If you are charter/commercial and you have a current SA snapper/grouper permit you are required by law to have specific turtle release equipment on board your boat.
As a courtesy before this law is fully enforced two NOAA representatives are going from the Gulf to the NE making calls on specific ports to get the word out.
I know, I know its just one more thing to have to deal with and I know how many of you already feel but I am just putting this out there for those interested and required by law to have this stuff on board.
At my request Nick Hopkins one of the NOAA reps agreed to make a brief informal stop Wednesday afternoon at 6pm on Shem Creek for anyone who is interested.
He’ll hold a short workshop discussion on the back of the Teaser2.
Here is a link for other workshop locations and their schedule.
http://safmc.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3PPhj%2B8xHMw%3D&tabid=139
So tell me Mark…How many turtles have you caught in the last ten years that warrant the expense of this ridiculous equipment? SAFMC has their heads stuck up their backsides again! I foul hooked one back in 89’ thats it!
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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”
Very, very, very few Paul, but this is one amendment that got rammed through a few years ago and was overlooked because it was combined with several other issues of fishery management so that it was masked.
Sort of like some bills do in congress.
I don’t like it either but unfortunately we have to deal with it.
I hooked one up nearly 20 years ago and got it 10 yds behind the boat. We could see it was hooked in the tongue. Waited until he opened his mouth and jerked real hard. Hook came out- Turtle swam off quickly with a split tongue. Is this one of the acceptable methods?
There is a strong turtle lobby out there that wants to keep turtles on the threatened list. I don’t think I ever made a trip offshore with out seeing one - sometimes many.
Blame the fisherman! Not the beachfront building and beach re nourishment. Again the insane logic from the peckerheads at the SAFMC
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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”
See pages 23,049 - 23,051 of the document below for simple easy to follow instructions on what you need to have on board to comply with the turtle and sawfish release guidelines. Don’t forget your wheel house placard!
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-04-17/pdf/2013-08127.pdf
Just saying - if anyone encounters a rather large loggerhead with a forked tongue It might be the one I released. I regret not naming it like the whacos do, but I felt all manner of enviro warm fuzzies as it swam away!
So releasing them into a boiling pot of water is frowned upon…ooops…
quote:
Originally posted by Gut Wrench
So releasing them into a boiling pot of water is frowned upon…ooops…
Much better grilled than boiled!
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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 actually caught one last month while fishing for bonnetheads near Price Inlet. Ate half a crab, and put up a pretty good fight.
Did you grill it or make soup? Personally I’ve never liked turtle much in any of it’s forms, but it’s better than cuda 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
I am also a terrible turtle fisherman. I guess they don’t like the bait I use. If I am ever lucky enough to catch one, am I supposed to vent it? 
26 Seahunt
Angler’s Dream
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larry
Personally I’ve never liked turtle much in any of it’s forms, but it’s better than cuda
You forgot to mention frozen blue crabs!
www.baturinphotography.com
