Good Fishing - for now?

[mohavesam]

Not for the small-thinkers:

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/12/09/world-wildlife-fund-warns-planet-could-be-out-fish-by-2048/

Reports that the worlds fishing fleet is already 2-3 times a sustainable level. They're reaching projections at the WWF about wild breeding stocks of species-sustainable levels reaching critical low levels in 25 years or less.

I love the line: "Have a cheeseburger for a change. Give fish a chance". From my travels, most people just need to skip a meal or two...

 

[powder smoke]

Call me a Skeptic, like global warming, I call them Alarmist. YMMV. ps

 

[Colonialgirl]

I read about how they can now FORCE a Cod Boat Captain to allow a government "Monitor" aboard his boat AND the Captain to pay him $700 a day for being on the boat.


Found the link for the article:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/09/east-coast-fishermen-file-appeal-over-cost-government-required-at-sea-monitors.html

 

[gasbag]

People always have to have something to be afraid of.
Fortunately we never run out of folks who can make up things to do just that.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I like the Chick Fil A ads. With the Cow standing there saying "Eat more Chicken"

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Lots of people think we don't need any regulations until it's to late. Resource management is best done locally.

 

[Montelores]

One day, we will be grateful for GMO technology.

Monty

 

[opos]

Our family has been involved in the offshore fishing business one way or another for years..my oldest Son is a partner in the largest West Coast offshore charter and party boat operation and the fishery is his entire focus as his whole life is tied up there...several things the article missed completely concerns the bluefin tuna populations..no, not the 1000 # brutes on the tv reality show but the 50-100# "school tuna" that literally feeds the Japanese population....a number of years ago...off the Baja coast and other areas...Tuna farming became a budding industry...Seiners work the tuna schools when they move into an area...they are loaded live into a transfer "pen" (huge circular pen that floats) and that pen is slowly moved in near shore where there are very large "grow out" pens and the tuna are transferred into those pens....the tuna are fed both commercial grow out food and live anchovies or sardines which are netted by the ton every day during the grow season....when the tuna are ready for market..they are harvested and sent to Japan and other markets...there are hundreds of these huge pens up and down the coast of Mexico and other countries....The fish taken are not the big breeders and the populations have not been harmed to date..it's mass production at it's greatest but still monitored well....the Mexicans almost had it get out of hand but it's been put under some tight regulation and it works well.

The Japanese and several other tuna consuming countries have entered into massive breeding and "farming" programs to restock ocean fish populations...they were strictly consumers for a long time and saw the writing on the wall and began to invest time, money and technology in the restocking of ocean supplies...and it works well...

Articles like the one in this thread do what so many articles do...they tell about 1/2 or less of the real story...National geographic did a good program on "tuna cowboys" that showed the harvest and grow out but sort of omitted the restocking programs that are so much involved...so it's not just all catch and kill...it's farming like a corn field...and you got to plant seed to get the crop.

Alaska was once known for it's cod population and the hake and other fish were considered junk fish..turns out hake and haddock and pollock are the fish of choice for the commercial market...McDonalds restaurants has a fleet of processing ships that harvest tons of white fish for "mc fish" sandwiches...all from "junk fish"....The bluefin tuna was once considered "junk" and cat food while the focus was on the yellowfin "ahi" tuna...turns out the blue fin schools are far more desired by the Japanese and through marketing the blue fin is the tuna of choice for much of the japanese food source...populations of bluefin are huge....yellowfin are often caught and they supply many other markets. When the "season" is on below San Diego it's not unusual to see 20 spotter planes working for the seiners at any given time....lots of "sport boats" try to get into the mixture to catch the tuna with rod and reel and it get's really dangerous...the Mexicans are not amused.

There is a lot of pressure on all things that are food stuff but as long as the Governments see fit to take away products (corn) and make auto fuel out of food products (Ethanol) I'd guess there is still plenty of food...

One interesting little aside....PETA has a whole subsidiary (see their web site) devoted to renaming fish and calling them sea kittens to make it more friendly for children and make them want to eat less fish...kitten is supposed to be a pet..not a mouthful.

 

[powder smoke]

I read about how they can now FORCE a Cod Boat Captain to allow a government "Monitor" aboard his boat AND the Captain to pay him $700 a day for being on the boat.


Found the link for the article:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/09/east-coast-fishermen-file-appeal-over-cost-government-required-at-sea-monitors.html

A friend of mine is a scallop dragger when the monitor shows up to fish with him unannounced btw,
It cost him 700 bucks he makes zero dollars that day as a matter of fact he goes in the hole.
Twice now he has cancelled that day of scalloping. ps

 

[ChiefMuzz]

I don't think there is any harm to being proactive vs reactive when it comes to managing our wildlife and fisheries.
As an avid outdoorsman, hunter and fisher, I want the species to be around and as healthy as possible.

We can overfish, overhunt and overuse any of our resources.

 

[sliclee]

JIMBO your an expert on fishing now-how wonderful you are.

 

[mohavesam]

Focus - on the topic please.