No Protection for Overfished Atlantic Blue Marlin as Protections for Sharks Grow Stronger
The Final Amendment 15 was recently issued by NMFS and fails to provide protections for overfished blue marlin. Instead, the text reflects the government’s lack of understanding of the highly migratory nature of blue marlin, treating them more like residential sailfish. The text even fails to reflect a general understanding of billfishing, insinuating that all […]
Atlantic Shark Tournament Generates Heat
East Coast anglers frustrated by the federal government’s failure to take any meaningful action to reduce Atlantic shark depredations on angler-hooked fish have scheduled a shark tournament for July 9. The event will demonstrate to the federal bureaucrats, via one snapshot, the array of shark species and excessive numbers remaining in the water due to a lack of management and current science. Sharks are decimating recreational fishing opportunities, and business income along the entire East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean killing billfish, tuna, swordfish, other import gamefish, marine mammals, and sea turtles. We hope the
Effects of Circle Hooks on Sharks and Rays – IATTC Review
In March of this year, the 1st Circle Hook Workshop of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) commenced. The goal was to analyze “scientific information regarding different circle hooks sizes and their effectiveness at mitigating bycatch and target species with the specific goal of defining the characteristics of an adequate hook for the purpose of mitigating bycatch of sea turtles in accordance with Resolution C-19-04.” In other words, which hook type and size is the most effective at reducing the catch of unwanted species for pelagic longline. Various experts were invited to present their findings on the impacts
TBF’s Official Amendment 14 Comments
On March 10, 2022, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) submitted official comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service for Draft Amendment 14 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan regarding Atlantic shark management. Within the comments, TBF mentioned that too many uncertainties and a lack of rigorous science were in Amendment 14 and that there needs to be a “balance” for ALL species and that consideration must be taken for the communities and for the wide range of supporting recreational fishing businesses. To learn more about becoming a part of the important work done with TBF’s Tag &
Recent Atlantic Shark Management News – Amendment 14
Capitol Hill must act as Atlantic sharks are everywhere taking angler-hooked fish, not occasionally, but all the time. The NMFS has no plans to check the occurrence other than to provide information material to the recreational fishery on “how to avoid sharks while fishing.” That should be very interesting. And they will host workshops to help captains and anglers to learn how to identify the offending sharks. Identity isn’t crucial, it is stopping the practice by reinvigorating the shark fishery and markets. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel met on Feb. 11, 2022
Atlantic Sharks Seem to Be Everywhere Anglers Fish
Daily reports and postings of angler-caught fish bitten into or taken whole by Atlantic sharks, known as depredation, painfully and clearly demonstrates the result of one-sided management, which has produced excessive numbers of sharks off the East, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts. The angler-hooked species taken by sharks range from sheepshead to marlin and occur with fish hooked from shore, piers, small boats, and large boats. It seems to anglers there is no balance in Atlantic shark management, all titled in favor of shark conservation. Any additional shark abundance will worsen the negative impacts to recreational fishing, the
Shark Populations Proving Detrimental to Sailfish Survival
Charter and private recreational fishing captains primarily are conscientious in practicing conservation-smart measures for their business depends on the availability of fish. Most billfishing captains practice catch and release, some also tag and many use non-offset circle hooks. But best practices make no differenc e when sharks attack and kill thousands of hooked fish, including sailfish, blue marlin, white marlin, bottom fish and coastal pelagics. Commercial fishing captains are experiencing much the same. Due to overfishing, two decades ago the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and coastal states began restricting Atlantic shark harvest, prohibiting the landing of at least
