How long before this fishery collapses?

[Colin Brett]

Copied from a report on Bluefin Tuna fishing off Donegal. http://www.rosguill.com/charter.frames.html

 

The last line says it all!

 

What do you think?

 

"30 September

Posted 30/9/2003 16:24

 

Today there were a few sightings of Tuna at Rathlin O' Beirne.

Trevor Ryder had a hook up off Downings but the line broke at the Bimini twist. A lot of activity off Downings.

A purse seiner is reputed to be working out of Killybegs targeting Bluefin."

 

Colin

[Cranfield]

I have fished in Ireland for over 20 years and sightings of tuna (and other unusual species) have been talked about all that time.

 

Its taken someone with a bit of enterprise (and cheek ? ) to try to make a sport fishing business out of it.

Although with the cost -v- success ratio, I,m suprised they have any customers.

 

The popular belief is that they are not there in significant enough numbers, to merit serious fishing for them, either recreationally or commercially.

 

But, I,m sure there will always be someone, who will buy a net and try to catch the last fish in the sea.

[Colin Brett]

Cranfield:

Although with the cost -v- success ratio, I,m suprised they have any customers.

 

The popular belief is that they are not there in significant enough numbers, to merit serious fishing for them, either recreationally or commercially.

 

But, I,m sure there will always be someone, who will buy a net and try to catch the last fish in the sea.

Cranfield,

I was that customer!!

Seriously, it's amazing how many people are having a go at these Tuna, it's nigh on impossible to get a booking with Adrian Mulloy.

I went out with him last year and nobody else wanted to take the chair, so I had to wear the harness for 2 days. Didn't catch any but boy did we see more than a few. The others onboard just wanted to see them and paid 150 Euros to do so. What an awesome fish??

Adrian is now catch and release but I don't think the netsman are.

Off to Clew Bay later this month. Can hardly wait.

 

Colin

[hembo]

just an observation but arent tuna and mackerel of the same family ; so if tuna are being caught and released will they not perish also; since there protective slime has been damaged which according to leon roskilly happens to mackerel when handled

on a footnote some people are most probably unaware that they used to catch tuna in the north sea in 1880_1900 but due to overfishing again the stocks disappeared.

[peter mccue]

In the 1930's tuna were a much sought after quarry on the North East coast for the social elite. I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that the world record at that time was held by an 800lbs+ Bluefin caught off either Scarborough or Whitby.

 

On the subject of fish dying if their slime coating is damaged, I think the removal would have to be pretty extensive to cause any major problems. Freshwater fish suffer quite heavy damage to their slime during spawning & captures & seem to recover well enough to be caught time & time again.

[H.A.]

I believe that Whitby record bluefin tuna (tunny) was the L.Mitchell-Henry 851 pounder ..... 1933 ..... I remember it well!

 

The 'society' set would get a big charter boat and follow the herring drift netters ..... when they hauled the nets, the tuna came running. After hooking one, the fortunate (?) angler put to sea in a 'skiff' and got a nice tow for several hours.

 

Rods were split cane and strong enough to hoist a child from the tip. I think the reels were Scarborough centrepins and braided lines.

[Colin Brett]

hembo:

just an observation but arent tuna and mackerel of the same family ; so if tuna are being caught and released will they not perish also; since there protective slime has been damaged which according to leon roskilly happens to mackerel when handled

on a footnote some people are most probably unaware that they used to catch tuna in the north sea in 1880_1900 but due to overfishing again the stocks disappeared.

The catch and release is done without bringing them onboard [how you would do with this to these huge fish I'm not sure]it's all done with the skipper hanging over the side of the boat.

Colin

[Leon Roskilly]

This appeal for help from anglers was posted at: http://www.rosguill.com/tnews.html

 

A purse seine netter was looking for Bluefin off south Donegal on 1 October and was off Downings on 2 October.

 

It is not known what flag the vessel is working under or what License it holds.

 

Ireland has no quota for Bluefin and it would be illegal for this vessel to net within 12 miles of the coast.

 

The presence of this vessel is a concern for stocks - Ireland is the only country in Europe which is an effective "santuary" for Bluefin - even though it is only to the 12 mile limit.

 

All readers of this notice are asked to write to:

 

Mr Dermot Ahern

The Minister of the Marine

Dail Eireann

Dublin

Ireland

 

email: minister@dcmnr.gov.ie

 

Please ask that Ireland declares a 200 mile exclusion zone for Bluefin.

 

Charter skippers have united to devise a code of practise which would limit the taking of Bluefin to 3 fish per year.

 

The Rosguill spotted the Seiner exactly 12 miles off the coast - not sure what he intended to do if he spotted Bluefin 1 or 2 miles inside him!!!

 

[ 06. October 2003, 06:51 AM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

[Leon Roskilly]

peter mccue:

On the subject of fish dying if their slime coating is damaged, I think the removal would have to be pretty extensive to cause any major problems. Freshwater fish suffer quite heavy damage to their slime during spawning & captures & seem to recover well enough to be caught time & time again.

Mackerel are different Peter.

 

This subject was covered in this thread:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/cgi-bin/ubb/ul...ic;f=2;t=001875

 

Tight Lines - leon

[H.A.]

Thanks for the info .....

 

I'll post the email addrs on the TSF Forum since the matter has been raised there too.

 

Ada