Catch and Release of Tuna

[Marty]

First off, a comment on the existing 25 fish rule. How many of you Ifishers caught 25 fish per person on a tuna trip???? I don't think too many of us, so I feel this is a mute point to start with, BUT if you have a big enough boat or fish hold to handle 25 tuna per person and you have the time to process them for the next 2 days...........then go for it!!!! Because if anyone who has had to deal with 400 to 600 lbs of fish PER PERSON they will most likely never want to do it again. I'd say..... too many variables to start putting limitations on the number of tuna............. leave the rule alone.

One of the posts indicated that catching and releasing tuna was not an option because they would not survive. I have to disagree with that, as the long range fleet from San Diego has been successfully releasing tuna for years. They have even sent divers down to witness released tuna swimming away to rejoin the pack. From my experiences tuna are tough..........very tough and I feel that I have also been successful in releasing tuna. Obviously, not all tuna can be successfully released, as a 12/0 hook thru the eye or buried deep in the throat will only create shark bait if released. The fact that tuna have no swim bladders helps their survival rate as a returned fish with even no tail movement will descend head first. (no tail movement is not a desirable condition for release). As they descend , water movement around and thru the gills greatly enhances their survival chances. This is how tuna normally 'sleep'. They come up from the depths to the surface and basically 'free fall' back to the school. My experience on released tuna is that they will strongly swim away.

Releasing fish is much easier with single siwash hooks and barbless hooks are even better. Tuna caught with the fishtraps are also prime candidates for survival. Gaffing is not a good condition for successful release, but a landing net works great or you can simply reach down and grab the tail. Putting a towel over the eyes will generally calm them down enough to dislodge the hook. Releasing them head first also helps.

As advocates for a quality tuna fishery and stewarts of the ocean we owe it to ourselves and the future to maintain 'realistic' catch and kill numbers and to also practice catch and release when it is obvious your kill goal will be reached.

Marty

[Threemuch]

Marty-
I believe bait caught tuna or tuna caught on swim baits and iron can be released, but troll caught? Have you taken a look at the inside of an albacore's throat? They usually get the hooks pretty deep and the initial strike puts a 2-4" tear in their throat. two 2-4" tears in the throat 3/4" deep equals dead fishy. Even if hooked in the mouth, hitting a lure going 10mph the other direction knocks the snot out of them. Compare the way a fish caught on bait fights to a troll caught fish.

10-20 fish for the boat, and I am off to fish for something else, mainly because I am out of room. You let me cark them at sea, I might keep more, but probably not.

No C&R for me.

KB

[Deepslayer]

I ahve seen the same things that Threesmuch describes. I have also seen a lot of sharks and dolphins around. Any tuna released would probably be slower than the rest of the school for awhile. Therefore being fair game for the predators! :shocked:

[Salmonator]

I agree with Marty on the 25 limit thing. Many guys that go out won't get much more than 3 to 10 fish per person as the norm. Pilar throws a big spike in that chart but I'm talking averages here :smile: As far as the catch and release thing goes, I have never been a big fan of any catch and release fishing, I like to think they are there to be caught, bonked and et but to each his own.

[OceanBlue]

I am absolutely with you, Salmonator. I can't see fishin' 'em if you're not planning on bonkin' & eatin' 'em. If it is a C&R trip, you can count on an open seat on the "Pilar"

Just my feeling on the subject and don't want to impose it on anyone else :smile:

:grin: FLUSH RELEASE

[wak'm&stak'm]

Its all in the name...wack'em and stack'em