In response to forum questions regarding the commercial fishing industry:
First of all let me say that I am 100% recreational. Both commercial & recreational are very important to our way of life. Both can co-exist, and, under proper management, thrive. We all know the restrictions the recreational side is under. However, if we look a little deeper into the commercial interest, it is not as lucrative as it may seem:
(1) Restrictions on where they can fish. (My understanding is that long liners cannot fish the Middle Grounds.)
(2) Must carry a tracking devise on board. NOAA knows exactly where they are at all times. They are required to keep the device operational. They must notify NOAA when they will return to dock; they are limited as to when they can return. NOAA officers will be there to inspect the load.
(3) # of hooks: each line can contain only 750 hooks. 1,000 limit of hooks allowed on board. Most commercial spools do hold 8 miles of line. However, rarely is more than one mile used.
(4) individual fish quota, IFQ: Commercial boats operate under a strict IFQ. This IFQ drastically reduces how much they are allowed to catch per year. The IFQ's are assigned by NOAA. They can be bought & sold. On average, the price of buying IFQ's runs around 1/2 the value of the fish; hardly worth it. The ones making the big $$$ are the ones selling IFQ's. Once a boat's IFQ is reached, to stay on the water, only a few options remain:
(A)Target something else
(B) Buy additional IFQ's
(C) Park the boat until next year
In no way am I advocating long lines. In fact, if it were up to me, both bottom and surface long lines would be banned. In addition, I would also do away with the so called ' "Bandit Boats." These boats do not have as bad of an image as long liners; however, they are very destructive. The electric winches they use are very fast retrieve. Most discards, after being pulled from the deep so quickly, do not have a chance of surviving. What a waste!
The commercial fishing industry plays a very important role in our society. Not everyone can catch their own fresh fish. Both commercial & recreational are very important to our way of life. Both can co-exist. The discard of the commercial entity must, for the sake of all concerned, be better controlled. The answer: Restrict commercial to hand operated rod & reel. Do away with the killing machines known as long lines, and bandit rigs. Both can co-exist!
Bob Harbison Native Florida recreational fisherman
