Tag Archives: tuna

‘Wicked Tuna’ star meets Kaua‘i fishermen, scientist eager to resume local ahi research

Reality television star Dave Marciano, captain of the fishing vessel Hard Merchandise on the long-running National Geographic series “Wicked Tuna”, has spent the last two weeks on a whirlwind tour of Kaua. The famous fisherman, who visited with his family, was on vacation. However, he was also excited to reignite a long-running initiative between local commercial fishermen and marine biologists – which has all but stopped in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of funding. The local fishermen are more than Marciano’s colleagues: They’re also some of his biggest fans. When not discussing their shared profession, some could not resist taking a selfie or getting an autograph from the avuncular East Coast captain. Photos, more, >>click to read<< 08:46

Athearn Marine Agency Boat of the Week: 47’X18′ 2010 Novi Lobster, Gillnetter, Tuna – Open Stern/Split Wheelhouse

To review specifications, information, and 44 photos’, >click here<, To see all the boats in this series >click here< 12:01

You don’t need five shirtless dudes to catch a big fish. One badass woman can get the job done.

If I want to be as badass as Michelle Bancewicz Cicale from Seabrook, I have some work to do. But hey, you gotta start somewhere! Michelle has been fishing most of her life. Like most things, if you implement the three P’s, practice, patience, and persistence you are bound to get better at it. In 2015 she started fishing mostly for tuna and in 2019 she bought her own boat. The FV No Limits. “No Limits” seems like an appropriate name for Michelle’s boat. ESPECIALLY after she reeled in this monster of a Blue Fin on her first solo venture! photo’s,>click to read< 07:43

Selling Direct to the Public: What looked like disaster for Haworth Fish Co. has turned into new business

After a week at sea, Nick Haworth returned to port with 30,000 pounds of big eye tuna and opah aboard Kaylee H,,, Having been hundreds of miles offshore, the crew had not heard the news: On March 17, 2020, fearing a surge of coronavirus cases, the county health department shut down all indoor dining, instantly destroying the restaurant industry’s appetite for the fresh investment sitting on ice below deck in the fishing boat’s hold. “We had nowhere to sell our catch,,, photos, >click to read<,09:17

Tussling for tuna: Costa Rican fishermen want more access to a local tuna

Robert Nunes is a commercial fisherman who actively defends his peers in Costa Rica’s commercial fishing industry. He volunteers a lot of his time with Mauricio Gonzalez, director of the Camera de Palangreros (or the chamber of longliners) traveling the country lobbying for fisherman’s rights. Longlining is a type of fishing that boats set miles of hooks across the ocean and is not selective in what type of fish takes the bait placed on a hook. This has caused grief among many different groups who support, sharks, marlin, and sailfish that some people consider bycatch to a longline boat. The longline sector does not consider these species bycatch as the total catch is utilized and nothing gets wasted.>click to read<18:50

Practice, confidence key to breaking down a fish

I stepped tentatively into the fish-cutting arena guided by the patient, capable Ashley Watts, owner and operator of Local I‘a, which purchases fish from Oahu small-boat fishermen and sells them direct to restaurants and retail customers. Watts reaches the public via farmers markets and through a subscription program called a CSF, or community-supported fishery. Before taking me to the cutting board, Watts arranged for us to watch a master fish cutter at work. Talk about mastery of a craft. Self-taught Rodel Agonoy, who has been breaking down fish for 13 years, tackled a 110-pound yellowfin ahi caught by Kekoa Seward of Hawaii Kai, separating the meat from the spine and quartering it into giant fillets in about 3-1/2 minutes. Video, >click to read<21:10

20K-Pound Fresh Fish Catch Helps San Diego Maritime Industry

Thousands of pounds of fish were offloaded Thursday in Point Loma, an occurrence that happens a few times a month in San Diego but is part of an evolving maritime industry. The Port of San Diego is highlighting the commercial fishing industry for “Maritime Month.” Many of the fishermen who work in San Diego have been a part of the local fishing industry for generations and spend weeks at a time at sea. On Thursday, four of those fishermen aboard the boat “Anthony G” used forklifts to unload about 20-thousand pounds of swordfish, tuna, manchong and other fresh catches at Driscoll’s Wharf in Point Loma. Video, >click to read<16:47

