I am an anti-fishing-permit kind of guy unless it is for a good reason. So far i have been purchasing the HMS permit for tuna every year. I still don't understand what they are doing with this money except issuing permits online. Few anglers I know have actually reported their catches so the data they collect has to be very spotty. Moreover most of the anglers don't even have permits. The overseas issues (non-US tuna fishing) is in no way connected to these regs. From stuff I have read, the size and numbers of the tiny fish they take are insane.
This year they raised the minimum limit to 47" as a keeper for rec's. I don't know about you but must of the fish I landed were smaller then that. I think I got one or two that exceeded that for the season.
"The current (throught May 31, 2006)recreational daily BFT retention limit for vessels permitted in the HMS Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat categories is 1 BFT/vessel/day/trip, measuring 47 to less than 73" CFL. Stay tuned for daily retention limits beyond June 1, 2006"
With $4.00/gal fuel looming and 47" keeper as the rules for 06, I may pass on the permit and just fish naked the few trips I make. I know it is only 22 bucks but hey, that is 5 gals of gas! It is mainly a catch and release fishery anyway for me but I like take home a couple for the grill in the summer. But this is getting out of hand. If the species is truley highly migratory, accross boarders you need to establish rules on a larger regional basis. I was hoping the fee woulf pay for committees to work with other fishery depts of other countries but I never hear about this and clearly no progress seems to be happening.
Does anyone hear about what the rules will be for this summer? I will wait. If they move it back to 27 I will buy the lic if they keep it at 47 I will fish for them without one.
and take my chances.