Finning Swordfish: A lesson for Striped Bass?

[SAUERKRAUT]

"Finning Swordfish". I heard this straight from the mouth of an old New Bedford commercial fisherman:

There are or were... only 3 known places IN THE WORLD where swordfish, peculiarly, came up to the surface and finned. Everywhere else and every time else, they are just a deep water fish. The three places were: somewhere on the California coast; the second was somewhere around Sardinia, Italy; and the third was the waters off Martha's Vineyard. And only in these places was there a viable harpoon swordfish fishery and harvest. Like clockwork, the "brown" swordfish would show up in June. 200 pounds was considered even a relatively small swordfish during this fishery. In July, like clockwork, the "blue" swordfish would arrive. And these fish usually ran a little larger. Using an airplane as a spotter, this man stated he had one day where he ironed and killed 54 swordfish! One boat! One good day!

And now this species, this peculiar and specific genetic, is extinct. And my elderly, non introspective commercial retired fisherman contact laments and wonders why this species and fishery is extinct, and asks what happened!

This is what I feel is inevitable about the present day striped bass resource. The inshore genetic of the species will be wiped out. What remains may be a deep water or offshore population genetic, if any. Or, the genetic population of the species that is highly migratory to Cape waters, or the population that migrates to and through the Cape Cod Canal-- will be wiped out as to become genetically non viable and therefore extinct. Just like the Finning Swordfish.

[Guppy]

Interesting...
In the early 70’s we went south of Nantucket lookin to stick swords...
Not only didn’t see any, we didn’t see the island coming back we where so far off... LOL

[niko]

There were Canadian boats sticking them until fairly recently.
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[Sea Dangles]

There are pictures up at my marina in Westport MA of old man Tripp and his catches. He would leave the dock at 7 and be back by 3 with a few swords.
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[nightfighter]

I have my father's pins from Cuttyhunk Swordfish tourneys he used to fish in....
He fished with Art Cote out of Harwichport on the Trader V

[JohnR]

Another missed opportunity we will pay for it eventually and probably sooner. Cod first, then Bass.

Wait til the Chinese setup their fishing boats outside the East Coast EEZ.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by niko

There were Canadian boats sticking them until fairly recently.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I think they still are but WAY out on Georges....

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by SAUERKRAUT

Using an airplane as a spotter, this man stated he had one day where he ironed and killed 54 swordfish! One boat! One good day!

And now this species, this peculiar and specific genetic, is extinct. And my elderly, non introspective commercial retired fisherman contact laments and wonders why this species and fishery is extinct, and asks what happened!

So did you answer him? We can tell him what DIDN'T happen, = RESPONSIBILITY didn't happen.


The Native Americans had it correct, they only took what they need but now we take until there are no more to take because of greed and lots more mouths to feed I guess.

Already schools of stripers have been wiped out and don't return the next years in anywhere close to the numbers they used to. All you have to do is open your eyes to see it, it's obvious.

[wdmso]

My uncle used to go out with a guy From Island Park . I only heard him called gilligan harpoon swords at night in the 70s

[afterhours]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

So did you answer him? We can tell him what DIDN'T happen, = RESPONSIBILITY didn't happen.


The Native Americans had it correct, they only took what they need but now we take until there are no more to take because of greed and lots more mouths to feed I guess.

Already schools of stripers have been wiped out and don't return the next years in anywhere close to the numbers they used to. All you have to do is open your eyes to see it, it's obvious.

Yup, it's finally coming home to roost. Those of us who lived thru the last decline have seen the writing on the wall for many years now have been preaching this would happen. It's NOT TOO LATE, we saved it once and can do it again- take the $ off their heads for starters.

