I don’t understand closing recreational without closing commercial. Let’s just close the whole thing if its an emergency. I can’t imagine we catch anywhere near as much as the commercial boats do.
NMFS said that recreational cobia landings in 2016 were 1.33 million pounds, more than double the allowable catch of 670,000. The commercial catch in 2016 was 48,904 pounds.
Unfortunately you cannot blame the commercial fisherman for the demise of Cobia. North Carolina recreational angler just destroyed them along the beach. And don’t forget about Florida.
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PROUD YANKEE
Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
NMFS said that recreational cobia landings in 2016 were 1.33 million pounds, more than double the allowable catch of 670,000. The commercial catch in 2016 was 48,904 pounds.
Do we know where NMFS got their rec # from? Not doubting you, just curious.
I don’t remember where I read it, it may actually be in this thread but it sounded like this was in retaliation for NC and VA not shutting down their state waters after NOAA closed the offshore fishery in 2016.
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
Our problem is from over fishing in our known breeding ground were they do number checks and the last few years they have been down. Our cobia area is st Helena sound down to tybee, I’ve only heard of one keeper cobia caught inshore and that was by somebody leaving stono inlet and he said they saw it on the surface right outside the inlet and it was over 60#S and they had it beside the boat 4 times and fought it an hr before they could get a gaff in it. Paris island inshore reef will get them good sometimes. They just don’t know enough so they make precautionary limits first. Recs regs will change commercial will likely get to keep there quota and based on future catch numbers the limits go up or down. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the near future cobia are the same as ARS. I think they are kind of slow to mature which translates to a slower longer recovery period. My few experiences with cobia they were easy to catch and in my opinion if our harbor and near shore had them thick they wouldn’t last.
Skinneej, the only significance of when all this mess started is how long it took to become a very complicated reality - right before our eyes. Now, so many factions have so many agendas, it is almost impossible to know who the real enemy is. Personally, I am most disappointed in the management of our own DNR. They could put a stop to this insanity.
Skinnee and Sellsfish have many great points. Mel Bell from our local DNR is always at the SAFMC meetings. DNR gets less and less money every year and im unsure how much power they actually have. It is hard to know what side of the table they truly sit on. Their minds seem to be always persuaded towards whatever the government policy may be.
Everyone on this thread showing be showing up at the next meeting and voicing your thoughts
If DNR is a problem, it would surprise me if it came from a DNR biologist.
I’ve been to a few of the meetings. At one of them, the council exec. director gave the appearance of going to sleep - while fishermen were testifying.
I don’t think the council can be trusted to help us.
Our problem is from over fishing in our known breeding ground were they do number checks and the last few years they have been down. Our cobia area is st Helena sound down to tybee, I’ve only heard of one keeper cobia caught inshore and that was by somebody leaving stono inlet and he said they saw it on the surface right outside the inlet and it was over 60#S and they had it beside the boat 4 times and fought it an hr before they could get a gaff in it. Paris island inshore reef will get them good sometimes. They just don’t know enough so they make precautionary limits first. Recs regs will change commercial will likely get to keep there quota and based on future catch numbers the limits go up or down. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the near future cobia are the same as ARS. I think they are kind of slow to mature which translates to a slower longer recovery period. My few experiences with cobia they were easy to catch and in my opinion if our harbor and near shore had them thick they wouldn’t last.
The Cobia that come into Pt Royal Sound and St Helena are a subspecies of the offshore Cobia. Hence the closure last year during the main spawning time during the month of May in these rivers. This was done by SC, not the Feds. Waddell raises Cobia that are donated by Rec folks that catch them. BTW, I don’t agree with the offshore closure. Bunch of gov’t asshats that have no clue. Just a an agenda to help line their pockets.
I e-mail Mark Sanford and recommend everyone else do the same. First its red snapper now Cobia. Who knows what species could be next Reds, trout…Mahi? Here is his link https://sanfordforms.house.gov/contact/ go to the bottom put in your zip code and send him an e-mail.
The area down there receives a lot more migratory fish then we do and has a larger portion of animals that are associated with Cobia like tiger sharks sea turtles and massive rays. They have greater tides which produces more displacement of water and movement of fish. By theory it means there should be a greater amount of cobias just because of better conditions and resources. Not all there cobia are of stock genetics. They get a mini cobia run sometimes in may and a tarpon run in the beginning of June. We don’t get either and I know the tarpon are migratory as well as the tiger sharks so it would only make since some cobias would make the travel too.
It is always take, take, take with the South Atlantic Council. Every single person that drops a line offshore knows that there is absolutely no problem with the red snapper fishing, yet it stays closed to recreational fishing. Last year after the closure of cobia, we had to release five fish on one single bottom fishing trip, and they were all big fish,50 pound plus. Over the last few decades of dealing with this bureaucratic mess called the South Atlantic Council I have learned a few things. The council never gives back half as much as it takes. Look at black Seabass, red porgy, all grouper species, dolphin and wahoo restrictions. It is safe to say that the members of the council enjoy their outings to such fancy places as Amelia island, Saint Simons Island, Jekyll Island and all these other fancy resorts they always seem to have their meetings at. Wouldn’t it be nice if they would announce that a species is successfully rebuilt and we can go back to a decent bag limit? I would sure like to be able to keep more than seven black Seabass or five Vermillion snapper. How about upping the catch limit on gag grouper seeing as we never meet the ACL and have not met it, since the restrictions were put in place. I also find it very strange that you have two foxes guarding the hen house (Charlie Phillips, and Chris Conklin) and has both of these guys are commercial wholesalers and own a fleet of commercial fishing vessels. how is that not a conflict of interest? I was told many years ago that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and over again with the same result… And you wonder why I do not go to any more of these idiotic meetings.
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PROUD YANKEE
Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
I think we should some how push for commercial vessels be run by licensed captains and have to be enrolled in random drug testing program.That would weed out most of them then they wouldnt need catch shares nobody would be left but a few.The large crab boats have to do it I have to do it only seems fair.
I think we should some how push for commercial vessels be run by licensed captains and have to be enrolled in random drug testing program.That would weed out most of them then they wouldnt need catch shares nobody would be left but a few.The large crab boats have to do it I have to do it only seems fair.
crab boats have to be drug tested? Really?
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”