After the canal bite

[Dave Peros]

One of the saddest things I heard about the Canal this week from a reliable source is that a commercial boat angler hung around outside the land cut at the west end and managed to get his 15 fish limit by netting floaters.
I agree with Paul that you can't blame this all on the commercial - ahem, recremercials - but I do that some boat guys have been getting their 15 fish limit inside the Ditch by catching them and transporting them to the box on their boat. I've even heard some say that it is legal and there is one of these clowns who picked up over 450-pounds at Block Island when the price was high.
It just seems that there is an imbalance in terms of enforcement when it comes to what is going on in the Canal and what the boat guys do. Extra loads of 15 fish go missing and unreported when certain people get caught. As long as some of the EPO's are friends with rule breakers, then the system is corrupt. But then what in Massachusetts isn't?
As for stuffing extra fish in the rocks and bushes, it won't stop until there are laws with some teeth, in other words consequences, and they are enforced without interference from the courts. I need to do more research about how fishing violations are handled in other states, but a minimal fine just doesn't cut it.
Ultimately, if you're going to make laws and rules but not enforce them, then don't waste anyone's time making the laws.
As for it being too easy, I don't get it. Catching a personal best is something to be celebrated, but if that fish is killed and then wasted, as in going around looking for someone to take fish off your hands, well that's another thing. I will never say anything about it being too easy; looking back to when I started as a kid, I sure would have liked it to be easier since it took me a long time to catch my first schoolie.
Ultimately, what people should be concerned about is that there is such a large concentration of fish being harvested and poached, as well as released after being out of the water for five minutes for photos and videos or guthooked due to carelessness. Keeping a fish is not criminal; wasting one is.
And without tagging, I can't prove this, but I find it hard to believe that these schools aren't the same ones that are off P'town in the spring and used to in the bay around Sandwich and Barnstable, but are now in the Canal because that's where the bait is.
Does anyone remember when Gay Head had a fleet? Wasque? Cuttyhunk?
Fish aren't magically replaceable, period. Put enough pressure on any local population and watch is disappear.
And, please, oh please, don't mention the EEZ! I have enough of a headache as it is.

[puppet]

I am sure all fish are being released properly....hahahahaha.

Jump to 2:40....I think we call that the bear hug then bar of soap release. Textbook.

[beamie]

Originally Posted by Dave Peros

One of the saddest things I heard about the Canal this week from a reliable source is that a commercial boat angler hung around outside the land cut at the west end and managed to get his 15 fish limit by netting floaters.
.

Why would this sadden you? I think that is great. What would have been a waste is now going to the quota and being used by someone. No one likes seeing all those floaters go to waste. Like off chatham when the trawlers dump there bycatch.

This is the main reason I believe they changed the rules to 2 fish commercially by land. When this happens at the canal the market would have been flooded and the price would be $1 a pound. Sure there is always going to be some shenanigans going on but you'll never stop that.

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by beamie

Why would this sadden you? I think that is great.

You don't really think it is great that there were so many floaters do you? I know that is what you wrote. Peros found it sad that there were so many floaters, not sad that a few were fortuitously picked up in a boat. You must of understood that is what he meant, right?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[beamie]

Originally Posted by zimmy

You don't really think it is great that there were so many floaters do you? I know that is what you wrote. Peros found it sad that there were so many floaters, not sad that a few were fortuitously picked up in a boat. You must of understood that is what he meant, right?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Got it Zimmy, you're correct. When I read this the first time the part about the boat picking fish was the lead followed by the floaters. Just found it good that these were not going to waste.