Warning systems on $10k radars don't do #^&#^&#^&#^&.

We weren't the only idiots that night. Heard of 2 other boats getting drilled.

Are you saying yes you were drifting at night and everyone was sleeping ?
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Idiots all around.

Idiots sleeping drifting.

Idiots sleeping anchored.

Idiots.

We sleep anchored on the bank. Never near the shipping lanes. The boats lit up like an oil rig with the radar and gps alarms on. I'll admit it's sketchy but with only two guys to fish for 3 days strait it's very hard to keep awake that midnight to 0400 shift. One of us is usually awake in the darkness but there are times when we're both asleep.
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Remembering that the guy in the wheelhouse of the dragger is also asleep with the autopilot on will keep you up fine. :hihi:

Yes I know, hopefully the radar picks him up entering the alarm zone
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that's what I thought too... especially with $75k in newly purchased electronics.

Reality, not so much.

It worked for us one night...we were hanging off a sea anchor in 6000+ and were all asleep, when the alarm went off ( I think it was set at a mile or 1/2 mile) and it got us up to greet a US Navy support ship of some kind came within 1/4 mile and put a spot light on us for a few seconds then turned and went away. It turns out that a submarine was doing some kind of exercise and they were checking the area. It was a little nerve wracking initially to see a boat in the middle of nowhere approaching on radar...We had turned on a load of lights after the alarm went off. We spoke to him on the radio for a minute afterward...then went back to sleep.

I watched this show last night on demand and of course I don't know anything about comm fishing (or any tuna fishing for that matter) but it just seemed VERY odd to me that everyone knows this Dave guy leads people astray, yet everyone still asks him for info. I mean, what the hell to do they expect him to say?

I was also shocked to see that dragger come that close to one of the Tuna boats and snag his anchor, it seems like it's obvious bullying going on there, which is pretty horrible IMO.

Ask Mike (Fishingfreak) about it. :)

Vejo você no tribunal idiota!


"I'll see you in court ahole" in portuguese :hee:

Another tuna show: SUPERFISH BLUEFIN TUNA will broadcast on the National Geographic Channel on April 12th, 2012 at 9 pm.

SUPERFISH BLUEFIN TUNA - YouTube

After more research... seems this was more about making a TV show than getting it all correct. Besides the lights from shore, I was told to pay attention to when they are fighting a fish. Seems that there may have been a cinder block on the other end in at least one "scene".

lol Ross.....okay get the microphone next to the drag
let loose the block guys

This show goes against everything that's been drilled into my head about commercial fishing !
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The American Bluefin Tuna Association

National Geographic's "Wicked Tuna": Focuses intently on an issue that is new and important for Americans



Salem NH, April 2, 2012 - National Geographic's new 10-part series, "Wicked Tuna" premiered last night. It follows the format of the successful Discovery series,

"Deadliest Catch" with one big difference. "Wicked Tuna" brings to light a fishery that few Americans are aware of.



Most Americans have heard of the so-called "plight" of the bluefin tuna. The producers of "Wicked Tuna" suggest instead that the health of bluefin populations are a complex issue. For example, few Americans are aware that in certain parts of the world, in the Mediterranean Sea in particular, bluefin have been overfished by large, factory-style industrial vessels of 200-300 ft in length, but not here in the U.S. As early as the 1970's Congress created the 200-mile limit law (now called Magnuson-Stevens Act) and negotiated international treaties for highly migratory fish such as giant bluefin. Consequently, large industrial fishing of bluefin was eventually phased out in the U.S. What was left were the small, independently-owned boats seen in "Wicked Tuna".



"One critically important piece of news that comes out of "Wicked Tuna" that will come as a big surprise for most Americans is the fact that our commercial bluefin fishery here in the U.S., referred to locally as the General and Harpoon Fisheries, is an Artisanal fishery. This fleet of small boats are only allowed to use handgear methods for fishing: rod and reel or harpoon. They can only catch one fish at a time and are limited to catching a maximum of 3 fish per day," says Rich Ruais, Executive Director of the American Bluefin Tuna Association, an organization that exclusively represents U.S. tuna fishermen in the Atlantic.



