Harpooners get a jump on the ‘14 bluefin season

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Bill “Hollywood” Muniz with three bluefin taken June 11 in the Gulf of Maine aboard his boat Lily. (Ian Fulford photo)

HARWICH, MA – The 2014 bluefin tuna fishery opened on June 1 and harpooners soon sprung into action.  By midmonth, fish had been landed in ports from Maine to Cape Cod, although fishermen and dealers still characterized it as a relatively slow start due to cool water temperatures and strings of bad-weather days.

“It’s quiet, more like a normal year,” said Bob Kliss of Lynn, MA-based North Atlantic Traders Ltd.  “The market’s strong.  We just have to get some fish.”

Most of the bluefin Kliss had handled as of mid-June were good size, mainly in the 94″-96″ range and dressing out around 340 pounds, with at least one 500-pounder.  The quality characteristics were consistent with early season fish – little fat and red meat.  But shape and texture were good and the market was waiting for them.

“So far, we haven’t had any of those rubbery fish,” Kliss said.  “We’re seeing a good-eating fish, and that makes marketing them easy.”…

More Tuna Coverage In This Issue – Including:

•  Lessons from BP spill: Crude oil toxic to large pelagic embryo hearts

•  Bailey Island Fishing Tournament: A family friendly tradition in Maine

  Ogunquit’s Dave Linney:  Hardcore harpooner still lives for the strike 

 

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Read the rest and much, much more in the July issue of Commercial Fisheries News.

Read online immediately and download for future reference.

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