Saw on the News today that the Federal Government has banned Long Lining on the entire lower 48 coast from BC to Mexico. The Ban covers all US waters from the coastline all the way West.

Long Lining is the method of nearly all comercial fisherman tribal and non fishing for Black Cod and Halibut off of the Washington Coast.

That whale that is on the news wvery night is tangled up in a long line used for swordfish...If you think our commercial fishing practices are bad check out everywhere else on the globe...it really is a disaster.

Geez, Rich......Really? I wonder how halibut and cod are going to be caught then? Hand line/jig will certainly not get the job done, and they certainly wouldn't even try it with trawlers, would they??? Would they??

It said that the Ban was set in place to protect Sea Turtles which get caught incidently fairly often by lon liners.

Comercials are arguing that sea turtles are not present in most of the waters banned.

I do know that there are multiple rock fish species that are endangered that are caught by long liners as by catch while fishing for Black Cod and Halibut.

Maybe this is why the ban covers all the waters instead of areas with just turtles.

This should Ban Tribes as well since it is a federal Ban you would think.

It said that the Ban was set in place to protect Sea Turtles which get caught incidently fairly often by lon liners.

Comercials are arguing that sea turtles are not present in most of the waters banned.

I do know that there are multiple rock fish species that are endangered that are caught by long liners as by catch while fishing for Black Cod and Halibut.

Maybe this is why the ban covers all the waters instead of areas with just turtles.

This should Ban Tribes as well since it is a federal Ban you would think.

nice sort of start how lets work on the gillnets!

I'd have to think this is targeted at the pelagic (swordfish/shark/tuna) longliners that float their gear in the upper portion of the water column.

It did mention Sward Fish but it said all long lining was banned.

I hope that the long lining ban applies to Blue Creek also, dam long liners are always getting tangled in my line...

Fun5Acres-

Longlining is not the only method of fishing for black cod. I know that up in B.C. off the west side of Vancouver Island they use pots. As for halibut, beats me how they will have to adapt their fishing techniques.

The ban is applicable only to pelagic longline fishing. This is the drifing longline fishing and if you have seen the perfect storm movie thats how they were fishing. It looks like Hawaii is just about to re-open these fisheries after developing some gear restrictions that reduce sea turtle bycatch.

Bottom set longlines are not affected, allthough there are a bunch of restrictions on bottom longlines due to the west coast rockfish issuse.

I would much rather see all forms of nets banned first. But hey, this is a start.

I'm just back from Costa Rica. Saw lots of long lines. Saw dead turtles, and a live one on the line - which was released by a photographer - and several hooked sails thrashing on the long line. They are evil things!

Fishing longlines with live bait off the Mexican waters is getting to be more and more popular. Saw it in some Central American waters as well. Funny thing is, it is Americans teaching these fisherman how to do it. Maybe not in all cases, but we are showing them the technology. Seen many a Turtle floating with longline gear in their beak.

Dave - A friend of mine who works for Pesca Panama ( I believe you made a trip with them), just called me. They landed their first Grander (1016 lbs Black Marlin) Day before they landed a 270 lb Yellowfin and a Black estimated at 500lbs, tagged and released cleanly.

How was the fishing in Costa Rica? Where you in Quepos, Golfito, Los Suenos, Rio Colorado, ...? Blue water, Roosters on the fly, Tarpoon, what kind of fishing where you doing?