Current Bluefin Tuna Regs

[Sharkyispy]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

OK let's see if I have this correct...

If I own a boat and I have or am a licensed captain, I can get a fore hire permit and can keep an under and an over daily and one trophy fish over 72 once a year.

If I own a boat and am not or dont have a licensed captain I get a recreational permit and can keep one fish up to 72.

Now let's talk about commercial. It's my understanding that these licneses are more expensive, they stay with the boat and the boat needs to have life rafts, survival suits etc.

When Bernie and Greg say a for hire like me can choose if im fishing recreational or commercial based on what I kill, this assumes I have a commercial license too?

Pass the popcorn please

Gerry, I believe you are spot on now, the key being the commercial license possession. I'll defer to Dave C.(in between video shoots) for confirmation but that's how I'm reading it all.

[Fish Head]

Gerry your latest post is spot on....to my knowledge unless something has changed.?? The original post was regarding "Commercial" so it seemed confusing. Most of us are eaither just Rec or Charter/Headboat permitted.

Now go catch em!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Thanks guys.... Can you please email my wife and let her know that I was finally right about something

[dfish28]

Lol ^^^^^^^^^^^ just one more inch and your perfect

[capt. carl]

Yes Gerry....
Also....remember...the vessel can't be registered under 2 permits. If you get the Hms Charter/Headboat permit, there has to be a licensed captain onboard.....if no captain shows, you cant just switch over to the Angling catagory for the day.
And if you fish commercially, yes you need commercial safety gear onboard just like all the big commercial boats have.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Thanks Captain Carl....

So it looks like you can't switch back and forth between charter head boat and recreational angling permits...

Bernies post would indicate if you had a charter head boat permit and commercial you could choose which one to use, right??

So as an expample, I go out and decide to keep a 73 inch tuna. If could then keep another over 73 under the commercial permit and not keep anything under 73. Or I could keep the 1 73 as my once a year fish under the charter headboat permit and then keep an over and under fish??

[capt. carl]

Now you got it bro!
Yup....and don t forget if fishing commercially, u must comply with commercial safety regulations!