Well,

The word lately is that the nets are so thick, it is hard to get a jig down without getting hung up on that great piece of bottom east of Boston. We had some great fishing there but it may all be a memory if we can't drop a line. I wish there was a way the recreational anglers, commercail jig fisherman, longliners and gillnets could work together to come up with a solution that benefits all users. This resource (cod) should not belong to a single user group because the other groups can not fish through their gear. I plan on contacting the DMF, Director and ask what can be done. After all we are all paying for licences, fees, and permits weather it is a boat registration, charter endorsement or commercial permit to harvest these same fish.

Dave

Dave,
sounds like you need to do what the feds did to separate the longlines from the lobster gear out at the edge, give each gear type its own area to fish.

:) Ban gill netting!!! Do U know that one boat can put out up to 80 gill nets???? They over catch their daily Quota of cod and discard the rest over board, sometimes a couple thousand pounds and that sours the ocean floor meaning that the bottom fish do not return for awhile!!!! ;) :cool:

Originally posted by Fly Rod
:) Ban gill netting!!! Do U know that one boat can put out up to 80 gill nets???? They over catch their daily Quota of cod and discard the rest over board, sometimes a couple thousand pounds and that sours the ocean floor meaning that the bottom fish do not return for awhile!!!! ;) :cool:

I agree, killnets should go. They are nothing but non-discriminating walls of death.

I disagree that most of the overage gets discarded, unless they have an observer on board or the EP's are out in force. The overage is what they like to call "rough cuts", quick hacked filets that are done by the crew and hidden on the boat. I'm sure they don't all do this, but most of them do ex the ones that my friends work on. I've talked to them about this in the past and it is a common practice. Not to many people out there that would throw a few thousand dollars overboard.

Last year I took the wife out for a 1/2 day trip. When we were heading in I saw hundreds of dead fish floating on the surface. It was eary. The mate told me it was all disacrded fish from the nets.

A few weeks ago a professional fisherman got his " lucky day" while trolling a "seine" (large u-shaped net) for herrings or sardins (imagine the size of the net, and its "thickness") :
he crossed the way of a school of bass, for a total of 4 tons (8000 pounds).
Coming back to the harbor to sell his fish, he only sells one ton at regular market price.
What happens to the other 3 tons ?
They're sold at the EEC guaranteed minimum discarding price, to be chipped to make flour, food for other animals !!!!
It's a win-win situation for this fisherman, but for the fishery ?

These people can't see further than their own nose, and in five years from now they will seriously wonder what has happened to the fish...

And such a situation is supported by the politics, who guarantee a minimal low price, instead of letting the market regulate itself (abundancy = low price, rarity = high price)

Our English neighbours have taken recently a good decision, banning such fishing in the 12 miles range of the shore.

I hope ALL European countries could take such decisions...
Restore the fisheries, recreational fishing... But the rec fisherman her is not as powerful as in your country...

:) s-Journey!!!> here they either pass them to another boat, which is illegal or dump em!!!

I know jiggers that have jigged dead cod off the bottom!!!! As far as filleting of fillets go, U are allowed about 20lbs. to bring in, other then that it is illegal to fillet them in any large quanity!!! They may get away with it in New Bedford but U would not here!!! The green police are at the dock waiting for u to unload!!!;) :cool:

Originally posted by Fly Rod
:) s-Journey!!!> here they either pass them to another boat, which is illegal or dump em!!!

I know jiggers that have jigged dead cod off the bottom!!!! As far as filleting of fillets go, U are allowed about 20lbs. to bring in, other then that it is illegal to fillet them in any large quanity!!! They may get away with it in New Bedford but U would not here!!! The green police are at the dock waiting for u to unload!!!;) :cool:


I live down on the South Shore, guess it works a little different down here. Smaller ports, less boats and not as many green team.

It just makes me sick that they would have to dump good fish overboard at all. That fish could do a lot of good for people, ex people that can't afford to eat!!!

