|
|
|
|
Offshore Pursuits Fishing News
and Reports
|
|
05/07/08 |
|
|
|
The hunt for a Hatteras blue marlin! |
 This
past week I spent four days chasing blue marlin off Hatteras,
NC. I fished with two of the top Captains in the fleet,
Capt. Dan Rooks on the Tuna Duck, and Captain Steve Coulter
on the Sea Creature. The plan was a simple one, it would be
all or nothing. Big baits targeting blue marlin in places
that were favorable for marlin. I had no interest in
catching anything but a blue marlin, and that was my
mission. Good or bad!
The first day I fished was on Monday. The Tuna Duck left the
inlet under favorable
conditions, yet we knew that there was a chance of weather
blowing in later in the day. We
headed "straight out" because the weather would not permit
us to go to the south like we
wanted. We headed out across the "Rock Pile" and set out
along the edge of the continental
shelf, specifically Hatteras Canyon, known locally as the
"Old Hole". Read the
whole story here... |
|
|
|
|
|
04/18/08 |
The First Fish
By: Capt. Hap Farrell
 This
last Thursday afternoon, the 17th of April, I stopped off at
River Road in Orleans on Cape Cod and cast a lure out into
The river coming from Little Pleasant Bay up into Meeting
House Pond. The first two or three casts did not produce any
action. On the next cast a hit, reeling a little further
another hit and the fish is on. There are fish at River Road
now. I’d heard that fish had been taken but had not actually
seen it. My first fish of the
season.
You know how every once in a while an old memory will flash
into your head? Well, that happened when I lifted that small
striper out of the water to release it. Years ago, when I
moved down to the Cape after getting out of the service I
got back into fishing in this area again. When I got my
first bass I’d run down to tell Old Mack, who owned Mac
Reed’s Bait Shop. Back when I came to the Cape as a kid I
would always get my bait from this kindly old gentleman who
ran a funky old tackle shop. He was a well known and liked
character in Orleans and a wealth of knowledge of where to
fish in Pleasant Bay and other areas on the Lower cape.
It came to be a tradition every year from the early 70’s on
I’d Find Mr. Reed, Mack, and tell him of the fish I had just
landed. He say he’d taken his first a few days before up in
False Channel in Pleasant Bay. Some years he just smile and
nod agreeing I’d taken the first fish. True or not it really
didn’t matter. Mack was a man of few words but everyone
listened
to what he did say.
This Thursday, while looking at that small striper I told
Mack I landed my first fish... |
|
|
|
04/14/08 |
The Offshore Pursuits Team was on hand for all three days of
the New England Saltwater Fishing Show, RI Convention
Center, Providence, RI.
It was a great pleasure to meet all of you who stopped by to
say hello after following Offshore Pursuits for all these
years. We met many friends and customers face to face for
the first time, and also met many new friends and colleagues
that will help Offshore Pursuits grow even more in the
season to come.
Thanks again to all that stopped by, and the fishing reports
will start the first week in May. I will be chasing blue
marlin off Hatteras aboard the Tuna Duck with Capt. Dan
Rooks the last week of April into early May, so we should
have some exciting stories and pictures to share.
Accompanying me on this trip will be a writer and
photographer from a outdoor magazine that most of you are
familiar with. That is all I can say for now, but if all
goes as planned, this trip will be in print. I will keep you
posted! Dave
|
|
|
|
02/28/08 |
|
Bluefin Tuna Fishing Tips and Techniques |
|
We have created a new website to share our tuna fishing
experiences.
http://www.bluefintunafishingtackle.com. Please visit the site to view some of our tackle, tips
and techniques for school tuna. If you would like to share
some of your tips and experiences please email Jack at
capt.Jack@offshorepursuits.com
and we will credit you with a backlink to your website. |
|
|
|
02/19/08 |
|
School Bluefin Tuna Seminars and Shows |
|
Capt. Jack Riley of the Offshore Pursuits Pro Staff will be
presenting bluefin tuna tips and techniques at the Rhode
Island Saltwater Anglers Assoc. monthly meeting on 2/25/08
and at the Bass Pro Shops in Foxboro, MA on 3/1/08 from
12:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon. Dave and Jack will also be
exhibiting tuna tackle and techniques at the Saltwater
Fishing Expo, Garden State Exhibit Center, Somerset, NJ on
March 14-16, 2008. You will find many show tackle specials
at booth # 211.
www.sportshows.com
|
|
|
|
01/10/08 |
|
I received the below this morning from Rich Ruais. |
|
|
Tuna Friends:
The 2007 total U.S. catch of bluefin tuna dropped again from
214 mt in 2006 to 193.6 in 2007. The average weight also
dropped from 462 lbs. in 2006 to 423 lbs. in 2007. This does
not include the estimate of recreational catch (usually
200-300 tons) of school and medium tuna which will not be
available until the summer.
