2013 Bluefin Tuna Permit (Proposed)

[skip]

Whats the use Skip.....if it was at leaast 8 yrs ago...i would try to suggest some assumination...though assuming nowadays is a saying like making an ass of you and me....and this is whats happening to us ameuters !!...i will tell you that if everyone leaves his that and this we end up discussing anything but not this subject .......

Not sure I have really understood what you are saying. And I never give up, that's the easy route.

If it wasn't for continued lobbying from us and others before long you probably wouldn't even be allowed to go out fishing. What needs to be enforced is the abuse in and around the fish farms where nothing is being done in a controlled manner. From the F/F Operators to the MFA/MFB's that are fishing there every day and then landing them as a legal catch, to the MFCs and S registered boat some of which go there fishing everyday. If you are outside of the cardinal marks then my understanding is that is perfectly legal, but not to be tied up to the farm or inside as so many boats are.

FCD/AFM do not have the resources to enforce the majority of regulations, but the simplest solution would be to place FCD personnel on shift at each of the farms to monitor and enforce the rules.

I agree whole heartedly that it is recreational fishers that are always targeted first because we are "easy to deal with" and blamed for everything, but like some have indicated we must protect our hobby and not abuse it ourselves.

[shanook]

Nick I think your initial proposals are good to go. All I added is how to report the caught fish as the way it is now is close to impossible to work out. The officials should be at the port of call. If they so wish to. If one don't get hassled one would be more than happy to report the tuna.

[malvizzu]

FCD/AFM do not have the resources to enforce the majority of regulations, but the simplest solution would be to place FCD personnel on shift at each of the farms to monitor and enforce the rules.

@Skip – and you think that any FCD Pesonnel is not easily bribed to close an eye. We're living in Malta unfortunately. MFAs & MFBs already have contacts informing them when Patrol Boats are making a "surprise" inspection, let alone a lone personnel!!!!!

[toxictuna]

I am no expert in the topic but my views are
1. 500kg is too small an amount... This could be a fish or two!
2. Open season by district means a. If i get the last district to open i do not stand a chance b. its also subject to weather
3. Why not 1 fish per boat owner (>17ft to limit abuse, meaning i do not use my 6ft tender to get a second token under my wife name) per season ( still not fair but thats more than the 500kgs proposed). At least everyone gets a fair share. Say one gets to buy ( for a nominal fee) a token tied to the boat and the owner pre season, which is taken away once the fish is landed. A person without a token cannot carry bft gear in the boat. One reports a catch immediately via vhf or cellphone, than lands it at a designated spot.

[The_Gaffer]

Give me one, just one good reason why the authorities should provide a higher  BFT quota when last year, of all the BFT permits issued, only one, yes one BFT catch was registered.  So, with one BFT caught last year weighing 47.2kgs,  and registered, 500kgs should be enough..

[benri]

In my opinion having a higher quota would encourage more people to report their catch. I think that with having a tight quota, the same thing will happen as if just 10 people out of all those registered report a catch similar to yours, the quota is spent!

[shanook]

How many boats were registered to catch tuna last year? 
They have to change the way we have to report the catch.
They have to stop calling the individual that makes a catch.

[Pauline Tuna]

Gaffer...you hit the nail on its head....youre correct....its useless complaining now, when yes as you said only few Blue Fin Tuna's were registered (here u have a small mistake as not one was registered though few off).  Regarding the allocation of more quotas I really note that its not possible, as we always have the main co-operatives moaning and trying to achieve more quotas for, as stated by them they sustain a living for themselves.  The members in this forum should keep in mind that the always traditionaly in Malta was that the sustainable registered vessels such as MFA & MFB, wants the areas of Malta for themselves (neverless to keep in mind that they sustain a living).  Therefore whats been said by them is really getting into practice.  Our say is only a joke for the authorities...plse remember that an enforcement has a backround upon knowledge given by someone.....Kindly note that past protests by same co-operatives led them to be very powerfull to achieve their aim upon written criteria...if not given by the gov they will protest.......were always left behind as this is our hobby and therefore its not imp......

[Pauline Tuna]

Benri.....i guess that you need some knowledge of what your suggesting.....
http://www.iccat.int/en/   ...... Although youre correct its not a matter to just increase this quota...its a matter from the conservation area....ICCAT is monitoring all this...all the procedures imposed by this organisation has a very well impact on the Commercial side....try to think where us for hobby / for some pleasure time, fits into this organisation....

[benri]

Thanks for the info Pauline Tuna. Now, from another perspective, am I correct in stating that in Italy catches equivalent to over 20% of Italy's bluefin tuna quota are taken by recreational fishermen? So where did our 500kg come form in the 1st place?

[ganni]

@ toxictuna from where did you get the 17ft limit? of course, cause your boat is over 17ft that's exactly how things are done at the fisheries.  So because my boat is just 14ft I'm out of this if it was up to you to decide, awesome.

[ganni]

@ gaffer... i'm not trying to justify that only 1 tuna was registered, however as you know very well, the season was very short and most tuna came in after the season closed.  Another thing that has put me off and others for sure is the hassle to meet the fisheries protection officers, especially when you put your boat down from a slip far away from any landing station... its not nice to travel a long distance in that sun and spend time waiting.

[Accjolaman]

@ toxituna, prosit kif tirraguna fuq tas 17 pied. mintiex xi konsulent tad dipartiment eeh. Ghax kif qal sew dak ta qabli, dawk hekk jahsbuha. jien bicca qoxra ta 12 il xiber u li kieku jaghtuni cans inbellhek bit tonn li ndahhal, u tehsibx li min ma xi gageg ta.

[Pauline Tuna]

Benri......once again ..iringrazja lil alla li ghanna 500 kg quota.......ax hemm min iridha ukoll....kif edt qabel kieku jistaw jeziljawna milli nitilaw nistadu fuq il bahar .......ara fuq l-art il business tghana ahna niehdu hsiebhom pero le dawn le.....kollox lejhom..ajnuniet u kollox

[Granitu]

I am no expert in the topic but my views are
1. 500kg is too small an amount... This could be a fish or two!
2. Open season by district means a. If i get the last district to open i do not stand a chance b. its also subject to weather
3. Why not 1 fish per boat owner (>17ft to limit abuse, meaning i do not use my 6ft tender to get a second token under my wife name) per season ( still not fair but thats more than the 500kgs proposed). At least everyone gets a fair share. Say one gets to buy ( for a nominal fee) a token tied to the boat and the owner pre season, which is taken away once the fish is landed. A person without a token cannot carry bft gear in the boat. One reports a catch immediately via vhf or cellphone, than lands it at a designated spot.

your last point has to be limited per registered boat - and if one owns 2 boats he can only register for one