:) I hear ya about the waste!!!!

They are allowed 800lbs. of cod a day and I don't understand the marine fisheries not letting them bring in the overage and make them stay tied up a day or two!! For instance, If they catch and land 2400lbs.; they stay tied up 3 days!!! A friend of mine was monk fishing out of New Bedford for years and he can't believe how many enviromentals are in our city!!! We have more of them then city cops!!!! Have a Great Day!!!;) :cool:

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Originally posted by Fly Rod

For instance, If they catch and land 2400lbs.; they stay tied up 3 days!!!

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I like that idea, that would work too.

I really think they should allow the overage to be brought in to port and donated to a food bank, homeless shelter or food assitance program. Then give the fishermen tax credits for what they would have just thrown over. It would be a Win-Win for everyone and we would not have this unjustified waste.

The issue is that there is a very small area which is holding fish at this time. When nets are placed into the area the netters OWN THE BOTTOM and the other three users, longliners, commercial jig boats and recreational anglers can not fish where the fish are. Every time you drop a jig, you loose a rig. I understand they are out there earning a living and I have not problem with proper management and fishing. My solution is to limit the number of nets, limit soak time to a few hours and do not allow nets to stay overnight with no fishing between 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour prior to sunrise. This will allow the early hook fisherman to have a chance and once the gillnetter has his 800 LBS, he can go home earning a days pay while opening up the area for others to fish. To me it is a win win solution and nothing won't change unless people speak up. If anyone else has an idea, I am all ears.

Dave

Dave,
re:"nothing won't change unless people speak up"

You got that right! Does MA have the equivalent of the RIMFAC? If so find out when their next meeting is and bring the issue up with them. If they make a recommendation to the state, it will carry a lot more weight than individuals writing independently.

I spoke up today and made a few calls to encourage a a few more calls!!!
I was out there last friday and got hung up twice:af:
Lost some gear and with 1 of the hang ups, my favorite reel (Newell) got jammed up and damaged the reel:af:
I wasn't there very long and got some VERY quality fish ( to 40 lbs) then the wind picked up and drifting too fast caused the hand ups, when I got pissed off and headed home!!!

why can't the jiggers and long liners get a seprate season?? Lets face it are smaller boats will not be out there much longer and the netters can work all winter and in weather that the smaller boats can't go out in.

So let the netters go in like Jan after we are all done, there will still be pleanty of fish for them and we will be all done.

Does this make any sence?

This area is part of the federal rolling closures and has been closed to all commercial fishing since the 1st of April. Currently as as enter into the holidays this is when the prices are the best for fish especially once we get closer to Christmas and New Years as the draggers tie up from offshore trips. The gillneters are looking to fish and make a dollar. I understand that and you ahve to remember the brutal winter of last year where many boats could not even get out of iced in harbors. I think there is room for everyone as long as we all work together.

Dave

:) You can't close an area to one group and leave it open to another!!!
The commercial jiggers go out in the winter just like the gillnetters!!!
Days sometimes are limited for both groups because of weather

Be lucky that they do not close that area to recreational fishermen also!! The cod congrecate there to spawn mid Sept.- Dec.;) :cool:

Happy Holidays !!!!:cool: :cool:

Like I stated on my original post, need to find a way to work together so we can all have an opportunity at these fish. As far as being lucky to be able to target these fish because theyare spawning, I disagree. With the size of these mature fish, they have already spawned during their life probally several times. This is not the only spawning grounds inshore. If these fish had to be totally protected to rebuild the stocks it would have been part of the Amendment 13 process. Smaller fish of all species which many of us land, often dye due to stresseven after being released without ever spawning. It is only my opinion that the mortality levels are taken into account so the stocks can still rebuild and fisherman can harvest a reasonable amount of the species. I don't know too many fisherman who would want to kill every last fish as without them we have no charters or fun.

Dave