Seeking private-boat bluefin tuna anglers for focus group: Feb 6, Toms River, NJ

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by JDTuna

With all due respect, I don't think this is an accurate representation at all. When bluefin do hold off NJ in the inshore/offshore areas (they really didn't this year), many boaters target them. In fact, even when the limit was just 1 per boat there were still lots of people targeting them on the inshore/offshore grounds. I have been out many times in recent years when there was a fleet of 50+ boats out there every weekend. This included both charters and private boats. The fish just passed us by as a whole last season so they weren't targeted as frequently in the past year.

I hear you JD.... I too know several guys who still target them inshore of the Canyon but not as often as they used to. Doesn't take too many trips burning a hundred plus gallons of fuel combined with the restrictive regulations we have for people to think twice about making the trip... The lack of fish this past year didn't help either...

However, if fuel prices stay were they are and there are fish around next year, a lot more people will be targeting them.

[Willy G.]

Guys,

Glad to see the discussion here! In fact, your thoughts are exactly the kind of information we're looking to obtain at the focus groups. The survey will be using what is called a "stated-choice" approach--given regulations, anticipated/actual number of fish caught/kept, cost, and perhaps other factors (number of fish hooked but lost?), would you choose to target bluefin or not? What factors have the most weight in determining whether you would go bluefin fishing? How important is it, say, to keep a second bluefin after you've already got one on deck? We'll get at these questions by presenting anglers with simulated fishing trips (with varying levels of the factors mentioned above) and seeing which trip (if any) is preferred.

Of course, as you guys are mentioning, the "value" of going bluefin fishing, or the different weight that each factor holds in determining decision-making, varies across anglers--be it by port location, primary gear type used, primary target species, etc. By surveying anglers up and down the coast, we'll hopefully be able to gain insight into this variability.

[NoWorries]

Got back in to private boat fishing again with the purchase of a 23' Mako in October 2014. I use to make around 6-8 trips every summer to the 20 fathom curve off Manasquan inlet from the 80's into early 2000's then sold my boat a 24'Rampage. Last year I only made 1 trip after getting my anglers category permit. Clean water was the issue in July/August or the lack of it. Not much in the way of action till the little tunny showed in late summer. So really not worth going ! I plan to go more often if the tuna show up or there are better conditions inside 30 miles or so. Not sure what you're looking for other than a few hours of my time ?

[Willy G.]

Thanks for the input! We're interested in learning not only about past behavior/bluefin targeting, but also about what might compel you to target bluefin again in the future--in other words, what would make it "worth going!"

We'd definitely appreciate your thoughts at the focus group next Saturday if you're able to make it. Please shoot me a PM or an email (wmgoldsmith@vims.edu) and let me know!

Thanks,

Willy

Originally Posted by NoWorries

Got back in to private boat fishing again with the purchase of a 23' Mako in October 2014. I use to make around 6-8 trips every summer to the 20 fathom curve off Manasquan inlet from the 80's into early 2000's then sold my boat a 24'Rampage. Last year I only made 1 trip after getting my anglers category permit. Clean water was the issue in July/August or the lack of it. Not much in the way of action till the little tunny showed in late summer. So really not worth going ! I plan to go more often if the tuna show up or there are better conditions inside 30 miles or so. Not sure what you're looking for other than a few hours of my time ?

[Willy G.]

Thought I would give this a bump--still room for a few more attendees on Saturday!

[NoWorries]

Originally Posted by Willy G.

Thought I would give this a bump--still room for a few more attendees on Saturday!

Sent a PM

[Fish Head]

Darn - wish I saw this earlier....let me know if you ever do something like this again..thx!

[NoWorries]

Originally Posted by Fish Head

Darn - wish I saw this earlier....let me know if you ever do something like this again..thx!

I attended this meeting in Toms River yesterday. The topic was centered on a survey that will be mailed to permit holders in the Angling category . The purpose that I gathered is to better understand the activitities of private boat owners fishing for bluefin on our East coast . There were 6 of us who had the opportunity to take and comment on a sample survey in a 3 hour period. Surveys will at some point be mailed to anyone who has a Angling category bluefin permit. This may be a random selection process.

[Willy G.]

Thanks for attending yesterday, John! We very much appreciated your input.

For those interested, we are developing surveys for both Charter/Headboat permit-holders and Angling-permit-holders, and plan to begin distributing surveys in the late winter/early spring. As John pointed out, only a subsample of Angling permit-holders will be sent a survey, while all Charter/Headboat permit-holders will be sent a survey. Please send me an email (wmgoldsmith@vims.edu) if you have any questions or would like to learn more!

-Willy Goldsmith