# Blue Fin Tuna



## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

I was renewing my HMS Permit today in preparation for my trip to Venice this weekend and praying for a miraculous change in the WX forecastwhen I noticed that the rules had changed for Tuna according to the NMFS website. Did I read it correctly that after February 9, 2008you cannot keep BFTcaught in the Gulf? Has that always been the case? Not that I would ever have to worry about that, but was just curious.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Radio Check! 

Anybody out there?


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## Chris Couture (Sep 26, 2007)

I am pulling this from memory and would suggest researching it more but I believe that Bluefin only span in the Gulf of Mexico and one other place. This is why they are off limits during a certain time of the year in the Gulf. I think it's like from January until June or July but am not real sure. 



I do remember a few years back when a boat caught a big ass bluefin in a tourney but they couldn't bring it in because they were just a few days out from it being the season for bluefin.



I will do some research and see if I can back this up...



Added::::



The other area is the Eastern Mediterranean...


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Yes, that is what the NMFS website said,that the Gulf was their spawning area and that they could not be "targeted" in that area. I just wanted to make sure that "not targeted" meant the same thing as "not thrown in the fish box" if you happened to catch one by shear dumb luck, which would likely be the only scenario available to me.


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## off route II (Sep 28, 2007)

there is a season but i don't know when it is. i watched a boat weigh in onethat weighed 829#.it was june of '06at OB marina and it is the current alabama state record.


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## whatcon (Oct 3, 2007)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=633 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width=126>













































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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=390 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom noWrap ?left?><H2>News</H2></TD><TD noWrap align=right>last updated: 2/7/2008 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><A name=news265>NMFS Adjusts Recreational Bluefin Tuna Retention Limits</A> 

In the 2008 final BFT specifications and effort controls, which took effect on January 30, 2008, NMFS set the recreational daily vessel/trip retention limits to one school BFT (measuring 27 to <47 inches curved fork length) and two large school/small medium BFT. NMFS indicated in that action that an Angling category adjustment may be necessary once complete LPS estimates for the 2007 fishing year were available. In an effort to limit large school/small medium BFT landings to the available subquota (183.4 mt) for 2008, NMFS is reducing the daily retention limit of large school/small medium BFT. Effective February 10, 2008, through December 31, 2008, the Angling category daily vessel/trip retention limit will be one school BFT (27 to <47 inches) and one large school/small medium BFT (47 to <73 inches). This limit applies to vessels permitted in the HMS Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling category and the HMS Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally). This action does not change the annual Angling category retention limit of one large medium/giant BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel. NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fishery closely through dealer landing reports, the Automated Landings Reporting System, state harvest tagging programs in North Carolina and Maryland, and the LPS. Depending on the level of fishing effort, NMFS may determine that additional retention limit adjustments are necessary prior to December 31, 2008. Closures or subsequent adjustments to the daily retention limits, if any, will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-8862 or (978) 281-9260, or access the internet at www.hmspermits.gov, for updates on quota monitoring and retention limit adjustments. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

The next news item on that page is the one that I had a question about:

<A name=news231>Recreational Atlantic Tunas Retention Limits</A> 

The recreational daily bluefin tuna (BFT) retention for limit for HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat vessels (while fishing recreationally) is 1 BFT/vessel/day/trip, measuring 27 to less than 47?, and 2 BFT/vessel/day/trip, measuring 47 to less than 73" CFL. This limit is in place until February 9, 2008. Effective February 10, 2008, through December 31, 2008, the retention limit will be 1 school BFT and one large school/small medium BFT. HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Heaboats are also eligible to retain 1 BFT (73 inches or greater) per vessel per year as a ?trophy? fish for the boat. *<U>These BFT retention limits are effective for all areas, except for the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is designated as a spawning grounds for BFT and therefore NMFS does not allow vessels, commercial or recreational, to target BFT while fishing in this area.</U>* The recreational yellowfin tuna daily retention limit is 3 yellowfin/person. The minimum size for yellowfin and bigeye tuna is 27" curved fork length. There are no recreational limits for bigeye, skipjack or albacore tunas.


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## Bryan Bennett (Dec 29, 2007)

The key word in the NMFS literature is "target." Because the GOM is a known spawning area for Bluefins, recreational anglers cannot "target" them, but, unless something has changed, a HMS-permitted vessel can retain one bluefin per year as an "incidental" catch. How one defines "target" is debatable, as dragging a ballyhoo around in the gulf for migratory species seems to lend itself to the fact that you might catch a bluefin. I believe the incidental retention rule is in place because NMFS realizes that if one is caught on sporting gear it will probably be spent and unrevivable. You do have to report it if you catch one and I have heard that if you bring one in that is inadequately iced, and a NMFS official witnesses the poor condition of the fish, then that can get you in some hot water. I've always wanted to luck into one...my friend Mark Russocaught one on the Sea Reaper last year that weighed 496 pounds down around Lloyd's ridge. Bit a hardtail that he was targeting...um...something else with...fun topic.


