Shark Norma

Everyone who is interested in the Sea of Cortez should be aware of the changes to fisheries managment under the new law known as the Shark Norma or NOM-029. The Shark Norma opens the Sea of Cortez to large commercial fishing boats and allows the retention of dorado and marlin "bycatch" caught while fishing for sharks. Previously, waters within 50 kilometers of shore were closed to large fishing boats effectively blocking them from the narrow Sea of Cortez and species such as marlin, dorado, and roosterfish were reserved for sportfishing.

As feared, commercial boats are targeting dorado. This week, the Baja Big Fish Company posted pictures of a seiner wrapping kelp patties off Loreto. The location, rougly 20 miles offshore and 20 miles north of Carmen Island, is one of the prime sportfishing areas. The Google Earth image below shows the location.


Pictures of the Seiner are at:
http://bajabigfish.com/fly_report.html

For more information on the Shark Norma see:

www.bajabigfish.com

www.seawatch.org

www.billfish.org

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/InNews/destruction2007.html

http://www.igfa.org/shark_norma_emailSend.asp

http://roadtrekker.blogspot.com/2008/04/shark-minerva-vs-shark-norma.html

http://roadtrekker.blogspot.com/2008/06/shark-norma-nom-029-defended.html

Palometa

This Palometa (Yellow Jack) is another of the many fish that have fallen for the 1/0 Clouser Minnow in brown/yellow/white with gold flash. This fish was caught in Puerto Escondido on a very calm January day. Over the last couple of years Puerto Escondido has been spared the pervasive gill nets that plague many inshore areas of the Sea of Cortez and is providing an outstanding fishery. Hopefully, this area will continue to serve as an example of what inshore fishing in Loreto Bay National Park could be like.

Last March, my buddy Dave C. found some great shore fishing here for small yellowtail and roosterfish. Unfortunately, Pam from the Baja Big Fish Company (http://www.bajabigfish.com/) recently reported that staff of SINGULAR, the government agency managing the half-built marina facility, told her that no sport fishing was allowed in the bay. Dave said that during his March visit one of our favorite fishing spots was fenced off. Hopefully, this trend won't continue. This is one of the few sheltered spots on this section of the coast and some of the best fishing in the area that is accessible by car.

I strongly urge everyone to practice catch-and-release in this small bay. Be part of the solution.