AMENDMENT 5B – DUSKY SHARK PROTECTIONS – UPDATE

NMFS released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan in mid- February, 2017.  A new Preferred Alternative (A6d) “requires the use of non-stainless steel circle hooks by all HMS permit holders with a shark endorsement when fishing for sharks recreationally south of 41 degrees 43’ latitude, except when fishing with flies or artificial lures.” In other words, if fishing for sharks with flies or artificial lures, circle hooks are not required.  But if you are fishing for sharks you must obtain a Shark Endorsement. If you do not want to use circle hooks all

DEBATE ON BILLFISH CONSERVATION ACT

The 2012 Billfish Conservation Act (BCA) has yet to be implemented and again is under Congressional review to attempt to resolve debated language so no Pacific billfish can be imported into the continental U.S.  The BCA  language in question follows. Sec. 2 – Findings Congress finds the following: Subsection (3) – “Ending the importation of foreign-caught billfish for sale in the United States  aligns with U.S. management measures of billfish and protects significant economic benefits to the U.S. economy of recreational fishing and marine commerce and the traditional cultural fisheries.” Was the legislative intent in (3) to stop importation and sale of only foreign-caught

UPDATE ON LONGLINES IN FLORIDA’S EAST COAST CLOSED ZONE

The NMFS has extended the deadline to March 29, 2017 for accepting public comments on the application for an Exempted Fishing Permit.  If approved, six pelagic longline vessels will fish for three years in Florida’s East Coast Closed Zone. Email your comments to [email protected].   A webinar on the subject is scheduled for March 27, 2017 between 1 – 4 pm (EST) to facilitate public comments from across the U.S. commercial Atlantic Pelagic Longline fishery.  Join the webinar here. TBF’s submitted comments are posted here with a draft letter you may draw from to write your comments.  Help TBF fight this direct threat by submitting your letter

CALL TO ACTION: NO LONGLINES IN CLOSED ZONE

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission also opposes this, read their official comments below.  Recently, the NMFS received an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from Dr. David Kerstetter, Nova Southeastern University, to authorize a research project using 6 longline boats within Florida’s East Coast Longline Closed Zone. The project proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of the 16 year closure by comparing fishing results in the closed waters to results in open waters. Fish caught during the research period would be sold to offset expenses. The zone was closed in 2001 to protect juvenile swordfish primarily and other species taken

Call to Action: No Longlines In Closed Zone

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission also opposes this, read their official comments below.  Recently, the NMFS received an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from Dr. David Kerstetter, Nova Southeastern University, to authorize a research project using 6 longline boats within Florida’s East Coast Longline Closed Zone. The project proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of the 16 year closure by comparing fishing results in the closed waters to results in open waters. Fish caught during the research period would be sold to offset expenses. The zone was closed in 2001 to protect juvenile swordfish primarily and other species taken

TBF SUBMITS COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT 5B – DUSKY SHARKS

The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recently submitted comments to the proposed regulations included in Amendment 5b to the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan – regarding the reduction of dusky shark mortality. Learn why the current preferred measures for recreational fishing as written will have direct, and significant, negative impacts on non-shark recreational fisheries. Read our comments

TBF SUBMITS COMMENTS ON THE PACIFIC BLUEFIN FISHERY

On December 12th, The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) submitted official comments on Pacific Bluefin Tuna (PBFT) being potentially listed in the Endangered Species Act. Learn why PBFT potential listing would be more symbolic in nature as a conservation measure and would be a detrimental to the recreational fishing community in the region. A better solution for PBFT would be for the U.S. to lead a campaign to list Pacific Bluefin tuna under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which focuses solely on protecting species at risk from commercial exploitation internationally by prohibiting international

Pacific Fishery Management Council (FMC) meets this week

The FMC is accepting public comment on its consideration of harvest specifications under an Exempted Fishing Permit for highly migratory fish caught by longline vessels fishing within the U.S. West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) “for limited testing, public display, data collection, exploratory, health and safety, environmental cleanup, and/or hazard removal purposes, the target or incidental harvest of species managed under an FMP [fishery management plan] or fishery regulations that would otherwise be prohibited.” The FMC also continues its discussion to identify criteria for issuing an exempted fishing permit for a future deep-set buoy gear for swordfish and other

Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition

TBF’s Gulf of Mexico Blue Marlin Satellite Tagging Expedition, staged out of Port Eads, which is 84.5 miles south of New Orleans, 24 miles south of the southernmost road in the state and only 5 miles from the 100 fathom curve and deep water, was extremely exciting. Participants included TBF board members, scientists, members of the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club and the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club, charter boats and an array of billfishing constituents with boats from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.  TBF board chairman Scott Cooper, board member Johnny Dorland and president Ellen Peel, scientists

Billfish Conservation Act Back on Capitol Hill

The Billfish Conservation Act, which was signed into law in October 2012 with the intent of prohibiting the sale of billfish or billfish products, has not yet been implemented by any regulatory agency in the U.S.  The sale of Atlantic billfish has been illegal since implementation of regulations in 1988, which “recognized the traditional fishing patterns of the Atlantic billfish fishery, which for the U.S., was entirely a recreational fishery.” The implemented prohibition on commercial fishing vessels selling or retaining Atlantic marlin, sailfish or spearfish plus species minimum size limits for the recreational fishery established what was determined