RnR
Senior Nomad
Posts: 836
Registered: 5-1-2010
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Nets and Hookahs
There's a small reef just offshore from our house. A local panguero regularly sets a gill net for about four nights about once month. For about a
week after the nets are pulled, the fishing is dismal. Then it slowly picks up again until the next monthly netting. This actually seems to be a
sustainable practice as the same panguero has been doing this for years and we catch a fair number of fish from the reef, too.
Today, something new:
An unknown panga shows up mid-day and fires up a hookah compressor. One diver pulls out a net from the panga into a half circle. Another diver goes
down to reef and works his way toward the center of the net. The three men then pull the net into the panga and unload a pretty incredible number of
fish into the panga. Far more fish than I've ever seen the monthly netter get. They then pack up and leave. The whole operation took about 45
minutes.
This may not bode well for the local panguero's livelihood, (nor for our tablefare). Based on the difference in the catch rate, it sure doesn't seem
sustainable either.
Anybody else ever see an operation like this?
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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It's not sustainable. Have seen 'em doing the same thing in Mulege. They wrap 'em up and take 'em to the market. They'll clean out a reef in a day or
two.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Over the years this type of hookah netting between La Paz and Loreto simply decimated the whole reef sea animal culture. Seawatch and others
(including Wildcoast) struck back, made lots of videos, day and night, brought all the right people together to get the practice banned.
In that zone (and I don't know where else in the SOC) the practice is prohibited and getting caught with a compressor and nets on board will cost you
your boat and equipment. There was a time you could not find a reef fish bigger than your hand but mother nature is bringing them back.
[Edited on 10-31-2012 by Osprey]
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Russ
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
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This is very sad
It is still going on here by netters that aren't locals. It's kinda like the difference between hand liners & netters without hookas. with a hooka
rig they wrap a reef and herd ALL the fish into the nets. Our islands use to be full of beautiful reef fish. Now ..... well it's hardly worth the
little effort to go look. Yes there are still fish but nothing like you might imagine. 
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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M
Nomad
Posts: 392
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA.
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Mood: looking for joy...
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About 20 years ago....
I was heading out on a 4 day tuna trip on the 'Ensenada Clipper', and I saw a dozen japanese boats in the harbor, ALL WITH THE SAME hull I.D. number.
Seems Japan got a permit for the listed hull number, then duplicated it on many boats, spread them out and then proceeded to clean out the area.
Luckily, some smart game officer put two and two together and ALL of the cheating boats were confiscated. GOOD for Mexico, yet, shame on them for even
dealing with the ocean rapeing Japanese. It's nasty business when another country can come in and clean out your reefs and oceans, yet CRIMINAL, go to
hell, for the LOCAL mexicans who eradicate a whole reef with no concern for future generations. I'm always so sad to see or hear of destroyed fish
populations. Again, in Hawaii, my then husband and I took a dive trip to see one of the 'grandest reefs in the world'. I was shocked when I saw
nothing but a couple turtles, a few baraccuda and acres and acres of grey dead, broken coral. I raised such a tearful fuss about it, we got our money
back and I went on a writing campaigne of shaming the hawaiians for allowing the destruction of their reefs from anchors and the killing and
overfishing of the fishy residents. AND have the balls to STILL charge tourists to go see their shame!Destruction and death for reefs and fish come in
many forms and I wonder how long nature will hold out before she say's, ENOUGH, sends a huge tsunami, earthquake, whatever to clean US out, and start
over. Perhaps the next evolution will be more respectfull of earth. I hope so.
I just came back from visiting Mindy for 4 days in Rosarito, (more later), and the next door neighbor went out every other day for some surf fishing
and always came back with 4-5 impressive sized perch in about 90 minutes. Makes me sore I didn't take my poles, but it was gratifying to see a healthy
population at least off the private beach areas.
M
Looking for new adventures now; Always...
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