Speak up for Our Sharks

Most recreational anglers rely on charter fishing businesses for their fishing expeditions and realize without charter-for-hire boats, many people in the country would be unable to enjoy recreational fishing, and many captains and crews would be out of jobs.  The Charter Fisherman’s Association believes everyone should have an equal right to access our nations’ fisheries resources.

We are asking all American anglers to join us in our ongoing mission. Currently an amendment is being proposed which would limit the fishing of Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks because some feel they may be mistaken for a similar species, the dusky shark. The blacktip shark and dusky shark are easily identified by obvious visual differences.  Amendment 5 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) utilizes faulty reasoning as Black tip sharks are a population that is NOT identified as overfished or subject to overfishing. This in turn threatens your recreational fishing without benefiting the resource we also seek to manage. In addition, the proposal seeks to increase the minimum size limit for blacktip sharks to eight feet long. Since the average blacktip adult is only five feet long, this proposed regulation is truly a complete prohibition on the fishing of a species which is completely capable of supporting recreational harvest. 

How can you help?

1. Go to: http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=NOAA-NMFS-2012-0161-0001
2. Submit your own comment or utilize the following to voice your opinion:

Draft Amendment 5 directly inhibits my opportunity to recreationally harvest blacktip sharks by increasing the minimum size limit.  The best available science shows that this species is not being overfished, and is not undergoing overfishing.  I support a status quo size limit for blacktip sharks and an outreach program for shark identification.

COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL 02/12/2013!

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

The rain has finally cleared off and the old familiar heat and humidity has returned here in Galveston, Texas.  Just in time for our Red Snapper season to come to an end for the year, we have tight lines and good times here with the Captains of Fishin Addiction Charters.  Over the next few weeks our offshore trips will be focusing on King Mackerel, Cobia, Dorados, among other delicious fish.  I'll be sharing a few great recipes in the coming days for these great fighting fish hitting the dock.  For Galveston deep sea fishing, Amberjack season opens up on August 1st, adding them to the box of blackfin tunas, and a grouper would make a great trip and tons of memories to take back home.

From the jetties, we continue to catch nice redfish, speckled trout, spanish mackerel, and some sharks.  Here is the perfect example from a recent jetty trip we had.  This little girl caught some great fish including a some tournament class slot redfish and a 6 lb speckled trout.

The most recent development for both inshore and deep sea fishing charters is the opening of Federal Shrimp season here in Texas.  With it comes a great new fishing opportunity for pelagic fishes offshore, and BIG Sharks inshore.  This is the perfect time to go chase that big shark along the beachfront of Galveston, Texas.  This is a very unique type of Galveston fishing charter, and is a challenge for anglers of any level of experience.

Thanks for keeping up with the happenings here in Galveston, Texas with Fishin Addiction Charters and share us with your friends.  To book your Galveston fishing charter, visit thefishinaddiction.com or gulfoffshorefishing.com