Highly Migratory Species Report

Worldwide HMS study

In the magazine Nature in 2003 a new study found that the total world wide population of HMS fish had plummeted. The co-authors Boris Worm and Ransom Myers of Dalhousie University state that over fishing has not only greatly reduced the number of HMS in the seas, but also the variety. Their report states that the diversity of tuna, marlins and swordfish in the world’s oceans has declined 50% in the last 50 years. Several HMS species have been reduced by 90%.

Their report identified several big fish ocean hot spots. These hot spots identified were: the East coasts of the US, Australia and Sri Lanka, plus the area south of Hawaii and South-Eastern Pacific.

Their report stated: “Everywhere you go, in every ocean basin, the hotspots today are only relics of what was once there. It really hurts to see this.” Their report found that a yearly weather change affects reproduction numbers.

The report states that losing the variety of fish does not bode well for the future health of open oceans. A robust portfolio of different species is needed to maintaining our long term supply of fish. The ability of these species to rebound from environmental changes is dramatically affected by continued over fishing. They identify long lines as the primary fishing gear that has caused the HMS stock declines.

Satellite Tagging Report

Bluefin tuna took the spotlight with the latest report from Barbara Block and her team. Their latest report is, “Electronic tagging and population structure of Atlantic Bluefin tuna.”  It proves beyond any doubt that bluefin tuna regularly cross the Atlantic Ocean. This article was published as a letter to Nature Magazine in their April 28, 2005 edition. It is a very informative 7 page report.

Most bluefin ocean crossings were from the US Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. The reason there is not an equal return of bluefin to US waters is the massive over fishing occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. ICCAT bluefin landings totals for the Mediterranean are more than 100% above the MSY maximum of 25,000 MT for the tenth consecutive year. ICCAT’s totals do not count bluefin landings from Greece, Turkey and other non-member countries.

The European Countries at last year’s ICCAT meeting failed to report any landings of “0” age bluefin tuna. In previous years’ landings these small bluefin were 50% of the total European bluefin totals. No European country has a single regulation in place that banned or restricted their purse seining of these small tunas. An ICCAT attendee went to the local fish market and bought a “0” age bluefin to show the delegates. This clearly proved that the European members were not being honest. He was strongly admonished for embarrassing the other ICCAT members. This is a perfect example of members’ deceitful reporting and fully documents how worthless ICCAT management really is.

Part Good News

The White Marlin lawsuit requesting an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing was decided by a Federal Judge in October. His decision permits anglers to keep landing White Marlin until ICCAT’s next Marlin assessment in 2007. At that time NMFS must review the population status of White Marlin and determine if an Endangered Species Act listing is required. Current best science estimates state that the White Marlin population is less than 15% of the biomass required to provide MSY. It would take a true miracle to increase the White Marlin population by 2007. This issue has been postponed, not ended. Thanks to Ray Bogan and RFA for working so hard to solve our immediate problem. If they get NMFS to write their new HMS management plan so that this problem has a lasting solution, that too would be a miracle.

Part of the judge’s ruling required NMFS to “Take into account five suggested time/area closures to pelagic drift long lining.” No commercial fishing limits were part of the HMS plan.

School Bluefin $500. Tag Reward

A new school bluefin tuna study about school bluefin migration patterns was begun this year. Molly Lutcavaga heads a cooperative pilot tagging project with Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Mass., Division of Marine Fisheries. This project is supported by NMFS and the University of New Hampshire. Data recorders had been implanted in 46 school bluefin by the end of the 2005 season. Tagged tuna are identified by a bright green spaghetti ID tag noting the presence of the data recorder inside these tuna.

It is important that the tuna be returned to the address marked on the tag. To encourage returns from anglers a $500 reward is being offered. This is an important project and needs anglers cooperation. A tagged tuna in your possession does not count against your daily bag limit. Check the exact details on the Reward at www.tunalab.unh.edu. or call VIMS at 1-804-684- 7166 and ask for Jon Lucy or Rich Brill. E- mail rbrill@vims.edu

New Giant Bluefin Petition Filed

An important new petition was filed with NMFS in June. Monterey Bay Aquarium plus four other conservation groups presented a petition to NMFS requesting a ban on all longline fishing when and where western bluefin tuna spawn. NMFS has up to 6 months to answer this petition.

US reported landings of large spawning bluefin in the Gulf of Mexico have been low. But Mexico reported a huge increase of Bluefin tuna sold to Japan. US longline fishing effort in the bluefin spawning area has increased during their spawning season. Mexico is not known to have an Atlantic Bluefin spawning area nearby.  The prime fishing area is as close to Mexico ports as to US ports. But to expect US regulators to add 1 and 1 and determine what was happening is difficult.

Is the best way to correct this problem a closure of the Gulf of Mexico spawning area to all longline fishermen? Long term studies of tiny”0” age bluefin numbers leaving the GOM have dropped to all time lows. It is obvious that immediate action is mandated. Given NMFS management record, it is difficult to make a guess as what NMFS will do. But since Christmas is coming, what do we have to lose by hoping for the time/area closure under our Christmas tree this season.

A Bait Fish Story

Sea Herring are an important New England baitfish. They have been caught for many years by purse seine gear. About 8 years ago herring were first targeted by pair trawl boats. The pair trawl boats have done very well catching vast amounts of herring. At the same time the New England Giant Bluefin fishing has sharply declined. This was a financial shock to most New England commercial fishermen, many of whom depend on catching and selling one or two giant bluefin a season to support their commercial fishing

The last two years have been a disaster for New England giant bluefin fishermen. They had been under strict quotas that not only specified monthly quotas but also mandated two days per week as no fishing days. Their quota was over 908 MT for 2005. Their season starts in June. By the last day of September they reported landing only 89 MT. In previous years the commercial quotas had been landed by the end of September. This year 819 MT of General Category quota has not been caught.

There does not seem to be a shortage of giant bluefin. Canada fishermen have filled their quota. North Carolina fishermen have landed any general category quota that remained. The price of bluefin in Japan may have something to do with the lower landing report. The $20 a pound numbers are no more. Quality bluefin are now under $10 a pound.

Two weeks ago I watched as two bluefish were weighed in for the LBI surf fishing tournament. These blues were all head, looking much like large spring run bluefish. Having never seen such gaunt large blues at this time of year, I wondered where these fish spent the summer. Is a lack of sea herring in New England waters also a major problem for large bluefish? This seems like a reasonable assumption given the time of year these fish arrived at LBI.

Locally there is a vast amount of bait that bluefish and stripers are feeding on. The gaunt look has not affected the 3 to 5 pound blues. The two blues I saw if not fattened up would never survive the winter. A perfect example what the over fishing of bait fish has on all species. If this is a problem for ocean bluefish, consider the bunker problem that stripers face in Chesapeake Bay.

Photo Finish

In the December issue of Salt Water Sportsman on Page 132 is a picture of a sea creature never before seen alive. A pair of Japanese researchers took the first picture of a live giant squid. Guess how they accomplished this feat?  They went fishing in 2,900 feet of ocean!

Giant squid are a legendary beast. Dead giant squid have been measured that were over 60 feet long. That is one huge plate of calamari. It is believed they live in all oceans of the world. Sperm whales have many giant squid sucker scars on their hide caused by them chasing and eating these squids in the ocean depths.

Best of the Holidays to all and many thanks for your help and support.