The central Atlantic, East Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea
fisheries continue to kill our fishery and waste our
sacrifices since 1981 to rebuild the western fishery.
Rich
|
|
|
|
12/04/07 |
|
I received the below article from Rich Ruais on 12/04/07: |
|
|
ICCAT Fails to Act to Stop Eastern Bluefin Tuna
Slaughter!
The International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was blocked again by the European
Community (E.C) at its regular annual meeting in Antalya,
Turkey from November 10 through the 18th to reign in the out
of control fisheries for Atlantic bluefin tunas in the
Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
Prior to the start of this years ICCAT meeting, Dr. Bill
Hogarth (Chairman of ICCAT and Head of the U.S. NMFS)
announced that the U.S. would demand a 3 to 5 year complete
moratorium of bluefin fishing in the eastern Atlantic and
Mediterranean Sea. The call for the ban was based on the
total non-compliance by European and North African fishing
countries and fish farms with the scientific advice
presented by ICCAT's Standing Committee on Research and
Statistics (SCRS) in 2006 that fishing catches had to be
reduced to prevent a stock collapse. In 2007 the SCRS advice
on the probability of collapse was even clearer given the
continuing illegal catches.
Read the full
article here. |
|
|
|
11/12/07 |
|
Herring Article from Canadian Perspective |
|
Read the above article and then ask yourselves the
importance of pushing the herring issue! imagine what their
tuna season will be like next year... |
|
|
|
11/11/07 |
|
Below is a correspondence that I received
from Rich Ruias on the 11th. |
"Tuna Friends:
Glenn Delaney and I attended a presentation given by Dr.
Barb Block on bluefin to an audience at the World Wildlife
Fund's headquarters in Washington last night. There is no
real new information except that she is now over 1,000
tagged bluefin tunas and the data collected is enormous and
incredibly informative about the migration habits and stock
structure of bluefin.
She has been tremendous at getting the field work done and
providing some basic interpretations of the migration
patterns. She is out of her realm of expertise as she tries
to apply the data collected to the real world of management
hence, our problem with her pressure to include the west
Atlantic in the moratorium proposed by the U.S. for the east
and Mediterranean Sea.
I'm forwarding a little note I wrote to her this morning
(below). She had control over the question period and cut me
off after one or two challenges. In the past she has not
even recognized Glenn for a challenge.
Rich
Barb:
Your presentation was once again fascinating last night. One
would have to be pretty much of a dope to not see how much
you care about bluefin and how hard you are working to help
present the data that can lead to a sustainable management
regime of the complex mixed stock/fishery we have.
Your concern about fishery collapses are reasonable but I
would like a definition of "fishery collapse" and I think
there other many other factors beyond stock condition that
have to be examined and explained in each case where a
"collapse" is hypothesized.
Your suggestion of fishing them to biological extinction of
the western unit is however, preposterous in my mind and I'm
sure in many scientists minds as well. This is particularly
so the more you want to believe that there is a portion of
the west that does not mix on eastern fishing grounds. In
1992 I commissioned Doug Butterworth and Andre Punt to
analyze the probability of extinction for a highly fecund,
widely ranging high seas, rapidly migrating fish like
bluefin in anticipation Sutton's and Safina's CITES listing
attempt. At first they thought I was joking but they went
ahead and did one during an ICCAT Working group. I will have
to dig a bit to find the actual paper but I recall the
probability was practically zero.
You know your audience better than me, but I don't think it
is necessary or helpful to be talking about extinction right
now. Potential collapses are bad enough and potentially real
and measureable.
Rich" |
|
|
|
|
Tuna Watch
Bluefin Tuna Landings Update
12/04/07
Click here for the latest landings info. |
|
|
09/19/07
|
|
CHOIR 2008 Priority Sign-on Letter
(Very important!) |
|
|
|
|
 The
bluefin bite starting to pickup off Cape Ann last week. This
picture shows Capt. Joe Fortin with his 49" 60lb bluefin
tuna caught on 9/13 2007 aboard his boat, the OSPREY.
Read all this weeks
reports here. |
|
|
|
09/16/07 |
|
|
|
I received the below email from Rich Montague on 09/15/07.
Click on the thumbnails below for some great pictures! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hey Dave:
Captain Dick Martin and I were out east of Regal Sword on
Friday and as you said most of the day the fish finder had
the tuna sitting on the bottom. By 2:00, we began to see
them moving up to the 180' to 200' range, with bait, birds
and whales everywhere.
We had the unique experience of seeing a "Tuna Stampede". We
spotted this line of crashing fish heading our way and was
able to take the attached photos as they blew by us and
continued out of sight. We pushed the boat up to 20 mph
(with the rigs still in the water) and could not even close
on them.
