legal size for swordys

imported_Anonymous · 11-18-2003, 12:03 PM

i was just lookin at the poll and the majority of the people voted for 51" thru 54" and a close second was greater than 65" i have talked to many people about what size swordy they would kill and most of the people i know and fish with will not take a fish that is under 100lb minimum. i think there should be a limit for sure but if you catch one 50-60lbs why would you keep it. the money you spend in bait, food drinks, equipment, ect.. you might as well go buy it at publix if your going to be greasing little pups. thats just how i feel, if we are all smart about it, it will continue to grow and the fish will as well. catch 'em guys

Tim · 11-18-2003, 01:50 PM

I couldn't agree with you more Swordy. I believe the legal size should be 55 inches or maybe even bigger.. Whatever a 90lb swordie is...

When I see people catching the 47 inch fish.. thats crazy. That is a very small fish. Release Em!! They have a chance to grow to be huge and really give us some battles.

TIght Lines

imported_Anonymous · 11-19-2003, 11:14 AM

Thanks Tim atleast there is one more person out there who isnt coming in with the prized 40-50lb fish. they need a chance to grow up and become our 2-300 pounder we all hope to land each trip out there. Hopefullly everyone else on this site agrees... change of plans goin tuna fishin in louissianna this weekend but ill be down tuesday. keep me updated on the bite. catch 'em up

westcoastswrdfish · 11-30-2003, 11:53 AM

It is so nice to see several individuals who are looking out for the swordy population. We are very fortunate that the state kicked out the nets and long lines and as a result, we are onece again able to catch these awesome fish. If we all do our part for the small fish (NONE BREEDERS) we will have more of the ones we all dream about in the future (BIG BERTHA). Do either of you tag the small ones you let go? Do either of you know who big a sword fish is when it first starts breeding? Keep up the good work on letting the small ones grow a little bigger.

imported_Anonymous · 12-01-2003, 08:56 PM

i heard that they dont reproduce until they are around the 100-150 lbs range. im not sure how old of a fish that is but thats what i heard from others. plus anything under 100 isnt really that big of a fish. there is really no need to kill it

imported_Anonymous · 12-02-2003, 05:43 PM

It really doean't matter much what we want as recreational fishermen. That limit is set by ICCAT and they are not about to change it. US cannot regulate US fishermen to more strict limits than ICCAT and they must abide by the ICCAT rules under other treaties for atlatic tuna management.

Remember, that the US fleet alone will discard 3 to 5 thousand juvenile swords this year alone, and the Atlantic longline fleet will discard something like 30,000 fish.

With those numbers, what you or I do out off South Florida will have absolutely no impact anywhere but in your own mind. Thats not to say we shouldn't practice conservations, but size limits like that only apply to these fun tournaments we fsih off the coast.

Another point, While we all know the argument that Sowrdies don't mature until something like 50 #, actual scientific data compliled by ICCAT researchg indicates that something like 30# or females are sexually mature at 47"ljfl, and 50% of males are sexually mature at 47".

Thats how ICCAT justifies their size limits.

Another completely different argument is the fact that we do actually manage a subpolulation of swords that migrate from Gulf to Grand Banks and back, without ever leaving US EEZ. So what we do in the US does protect our subpopulation of fish. The real problems is still longlines, and we can't force our US fleet to be any more restricted than what is set forth by ICCAT.

westcoastswrdfish · 12-03-2003, 12:33 AM

Ron, I have to complement you! You are on the ball. I appreciate being able to get this much info by just clicking into such an awesome web page.
Do you know if ICCAT has a web page on swordfish info? Thanks again for such awesome info!

Tim · 12-03-2003, 01:35 PM

I submitted this to the news.. I think this is what you were talking about:

http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/m...rder=0&thold=0

westcoastswrdfish · 12-03-2003, 07:23 PM

Thanks a million for the info. It was very informative.

Tim · 12-04-2003, 03:28 PM

no problem buddy.. Now if the wind will cooperate for us down here in south florida, we will be alright.

We are expecting a cold front Friday with west winds of 25knots which equals nasty offshore... should be fine for sailfish though.. but I dont like a west wind for sails all that much.. the blue water is too deep.

Did you guys read the articles in the Florida Sportsman this month... very informal.. I'll see if I can find a copy on the net and post it here.

