New Bedford fisherman catch -- but can’t keep -- 882-pound tuna

Boston Globe ^ | 11/21/2011 | Amanda Cedrone

[GQuagmire]

For one New Bedford fisherman, the big one that got away was the one that was taken away -- by federal fisheries agents.

Carlos Rafael, owner of Carlos Seafood, has 15 boats that hunt for groundfish like haddock and flounder, but they have tuna permits just in case. So when one of his captains called to report that his crew had caught an 882-pound tuna in their trawling gear about a week ago, Rafael thought he would legally be able to sell the fish.

“I called the hotline for tuna to make sure I was doing everything by the books,” he said. “I was not trying to hide anything.”

But when the fishing boat docked in Provincetown, the fish was confiscated by federal agents. Rafael said he didn’t know that tuna must be caught by rod and reel – not by a net – in order to be kept and sold.

[rodguy911]

This is fisheries regulators and enforcement on the water at work.

If they had to go out and chase someone to make a bust it would never happen. But report yourself and give them everything they need and they will bust you and make an example. ITs all BS! I call it the easy bust syndrome. THey never catch the hard to catch criminals on the water. Those who steal crawfish down here. But anyone who walks into their office and turns themselves in gets fried. it all sucks.

[rodguy911]

Uhhhh.... if its 800 lbs. he will spool a 6/0 in about 120 seconds. Better to use and int80 or a shimano 80W to be sure.
With one of my rods.

[rodguy911]

We got it all down here in the keys.

[McBuff]

[Gator113]

You lucky bum.

There are days that it drives me crazy that I am not living in an area like yours. It was 28* here last night. Grrrrr

[Winstons Julia]

“We’re gonna need a bigger can.”

[DUMBGRUNT]

arriving in Spain in March with Dutch filmmaker Joris Ivens.[84] Ivens, who was filming The Spanish Earth, wanted Hemingway to replace John Dos Passos as screenwriter who had left the project when his friend José Robles was arrested and later executed.[85] The incident changed Dos Passos’ opinion of the leftist republicans, creating a rift between him and Hemingway, who later spread a rumor that Dos Passos left Spain out of cowardice.[86]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway

[dennisw]

Hemingway

[dennisw]

and I don’t have to check google

[CrazyIvan]

882 lb. fish? In the other thread it was a 800 lb. fish.
Yup, this is indeed a fish story!

[Scotsman will be Free]

Never, ever tell the govt anything. Never, ever admit anything. Never, ever talk to a govt agent. You will get burned.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

He’s been buying tuna permits for 15 boats and he didn’t know the simple regs that dictate no net-caught tuna? I feel sorry for the guy, but frankly that isn’t terribly bright.

[Ramius]

Yah... Its called “by-catch” and it just always has to go back in the water. Out here on the west coast... There’s the cod trawlers that come up with the odd salmon or halibut in their nets... And over the side they gotta go.

Its painful, especially when the science is overrun by politics in the regulations. But good stewardship means following the rules. The trick is to make sure the rules are based on good science, not politics.

[RedCell]

You: Uh, hello... is this the tuna hotline?
Bill: What kind of stupid@$$ question is that? You called me. You don't know who you're calling?
You: Uh, uh... what?
Bill: Can we get some intelligent callers here, please? This guy is too stupid to handle a telephone.
(click!)
You: Hello?

[Tawiskaro]

“We’re gonna need a bigger can.”

Good one. I needed a laugh. Thanks.

[Secret Agent Man]

How can anyone be against our ever-expanding federal government. They are always so helpful.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Isn’t this overdoing the whole tuna-dolphin-net thing just a little?

NOAA Nanny State PING!

[hosepipe]

HI!.. I’m here from the government... I’m here to steal your TUNA..

[IYellAtMyTV]

"It’s the new dolphin-safe tuna standards. Even though not on porpoise, dolphins get can caught in huge fish trawling nets, be unable to surface, and drown — and nobody eats poor Flipper so it’s deemed a tragic waste. Still, unless they are banning private nets per se (rather than by type of fish caught), this sounds like overdoing it."

[metesky]

The fish would have sold for almost $5,000

Must not have been a prime fish.