California Fines San Diego Fishermen in Poaching Bust
In a significant move to curb illegal fishing, California authorities have busted and fined a group of San Diego fishermen $145,000 for their roles in an elaborate poaching operation. The fishermen were caught illegally harvesting and selling bluefin tuna, yellowtail, and mahi-mahi without the necessary permits and documentation. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) […]
Mahi Mahi Summer July 2022 Update
Following the implementation of Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery Management Plan in May 2022, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) issued Regulatory Amendment 3 to the same Plan. Amendment 3, offered precautionary options following a strong and continuous outcry from the recreational fishing industry that Mahi abundance was continuing to decline. The two options were to expand the 18” minimum size limit beyond South Carolina north through Maine and to implement more restrictive bag and vessel limits through that same range. Instead of advancing the precautionary options, the Council decided, that due to staff
Recent Mahi Mahi News
New Florida Mahi Mahi (Dolphinfish) Regulations Create Inconsistencies with Federal Regulations Currently, the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) Amendment 10 for Dolphin-Wahoo allows 10 fish per person per day, with a vessel daily limit of 54. Despite being approved by NOAA, the state of Florida felt this action was insufficient and approved additional proactive conservation measures put forth by the Save the Mahi Mahi Campaign. FWC’s new regulations reduce the daily bag limit of Mahi-mahi from 10 fish per person to 5 and reduce the recreational daily vessel limit from 60 Mahi-mahi to 30. The 20-inch minimum
Atlantic Save the Mahi-Mahi Campaign
Led by Blair Wickstrom of Florida Sportsmans Magazine, targets the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (FMC) and NOAA, and calls for, by anglers, greater conservation restraints for mahi-mahi and wahoo, species that support South Florida’s sportfishing industry. Without further constraints, it is feared the stock may collapse. The Campaign calls for further reductions in mahi-mahi (dolphin fish) and wahoo bag limits from what was approved recently in Amendment 10. If final approval is given by the Secretary of Commerce to Amendment 10, it leaves the 10 mahi-mahi per person limit in place but drops the vessel limit from 60
Atlantic Mahi Mahi and Wahoo – Amendment 10
Anglers remain steadfast in objecting to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (SAFMC) approval of Amendment 10 as written. The amendment is now with the Secretary of Commerce for final approval is yet to be approved. Anglers and charter captains insist more is needed to ensure the two species will remain available for sportfishing, which are the backbone of the fishery. If the amendment isn’t modified to reduce the daily recreational bag and vessel limits (from 54 fish) and no approval of a commercial landing limit is included, many fear the stocks will collapse in a few years
Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Allocation Update
The Billfish Foundation recently submitted comments again to The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council regarding the future management of a dolphin (