By zooming in on the photos you can just make out the fins
and backs of these fish.
Keep up the good work.
Rich Montague
South Yarmouth |
|
|
|
09/19/07 |
|
|
|
CHOIR 2008
Priority Sign-on Letter |
|
|
|
I received the below correspondence from Chris Weiner of the
CHOIR Coalition last night. It is self explanatory in it's
goal, and is of the highest importance. If you own any
marine related business, whether on the water, shore based,
or support based, it would benefit all of us if you
would contact Chris and have him add your business name to
the sign-up letter. A copy of the letter can be seen
here, but all you need to do is email Chris with your
company name and tell him to add you to the letter. |
|
|
"Hey Dave
I am writing because are starting to work on the CHOIR Sign
On letter to send to the NEFMC asking for herring to be
prioritized in 2008. The letter is supplementing the
brochure drive, and essentially asks for the same thing.
While the brochure drive is going to be very important come
November, the sign on letter is also very important.
I will attach the letter to this email. If you could look it
over and let me know if you can sign onto it I would really
appreciate it. As with the letters in the past, all I need
from you is an 'OK' to sign on and I will add you to the
bottom of the letter.
It is really important that we get herring prioritized at
the November meeting, there are some important changes left
to make and if we not get it on the list, it will be years
before we can address those changes.
(The brochure drive is still important, the two will work
together to help us achieve our goals.)
Please let me know,
Thanks
Chris"
Chris Weiner
CHOIR Coalition
Portland, ME
207-761-1947
978-886-0204 (Cell)
www.choircoalition.org
|
|
09/16/07 |
|
[Choir] NMFS announces problems with herring landing reports
in herring fishery.
|
|
|
|
(The below correspondence was sent to me on the 16th by
Chris Weiner) |
|
|
|
|
This past week, NMFS posted the following comment on the IVR
Landings page on the NOAA website directly after posting the
updated landings for each area:
"This report is based on incomplete data because a
substantial number of herring vessels have not reported
their catch in an accurate and timely manner, as required,
through the IVR system. Failure to submit reports, including
the requirement to submit a negative report for any week
when no catch was made, may result in the matter being
referred to the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement for
investigation. If violations are established, violators can
expect significant civil penalties and permit sanctions to
follow."
Just last month, as most of you probably know, there were
some major landings issues that led to NMFS to immediately
close, and then reopen, the Area 1A fishery. (I will post a
link to a discussion of that issue from last month below).
This all highlights the dire need to have a weighmaster
system put in place in the herring fishery as soon as
possible.
--------------
NMFS IVR Page:
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/fso/reports/reports_frame.htm
(Click on 'Atlantic Herring' on the left side of page)
--
Chris Weiner
CHOIR Coalition
Portland, ME
207-761-1947
978-886-0204 (Cell)
www.choircoalition.org |
|
|
 A
possible new state record Porbeagle Shark was caught by one
of the boats in the Mass Bay
Guides fleet located in Scituate Harbor.
Captain Mike Evensen caught a 455 pound Porbeagle Shark off
the Eastern edge of Stellwagen Bank. The crew of the “Alexa
Ann” battled this monster for three hours on a standup
fifty.
Capt. Mike was Tuna fishing in the morning and hooked up to
an 8’ Giant Bluefin he fought this fish for almost an hour
before loosing it to a snapped line. After being disgusted
with this episode theydecided to finish the day Cod and
Shark fishing. Capt. Mike baited the hook with a cod fillet
and off they went round and round for three hours he said
the GPS looked like a etch-a-sketch.
The Shark was weighed on an official scale and witnessed by
a State marine biologist. The Shark should become the new
state record beating the old record of 418 pounds.
Congratulations to Capt. Mike and his crew.
|
|
Click
here to read more of Capt. Greg Sears report... |
|
|
|
08/26/08 |
 Captain
Jim's Cape Charters
Provincetown, MA
508.237.7701
The bass are here but you have to work for them, dont seem
to be following a regular feeding pattern and are moving
around a lot in the Bay.
These gentleman from England got these nice keepers on an
early am incoming tide. |
|
|
|
|
|
08/23/07 |
|
HERRING AREA 1A FISHERY REMAINS OPEN |
|
|
Friends:
Yesterday NMFS announced a closure of the Gulf of Maine
herring fishery because they projected that 95% of the
50,000 ton quota was reached.
Today they reopened the fishery saying they re-reviewed
dealer reports and feel confident there is still enough
quota to keep the fishery opened indefinitely. This event
caused quite a stir in at least three industries
(herring/lobster/tuna) last night and today.
If nothing else it highlights the inadequate herring catch
monitoring system and the lack of confidence in this system
that many have been complaining about for years.
