|
|
Post by tropicbird on Apr 18, 2024 18:14:24 GMT -5
Right around this date, 48 years ago, my dad called me from Key West and he was so excited. Him and his childhood friend had just fished four nights in a row for swordfish on a 35' Luhrs using a 2-mile line with no lightsticks, set out and hauled back by hand, and caught 79 swordfish up to 600 lbs. Their catches in the four nights were 25, 20, 18, and 16 swords. That's pretty impressive considering how primitive their gear was. My dad had a big surprise in stored, one he didn't expect. Instead of sharing in his excitement, my response was the complete opposite. I told him "Don't you think we should catch less? We don't know too much about swordfish in this area and if we catch this many we might wipe them out." Considering what has happened to the nighttime swordfish fishery, was I right? When I was doing it with my dad the average size for a nighttime sword on our longlines was 130# dressed weight, or close to 200# whole weight. Is that the case today? ![]() Attachments:
|
|
|
|
Post by lemaymiami on Apr 19, 2024 5:13:16 GMT -5
Unfortunately you were absolutely right about swording - all those years ago. When longliners first found the swords at night along our coast down here in paradise - it was fantastic -and that discovery quickly lead to chartermen taking their customers and being successful out of the Castaways and Haulover. Me? I'd just left the docks for a different job and only got to read about it. Once the fishery was known, of course... it was a commercial bonanza for a very few years until they crushed it - and that was that... all those years ago.
Not a new story - this is one that's repeated over and over again around the world. Find a great new fishery then beat it to death trying to make a buck... Figuring out how to make fisheries sustainable over time - that's the really hard part...
|
|
|
|
Post by Captj on Apr 19, 2024 18:55:25 GMT -5
In 1979 I was fishing out of Ft. Pierce and the fish house had a fleet of 70's fishing 25 mile longlines out of there. I saw the cores and the tickets on the manager's desk. These boats were shipping between 25 & 30 thousand lbs a night. Also there were a couple of bandit boats fishing at least 15 hydraulic or more reels. They were railing the Golden Tiles to the tune of 20,ooo# per trip. In my opinion the bag limits are a good thing. No way you can keep killing fish in that fashion and hope for a future.
|
|
knotright
Junior Member
Posts: 21
Member is Online
|
Post by knotright on May 4, 2024 7:05:40 GMT -5
Wow
|
|