Beginning in the 1970's, U.S. fishermen and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wanted strong, self-imposed conservation methods to ensure that U.S. bluefin fishing led the world in sustainable fishing practices. NOAA long ago issued regulations, permanently making this commercial fishery an Artisanal fishery. U.S. tuna fishermen want their fishery to remain an Artisanal fishery in perpetuity. The fishermen wish to maintain this fishery as a small fleet of family-owned and operated vessels of approximately 30-42 ft in length. Artisanal fisheries are virtually incapable of causing the damage to a fishery that can easily be done by industrial fishing methods like those used in the Mediterranean Sea.



Ruais comments further, "Americans should be proud that they have an Artisanal fishery for bluefin because it sets an example for other industrialized countries who do not fish sustainably. If those countries want to protect their bluefin populations, they need to radically scale back those large, corporate-owned industrial fishing vessels from their fishery that are capable of catching 500 or more bluefin at a time. These big vessels are the ones that create all the problems for bluefin."



"Our small boats, under longstanding conservation regulations, cannot possibly do any damage to the Atlantic bluefin. As one of the captains in "Wicked Tuna" accurately stated, our bluefin fishery in the U.S. is the most highly regulated bluefin fishery in the world. Our fishermen are required to adhere to the lowest maximum number of fish that can be retained daily and the highest minimum retainable size of 73 inches. This is unprecedented and unmatched worldwide."



Last May, after spending a year, countless tax dollars and involving a great many marine scientists and fishery management experts, NOAA concluded a huge study proving that bluefin were not endangered or threatened. Earlier this year, Canadian scientists, based on their own separate comprehensive study, also agreed with the U.S. and went further to note that quotas in the west Atlantic could be safely raised. Nonetheless, quotas have been maintained at extra-precautionary lower levels.



A few environmental organizations would like Americans to think that US bluefin are "imperiled", but, given NOAA's and Canada's latest scientific studies, all those Americans who in the past were given false and incomplete information to sign petitions saying that they won't eat Atlantic bluefin can now go back to eating Atlantic bluefin tuna sustainably caught by U.S. fishermen.



Although "Wicked Tuna" tends to dramatize the interactions between the fishermen, the dialog is colorful, the fierce competition is typical of Gloucestermen, and the action footage is real. The act of catching bluefin tuna by handgear requires great fishing skill, a high level of seamanship ability and human strength.



The airing of "Wicked Tuna" is the first time ever that the American public will have a glimpse into the little-known world of these hardworking New England fishermen and it explains very well how they do what they do. Ruais concludes, "In 'Wicked Tuna', much is made of how much the fish is worth but, in reality, fishermen receive, on average, about $9.00 per lb. for their bluefin catch, which is less than what sea scallop or Alaskan king crab fishermen are often paid for their catch."





For further information, please contact:

Rich Ruais

Tel: (603) 898-8862

Email: rruais@aol.com

I only caught part of it, haven't watched it complete on dvr yet. I was surprised the one guy that asked tuna.com TWICE where he was fishing, where the fish were was actually offended he was lied to. I assume some guys work together , but when the bite is tough does he really expect accurate information? "Sure,come take money out of my pocket bud !"

Did anyone else notice the thresher shark tied to the stern of one of the boats? Why didn't they mention that?

Just curious.

i didnt notice the thesher.... but did notice the shore on georges bank...lol.

Tune in tonight 10 pm only on the Nat Geo channel. See episode 1 again with live commentary and questions during broadcast.

You are allowed to keep the thresher.

YOU meaning only if "you" have an old commercial shark permit which aren't available anymore.
Or you are in a tournament.
Otherwise you are not allowed to keep sharks if your giant/commercial fishing.
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i thought we could keep theshers and makos??? i could be wrong im not up to date on the sharks....

I think your wrong. You can't sell it without the old permit but you can cut it up and eat it.

Freak is right... If you are fishing under bft general, can't keep any sharks... Only a rec hms permit can keep sharks. And a boat can't have both permits, afaik. Only possible "loophole" is a charter permit, which lets you switch between the two... But if you kept a shark you would then be defined as a rec vessel, and unable to giant fish for the day.
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3 of the boats on that show charter.