Rich Ruais |
|
Rruais@aol.com |
|
|
|
08/23/07 |
|
Tuna Info from
Peter Baker |
|
|
"UNH says Sorry, Charile, but condition of bluefin tuna
in the Gulf of Maine is dire
SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [UNh] Aug 23, 2007- DURHAM, N.H. – The
quality of giant bluefin tuna caught in the Gulf of Maine
has declined significantly since the early 1990s,
researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found by
analyzing detailed logbooks from a commercial tuna grader at
the Yankee Fisherman’s Co-op. The findings, published this
week in Fishery Bulletin, indicate potential changes in food
sources, shifts in reproductive or migratory patterns, or
the impact of fishing may be the cause of this decline.
Walter Golet, a Ph.D. candidate in UNH’s Large Pelagics
Research Lab, along with UNH research assistant professor
Andy Cooper and Large Pelagics Lab director Molly Lutcavage,
partnered with veteran tuna grader Robert Campbell at the
Yankee Fisherman’s Co-op in Seakbrook, N.H. to analyze the
quality of 3,082 Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).
“In a drawer, he had two or three notebooks with every fish
he graded in the last 14 years, from 1991 – 2004,” says
Golet. Golet’s findings corroborated observations by
fishermen, brokers and cooperative managers: Not only is the
number of giant bluefin in the Gulf of Maine declining, the
condition of those fish caught is of much lower quality.
Specifically, Golet and co-authors analyzed the fat and oil
content and shape of the tuna. “Fat content is in high
demand for the market, because that’s what makes the meat
taste good,” he says, noting that fish with well-marbled
tail meat, fat in their mid-section muscle and belly, and a
rotund shape can command upwards of $50 per pound on the
sushi market.
Beyond the tekkamaki, however, fat content is a valuable
indicator of the overall health condition of the bluefin.
Highly migratory, traveling from their spawning grounds to
the Gulf of Maine and possibly across the Atlantic, Atlantic
bluefin have high metabolisms and energetic needs. Not
surprisingly, bluefin caught in June, shortly after arriving
in the Gulf of Maine after a swim of more than 1,000 miles,
are lean and of lower quality. Yet Golet and co-authors
found that the quality of bluefin caught in August and
September, after several months at the Gulf of Maine’s
buffet table, is declining. “They look lean,” Golet says.
In 1991, he found, the probability of landing a C+ fish (A
being the highest grade) was 16 percent and 9 percent for
August and September, respectively. By 2004, the probability
increased to 68 percent and 76 percent in the C+ category
for August and September, respectively. He also found that
the bluefin are leaner on arrival to the Gulf of Maine; the
probability of catching a poor quality fish (grade C or
worse) in June 1991 was 30% compared with 70% in 2004. Good
quality fish, such as B or better, now comprise less than
one percent of the commercial catch at this New Hampshire
cooperative.
For scientists like Golet and his collaborators at UNH, this
research is less about tasty tuna than about understanding
and promoting this overexploited fishery. “One of the big
consequences of not fattening as much is the potential
impact it could have on reproduction,” says Golet. “Reduced
energy stores can often force a fish to skip spawning in a
particular year.”
Jennifer Goldstein, also a Ph.D. student in the Large
Pelagics Research Lab, looked at this link between bluefin
body composition and reproductive status in an article
published in the July 2007 Marine Biology journal (http://www.springerlink.com/content/q21417091803m56u/fulltext.pdf).
The researchers hypothesize this change in energy – or fat –
acquisition could also shift the bluefin tuna’s migration
patterns.
Now that the researchers have documented the decline of
bluefin quality, they’re looking into the reasons behind it.
One obvious cause would be a decline in their food supply;
bluefin are voracious predators with a high metabolism.
“Bluefin will eat just about anything – sponges, seahorses,
dogfish – but according to recent studies, up to 60 percent
of their prey is comprised of Atlantic herring,” says Golet,
noting that herring, along with mackerel and bluefish, is
tuna health food, providing maximum energy to these
long-distance swimmers.
Since stock assessments indicate that herring abundance is
at historically high levels, however, the researchers wonder
if perhaps the herring themselves have experienced a decline
in quality, or if they have dispersed into smaller schools,
requiring greater energy output: Bluefin have to swim
farther for each meal. The “junk food hypothesis” probes
whether changes in diet from high-energy food like herring
and mackerel to less energetic species like haddock or sand
lance results in lower caloric intake. And evidence is
mounting to support the hypothesis that bluefin migrations
are far more complex than once thought and that bluefin may
be traveling farther to the Gulf of Maine; some Atlantic
bluefin in the Gulf of Maine have traveled from the central
and eastern Atlantic, utilizing far more stored energy
swimming greater distances against major currents.
