TOP: A fishing crew pulls in a yellowfin tuna caught off Cape Hatteras. 



BOTTOM: Proud anglers show off their yellowfin tuna on the dock at Hatteras Harbor 



Marina in North Carolina. 



"In the long-term, using circle hooks will 

 enhance recreational fishing opportunities by 

 maintaining healthy stocks," says Rogers. 



"White marlin is on the 'species of con- 

 cern' list, which serves to encourage conserva- 

 tion action and provide public notice that it may 

 warrant future listing under the Endangered 

 Species Act. We have to increase post-release 

 survivability, or we could eventually see a halt 

 to any fishing that has potential to catch one," 

 he explains. 



The principle behind the circle hook is 

 simple. After the hook is swallowed, natural 

 pressure applied to the line by the fish pulls the 

 hook out of the stomach. 



The unique hook shape causes the hook to 

 slide towards the point of resistance and typical- 

 ly lodge in the jaw or comer of the fish's mouth. 

 The actual curved shape of the hook keeps it 

 from catching in the gut cavity or throat. 



"We are doing a better job of educating 

 blue-water fishermen about circle hooks," 

 says retired North Carolina Sea Grant fisheries 

 specialist Jim Bahen, who has conducted nu- 

 merous circle hook workshops. "Research has 

 shown that circle hooks reduce the mortality of 

 released fish compared to deep hooking, where 

 fish swallow bait." 



A 1999 NOAA Fisheries study found the 

 rates of fishing success for billfish were com- 

 parable or higher for circle hooks compared 

 to J-hooks. Circle hooks used on sailfish had 

 hooking percentages — including fish hooked 

 or fish bite — that were 1 .83 times higher than 

 J-hooks. 



Eighty-five percent of sailfish were 

 hooked in the comer of the mouth using circle 

 hooks as compared to 27 percent for J-hooks. 

 In addition, 46 percent of sailfish were deep 

 hooked in the throat and stomach with J-hooks, 

 compared to 2 percent with circle hooks. 



Billfish Tournaments 



A popular activity for HMS anglers is 

 participation in fishing tournaments. Anglers 

 who participate in any of the tournaments 

 offered throughout the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico 

 and Caribbean also can help in conservation of 

 HMS. 



"By getting the required angling permit 

 — which is required even of catch-and-release 

 fishing in tournaments — and making sure 



landings are reported through the tournament, 

 participants will be helping to ensure a successful 

 future for these popular and fun fishing 

 competitions," says Rogers. 



In the Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean, rec- 

 reational anglers annually compete in approxi- 

 mately 200 billfish tournaments registered with 

 NOAA Fisheries. 



For example, in North Carolina, seven 

 billfish tournaments are included under North 

 Carolina's Governor's Cup Billfish Conservation 

 Series. Boaters and anglers accumulate points for 

 billfish catches in participating tournaments to 

 compete for the Governor's Cup. 



There are a number of other large billfish 

 tournaments along the Atlantic coast, such as 

 the Hatteras Marlin Tournament and the Pirate's 

 Cove Big Game Tournaments off the Outer 

 Banks; the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, 

 Md.; the Virginia Beach Red, White and Blue; 

 the Florida Billfish Masters in Miami Beach; 

 the Annual Silver Derby Sailfish in West Palm 

 Beach; the NE Florida Marlin Association Blue 

 Water in St. Augustine; the Annual Viking- 

 Ocean Showdown in Cape May, N.J.; and the 

 Open Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament in the 

 U.S. Virgin Islands. 



Many of the charter boat operators go 



EARLY SUMMER 2004 