[Clammer]

Just had a nice talk with gail about her fishing family ………..they started R&R at Stellwagon in the early 50,s . then her father got the swordfisg bug ,
he had a 54 ft custom built wooden hull designed & built in Maine .
the whole family , mother , father & 4 baby bears & for a while a grandfather .would leave MV before dawn & steam south & return after dark .
she said the probably averaged one a day ...no play ……………………… the boys would play out the sword in the dory & sometimes they would stick another while waiting & they would be miles apart .
she said at 1st there wasn,t as much money , but suppy & demand changed that .
she said the plane spotting & long lines really killed the fishery .
she said a 300# swords was nothing . 700;800 was average . She said they may have caught one over1000 but not sure .
we taled about all the sharks & she loved the hammerheads & that often the puplet they could see fish just laying on the surface with no fin up .they would steam over & ofter it would be a hammerhead because they did the dame thing .
she also told me the dory did get rammed & capsize .
thinking about this . over 20 years of a family .she started when she was around 2 or 3 until she was 23 they quit / spending every summer on the boat at MV .
She said the closest they got a sword was between MV & Nomans .
there is no way they didn,t lived there own book or movie …&&&&&&&&&& . no wonder when we go fishing she can hang in there longer than I can ><><

[piemma]

Originally Posted by SAUERKRAUT

"Finning Swordfish". I heard this straight from the mouth of an old New Bedford commercial fisherman:

There are or were... only 3 known places IN THE WORLD where swordfish, peculiarly, came up to the surface and finned. Everywhere else and every time else, they are just a deep water fish. The three places were: somewhere on the California coast; the second was somewhere around Sardinia, Italy; and the third was the waters off Martha's Vineyard. And only in these places was there a viable harpoon swordfish fishery and harvest. Like clockwork, the "brown" swordfish would show up in June. 200 pounds was considered even a relatively small swordfish during this fishery. In July, like clockwork, the "blue" swordfish would arrive. And these fish usually ran a little larger. Using an airplane as a spotter, this man stated he had one day where he ironed and killed 54 swordfish! One boat! One good day!

And now this species, this peculiar and specific genetic, is extinct. And my elderly, non introspective commercial retired fisherman contact laments and wonders why this species and fishery is extinct, and asks what happened!

This is what I feel is inevitable about the present day striped bass resource. The inshore genetic of the species will be wiped out. What remains may be a deep water or offshore population genetic, if any. Or, the genetic population of the species that is highly migratory to Cape waters, or the population that migrates to and through the Cape Cod Canal-- will be wiped out as to become genetically non viable and therefore extinct. Just like the Finning Swordfish.

Great post.

[Ed B]

I have no opinion about some fish being genetically inclined to be inshore while others of the same species are found to be deep offshore. It sounds a little far-reaching.

I have read that in studies of tuna vertical and horizontal movements biologists have determined that the fish tend to follow the food chain movement both seasonal and day/night movement. They go where the food is. Which seems logical to me.

[Guppy]

Originally Posted by Clammer

Just had a nice talk with gail about her fishing family ………..they started R&R at Stellwagon in the early 50,s . then her father got the swordfisg bug ,
he had a 54 ft custom built wooden hull designed & built in Maine .
the whole family , mother , father & 4 baby bears & for a while a grandfather .would leave MV before dawn & steam south & return after dark .
she said the probably averaged one a day ...no play ……………………… the boys would play out the sword in the dory & sometimes they would stick another while waiting & they would be miles apart .
she said at 1st there wasn,t as much money , but suppy & demand changed that .
she said the plane spotting & long lines really killed the fishery .
she said a 300# swords was nothing . 700;800 was average . She said they may have caught one over1000 but not sure .
we taled about all the sharks & she loved the hammerheads & that often the puplet they could see fish just laying on the surface with no fin up .they would steam over & ofter it would be a hammerhead because they did the dame thing .
she also told me the dory did get rammed & capsize .
thinking about this . over 20 years of a family .she started when she was around 2 or 3 until she was 23 they quit / spending every summer on the boat at MV .
She said the closest they got a sword was between MV & Nomans .
there is no way they didn,t lived there own book or movie …&&&&&&&&&& . no wonder when we go fishing she can hang in there longer than I can ><><

Wow

[Got Stripers]

Evolution always wins
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[Clammer]

GS then how cum we keep Fuc king & s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g the same way