[buckley]

I went down to Babylon Town Dock yesterday, so that I could get some reports from the overnight division competitors, on the clarity conditions of Hudson & Toms.

It wasn't very encouraging.

But what was more disheartening was the sight of an approximately 400 lb. blue marlin, rotting on the docks in the hot afternoon weather.

The fish was the probable winner of the billfish division, and although not very large for a blue marlin, it attracted quite a crowd of onlookers.

The meat from this magnificent pelagic was destined for the dumpster at the end of the day.

WHY?

Long Island has a large Central and South American population from countries where marlin meat is highly prized in coastal villages.

Many of these immigrants are poor, and would have welcomed the fish donation.

But it appears that this fish had more value as an advertisement for the tournament, so that proud daddies could walk by with their sons, and say, "Look at the big swordfish (misidentified of course), Johnnie!"

It was a pathetic and disgraceful sight.

I'm sure I will hear from members of the Babylon Tuna Club, espousing all of the great charitable work they engage in, but that still does not excuse the wasting of hundreds of pounds of valuable food fish.

Isn't it great to live in a country so rich that we can waste our valuable resources in the name of tournament fishing, and give ammunition to radical organizations such as PETA?

As for myself, this type of conduct only re-affirms why I gave up tournaments many years ago.

Just my opinion, and I'm sure I'll hear from more than a few.

 

[B.Attitude]

I agree

buckley,
I agree with you.I also feel that they(tournament comittees) should eliminate blue sharks from their lists of prize money sharks.I heard some people eat them but most of the sharks are discarded.That to me is a waste and happens all too many times.
paulie

 

[buckley]

Paulie

Thanks for your response, Paulie.

Perhaps Noreast would like to comment on a tournament which would allow a blue marlin to rot on the dock.

 

[614892]

i fished that tournament last year and was wondering why they had a billfish division, if they do it should be catch and release. but them again with most of the guys up here, you can't trust them.
how was the tournament otherwise?

 

[620083]

One thing should be done is write a letter to the babylon tuna club and see what they have to say for themselves. No matter how big a blue marlin I catch the fish will be photographed and released. I've done it before and will continue to practice it. Its a shame that the marlin was wasted. One time and one time only I tried a blueshark, and I will never try it again. Very good point Buckley.

 

[buckley]

joeyg7

I have no idea how the tournament went.

I do not fish tournaments.

I could write a book about why I stay away from them.

The general impression I heard on the docks was that the Hudson is still green and dead. Toms pretty much the same.

 

[buckley]

JJV48

The fish was described by members of the Tuna Club on the dock, as a "money fish" worth $60,000, and not a food fish.

Gee, I didn't know that those were mutually exclusive categories.

I always thought you could eat a fish even if he were a tournament winner.

 

[buckley]

Sounds of Silence

Have you ever noticed that when a negative discussion revolves around a sponsor who advertises in Noreast Saltwater, there is almost no comment from the editor?

Doesn't pay to bite the hand that feeds you! Right, guys?

 

[620083]

Why not put the fish on ice until the tournament is over and then when there is no fish to weight cut it up and hand out the meat to eat. I fish for fun now and thats what I will continue to do. No need for me to enter these big money tournaments where the fish will be wasted and not used. Its a shame.

 

[buckley]

Marlin fishing

With tuna fishing being as dead as it is, I might take a run off the edge this weekend to target marlin.

If I do, you can be assured I'll release them to fight another day.

 

[614851]

disgraceful

buckley,
you are 100% correct about this immoral waste.

does anyone know about how different offshore catch and release tournaments work?

seems to me that with todays video cameras it would be possible to hold a tournament where released fish could still win prizes based on size.

 

[buckley]

release tournaments

Most release tournaments involve the use of observers.

Could you imagine that here in the Northeast?

Whoops! I can say no more!

 

[615048]

Rotting Marlin

I'll take your word this fish is true. Ironically, the Babylon Tuna gang was instrumental in starting the New York Chapter of Coastal Conservation Association. ??? I'm a member and I practice what I preach. Shame on them for not taking a stance against stuff like this.

 

[615430]

swordfish

Central and South American communities?
Man, do you know how much swordfish costs these days on the supermarket? on my neck of the woods is $7.00 and up per pound, THAT is not poor people's food. Forget the immigrant communities, allowing that fish to go bad is a waste period.

 

[buckley]

mellowyellow

The fish was a marlin, not a swordfish.

It's is generally a little "gamey" for American table fare.

But it is commonly eaten in Mexico, Central and South America.

 

[MakoMike]

Buckley,
Its also common table fare in Hawaii, where its on most resturant menus and in fish markets.

 

[620083]

If you ever had a chance to catch a blue marlin and get a good look at it from a tower or the flybridge then you know how beautiful they are when they change colors. When I first saw a marlin do that, it deserves to be released and the same for other speicies as well. And it amazes me how graceful they are after we let them go. They just don't take off in fear, they just slowly swim away. I personally tried marlin and yes it wasn't that bad, but nowhere to the taste of a tuna. A marlin was never in my freezer and it never will.

 

[614859]

it's a **** shame but why are we only talking about marins,what about sea robins ,bergals,skates and other so called trash fish.on a party boat i have seen guys take a trash fish off the hook
and stun it by banging it against the hull or by cutting a sea robin before
throwing it back. WHY ! the only thing that poor fish was guilty of was trying to get a meal,yeah i know they are not what your fishing for but if you took the time to realize by killing mameing or mutalating one fish you accomplish nothing but feeding some sadistic urge that lies within you.taste change and what is trash today might be on your grandchilds dec list of protected species.
vinny f

 

[614859]

it's a **** shame but why are we only talking about marins,what about sea robins ,bergals,skates and other so called trash fish.on a party boat i have seen guys take a trash fish off the hook
and stun it by banging it against the hull or by cutting a sea robin before
throwing it back. WHY ! the only thing that poor fish was guilty of was trying to get a meal,yeah i know they are not what your fishing for but if you took the time to realize by killing mameing or mutalating one fish you accomplish nothing but feeding some sadistic urge that lies within you.taste change and what is trash today might be on your grandchilds dec list of protected species.
vinny f

 

[614859]

it's a **** shame but why are we only talking about marins,what about sea robins ,bergals,skates and other so called trash fish.on a party boat i have seen guys take a trash fish off the hook
and stun it by banging it against the hull or by cutting a sea robin before
throwing it back. WHY ! the only thing that poor fish was guilty of was trying to get a meal,yeah i know they are not what your fishing for but if you took the time to realize by killing mameing or mutalating one fish you accomplish nothing but feeding some sadistic urge that lies within you.taste change and what is trash today might be on your grandchilds dec list of protected species.
vinny f