smudge wrote: Tagit, our club is providing more incentives for anglers in our comps to release fish and there will be plenty of others doing that. With the incentives provided I think more will choose that option. It is certainly a good way to go.

spieghts wrote: this makes a complete mockery out of the tagging vs weighing debate then doesn't it? its open season ........anarchy. ........ catch your fish how you like boys these guys will take tags at any cost..

Spieghts this is how it works

To tag marlin for Comps and Club cups etc it has to be IGFA.

Blue water Marine Research who run the tagging program will take any tags.. off com boats, non members,non igfa etc

you guys in the pro tagging community have no business throwing out unsubstantiated percentages scaremongering and fueling the fire with your agender .
compile the results yourself tagit since your happy to spout out that piffle
your head has been in the sand for years !
ps you still havent answered previous question ( when did the government sign your precious billfish moritorium last ?

Guys how far through the season are we? The tag vs kept stats are always most likey going to be a bit one sided in the first half of the season. I would say that ( without absoloute certainty ) the east coast tag % will always be up over the west coasters. The charters will have a big part to do about this. Also Im guessing that the boys on the east coast are probably well seasoned game fishermen and have kept their fare share in the past and are happy with tagging everything.

you all seam worried about what other Gov/Green's may do to this fishery if we Kiwis dont release a certain amount of the Marlin catch we land,


its a no brainier anyway:
anything that swims between countries from now on is going to get nailed by the huge ever increasing subsidies Chinese fleet lurking just outside our 200mile zone.

so remember the taste its about to disappear from your plate within a few seasons.
   

A little cynical but sadly also a little true Lethal!

I fished this comp myself and 'assuming all guys in this comp are trailer boat warriors' is a bit rich. I'm a east coast fisherman having more recently been fishing the west too and no I havn't caught my first marlin. I think the point here which was overlooked that some or many of the marlin landed were by guys (and ladies and in one case someones daughter) where it was their first fish. How many of the seasoned veterans here who have caught many marlin over the years would have released their first marlin? Don't get me wrong if I'm lucky enough to get one to the boat I will give it serious consideration whether to land or release. If I do land it I will ensure none of it is wasted and any subsequent marlin will have a good chance of swimming away with a tag in it. p.s great comp being my first big comp a very enjoyable experience. My 10 cents worth anyway. 

like I said tagit compile last years total results then lets see if there is infact a problem at all . five minute quick half season reviews are worthless.
just like matt watsons ridiculous comments on the westcoaster comp you wont no the whole truth untill you compile an entire seasons stats.
kill them all is my new position as I have tagged over 95 percent untill now.
its anglers choice full stop.
nobody needs the uninformed hysterical pro taggers comments after taking a fish.

I think the solution is to send John Gregory out on a 10 day solo mission, after which i would expect the 50% tag ratio to be well and truely exceeded for this season.

Tone E wrote: Not sure the first for angler or first for boat  reasoning washes really. On my boat 8 anglers have broken their duck, and 5 chose to release.(all 3 kept were in a comp and 1 of those was a winning fish) Having said that I always say to them as they are fighting the fish, it is the anglers choice. I also explain why, depending on circumstances, it might be a good idea to release. (early in the day, not going back to port, small fish etc.) Personally, I think west or east is irrelevant as many anglers fish both coasts, but with the diminishing charter fleet it is up to clubs to tweak their comp rules to try to attain the 50/50 ratio. As an aside, a big thumbs up to TOSF who in his charter terms and conditions states all billfish will be released unless they are mortally wounded