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

Thats right, I'm with OffRoute we only have giants (breeding stock) and targeting these fish is off limits. I understand Caribe may be going on a satelitte tagging excursion with some NC fisheries biologists. They are expected to have fixed wing support in attempting to spot the schools in attempt to catch to affix the transponder.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

> *Xiphius (2/13/2008)*Thats right, I'm with OffRoute <U>we only have giants</U> (breeding stock) and targeting these fish is off limits .


For the most part your right but believe it or not in the fall and through early winterthere are school size bluefin around the elbow and the nipple. Althought they are not commonly taken, fishermen who do catch the few out there need to take the necessary steps in identifying any small tunas they catch to prevent harvest of undersized bluefin. I have caught small bluefin in those areas from october through early december and there are enough identifying marks on them to prevent a hefty fine for those who mistake them for blackfin or bigeye tuna. For one, small bluefin will usually have vertical bifercated bars on them similar to a wahoo. If these are not present look at the pectoral fins. On a bluefin these will be very short, usually shorter in length than the head of the fish whereas the pectoral fins on blackfin,bigeye and yellowfin are usually much longer. Do not use the color of the finlets to identify small bluefin; they can vary from bright yellow to a silvery gray. 

By the way Xiphius, those plasmas are on the way.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *off route II (2/13/2008)*there is a season but i don't know when it is. i watched a boat weigh in onethat weighed 829#.it was june of '06at OB marina and it is the current alabama state record.


i think that was the "dreamin' on?"


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

It was the " C Ya"


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## Jadedlady (Oct 5, 2007)

Actually it was Chasin Tail and it was caught in lloyds ridge the first weekend of june during the cajun canyons classic. They could not make the weigh in so they came back to OB. They hooked 4 and had 2 on for about 4 hours before they went to full and broke 1 off. Landed the fish after 8+ hours on 130. We saw a school in April a few years back east of Nakika. I think it was 4or 5 years ago one was caught around Lena out of South Pass.Dreamin On had there fish back in the early days of the isle of Capri and thats the first one I can remember seeing since I was kid and the guys in Grand isle use to catch out in greencanyon.


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

We've seen em' several times. Even had one in the spread. Down southwest of the West Florida Slope. Even listened to a play by play on a 9 hour 15 minute fight on one that WAS caught. Between two boats, they hadeleven 80W and 130W's spooled. Seen em' free jumping too. Awsome sight.


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## TOBO (Oct 3, 2007)

11, 80 wides and a 130 spooled,,, I thought ya just needed a cain pole? :doh


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey, uuhhhhhh, Creech and Wade...........uhhhhh............

you realize that we might accidentally encounter one of those schools this year while whale watching and pre-fishing for black marlin out near the slope, right? Whichever one of ya'll is driving better do your best not to get one of our baits in front of them, you hear?


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

I've seen several giants on the dock....Isle of Capri, MBGFC Memorial day, (Mike Thiery)the possession of these fish was legal at the time both were over 600lbs. Restitution has a quad hookup and landed and leadered twoabout two years ago, one day before the "season" opened. Steve released them. They have some awesome video and stilll photos. The giantsseem to be in the Gulf early in the year say up through June, then I guess they head south and on to the Atlantic.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Judging by the tracks made by satellite tagging, It would appear they enter the southern gulf by late march and are around the double nipple and desoto canyon by mid april and move westward until about june or so when they start moving back out of the gulf to return to the northwest to feed throughout fall and winter.


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## off route II (Sep 28, 2007)

> *Jadedlady (2/13/2008)*Actually it was Chasin Tail and it was caught in lloyds ridge the first weekend of june during the cajun canyons classic. They could not make the weigh in so they came back to OB. They hooked 4 and had 2 on for about 4 hours before they went to full and broke 1 off. Landed the fish after 8+ hours on 130. We saw a school in April a few years back east of Nakika. I think it was 4or 5 years ago one was caught around Lena out of South Pass.Dreamin On had there fish back in the early days of the isle of Capri and thats the first one I can remember seeing since I was kid and the guys in Grand isle use to catch out in greencanyon.


this is exactly right, a 61' garlington, the guy that caught the fish is the owner. he only had the boat for a few weeks at that time.


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## tyler0421 (Jan 10, 2008)

> *tunapopper (2/14/2008)*Judging by the tracks made by satellite tagging, It would appear they enter the southern gulf by late march and are around the double nipple and desoto canyon by mid april and move westward until about june or so when they start moving back out of the gulf to return to the northwest to feed throughout fall and winter.


Did you find that on the internet somewhere?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I had seen them online. A friend had told me check them out but I don't remember the address. Hereferred itto me in an email. I wonder if you can go to Iccat's web site to find them. They as you probably know are the ones who monitor the tuna populations and help the feds in regulating the quotas with their studies. If not you can probably google it or type some reference on yahoo to find the info.


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