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Random Quote: The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli! ( George Costanza )
They've done this kind of thing before, guy's think their smart by calling Bluefins Yellowfins and playing dumb. I understand they can impound the boat and that you can even loose the boat as a result. It's not worth the risk, even if they don't take the boat your involved with the federal government not the state, they can screw you over and their's not much you can do about it. You could be fighting them for years, they know time, and money, is on their side.
I sure hope so and it's about time. Too many times I see and hear guys at the dock boasting they had a great day and caught Yellowfin tuna when in FACT they killed puppy Bluefin.
Just wondering if the Feds are actually following up the way they should be, instead of sitting at the docks waiting for 4 guys carrying a coffin box off the boat.
All the talk about regulating this and that, about the only enforcement I see is DEC checking fluke at Captree ramps on Saturday afternoons. Still waiting to show this stupid marine license to someone who cares enough to ask for it.
Actually the bigger issue for the NY DEC - and the main thing they cited people for during the check two weeks ago, was not too many or undersized fish for their HMS permit, but using their HMS Charter boat permit (which for federal purposes only requires a licensed captain aboard) to land two Bluefins (instead of the one Rec's get) in New York when they don't also have a NYS Charter/Headboat license (which costs $1,500/yr). I understand that violation carries up to a $5,000 fine.
Actually the bigger issue for the NY DEC - and the main thing they cited people for during the check two weeks ago, was not too many or undersized fish for their HMS permit, but using their HMS Charter boat permit (which for federal purposes only requires a licensed captain aboard) to land two Bluefins (instead of the one Rec's get) in New York when they don't also have a NYS Charter/Headboat license (which costs $1,500/yr). I understand that violation carries up to a $5,000 fine.
Didn't know that. Even if you meet the requirements for a HMS charter permit you can't use that if you don't have a NYS Charter license?
Didn't know that. Even if you meet the requirements for a HMS charter permit you can't use that if you don't have a NYS Charter license?
Yes. Here's the NYS DEC regulation:
§ 13-0336. Marine and coastal district party and charter boat license.
1. No owner or operator of a party boat or charter boat shall carry
recreational fishing passengers in the marine and coastal district or
land fish taken outside the territorial waters of the state without
holding a party or charter boat license issued by the department.
If you are going to operate as a charter boat so that you can use the HMS permit, you need the charter boat license, plus as of 2010 the commercial salt water fishing license, which is an additional $400/yr and a food fish license at $500/yr.
These fees are why most guys in New York no longer bother registering their boats as commercial and don't engage in very part time charter operations.
First off,my experience,most weekend warriors couldent tell the difference between a bft and a yft.
This is the first summer in a very long time when water temps and bait concentrations were high enough that yft were caught 40 miles off the beach.In 20 plus years its the first time i caught a yft well north of the canyon,
So beside this yr no ones fooling anyone when saying they caught yft and their not in the canyon.
A friend of mine got boarded a couple weeks ago outside FI inlet.He had only his one fish.
I have been 60 plus off and have been borded by the coasties and Ive been grabed by the DEC at the dock and the inlet.Must be something about a boat with a tuna tower that raises their suspecions.go figure.
True. We trolled up a 40# yellowfin while running from the Texas Tower to the Bacardi. It was a welcomed site, to be sure, having done nothing in the Canyon.Saw DEC in FI inlet the other day, pulled up along a big Bertie.No offshore gear was visible though, so could've been unrelated.
First off,my experience,most weekend warriors couldent tell the difference between a bft and a yft.
This is the first summer in a very long time when water temps and bait concentrations were high enough that yft were caught 40 miles off the beach.In 20 plus years its the first time i caught a yft well north of the canyon,
Don't all Tunas look the same Maybe I better check the dorsal fins next time
We used to catch YFT fairly often in the middle grounds areas when I first started fishing offshore in the early 80's, which is the last time I recall sand eels being as prevelant as they are this season - may be just coincidence.
Don't all Tunas look the same Maybe I better check the dorsal fins next time
We used to catch YFT fairly often in the middle grounds areas when I first started fishing offshore in the early 80's, which is the last time I recall sand eels being as prevelant as they are this season - may be just coincidence.
They call them YELLOWfin and BLUEfin for a reason.
Well, then you wouldn't have been albe to find either of them because you couldn't spot the color changes. Any bluefin that is small enough to be "mistaken" for a larger yellowfin won't have the long fins, right? Otherwise, we can change the name to lightfin and darkfin.
Being boarded just outside the inlet and offshore are two different things. I find it hard to believe that the feds are travelling 40 to 70 miles offshore to check people's fish boxes...these inshore bluefin aren't exactly "inshore"
Checking BFT catch offshore NY/NJ 
Never mentioned being worried!
Maybe I better check the dorsal fins next time
Otherwise, we can change the name to lightfin and darkfin.