Golet doesn’t expect to find a single smoking gun, or
harpoon. “I’m very convinced that it’s multiple factors
working with each other,” says Golet." |
|
|
|
07/16/07 |
|
It doesn't get much better than this! |
|
|
|
Every now and then we get a story from a fellow fisherman
that totally illustrates what Offshore Pursuits is all
about. When we do, we want you all to have the pleasure of
reading it. The following is just such a story. |
|
|
 The
following report comes to us from Capt. Bill Regan, owner of
the "Hot Reels", and fishing out of Allen Harbor in
Harwichport. As you will see, persistence and more than a
little knowledge pays big dividends! Congratulations to
Capt. Bill Regan and crew Brian Sullivan and Doug Smith on a
fantastic day on the water! I guarantee that we will be
hearing more from this crew!
There are three things you need to know about this day
before I relay the report. We will call it the "rest of the
story".
First, the weather forecast was calling for things to get a
little ugly after midday. It was supposed to blow and really
stack things up. Second, (and nothing new to Chatham) there
was a blind fog once you turned the corner at Monomoy. And
last, but not least, the whole fleet got chewed up by
bluefish the day before precisely where Capt. Bill Regan
planned to fish. He
apparently knows something the rest of us don't! Read on...
"07/15/07 - There is a wreck seven miles north of the
Regal Sword and approximately four miles east of the
shipping lanes. That is where it began. Our first hit bent
the outrigger 30 degrees, peeled line off for a good 10
seconds, then took off with everything. We are talking a
full line break on 80 lb. test mono! It was great to get
bit, but not a good ending!
Approximately fifteen minutes later and approximately one
mile to the south we got hit again. We were losing line at a
rapid pace, on a 70 at full strike no less! After a half an
hour standoff, I backed the boat down on the fish and within
20 minutes we had two gaffs into a great 66", 175 lb. prime
bluefin! We all felt great considering how our day began.
We cleared the lines, reset the spread, and settled into our
trolling pattern. That didn't last long. Within ten minutes
we witnessed a huge explosion behind the "Hot Reels". If we
hadn't seen it, we sure would have heard it! This fish
hammered a black squid rig with a dark pink stinger attached
to a Shimano 50W LRS loaded with 80 lb. test mono. This was
a bigger fish, and in no time we had lost 75% of our spool.
I started backing down on this
fish right away, and in about forty minutes, we had this
fish boat side. Fish number two was 68" and about 210 lbs!
We went through the same routine as before...cleared the
lines, reset the spread, and settled in. Not ten minutes
later we were hooked up again. This was a smaller fish, more
than 47", but not a giant, so we reeled her in, took a
measurement, and turned her loose to grow up a little bit.
Still great action!
This scene played itself out twice more, with two fish
coming to the boat in the 50"-55" range. These were also
released to fight another day.
 Our
final hookup was a feisty 41" fish that fell into the slot
limit. We landed this fish and headed to the dock. That
makes five fish to the boat, one lost, all in the span of an
hour and twenty minutes. As we were steaming off the
grounds, there were still fish busting the surface all
around us.
This was truly one of those days on the water that we will
remember for ever. Hopefully we can pull a repeat real soon!
On a technical note, all our fish were taken on black squid
rigs using either a white stinger, a green stinger or a dark
pink stinger.
Capt. Bill Regan and the crew of the "Hot Reels", Brian
Sullivan and Doug Smith." |
|
|
|
07/17/07 |
|
[Choir] Nils Stolpe lashes out at the Herring Alliance |
|
|
|
The below was sent to me a day ago from Mike Flaherty of the
CHOIR Coalition. |
All,
For those of you who haven't seen it yet, I came across Nils
Stolpe's latest Pravda email newsletter that he sends out
from time to time.
For those who haven't heard of him, Nils has essentially
made a living out of bashing environmental groups in print
and on the internet. He admits to writing for some 30+
individuals but he refuses to name them. Pretty hypocritical
when you consider that all of the 501(c)(3) groups that he
attacks are required to disclose where their funding comes
from.
What I find interesting here is that Nils was generally
hands-off in the past when it came to criticizing the ENGO's
involvement with herring management. This was when it was a
matter of individual ENGOs working with CHOIR (technically a
group of various "fishing" interests).
However, now that those same environmental groups are
falling under the umbrella of the Herring Alliance, he sees
it as fair game - despite the parallel goals between the
commercial and recreational fishermen of CHOIR and the
Herring Alliance.
In other words, how can it be said that the Herring Alliance
is the "latest assault on the commercial fishing industry"
without making the same claim against CHOIR - which is
obviously ludicrous?
Not sure if this deserves a response, but I thought I would
just pass it along in the interest of demonstrating what
"the other side" is writing with regard to herring
management. As I recall, I think he has a similar reference
to the Herring Alliance in a current National Fisherman
article.
Best,
Mike Flaherty
Wareham, MA
=================================================
Excerpt from Nils Stolpe's FishNet email newsletter...
