I am a third-generation commercial fisherman. The so called conservation groups have made stopping the commercial fishing into a big money making business. DO NOT believe all their LIES about commercial fishermen. I do not believe in all methods of commercial fishing but most are misunderstood. Building on the coastline is taking away the coastline habitat,causing pollution and is the biggest enemy to the environment and the fish population not the commercial fishermen. Catching fish before their first spawn is not good, due to the fact that fish have to replace themselves in order to keep a good fishery.Sad to say that most regulations are not about saving a species of sea life.The National Marine Fisheries has it all figured out,Instead of a buy out of the Commercial Fishermen it is starve out one species at a time.They limit the species of fish and the amount allowed and the type of gear used to the point of our extinction based on very little true scientific data
I started fishing with a family friend who was 4th generation Cortez Florida Commercial fisherman. My first time on his 30' Morgan launch the "Miss Linda" I was 8. His father was one of the first "Sheriff's" on Bradenton beach or Anna Maria Isl. Florida. I lived with him and his family and fishing in the summer. Graduated in 1988 and moved back to Bradenton and became active with "OFF" went to every "Ban the Nets" meeting and eventually it just couldn't be stopped and the ban went into effect. He went to work for the county. I began Purse seining bait, Long Lining for grouper. I fell in love with Grouper Digging and My girlfriend at the time was Miss Karen Bell. She introduced me too my first Charter Guy and we had a great time developing his boat. Charter guys hated me because I was a commercial guy and commercial guys didn't like me associating with "Sporties" I have 40 years on that water and it's funny the fish still aren't jumping in any ones boats proving the "Bio~Mass of mullet could and had been a sustainable fishery since late 1870's. Piece of crap "FCA" now CCA why not talk about Red tide or Okeechobee run off affecting Ft. Myers Beach. instead of fighting about who catches more fish ~ well ok stop nets but keep destroying Estuaries and building seawalls. only report the data that supports "your" agenda. Damn politics kept me from being a 5th generation Gillnetter from Cortez.
My grandpa gill-netted for over fifty years in the gulf and there were many times we went too. He always fished legal and didn’t allow no funny business. He was well respected in the fishing community and the wardens never bothered him. If he saw someone doing wrong on another boat he would call them on it. He was short in stature but had a big heart. Fried and smoked mullet were a staple for us every summer.
Where is that bayou? I am looking to go on a recreational crawfishing outting. I live in South La. and I have been crabbing and fishing but never crawfishing. Tempted to hit up the Spillway, any suggestions?
Have you ever been fishing in Croatia? I am very interested in shark fishing, in pro and cons, research and the thoughts of fishermen. where are you fishing now?
Hey Reaper, I'm a gillnet, crab, shrimp, and prawn COMMERCIAL fisherman from the west coast, Alaska, puget sound, Pacific ocean! They are pulling the same bullshit over here! They've been trying to get rid of us for years, I remember picketing at the Capital a few times and they just tell us basically get f****d! Now they are deciding that the Sport fisherman deserve to have a good time instead of us feeding our wives,kids,grandkids,greatgrandkids! Its disgusting and like you said the way things go, we will be feeding them someday,obviously with the amount of fish purchased we're already feeding millions of them! Keep on going man I was out gillnetting last night for silver salmon AKA coho! Trying to make enough so my dog can have ACL surgery! NOT CHEAP!
