Alaska Fisheries Board

Archive for December, 2011

A fishing tournament used to raise money for MS, Perchin for MS allows everyone to be a winner, and of course your time and money goes to a good cause. You pay in teams, $40 per team, and half of this entry fee goes to the Multiple Sclerosis walk under your name of course. The other half goes toward paying for applicable prizes.

Held for the first time on Lake Simcoe, the first official Perchin for MS was a huge success. Next year, they are hoping to see an even bigger turnout as the word gets out. It’s definitely a worthy cause, and you can help people in need. How can you really go wrong with that?

The first year got 78 teams from Ontario and the United States, and $4000 was raised for MS awareness and research. According to an avid angler and conservation officer who happens to suffer from MS, “I started this event because I wanted to promote education and awareness around MS and I thought what better way to do than through a fishing derby.”

This man, Poirier, knows the limitations of MS, and he knows all too well the need for supportive family and friends around you. He continues, “the goal of the event was also to raise a bit of money for MS, and I am pleased to announce that thanks to some generous monetary donations we raised almost $4000 that will go directly to the MS Society of Canada.”

Most of the anglers involved were from the GTA, but others came from Owen Sound and Niagara as well as Muskoka, Halliburton, and Ottowa. There were even a fair number from the US who were eager to participate and test their skills. Some were recreational ice fishers, and many from the US were actually competitive.

Whether you are an amateur or more of a professional mind, this anglers society wants you. They want your involvement, your help, and most of all, your money obviously. Companies are getting involved, far exceeding anybody’s expectations, and more people are coming together all the time.

A Massachusetts fisherman officially pulled up an 881 pound tuna this year, only to find out that he couldn’t keep it. Because of licensing issues, the fish was confiscated, and while it sounds ridiculous, all of this is completely true.

Mr. Rafael, the would be record breaking fisherman, and his crew used nets to catch bottom dwelling fish, and they inadvertently happened to catch this particular fish. When they docked though, federal fishery enforcement agents took control of the giant tuna. The reason was simple, despite what you may think.

The boat Rafael was on did not actually have tuna permits, and fisherman are only technically allowed to catch tuna with rod and reel by law. The fact that it was an accident had no bearing. Rafael didn’t need a bigger boat, just a better permit and a rod and reel with the intent to specifically fish for tuna. Going out on his particular expedition, anyone could admit that he had no way of knowing what was coming.

Rafael has been interviewed in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) enforcement division, who state that he caught the tuna at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. He has disputed this idea. Rafael states, “They didn’t catch that fish on the bottom. They probably got it in the mid-water when they were setting out and it just got corralled in the net. That only happens once in a blue moon.”

However, the pride of catching a fish that big is not the only thing that Rafael has had taken away from him. Selling a fish like that would actually bring in quite a bit of money. A 754 pound tuna recently sold for $396,000. You can imagine how much a fish over 100 pounds heavier would sell for. Unfortunately, the NOAA has no responsibility or intention of sharing the profits of this fish with the fisherman who actually caught it.

Monica Allen, a deputy director with the NOAA fisheries has stated, “This rule is important to the conservation of this unusual fish that is severely depleted and managed internationally by more than 48 nations. Because they are slow to mature and reproduce, rebuilding this species population is a lengthy and difficult process.”

Guatemala is no Alaska, the fishing is something else entirely, but Guatemala is an up and coming area for fishing, and it’s still CHEAP! That’s a big draw. You can pay half the amount, get all the alcohol you can drink if you drink on fishing boats, and get a full set of fishing in with great availability. Guatemala’s fishing remains largely untapped, meaning the fish are more prevalent.

You do have to be careful about other predators. For example, while you might want to learn to respond properly to a bear when in Alaska, but when in Guatemala, you might want to worry a little more about alligators and crocodiles. These creatures can get into the thousands when it comes to weight, and there are villagers who believe that feeding them on a regular basis will keep them from eating people, dogs, or farm animals.

Unfortunately, this just keeps the land based creatures coming back and associating humans with foods. Actually, there’s not much you can do except for try to move in different directions a lot, as crocodiles and alligators have a harder time changing directions like that. However, if you try freezing like you would with a bear, you are going to become alligator/crocodile bait.

However, the fishing is something to be rivaled. If you make the commitment to go down and stay safe, Guatemala offers a variety of fish such as marlin, dorado, and many other species. The best part is that there are plenty of big companies and boats willing to give you a real deal that includes accommodations that really aren’t too bad for what you’re paying.

Even if you stay in lower accommodations or even the boat to save a little money, the reality is that it’s all about the fishing. If you are looking for the real bang for your buck, Guatemala is without question the place to go right now.