The Oil Slick
The latest assault on the commercial fishing industry is by
a recently
formed organization called The Herring Alliance. This
"alliance" is made up
of the Conservation Law Foundation, Earthjustice,
Environment Maine, Public
Interest Research Group, Greenpeace, National Environmental
Trust, Natural
Resources Defense Council, National Coalition for Marine
Conservation,
Oceana and The Pew Charitable Trusts. It is described on its
website as "a
coalition of environmental and other public interest
organizations dedicated
to protecting and restoring marine wildlife populations and
Northeastern
U.S. marine ecosystems by reforming the Atlantic herring
fishery." However,
there's a bit more - or perhaps that should be a lot less -
to this
coalition than meets the eye.
All but two of the member organizations are funded by the
Pew Charitable
Trusts. According to the Pew Trusts website, since 1998 The
Conservation Law Foundation has received over a 1,000,000
Pew dollars, Earthjustice has
received over 20,000,000 million Pew dollars, National
Environmental Trust
has received over 40,000,000 Pew dollars, Natural Resources
Defense Council has received almost 5,000,000 Pew dollars,
Public Interest Research Group has received over 18,000,000
Pew dollars, and Oceana has received over 38,000,000 Pew
dollars. Environment Maine acknowledges Pew support, but the
Pew Trusts website doesn't detail at what level that support
is.
This embarrassment of riches is part and parcel of Pew's
strategy. In an
article in the New York Times on June 28, 2001, Douglas Jehl
wrote "unlike
many philanthropies that give to conservationist groups, Pew
has been
anything but hands-off, serving as the behind-the-scenes
architect of highly
visible recent campaigns to preserve national forests and
combat global
warming. Though some of its money goes to long-established
groups, Pew has also created its own organizations, with
names like the National
Environmental Trust and the Heritage Forest Campaign."
(Charity Is New Force in Environmental Fight). However, in
the case of this "coalition," the
impression is that a group of organizations spontaneously
came together
because of a concern over the management of herring in New
England waters. All those zeros in the preceding paragraph
show how spontaneous that concern really was.
(Of the two groups apparently not Pew funded, Greenpeace is
notoriously
opposed to "big businesses" such as those engaged in the
herring fisheries,
and the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, in spite
of its name, is
an organization representing recreational fishing interests;
interests who
see any real form of commercial fishing as undesirable
competition.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
07/10/07
Read
Light Tackle Jigging with Wire
by Capt. Hap Farrell. |
|
|
07/10/07
I’ll make this short and sweet. It looks as
if the big bass are moving in the area of Billingsgate
Shoals. Yesterday and today we have some of the best fishing
of the season. Finally, the bigger stripers have moved up on
the shoals.
I had Justin Gansowski and his extended family out on the
half day trip. After one of his family members finished
eating the one banana he had tucked away, we started
catching our share of nice sized bass weighing up to 30
pounds. One of the other boats landed a striper that was 46
inches in length and 38 pounds.
They are here. Just don’t bring any BANANAS...
Capt. Hap Farrell
Stunmai II |
|
|
06/30/07
Congratulations to the crew of the Maverick!
The
Maverick won the Allen Harbor 4th of July Shootout
scoring 197 points ( 65 stripers and two blues ) during five
hours of fishing. The three anglers Joann Riley, Stan Gawron
and Bruce Brody each kept one bass for the grille and
released 62 healthy fish. The fish were feeding on sand eels
on the North Tide and squid on the South. During the change
of tide we moved off the rip and continued to catch in
deeper water. The nearest competitor was the Reel Attitude
with 101 points ( 95 blues and two stripers ).
Many of our friends went school tuna fishing last weekend
and enjoyed a great bite in the shipping lanes East of
Chatham. Squid bars were the ticket with black the favorite
color. Capt. Dan of Merlin Sportfishing had multiple hookups
on the new
East of Chatham squids.
06/27/07
Capt. Jack Riley of
Maverick Charters in Allen Harbor brought in a nice 55"
fish that tipped the scales at over 100 lbs. He caught the
fish on an Offshore Pursuits Bluefin Tuna rig over a
ballyhoo, slow trolled in the wash.
 The
bite is still predominately a morning bite, but there are
some fish being caught on the afternoon slack. When I say
morning, I mean lines in at false dawn. The old saying "you
snooze, you lose" has never been so true!
There is a lot of bait around. miles of sand eels, acres of
bluefish, whales, some porpoises, and lots of tuna!
|
|
|
|
06/21/07 |
"Chatham-based Coalition Fights Destruction
Of Herring Fishery By Trawler Fleet"
by Jennifer Sexton of the Cape Cod Chronicle - 06/21/07 |
|
|
"The Chatham-based CHOIR Coalition (Coalition for Atlantic
Herring’s Orderly, Informed and Responsible Long Term
Development) has announced an initiative to monitor the
industrial mid-water trawl fleet fishing for Atlantic
herring to try to keep industrial mid-water trawlers out of
areas closed to groundfishing.
