First permits issued for swordfish captains in California
The first commercial fishing permits for the use of deep-set buoy gear in the swordfish fishery in the US state of California were issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service on September 15, marking a significant transition from the large nets that drifted off the West Coast. Gillnets will finally disappear by 2027, replaced mostly by deep-set buoy gear — vertical lines about 150 fathoms long, with a flagpole with a light or radar reflector on top and a bug- and sinker to keep the line anchored vertically. Main lines usually have one to three round hooks with a light attached to shine below the thermocline in 20 to 70 meters (65 to 230 feet) of California water. The gear is designed to be actively maintained, with strike indicators on the surface to alert anglers when a fish is present. >>click to read << 16:23
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