Canada: Atlantic bluefin tuna not listed as an endangered species

Atlantic bluefin tuna will not be listed on the endangered species list, a decision released Wednesday.  The federal government’s final decision was published in the Canada Gazette saying it would not be listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).  Fisheries and Oceans Canada rejected advice to list the species as endangered last summer, saying western Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks have been rebuilding since 2011, when the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) said tuna should be listed as an endangered species under federal species-at-risk legislation. Included in the decision was the government’s rationale and the steps that will be taken to help in its recovery. If the species would have been listed on SARS, it would no longer have been allowed to be fished commercially. The in Halfax is calling on the government to take steps to work and conserve the species. (of course!) click here to read the story 08:21

Not Your Average Fish: Tuna Shares ‘Super Predator’ Genes With Great White Sharks

pacific bluefin tunaDespite independent evolution for 400 million years, sharks and tunas still share common genetic traits. They include higher metabolism, body temperature and fast swimming skills. In the lamnid group of sharks, great white sharks are a major presence. Some common genetics make them super predators with brisk swimming power and the ability to stay warm. This was revealed in a new research by Imperial College London which asserted the commonality of genes in the two groups as key to their predatory edge. Regarding the identical genes in both the groups, the team said they are mainly linked with metabolism and the ability to produce energy. The study, published in Genome Biology and Evolution Journal, had Professor Vincent Savolainen from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial as the Co-author. “Lamnid sharks and tuna both have stiff bodies and tails that allow them to swim in bursts. They can also keep their temperature up in colder waters. Both of these things make them more effective predators, allowing them to snatch prey in usually inhospitable waters,” Savolainen said. Read the rest here 16:41

Potential Western Atlantic spawning area found for Atlantic bluefin tuna

Scientists from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) and the University of Massachusetts Boston have found evidence of Atlantic bluefin tuna spawning activity off the northeastern United States in an area of open ocean south of New England and east of the Mid-Atlantic states called the Slope Sea. The findings, to be published March 7 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that the current life-history model for western Atlantic bluefin, which assumes spawning occurs only in the Gulf of Mexico, overestimates age-at-maturity. For that reason, the authors conclude that western Atlantic bluefin may be less vulnerable to fishing and other stressors than previously thought. Read the rest here 20:18

P.E.I. Tuna tag time – Draws to be held after registrations conclude Friday

Fishermen calling in or dropping in to register to be included in draws for extra tuna tags made for a busy day Thursday at the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association office. As in previous years, all of the more than 300 members of the Island’s tuna fleet are eligible to purchase one tag each. That tag is needed to fish the Island’s 123.9-tonne share of the Canadian allocation, and it must be used by September 30. One of the draws on Friday will generate a list of licence numbers from the Island’s fleet who might get to continue fishing after September 30, Read the rest here 22:38

Philippine tuna in 2015: Facing the new threat

Tuesday, January 27, was a lucky day for 40-year-old Wilson Manlunas. His fishing crew of five just landed 10 pieces of yellowfin tuna which, if the quality is good enough, could gross them P100,000 (US$2,250) after a 10-day fishing venture. Those kinds of days however are becoming few and far between. If things do not turn out well for them this year, Wilson fears more and more small tuna fishermen like him could lose their livelihood and their future. Read the rest here 13:15

Scientists Recommend Spatial Management Measures to Conserve Bigeye Tuna, Elimination of Hawaii Bottomfish Restricted Areas

WPRFMC Press Release, Oct. 11, 2013 – An international group of scientists that advises the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) concluded its three-day meeting Thursday admonishing the Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission (WCPFC) for its failure to prevent an increase in fleet capacity, fishing effort and catch of tropical tunas in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). more@ Press Releases 10:28

The Enviro Best Goes On! Pew Charitable Trusts,World Wide Fund,Greenpeace – Japanese greed for tuna decimating species

Time is running out to save some species of  tuna from overfishing, environmental groups warned, calling on the world’s biggest consumer Japan to  take the lead in reducing the catch. Industrial-scale fishing that takes large amounts more@the standard 08:04