I understand that "commercial fishing" is devastating the Sea of Cortez.
Over in Puerto Penasco residents claim that commercial seine boats (traditionally used for tuna) are killing dolphins, sea turtles and sea lions as
they use the seine nets to target sardines and other schooling fish for fish meal to feed to chickens. Killing, in the process, vaquita, dolphins,
sea turtles and whales.
Anyone care to share what you're seeing on the Baja side of the Sea of Cortez, primarily from San Felipe to La Paz? Videos? Photos?
[Edited on 5-5-2016 by gringorio]mtgoat666 - 5-4-2016 at 10:45 PM
You got many types of fishermen. Subsistence fishermen. Sport fishermen. Commercial fishermen, both small and large.
Collectively, they all fish too much. That's why the SOC fish stock is nothing like it was historically.bajabuddha - 5-4-2016 at 11:40 PM
Gringorio, if you've been a member here since '04, you must have some memories on JJ's wall of the fish caught in that area (PP, Cholla Bay) back in
the 70'and 80's, and you also know there ain't been any caught since. Boats go out for miles and miles just for a trigger or a grouper or two if
lucky. Shrimpers are the biggest cause of total destruction, and PP used to be mainly a shrimper port. Not any more. The entire Sea of Cortez is a
biological desert from San Felipe north now, and it aint' going away 'till we do too. PP is for oysters, golf, ATV's, and sunburn. My advice for
fishing is take very light tackle and throw off the rocks just west of the Reef, out on the rocks on the south side of the granite hill. That is, IF
you can still access that part. chuckie - 5-5-2016 at 02:34 AM
Too True....Gone so far downhill, in such a short time....Osprey - 5-5-2016 at 05:21 AM
Fishermen, take heart. No need for boring Jeremiads here. Just fish in fresh water from now on.
Salt water has few recognizable boundaries and it defies protection. Fresh water has everybody and his cousin claiming dominion and making hard and
fast rules about the fish.
The U.S. of A. is getting better all the time in protection of fresh water species and assuring y'all shots at limits set as long as you follow the
rules. Now we just need to sic our marine scientists on the task of making fresh water marlin, sail, dorado, etc. Hook - 5-5-2016 at 06:35 AM
You got many types of fishermen. Subsistence fishermen. Sport fishermen. Commercial fishermen, both small and large.
Collectively, they all fish too much. That's why the SOC fish stock is nothing like it was historically.
There is no way that sport fishermen, by themselves, could make a tiny dent in fish populations if the commercials were actually enforced. Sporties
take of virtually all species WAS probably in the <1% range, historically. But now that the commercials have cleaned out so much fish, the sporties
percentage is probably higher, simply because there are so many fewer fish.
I can tell you that with how expensive diesel and gasoline have been in Mexico for some time, there are many fewer people fishing offshore in San
Carlos than there were only five years ago. Tournaments that were wildly popular (these are catch and release tournaments on billfish and minimum
weights on edible species) only ten years ago are now threatened by a lack of participants. That, and a lack of fish to catch. I must say that
billfish are a bit of an exception; there seems to be no lack to the billfish over the last few years. But dorado and tuna are becoming rare. Is it
El Nino related, as some claim? Possibly. But the severe downturn started long before any recent El Nino.
Oh, but the commercials can afford the fuel. They have their catch to defray the costs. With dorado (supposedly a sportfish-only species) both
commercial trawlers and small pangueros set out long-lines that drift for days while they take the catch every few days and re-bait the hooks. This is
how you see dorado on all the menus in all towns in Mexico, this time of year. Can you imagine how many sport boats it would take to supply this
demand? There arent enough in all of Mexico.
It is mind-boggling how intentionally ineffectual the "Mexican Fish and Game" agencies are.
Yet it would be a simple matter of stationing themselves at the home ports of commercial boats and inspecting their catch and then fining/confiscating
boats and publicizing it. They wouldn't need the boat fuel they always cry they are lacking for on-the-water interdiction.
Actually, they probably ARE meeting some boats at the dock; only to extort money from them to look the other way. Business in Mexico, as usual.sancho - 5-5-2016 at 08:29 AM
Was in San Felipe a couple weeks ago, there is a comercial fishing ban in the N. Cortez for 2 yrs., or so. Don't know the details or boundaries. Did
notice a few pangas beach launching
at night, no running lights. The Mex Navy was also out at nite,
also no running lites, in an apparent attempt of enforcement. Sea Shepard was anchored offshore, in a mission to clear the
N. Cortez of abanoned drift nets. Not to mention the illegal
Toutaba, sp?, fishing, which the Asian mkt. values, of all things,
their bladders LaTijereta - 5-5-2016 at 09:59 AM
Speaking of Dorado.. Any numbers of them showing up over in San Carlos these days?... How's about it Hook...Hook - 5-5-2016 at 02:12 PM
Not yet, in any number or size, that I've heard. Lots and lots of paddys, off shore.
Was hoping some of my southern brethren would have some glowing reports of huge schools of dorado headed north. Anything down there, yet? I haven't
been paying much attention.
The last two years have been pretty terrible, in terms of quantity and size. One good year before that, and then two marginal years before that.
The billfishing has been exceptional for the last three years, over here. But I am not big on that kind of fishing. They are fun when there's nothing
else, though.
If memory serves me, both of our tournaments and one down in the East Cape, last year, were won by a 12 lb dorado. That is the absolute minimum weight
in both of the tournaments over here.MitchMan - 5-7-2016 at 11:47 AM
It is a very sad thing. It has been my belief that the fishing in Baja has been in a steep irreversible decline for the last 3 years, each
successive year being much worse than the preceding year. Last year I predicted that there would be virtually no meaningful Baja sustainable sport
fishing by the year 2022, but it looks like it will be earlier than that.
The foregoing is my opinion and guess solely based on my observation and first hand experience - not a scientific statistical analysis. The principle
reason for my buying a home in Baja 8 years ago was for fishing. Now that fishing is (in my opinion)going away soon, it's time to look for a new
country.
Anyone looking to buy a 13ft Gregor with an 8 HP four stroke Honda and a 15 ft 40 HP center console fiber glass runabout (Calibogie, similar to a
Hobie)?bkbend - 5-8-2016 at 09:31 AM
Now that fishing is (in my opinion)going away soon, it's time to look for a new country.
Anyone looking to buy a 13ft Gregor with an 8 HP four stroke Honda and a 15 ft 40 HP center console fiber glass runabout (Calibogie, similar to a
Hobie)?
