything except for those
rare cases when they hook something on the bottom and they move it over the obstacle.
I know this boat very well and it originates in San Bruno. The owners are not well respected among the other fishermen and are pretty much
considered low lifes in the scheme of things. They do have a cooperative permit and the net is reasonably legal. If it were not legal, there is
very little, if any, enforcement of fishing regs in the area. There is a movement under way to close off all net and longline fishing from Point
Conception to the point at Punta Chivato, but as of yet this has not been acted on by the governor.
Since the squeaky wheel gets the grease, it would be a good idea to send your concerns to the governor of Baja California Sur. Do not worry about
translations, he has a person working in the office who is very bilingual, so it just need the reports coming in to have some effect. Imagine that
the commercial representatives are doing what they can to have input to the Governor's office, so it is really helpful if the rest of you do the same
thing. They do listen to input.
BajaBlanca - 2-23-2016 at 08:18 PM
great suggestion from Pescador.
really sad to see these nets
it was so hard here in our community to get them to change their ways, stop netting etc. and now they are gung-ho. you can beg all you want, our
cooperative captains will NOT let you catch (not even to release) grouper.
[Edited on 2-24-2016 by BajaBlanca]