As charter/headboat your category for the day is determined by the first fish you kill. So you can only have sharks AND giants on board the same day if you have the old school commercial shark permits from way back.
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I stand corrected. I misunderstood Dave.

my god some of these off shore rules are confusing!

Tuna.com does not make his living fishing for tuna..... he is a pilot for Jetblue

The only one that fishes for a living is Dave Marciarno the baldheaded guy and Noaa has put him out of business

The first episode was all taken from Stellwagon.... these guys do not anchor on Georege's Bank.... they drift fish 99% of the time..

nightfighter....no cinder block.... used a 5 gallon bucket at least once when helicopter was there filming.... cost money to keep helicopter in the air while waiting for tuna to bite.

For those of U that have comcast xfinity U could have watched wicked tuna since a week ago Tuesday instead of waiting to Sunday nite by clicking on.."On Demand,".. top picks and click till U see wicked tuna... U can re-watch it anytime

The show learned from Dave @tuna.com: I might have messed up my numbers a little...:rotf2:

Dave Marciarno seems like a cool captain and hard core new england tuna fisherman. Fun to watch pre season,time to get the gear ready :)

been there done that...I'm 1 for 5 on snatched cod jigs....... and if I wasn't power drifting with men on board( and a small boat harpoon on board as well).. I'd be 0-for... I can't count how many times I've had mackerel meant for bass on a offshore ledge ( a mile off the beach) snatched by giants...it's never pretty...

Jason... it's hard to understand how fast a BFT can empty a 4/0 penn.. until you see it in person...even when the engine is running and you imediatly slam it in to gear.. alot has to go your way...... I chased/fought one on a jig with a 4/0 penn for 4 hours.. alone... with severe cramps, and soiled britches before the reel ceased to funtion.... I didnt know weather to laugh or cry when the line parted...most times it's over before you realize what happened...

roc....ya know i know chances are slim but what you described shure sounds fun! lol. I bet your 1st reaction was "i have the bass of a life time" i'm sure that thought only lasts a few seconds..... Like i said, i saw several tuna last year in our area...but ya i'm in the hunt for some used tuna gear. I'd like to have a few setups for those rare occations when i see them.

I love the one fellow who caught what looked like a close fish, while fighting it he even mentioned something about the size being legal....first he harpooned it. Then gaffed it and brought it in the boat. Then said, it looks legal, then measured it. Did not say anything after measuring it. Hmmmmm.
He was giddy happy because he broke even for the trip. Some how I doubt this is all he does for a living.

What would he have done if it was 72" and not 73? Let it go?

Is it legal to cut the head off?

A lot of BS going on out there. This show confirms it.

Hundreds of fish were turned away by fish buyers who can not get caught with a <73" fish. How come these fishermen are not reported for poaching?


Even my wife said...I can see lights from land! There is no way they are offshore.

His wife said "We wont harpoon a fish thats even close to not being a keeper", that fish was way too close to judge when it was still in the water, with a harpoon hanging from it.

You can cut their heads off, just need to keep pec fin and tail on and once the buyer cuts the tail off there is no more measuring.
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If you cut their heads off, how can an enforcement officer (or buyer) accurately measure to see if it is >73" since the measurement is from lower jaw ?


tysdad115: your damn right about that. There was NO way he could tell, in fact I bet it was sub 73. I've done this enough to know you can not tell a 71 from 74 in the water. The fish have such varied geometry that it is impossible (some are meatballs some are long and lean). You need them on the deck with a tape and you need two people.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Com...Guide_Tuna.pdf
Bluefin tuna
No person shall retain, or possess a bluefin tuna with the head removed that is less than 20 inches (51 cm) pectoral fin curved length.
Bigeye and yellowfin tuna
No person may remove the head of a bigeye tuna or yellowfin tuna if the remaining portion would be less than 27 inches (69 cm) from the fork of the tail to the forward edge of the cut (see image below).
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Thank you freak. That is good info. I did not know about the curved peckfin legnth conversion factor.

IMO when you get your permit, they should email you an on-board packet with all this stuff inside along with the latest regs, id info etc... It is just too hard to dig it out of that site. But that is another problem for another day....


thanks!