Over the last five years, CHOIR has pushed the National
Marine Fisheries Service to put federal observers on the
industrial mid-water herring trawl fleet to monitor what the
fleet catches. With no federal oversight to enforce
responsible stewardship of the herring and other marine life
by the huge trawlers, fishermen are stepping up to do the
monitoring themselves.
“These industrial ships are 150 feet long,” said former
CHOIR Chairman Peter Baker. “They hold a million pounds of
fish. They tow a net that’s as long as a football field and
as wide as a soccer pitch and as tall as the state house.
It’s a massive net with tiny two-inch mesh that catches
everything in its path, compared to the six-and-a-half-inch
mesh of groundfish nets. When a groundfish net is towed,
it’s towed at about three-and-a-half knots.”
Read the full
article here." |
|
|
05/28/07
While fishing will be on most everybody's mind this weekend,
lets not forget that it is Memorial Day on Monday. I am sure
Memorial Day has many different meanings to many different
people.
All fishermen, both commercial and recreational, rely
heavily on the United States Coast Guard. Many, if not most
of us take them for granted. Take for granted that when an
emergency happens, the Coast Guard is a call away.
Below is a link to an article I found in the Cape Cod
Chronicle titled
" Remembering Jeffrey Palazzo
Chatham Coast Guardsman Perished In World Trade
Center Rescue
by Alan Pollock"
The article is well worth your time. I think it defines the
meaning of Memorial Day in terms that we can all
relate to.
Read the full story here. You won't regret it! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/21/07
Read below the letter sent to Mexican officials by Sport
Fishing Magazine's Doug Olander concerning fisheries
resources management. |
|
|
|
Below is a direct quote from
Sport Fishing Magazine's web site. Although a little far
south, it follows the theme of what Offshore Pursuits has
been trying to do with any cause that affects the saltwater
fishing lifestyle. |
|
|
"Help save Mexico's offshore fisheries
Mon, May 21, 2007
The following was sent to Mexican officials by Sport
Fishing's Doug Olander. He is asking everyone to send
similar letters to lawmakers and make sure our voices are
heard...
"A Plea to Mexico: Reconsider the Destruction of Your
Country's Marine Fish Resources
For Mexico's future, it is imperative that you work actively
to oppose the Shark Norma 029 and prevent it from continuing
as law. Otherwise, there can be very little doubt that your
waters will soon become a desert for most large fish.
And I know all too well, as editor in chief of one of the
world's leading magazines for sport-fishing enthusiasts,
that along with those fish, you can say goodbye to millions
of dollars every year, lost to Mexico's economy from an
easily sustainable, long-term, relatively non-consumptive
recreational fishery.
Please reconsider for the sake of your great oceans as well
as the sake of your children and theirs. Do not let
short-term commercial fishing destroy your marine fish
populations. Your failure to stop this short-sighted,
greed-driven Shark Norma virtually guarantees that end. You
have the power to keep that from happening and do what is
right for Mexico's future. I'll be watching -- as will a few
hundred thousand readers of Sport Fishing and most of the
world on this one.
DOUG OLANDER
Editor in Chief
Sport Fishing Magazine"" |
|
|
|
|
05/03/07
[Choir] Results of Pelagics Committee meeting. (Received
05/03/07 from Chris Weiner)
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to pass along the great results of today's
meeting: After a good discussion between the committee and
several comments from the audience, Dave Goethel of NH made
a motion to urge the full Council and NMFS to find a way to
get observer coverage on USAP vessels in the most efficient
way possible.
After more discussion and a few more comments in favor of
the motion, the Committee voted unanimously to pass the
motion and send it forward to the full Council to be
addressed at the next Council meeting in June.
The committee made clear that this is an issue they consider
important and the unanimous vote spoke to this fact.
The meeting at the end of June (in Portland) will be an
important one, so stay tuned for updates on what needs to be
done between now and then.
Thanks again for all those who commented on this issue, it
was a big help!
Thanks for your time,
Chris |
|
|
 |
|
|
05/02/07
Below you will find a link to a page within Offshore
Pursuits that contains the body of a correspondance that I
received today (05/02/07) from Peter Baker of CHOIR
Coalition. This letter is copies of correspondence that he
and the CHOIR Coalition have sent to various federal
agencies in regards to the need for observer coverage
on processers working our waters. It is a must read for
everyone who follows, or has a vested interest in the health
of our fisheries.