Tim

11-18-2003, 12:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
imported_Anonymous Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 80	legal size for swordys i was just lookin at the poll and the majority of the people voted for 51" thru 54" and a close second was greater than 65" i have talked to many people about what size swordy they would kill and most of the people i know and fish with will not take a fish that is under 100lb minimum. i think there should be a limit for sure but if you catch one 50-60lbs why would you keep it. the money you spend in bait, food drinks, equipment, ect.. you might as well go buy it at publix if your going to be greasing little pups. thats just how i feel, if we are all smart about it, it will continue to grow and the fish will as well. catch 'em guys

12-02-2003, 05:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
imported_Anonymous Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 80	Sword Legal size It really doean't matter much what we want as recreational fishermen. That limit is set by ICCAT and they are not about to change it. US cannot regulate US fishermen to more strict limits than ICCAT and they must abide by the ICCAT rules under other treaties for atlatic tuna management. Remember, that the US fleet alone will discard 3 to 5 thousand juvenile swords this year alone, and the Atlantic longline fleet will discard something like 30,000 fish. With those numbers, what you or I do out off South Florida will have absolutely no impact anywhere but in your own mind. Thats not to say we shouldn't practice conservations, but size limits like that only apply to these fun tournaments we fsih off the coast. Another point, While we all know the argument that Sowrdies don't mature until something like 50 #, actual scientific data compliled by ICCAT researchg indicates that something like 30# or females are sexually mature at 47"ljfl, and 50% of males are sexually mature at 47". Thats how ICCAT justifies their size limits. Another completely different argument is the fact that we do actually manage a subpolulation of swords that migrate from Gulf to Grand Banks and back, without ever leaving US EEZ. So what we do in the US does protect our subpopulation of fish. The real problems is still longlines, and we can't force our US fleet to be any more restricted than what is set forth by ICCAT.

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11-18-2003, 01:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tim Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 77	I couldn't agree with you more Swordy. I believe the legal size should be 55 inches or maybe even bigger.. Whatever a 90lb swordie is... When I see people catching the 47 inch fish.. thats crazy. That is a very small fish. Release Em!! They have a chance to grow to be huge and really give us some battles. TIght Lines

11-19-2003, 11:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
imported_Anonymous Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 80	Thanks Tim atleast there is one more person out there who isnt coming in with the prized 40-50lb fish. they need a chance to grow up and become our 2-300 pounder we all hope to land each trip out there. Hopefullly everyone else on this site agrees... change of plans goin tuna fishin in louissianna this weekend but ill be down tuesday. keep me updated on the bite. catch 'em up

11-30-2003, 11:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
westcoastswrdfish Grunt Join Date: May 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, California Occupation: Marine Management Posts: 13	It is so nice to see several individuals who are looking out for the swordy population. We are very fortunate that the state kicked out the nets and long lines and as a result, we are onece again able to catch these awesome fish. If we all do our part for the small fish (NONE BREEDERS) we will have more of the ones we all dream about in the future (BIG BERTHA). Do either of you tag the small ones you let go? Do either of you know who big a sword fish is when it first starts breeding? Keep up the good work on letting the small ones grow a little bigger.

12-01-2003, 08:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
imported_Anonymous Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 80	i heard that they dont reproduce until they are around the 100-150 lbs range. im not sure how old of a fish that is but thats what i heard from others. plus anything under 100 isnt really that big of a fish. there is really no need to kill it

12-03-2003, 12:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
westcoastswrdfish Grunt Join Date: May 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, California Occupation: Marine Management Posts: 13	Ron, I have to complement you! You are on the ball. I appreciate being able to get this much info by just clicking into such an awesome web page. Do you know if ICCAT has a web page on swordfish info? Thanks again for such awesome info!

12-03-2003, 01:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tim Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 77	I submitted this to the news.. I think this is what you were talking about: http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/m...rder=0&thold=0

12-03-2003, 07:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
westcoastswrdfish Grunt Join Date: May 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, California Occupation: Marine Management Posts: 13	Thanks a million for the info. It was very informative.

12-04-2003, 03:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tim Lines In Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 77	no problem buddy.. Now if the wind will cooperate for us down here in south florida, we will be alright. We are expecting a cold front Friday with west winds of 25knots which equals nasty offshore... should be fine for sailfish though.. but I dont like a west wind for sails all that much.. the blue water is too deep. Did you guys read the articles in the Florida Sportsman this month... very informal.. I'll see if I can find a copy on the net and post it here. Tim

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