[gmann]

For years the sword fishing down in Florida has been great because of the long lining ban. Well....I just heard that they lifted the ban again. Its a shame the fishery had made a huge re-bound. I've been traveling down there 4 times a year with great success

 

[MakoMatt]

There has been quite a comeback in recent years of these fish too here in the NE Canyons. I wonder what the lifting of this ban in the Southern Zone will have on our fishery here??

MakoMatt

 

[654662]

Big influence...

It is going to have a pretty big influence on us.. Most of the swordfish are migratory like 99 percent of pelagics... i would think that the long liners are going to make their way around and start killing fish all over... The problem is the small fish that are killed at the same time.. We will find out i am sure.. the rebound up here has been amazing.. I have not had one trip in 3 years without a swordfish! and before that it was hard and basically non existent for most people!

Mako hop on my boat this year we can do some serious day time swording up here! I want to try it!

 

[gmann]

Im friends with several captains down there and people are pretty upset about this. The fishery was doing so good

 

[gmann]

here is a link of the story http://www.floridasportsman.com/casts/080104/#cont

This post edited by gmann 04:17 PM 01/10/2008

 

[06405]

its a shame what they are going to do. if they give the long liners the ok again the sword bite will be almost non existing in the NE canyons.
it will be a shame for the youth of the future.



Blake Conlin
tightlinzzzzzzzzz

 

[MakoMike]

They haven't reopened the Charleston Bump/ Florida closed area. All they have done is issue several experimental fishing permit to a few boats to test out some longline gear. No good, but not a disaster either.

 

[capndom]

MakoMike wrote:
They haven't reopened the Charleston Bump/ Florida closed area. All they have done is issue several experimental fishing permit to a few boats to test out some longline gear. No good, but not a disaster either.



MM is correct, only 3 permits planned, only 2 of 3 fishing at any one time, the Charleston Bump and Florida closures still in effect.

Don't pretty much all commercial fisheries have these "test" permits, with vessels normally engaged in commercial fishing hosting observers and the like in the name of science being allowed to fish areas/seasons the general permit holders of their category may not be able to?

This post edited by capndom 03:05 PM 01/11/2008

 

[CaptAndy]

I read somewhere too that the permits were issued to help the US catch it's quota of swords. Otherwise we'll be allocated less and other countries will get more (and most likely take them).

Andy

 

[leakyrivot]

Heading down there for a 4-5 days this March - the friend we are staying with runs charters for swords. I'm hoping to see how these beasts measure up.

Jon