The full text can be read here.
|
|
|
|
Offshore Pursuit
- A book by John Unkart |
|
|
 Learn
how to rig trolling baits like the pros do, with different
methods to fit different situations. Find the most
productive offshore trolling areas. Tease marlin to the
hook. What baits each species prefers, methods of trolling,
types of spreads, how to chunk for tuna, and when and how to
use special tools such as kites, downriggers, and planers,
are all covered in detail. Easy to understand diagrams,
illustrations, and photographs take the mystery out of
specialized offshore fishing knots, rigging techniques, and
custom tackle design. Apply the tactics and techniques
detailed by blue water fishing pro John Unkart, and your
catch rate is bound to grow exponentially. Whether you're
after billfish, mahi-mahi, wahoo or tuna, you'll gain the
hard-earned insight and knowledge Unkart has accumulated
through more than 40 years of offshore experience. From
rigging techniques to tips on how to fight trophy fish, it’s
all in this book.
Click here to purchase this book (only
$19.95), as well as learn more about the
author. |
|
|
04/16/07 From
Chris Weiner - Choir Coalition
Hey everyone
Read the final
sign-on letter that was sent to members of Congress this
morning. We ended up with an excellent list of diverse
stakeholders and were pleased with the long list of
supporters. Hopefully they will be able to see how important
we all feel this issue is. I will keep you updated on any
developments.
Thanks! Chris |
|
|
|
|
|
Click
here to read the message on the tagging of river herring. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
03/24/07
Gloucester, Mass. "Local groundfishery had
reason to smile this winter...
Ebb & Flow , Peter K. Prybot
Gloucester Daily Times
Gloucester's groundfishery machine has flowed this
winter at a time when the weather or more restrictive
fishing rules could have slowed it to a periwinkle's crawl.
The weather, fish, harvesters, dealers and processors and
consumers made this happen. How did this positive scenario
unravel?"
Read the full article here. |
|
|
|
03/19/07
"Hyannis, Mass. (AP) Cape fishermen are
pulling in diminishing numbers of the prized Atlantic
bluefin tuna, exposing their families to financial hardships
and concern over the future of the industry in the region.
Read the
full article here. |
|
|
|
03/02/07 |
|
Videos |
|
If you are getting the itch for some giant bluefin tuna
action, check out our
Video Page, we
will be adding videos on a weekly basis, so check back
often. If you have your own video that you would like to
have included, please
email me with the details. |
|
|
|
We are putting together a user submitted video contest where
the best video submitted by the deadline (somewhere near the
middle of September, but yet to be determined) will win a
fishing charter. We are working out all the details and will
have the official announcement, rules, etc. posted in the
near future. |
|
|
|
02/19/07 |
|
Read
Trolling Squid Bars and Spreader Rigs by Greg Sears of
Mass Bay
Guides. Very good reading to get you ready for the
upcoming season! |
|
|
|
CHOIR Coalition |
|
|
|
There is also a forum dedicated to this topic in the
Forums. |
|
|
 For
any of you that have spent any time offshore, or inshore for
that matter, you know the role that baifish play in the
presence, or absence, of the species that you are targeting.
If you are into tuna fishing, then you know that the seasons
of late have been missing a key ingredient....giant bluefin
tuna! This scenario is not new by any means, just ask the
Canadians.
There is an organization known to some, but not to all who
should know and support it, that is actively fighting to
preserve the herring stock in the NE. Below is quoted
directly from the
CHOIR Coalition website. |
|
|
"Commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, ecotourism
businesses, and concerned citizens from throughout New
England have united with one voice to protect Atlantic
Herring stocks. Atlantic herring form the basis of the ocean
food chain, and are therefore an essential element to the
marine ecosystem. Fishermen know that if food sources are
eliminated, there is little hope for the long term health of
other fish stocks.
Currently, large midwater single and pair trawl vessels
(herring midwater trawlers) in the Gulf of Maine are
removing more herring from the inshore than ever before,
forcing tuna, groundfish, whales and seabirds out of their
traditional feeding grounds. Midwater Trawl boats in the
Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank have caught protected
groundfish and large marine mammals in their nets as waste.
Now is the time to demand a more ORDERLY, INFORMED, and
RESPONSIBLE plan for managing the Atlantic Herring Fishery
in New England. The future health of our oceans depends on
it. Join the CHOIR Coalition in their efforts to create an
inshore buffer zone free of midwater trawl nets and to stop
wasteful bycatch by insisting on increased observer coverage
in the herring midwater trawler fleet." |
|
|
|
For more information, articles, and news concerning
CHOIR Coalition's agenda, please be sure and visit their
website. As an organization, what they are doing affects us
all, and we should be supportive of that in any way we can. |
|
|
|
You will be seeing, reading, and hearing a lot about this
organization on Offshore Pursuits now and in the future.
Please take the time to support them any way you can. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
© Offshore Pursuits LLC 2007 |
|
|
|
|
