# purse seining Menhaden in Pensacola Bay?



## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

I was crossing 3mile bridge the other day and saw a commercial net boat purse seining menhaden near the Gulf Breeze side....I didn't think that was legal since the net ban...Did anybody else see it and whats up with them being able to do that legally nowadays?????....It was a 40-50 boat ,so he wasn't just playing around....


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## BlueWaterWarrior (May 28, 2015)

The Menhaden are in a death throes now, so that's when they 'green light' the purse seiners to get in there and take some out. Otherwise, you will end up with tons of them in the Bayous creating a rotting mass that will stink up the whole town. Some will end up that way anyway. If he was there during the day, most of what he will catch will be the ones that are already affected by whatever is killing them. They can't seem to dive very deep.


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

The only thing that was ban in the net ban of 95 was mono gill nets and certain mesh sizes for all meterial in state waters.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

stevenattsu said:


> The only thing that was ban in the net ban of 95 was mono gill nets and certain mesh sizes for all meterial in state waters.


:whistling:
thats all?


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

This is what was on the ballot in 94 and yes other net laws have changed since. But even still you can run a gill net in federal waters off of Florida and even gill net pompano in areas off of the Florida Keys. The beach seine I use has to fall into the 500 sq feet and has to be a certain mess size and can not be made out of mono. There fishing groups trying to change the mesh size since there's a large amount of by catch with the small mesh size the state requires us to use. I challenge everyone to look at the research from both sides of the fence regarding the studies being done on the 20 + year old net ban. As for the purse seining those fall into a different set of regulations for the state being there not entanglement nets. 

“ Limits the use of nets for catching saltwater finfish, shellfish, or other marine animals by prohibiting the use of gill and other entangling nets in all Florida waters, and prohibiting the use of other nets larger than 500 square feet in mesh area in nearshore and inshore Florida waters. Provides definitions, administrative and criminal penalties, and exceptions for scientific and governmental purposes


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## Capt. John Rivers (Jul 28, 2012)

BlueWaterWarrior said:


> The Menhaden are in a death throes now, so that's when they 'green light' the purse seiners to get in there and take some out. Otherwise, you will end up with tons of them in the Bayous creating a rotting mass that will stink up the whole town. Some will end up that way anyway. If he was there during the day, most of what he will catch will be the ones that are already affected by whatever is killing them. They can't seem to dive very deep.


I was out all of November and they were over at Bob Sikes Bridge netting a lot. This is the first year I've seen them in our waters.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

Well IMO there ought to be a ban on purse seines in inshore waters....Otherwise we will turn out like Chesapeake Bay and have no menhaden for predators that we fish for,then where will we be...?


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

BlueWaterWarrior said:


> The Menhaden are in a death throes now, so that's when they 'green light' the purse seiners to get in there and take some out. Otherwise, you will end up with tons of them in the Bayous creating a rotting mass that will stink up the whole town. Some will end up that way anyway. If he was there during the day, most of what he will catch will be the ones that are already affected by whatever is killing them. They can't seem to dive very deep.


Nope he's been netting them since they showed up this yr. I saw him out every day I was on the water August thru November. I believe he is the only one in the area with a permit to purse seine them. Sold at the bait shops labeled Captain Black.


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## Capt. John Rivers (Jul 28, 2012)

fairpoint said:


> Well IMO there ought to be a ban on purse seines in inshore waters....Otherwise we will turn out like Chesapeake Bay and have no menhaden for predators that we fish for,then where will we be...?


I agree I hope they come out with a law that bans this because we need these bait fish in our estuaries and I'm sure that some juvenile species of fish are being killed in the process. I'm sure there within the laws or they wouldn't be out there,, but hopefully the laws changes.


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

Actually the laws have been changed in favor of the seiners. And it is Capt Black and don't worry he isn't catching them all. And at $0.12 a pound no one is getting rich


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## Capt. John Rivers (Jul 28, 2012)

stevenattsu said:


> Actually the laws have been changed in favor of the seiners. And it is Capt Black and don't were he isn't catching them all. And at $0.12 a pound no one is getting rich


Gotcha, thanks for the info, yeah, everyone has to try and make a living, as long as they keep a good eye on it, I guess I could see where it wouldn't affect our area that much. One guy really is not putting that much of a dentin in it,,, it is what it is. 
Now it's time to go Christmas shopping or I just might stay on line and do my shopping and avoid the crowds. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

It's like most types of fishing but with seining the moon and stars really have to be inline to work most of the time you catch the bottom or the tide blows the net out


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

stevenattsu said:


> Actually the laws have been changed in favor of the seiners. And it is Capt Black and don't worry he isn't catching them all. And at $0.12 a pound no one is getting rich


If there is one boat now , there might be ten next year....Like I mentioned before ,these guys overfished the east coast of menhaden and there is no rebound,when they are gone,they are gone for good......


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

As I remember there's only one permit for the county and the next closest boat is in Panama City


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

stevenattsu said:


> As I remember there's only one permit for the county and the next closest boat is in Panama City


If that's the case then so be it...I modestly agree he is not going to wipe them out ,only the local gulf breeze guys can really see if he's putting a dent into the population......I'd be curious to see his trip tickets.....


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

It's not about getting rich. It's about the fishery.

I don't know enough about the issue though.

Jim


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