Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

I seem to remember reading that the regulations are commerical only--They
don't affect the head boats.  I might be wrong...  I wish the head boats
would get serious about enforcing the 19" minimum, however.

Tim

I definitely read that party and charter boats are *not* affected by
the new regulations.  Only commercial boats.

re: Tim

> I wish the head boats would get serious about enforcing the 19" minimum, 
> however.

Agreed!  It seems to me that over the last couple of years, they have
been enforcing this more, but it definitely varies from boat to boat.

Another thing that I have a problem with is the attitude with releasing legal 
fish.  If I have a sufficient bag of fish and I want to release 19-20" cod, 
or if I want to release all bluefish (except for maybe a small one) on a party 
boat, I should be able to do so without getting a hard time.   My response is
hey I want my kids to be able to catch these someday too...

/Ken

    re:2
    
    	It's your dime. You should be able to release whatever you want.
    More often than not, if I'm out on a head boat I bring my own pliers
    and take care of the fish myself (unless I need a gaff).
    
    	The only thing I wonder about with the small fish in very deep
    water is whether they make it or not. I know cusk in particular do not
    do well (air bladder blows up). 
    
    	Legally, you're supposed to throw back an undersized fish even if
    you know it'll die. Seems like a waste.
    
    	RAYJ

 Keep a rigging needle handy and you can puncture the air bladder.
Supposedly they heal a good percentage of the time. Lord knows it's
more likely to work than tossing them on the surface to feed the gulls.

re"         <<< Note 346.3 by VICKI::DODIER "Cars suck, then they die" >>>

>    	It's your dime. You should be able to release whatever you want.

	That's right, and I do.   I just mentioned it would be nice to
	do it without getting sh*t from someone...   I handle my own
	fish as much as I can too, less waiting that way ;-)

	/Ken

For cusk from deep water, their air bladder will be coming out of
their gullet.  Simply nick it by sticking a (needle, gaff, hook
knife, etc.) in the balloon in their mouth. 

Tim

	Re: Last

	I just read an article in Fishing magazine about this subject. Although
	they were talking about either Grouper or Snapper, thay said the air 
	bladder was located behind the Gill, or where that very small side fin
	is located. If you puncture a small hole there it should work nicely.
	They mentioned that something like a sharpened basketball needle worked
	best, as it allowed air to escape when punctured. 

	 The article went on to state that what mistaken as the air bladder 
	was actually the stomach of the fish and by just pushing this back down
	in the fish's gullet should suffice. 

	 I'm no expert, maybe cusk is different, but maybe if someone in the
	know could post the do's and don'ts for certain species that it would
	be very useful to those of us who plan on releasing all/some of their 
	deep water fish. 

	JB

 They typical way to release the pressure in the bladder is to
poke a hole through the side of the fish with a sharp, stout needle.
You want to make sure it's above the guts, because poking a hole in
the digestive system may cause the fish to essentially digest its innards
until it expires, or otherwise cause death. It seems to me that depending
on the species I poke a hole around the lateral line. It's tough to describe
generically, but I can point to the spot on any given fish. :-)

The problem with the cusk is WHATEVER it is that comes ballooning up and
out of their mouth.  I don't know or care if it's the air bladder or 
stomache.  Puncture this and they swim away.  Don't and the gulls feast.

 Re: Last  

	Maybe you should care. According to this article, your puncturing
	the Fish's stomache, which has been pushed forward by the air
	bladder. This article goes on to say that you SHOULD NOT puncture 
	the stomach, but instead to push it back in with a blunt object 
	after you've deflated the air bladder. Your method may save it from
	the seagulls, but not neccesarily from the crabs..

	JB

The way the permit process is being done, head boats fishing for ground fish,
cod, haddock, etc. may not be able to qualify for a permit. I'm sure they will
work out this oversight. They need to show landing sales during the 1991 season
to qualify for the unrestricted weight landings. But if they are over 45ft in
length, the may only be allowed x number of days at sea.
There is another permit class that allows landing up to 500lbs a day.
The regs. were written for commercial boats that land and sell fish, not for
head boats. It should be a fun year.


Steve

I might catch 3 cusk a year.  If they are not of edible size, then
I'd rather see them swim down.  At least that way they have a chance.  They
don't have much of a chance when they are eaten by a gull.  More often than 
not, whatever it is that balloons out of their  mouth has already found a
hook.  I'm not convinced a pin-hole sized puncture to the stomache (it seems
WAY too thin to be the stomache, but the stomache is about all that could
come out of the gullet, now that I think about it) is lethal.

If the cusk are legal size, then I generally puncture more than just the
balloon.  I know they don't survive in the chowder pot ;-)

Tim

    Here's the text of the article in Salt Water Sportsman, entered here
    without permission:
    
    Salt Water Sportsman, February 1994 (p.45)
    
    Releasing Deep-Water Snapper and Grouper
    
    When a deep-water bottom fish is brought to the surface quickly, the gas
    in its swim bladder expands, often making it impossible for the fish to
    return to the bottom if released. However, by puncturing the swim
    bladder and venting the gas, the fish has a good chance of survival.
    
    According to scientists at the South Atlantic Marine Fishery Council,
    the proper way to release a deep-water fish is to insert a hypodermic
    needle or other sharp object just behind and slightly above the base of
    the pectoral fin. Angle the point slightly toward the head of the fish
    as you insert it behind a scale. A sharpened pump needle, like the kind
    used to inflate basketballs, also works well, since the hollow tube
    allows gas to escape easily. 
    
    Many anglers confuse the bulbous sac that often protrudes from the
    fish's mouth as the swim bladder. This is actually the fish's stomach,
    which has been pushed outwards by the expanding gas in the bladder, and
    should not be punctured. Instead, reposition the stomach with a blunt
    object, such as a screwdriver handle or pencil, after the fish has been
    deflated.
    
    [There is a diagram with the article showing the area to insert the
    needle.]
    
    If anyone would like a copy of the article and diagram, let me know and
    I'll send it along to you.
    
    Art 

    Yes I would like a copy of the article with the diagram.
    
    Thanks
    Frank
    
    Send it to           Frank Cervone
                         WFO/B8