Fishing offshore this last week I witnessed something that really turned me off. There are size limits on fish for a reason, and undersized fish need to be released unharmed. As we caught a number of amberjack, a boat close-by, in fact a charter captain, was catching them as fast as we were. But, he was literally gaffing every fish, and gaffing them in the side. I watched him gaff several small fish, bring them aboard, and then release them. Perhaps the gaff went into only the meat and not the stomach area, I don’t know for sure. But, when in doubt, why would you gaff a fish you may have to release?
The resource we enjoy is a precious commodity. We all need to take steps to protect it. Gaffing only when you know you plan to keep the fish is one way to protect the smaller fish.
Gaffing a […]
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