Jewfish. April 2018

[jfjf]

See attached

http://myfwc.com/media/4425749/11-SM-Goliath.pdf

[jfjf]

Staff recommendation after well over a year and many, many thousands of tax dollars spent on collecting public input and providing public education: Nothing, not a freaking word.

This is pretty pathetic regardless of what your political problem sition is.

Why no notice to the spearfishing public of the big meetings on spearboard?

[Spear One]

I will be surprised if they actually open them. Even if they do, it will likely be a very small "trial" allocation of maybe 100 fish with a lottery, stamp, or permit application process to harvest them. I will be completely shocked if they allow spear harvest. Either way, if they do open them the fish huggers will likely see to it that it becomes a PR nightmare for everyone involved.

[CuzzA]

Originally Posted by jfjf

See attached

http://myfwc.com/media/4425749/11-SM-Goliath.pdf

LOL, She says they are rare outside of South Florida...

They are everywhere over here too. Not only are they on the artificials, but I continuously see them on the natural reefs as well.

[jfjf]

That is an interesting comment rare or absent outside of South Florida. Is the Tampa area considered South Florida?? I would not think so, yet there is overwhelming evidence that they are extremely common on those wrecks ... yes?

I tried to look up the definition and common usage of South Florida and it
Is somewhat ambiguously defined, but doesn’t include Tampa etc. So her statement in that memo about geographic abundance and distribution seems to be factually incorrect.

In addition, they are extremely abundant on artificial reefs off Martin county (Stuart area) and that is also outside of South Florida. They are also common off
St Lucie county from my recollection as well.

Failure to make any recommendation and saying they are rare or absent outside of south Florida is hard to support.

[CatDiver]

Agree with this 100%. Pretty good chance the pics and video of monster goliath coming out of the ocean / gulf would be bad politically. This is particularly true since my understanding is they are not that great to eat.

Originally Posted by Spear One

I will be surprised if they actually open them. Even if they do, it will likely be a very small "trial" allocation of maybe 100 fish with a lottery,stamp, or permit application process to harvest them. I will be completely shocked if they allow spear harvest. Either way, if they do open them the fish huggers will likely see to it that it becomes a PR nightmare for everyone involved.

[jbsrq]

There are several large residents on a natural ledge I dive and fish and as other's stated, they are over run on the artificials.

[jfjf]

Was thinking at lunch. They are pretty common off Sebastian from the little diving I have done. Maybe we should all call fwc - thousands of us to report sighting of the rare/ absent species that the scientists are unaware of after an intense one - year period of study and collection of public input.????

[CuzzA]

I'll play a little devils advocate here...

As spearfisherman, do we really care about GG not being harvested?

If one gets aggressive with a diver it is going to get a shaft. How often are they snatching fish from divers? Better yet, how often are smart divers hunting on the artificials? The artificial reefs are so over fished it's rarely worth the effort.

I know they are problematic for hook and line fishing, but I sure as hell ain't hook and line fishing an artificial reef. I already know what's there... Sharks, Barracuda and Goliath Grouper. Any fish you manage to hook is likely chomped before hitting the surface.

I guess what I'm getting at is what's to benefit us spearo's when we can meet our harvest needs by less controversial species?

[CatDiver]

I agree with this too. We rarely dive wrecks or artificials so we rarely see goliaths. I know they are thick on wrecks and artificials but we try to avoid those spots because of the increased pressure and frankly having to deal with other boats while diving. So we probably see a goliath every 10 dives or so. Maybe less honestly. I'm yet to have an issue with one.

Originally Posted by CuzzA

I'll play a little devils advocate here...

As spearfisherman, do we really care about GG not being harvested?

If one gets aggressive with a diver it is going to get a shaft. How often are they snatching fish from divers? Better yet, how often are smart divers hunting on the artificials? The artificial reefs are so over fished it's rarely worth the effort.

I know they are problematic for hook and line fishing, but I sure as hell ain't hook and line fishing an artificial reef. I already know what's there... Sharks, Barracuda and Goliath Grouper. Any fish you manage to hook is likely chomped before hitting the surface.

I guess what I'm getting at is what's to benefit us spearo's when we can meet our harvest needs by less controversial species?

[jfjf]

The situation is quite different here. we freedive a lot on artificial and the jewfish can be very aggressive and somewhat dangerous . if a Freediver should get tangled with a fish he shot and a gg takes the speared fish and dives from cover it could be really bad.

As mentioned the potential limited take does not include spearing so this has nothing to do with us harvesting the fish.

[CatDiver]

Yeah have seen a couple videos like that and could see it would be a big problem. I’m just not seeing a similar issue with what we do on this coast

Originally Posted by jfjf

The situation is quite different here. we freedive a lot on artificial and the jewfish can be very aggressive and somewhat dangerous . if a Freediver should get tangled with a fish he shot and a gg takes the speared fish and dives from cover it could be really bad.

As mentioned the potential limited take does not include spearing so this has nothing to do with us harvesting the fish.

[jfjf]

I can't really recall having a big problem with a jewfish when scuba hunting...no that is not true.. they were a real pain once in the winter on a wreck out in the Gulf in 100 ft. But I don't remember many other incidents that were real problems on scuba.

However freediving, they take more shafts and fish than sharks - Not that this is a primary reason to start a limited, recreational harvest on them, but they have been trained to steal speared fish.

This video from a few years ago is somewhat amusing and demonstrates their ability to modify their behavior to patiently and secretively wait until a fish is shot - and then immediately attack as rapidly as possible.

https://youtu.be/ApeL8czRf8I

YouTube

[Gary H]

I was swimming down the 60' high bar out of Fort Pierce earlier this year and every time I looked behind me there were half a dozen 200+ pounders waiting for me to shoot a meal for them.

With regards to they don't taste very good - I can vouch that they taste good up to about 350 pounds. I've never eaten one bigger than that, but suspect they don't change taste as they get bigger. What does change is provided a large piece of meat, some people try to cook it the same way they cook smaller pieces. To get the middle done the outside is overdone and tough. You either have to cut it into normal serving sizes before cooking, or lower cooking temp and extend cooking time.

[jfjf]

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/sports/...ers/546491002/