26 Oct Where are the Mahi: Exploring the Drastic Decline in Dolphin Catches
South Atlantic dolphin fishery crashes while managers propose non-action
By Blair Wickstrom
Anglers throughout Florida have been writing letters, attending meetings and making social media posts in an effort to bring attention to the noticeable decline in the dolphinfish, mahi, fishery. Most urgently, they have been highlighting the lack of slammer dolphin (fish over 20 pounds). But reports from Islamorada to Jacksonville indicate a shortage of all fish, regardless of size.
Anglers are advocating for, even demanding, a cut back in vessel limits. Now. They’re asking the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and the state of Florida, to reduce the number of fish they’re allowed to catch.
In addition to tighter recreational limits, anglers and conservationists are advocating for a daily limit on the amount of dolphin that may be taken by commercial boats. At present, commercial fishing boats are allowed unlimited quantities. You read that right—no daily limits!
For nearly twenty years, efforts by recreational anglers, and even the Council have tried, unsuccessfully, to put daily commercial trip limits in place. In 2004 the Council passed a 3,000-pound trip limit, only to have the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) throw out the limit based on the assertion that the dolphin were only a bycatch. The Council tried again in 2016 and again in 2020. We still don’t have a daily trip limit for the commercial longline dolphin fishery. And that’s with an ever-growing number of dolphin landings by dedicated dolphin fishery commercial longline boats.
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