Sablefish tagging research in the Sound

[Brian M]

For those of you who target sablefish in Prince William Sound, there is an article in the ADN about some tagging being done to study the sablefish population. Apparently they're trying to determine if the sablefish are primarily PWS residents or if they mix freely with the Gulf stocks. I'll be interested to see the results, as the past two years our catch rates have been down on PWS sablefish. They're asking anglers and commercial fishermen to be on the lookout for small red tags inserted along the base of the dorsal fin, and if found, anglers are asked to return these tags to F&G in return for a cap and a chance to win one of five $100 prizes.

[TS]

Last year fish and game put a column in our logbooks for sablefish, I sent them e-mails and let them know that in almost twenty years of fishing Halibut I've never caught even one. I did get a good chuckle out of it though, The sablefish are declining, so their trying to pin this on the charter boats, just like their doing with the Halibut.

[Brian M]

Pin it on the charter boats? Do you have a reason to think that other than the fact that they put a column for them in your logbooks?

[captaindd]

It was put in by some people in South East Alaska that wanted to find out if the charter boats where catching a commerical fish that was under an IFQ.

[thewhop2000]

OK Brian, my question to you is when are we going? I'm ready!!! It will be like the Winter King tourny in Homer. A cap and $100? Let's go buddy!!!