another question about comm tuna regs

[Mr. Sandman]

On the DMF site there is little mention of BT. (other than you need a state and fed lic). The offical dealer list does not even list the species.
So, do you have to sell BT to a lic'ed dealer? If a restaurant wants to purchase your fish, can you sell it to them? Can you show me where it says I have to do so.

To date every fish I have sold has been to a registered lic'ed wholesale dealer. The other day a sushi place asked me about a fish and they were interested but I did not see their name on the DMF dealer list. Is it legal to sell it directly to a place like that? (I am sure it is done but I want to know if it is legal)

The reason I question this is that the fishermen (or dealer) has to essentially report the fish caught to the fed. So if it registered, why should it matter who buys it?

[thefishingfreak]

Selling means commercial and you must follow commercial regs.
If you find someone to unload a few fish on under the table I say go for it..
"Commercial Fishery Regulations
Both the recreational and commercial fisheries for bluefin tuna are regulated by the National Marine Fisheries Service."
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recre...luefintuna.htm

"All persons who land and sell finfish, shellfish, lobsters, edible crabs or other living marine resources in Massachusetts must have a commercial fishing permit from the Division of Marine Fisheries and must sell only to permitted Massachusetts dealers. "
Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries - Permits

[Mr. Sandman]

That is the sentence I was looking for... kind of...if the tuna fishery is regulated by the NMFS then they should have a regulation regarding selling to whom. I don't see that. I think that DMF sentence is germane to the fish they regulate and tuna is not one of them.
(That said, I try to abide by the reg's and stick to the rules , no matter how confusing and awkward they are)

[thefishingfreak]

Have the sushi joint apply for a permit
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Slick Moedee]

Fed Regs state fish must be sold to Fed permitted dealers. So in Ma, vessel needs Fed and State permits and the dealers need Fed and state permits.

Careful with back door stuff, didn't work out so well for those in Ogunquit/Perkins a few years back.

Fed Reg: "A person may sell Atlatnic tunas only to a dealer that has a valid federal permit for purchasing Atlantic tunas"

Some guys get both the vessel and dealer permits but comes with the paperwork hastles. easire for YT than BT.

[Mr. Sandman]

Where can one check to see who has a valid federal permit for purchasing...is there a list? The DMF list does not list tuna delaers, The Federal permit site does not have a list of dealers that I can find.

[Slick Moedee]

Try using this link. Your right MA doesn'tpost the Fed stuff, but here is a link to NE Fed dealer permits.

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/permits/data/dealer.html

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by Slick Moedee

Try using this link. Your right MA doesn'tpost the Fed stuff, but here is a link to NE Fed dealer permits.

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/permits/data/dealer.html

Slick, for fun I took the data and sorted out the NE states and only tuna dealers and compiled this reference for anyone that wants it. If you want a complete editable/sortable Excel spreadsheet with all the info and fish species, send me a PM with your email and I'll send you the file.

[Mr. Sandman]

You guys are awesome!! Thanks a lot I have looked for something like this for a while. I can't believe this is not more available.

Someone should make an "ap" that looks at where you are located, then finds the nearest 20 cloestest buyers and sorts them based on best price/# !
Seriously though this is great thanks again!

[Slick Moedee]

Keep in mind that a lot of these dealers are moble and have trucks that will come to you.