By The Billfish Foundation: With an August 31st deadline for the voicing of comments on reducing the bycatches of billfish and bluefin tuna by commercial longliners, The Billfish Foundation is asking the help of the recreational fishing communities, especially on the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. "The highest level of marlin bycatch in the U.S. is caught by U.S. pelagic longline vessels in the Gulf," said Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation. "We're asking for the U.S. Government to close off commercial longlining from March to September, during the period of the highest incidence of bycatch of marlin and spawning bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico. Atlantic marlin are seriously overfished but spawning bluefin tuna are worse off. "TBF is pleased the National Marine Fisheries Service is willing to consider practical changes to the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. But comments must be in by Monday, August 31, so we don't have much time. We're trying to get an extension of the comment period to build more awareness for billfish and tuna and the need for the closure.
Click the title link above to be taken to the complete story....
No comments:
Post a Comment