Bag And Size Limits:deep-sea Fish

[Hodgey]

GDay all

I have gone to the DPI to seek clarification of a Saltwater fishing regulation. The point in question concerns hapuka, bar cod, bass groper, gemfish, and blue-eye cod (trevalla). The ruling states:

Legal length: None

Bag limit: 5 in total*, gemfish: only and boat trip limit of 10.

Habitat: Deep offshore waters, usually on or over the continental shelf.

Good baits: Squid, oily fish such as tuna or mackerel.

The rulings is to be interpreted as follows:

1. THE BAG LIMIT PER PERSON IS A BAG OF 5 FISH CONTAINING THE AFOREMENTIONED SPECIES, BUT ONLY TWO OF THESE CAN BE GEMFISH. (IE: 2 GEMMIES, 2 BLUE EYES AND 1 HAPUKA)

2. THE BOAT TRIP LIMIT ONLY APPLIES TO BOATS HAVING 5 OR MORE PERSONS, AND DOES NOT OVERRULE THE 2 PER PERSON LIMIT.

FOR EXAMPLE, A BOAT CONTAINING 3 PERSONS MAY ONLY TAKE 6 GEMFISH, AND 9 OTHER ASSORTED FISH (TOTAL 15).

A BOAT CONTAINING 5 OR MORE PERSONS CAN ONLY TAKE A MAXIMUM OF 10 GEMFISH, WITH EACH PERSON MAKING UP THE BALANCE OF THEIR BAG WITH THE OTHER SPECIES

This advice has been supplied by Cronulla Branch of the DPI: Fisheries department. For those lucky enough to venture out to the deep to chase these fish, please be mindful of your bag limit, ESPECIALLY gemfish

[tuna1]

I think its a little silly the bag limit on gems somtimes where I fish you cant get away from them so what are we sopposed to do throw them back dead bag limit should be increased.

[jewgaffer]

I think its a little silly the bag limit on gems somtimes where I fish you cant get away from them so what are we sopposed to do throw them back dead bag limit should be increased.

I agree Tuna1 After some debate when setting the rules, it may have been decided that rather than give recreational fishermen the benefit of the fact that they wouldn't have survived, decided that the bag limit would be maintained even if meant floating numbers off to die and would they expect fishermen to stop fishing for cod as soon as soon as their friends reached the boat limit on gemfish..

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Citypainter]

I have had the problem and charter boats really feel it.

If you go to browns looking for Blue eye and bag out on Gemfish early then it seems rediculous to be throwing away a great eating fish that will not survive.

The rules have to change.

The fishing license laws need to be flexible to allow us to keep fish that will die when pulled out of a depth that will not allow a fish to return to the bottom.

[daleyboy]

The fishing license laws need to be flexible to allow us to keep fish that will die when pulled out of a depth that will not allow a fish to return to the bottom.

I agree throwing away a dead fish is a waste ...

BUT

How do you confirm if a fish will live or not ... obviously most wont at browns but you just never know unless proper research has been done?

and what about undersized fish?

The rule would be almost impossible to police therfore it will never be put in place.

Edited October 21, 2009 by daleyboy

[adjustedpete]

I would like to know why they cant go back?. Is it because of the bladder?. We just use a bait needle and pierce the bladder and they go back no trouble.Or am I not understanding something

[camotec]

I would like to know why they cant go back?. Is it because of the bladder?. We just use a bait needle and pierce the bladder and they go back no trouble.Or am I not understanding something

Piercing of the bladder (or 'Fizzing') is a contraversial method of depressurizing a fish.

as there is no conclusive study to say that Fizzing improves survival. it may improve short-term

survival however due to possible fungal infection or damage to tissues the fish can often die from secondary

issues, however this does depend on the species of fish.

The success of "fizzing" depends on the conditions at the time and also on the

training and experience of the individual performing the procedure. It is a difficult

procedure to perform accurately and, from an anatomical perspective, there is very little

room for error.

Hope this helps, I guess its a matter of which is the greatest evil

Cheers

Ben Camilleri

DPI IT Geek

[adjustedpete]

Piercing of the bladder (or 'Fizzing') is a contraversial method of depressurizing a fish.

as there is no conclusive study to say that Fizzing improves survival. it may improve short-term

survival however due to possible fungal infection or damage to tissues the fish can often die from secondary

issues, however this does depend on the species of fish.

The success of "fizzing" depends on the conditions at the time and also on the

training and experience of the individual performing the procedure. It is a difficult

procedure to perform accurately and, from an anatomical perspective, there is very little

room for error.

Hope this helps, I guess its a matter of which is the greatest evil

Cheers

Ben Camilleri

DPI IT Geek

Cheers Ben, Is there anywhere that we can learn this technique, as all I do is pierce on the flank just behind the pectoral fin where there is the least amount of flesh to go through

[camotec]

Cheers Ben, Is there anywhere that we can learn this technique, as all I do is pierce on the flank just behind the pectoral fin where there is the least amount of flesh to go through

hi there, I will try and get more information from the fisheries group, I think a shallow punture and agentle squeeze was recommended. I will have a word to the fisheries staff again and see if I can get more information for you

[leonardgid]

will someone please stick a tag in some of those fish that allot of us are throwing back with their guts pierced so we can all get a real idea if they survive or not, i dont beleive that they do , i think that they end up on the bottom dead , you know out of sight out of mind,