Saturday 2 June 2012

River Monsters - Episode 5 Electric Executioner

Devil fish(Menta Ray)


Devil fish(Menta Ray)

Devil fish
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Elasmobranchii
Order:Myliobatiformes
Family:Myliobatidae
Genus:Mobula
Species:M. mobular
Binomial name
Mobula mobular
(Bonnaterre, 1788)
Synonyms
  • Mobula diabolus
The devil fish or giant devil ray (Mobula mobular) is a species of eagle ray, family Myliobatidae. They are most common in the Mediterranean Sea and can be found elsewhere in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, off the southwest coast of Ireland and south of Portugal.
It is larger than the lesser devil ray, growing to a maximum length of 520 centimetres (200 in), and it possesses a spiny tail. The species feeds on crustaceans and small schools of fish.
The devil fish has a limited range and a low rate of reproduction. As a result it is sensitive to environmental changes. The main threats to this species come from pollution in the Mediterranean and accidental, unintended capture in various fishing equipment including trawls, tuna traps, and dragnets meant for swordfish, none of which are intended to ensnare Giant Rays. The 2004 IUCN Red List listed the devil fish as a vulnerable species, but in 2006 it was reclassified as an endangered species.

 

 Habitat


Mobula mobular
The Devil Ray is known mainly for living in areas such as Algeria, Croatia, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Spain, and Tunisia, which are its native habitat. It’s known mainly for living in warmer waters and the Mediterranean Sea provides such an environment.

 Ecological Role

The Devil Ray has no definite role in the environment. The closest role that a Devil ray has is eating planktonic crustaceans and small schooling fishes. In its entirety, the Devil Ray acts similar to other species of its kind. According to some sources Devil Rays are flavorsome although, due to their sparse population, Devil Rays cannot be sold for commercial use.

 Population and conservation status

The population of the Devil fish is 400. They can be found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. The population of the Devil fish is decreasing is due to the accidental takes in swordfish pelagic driftnets. They are also accidentally caught by fishermen.

 Conservation

In order to conserve the Devil Ray, awareness of the harm fisherman cause towards Devil Ray needs to rise. Many state legislatives and governments are becoming more aware of this issue and are trying to bring awareness to the public in order to protect the Devil Ray from complete extinction.

 References

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

More Stories:   http://blackboxfishtalk.blogspot.com/

Photo

Studies: raw fish risky

Studies: raw fish risky

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sushi bento. Eating raw fish could lead to severe intestinal problems.
Image: Shiva-Nataraja.
Studies presented at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology show that eating raw or undercooked fish, such as sushi or sashimi, can lead to severe intestinal problems caused by parasitic roundworms called anisakis.
Symptoms of the infestation include sudden abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and can be severe enough to warrant a visit to the emergency room. One form of anisakiasis, the illness caused by the infestation, could be difficult to diagnose and could be misdiagnosed as appendicitis, peritonitis, or stomach ulcers, potentially leading to incorrect treatment.

 

Sources

Photo

Extreme Fishing With Robson Green Season 2 Episode 1

Ikan Belitong

Ikan Belitong

Ikan Belitong
frames
Pengelasan saintifik
Alam:Haiwan
Filum:Kordata
Subfilum:Vertebrat
Kelas:Ikan
Order:Perciformes
Famili:Carangidae
Genus:Caranx
Spesies:C. ignobilis

Ikan Belitong (bahasa Inggeris: Giant trevally) juga dikenali sebagai Ikan Turrum, dan Ikan Ulua. Nama sainsnya Caranx ignobilis.
Ikan Belitong mudah dikenali dengan kepala cembung besar dan pedunkel kaudal sempit dengan 2 lunas (keels) terdiri daripada kepingan-kepingan kurus timbul pada kedua bahagian akhit garis garis sisi. Terdapat bahagian bersisik bulat kecil pada bahagian dada di hadapan sirip perut, jika tidak tidak bersisik. Sirip dorsal pertama mempunyai 8 duri dan sirip dorsal kedua 17-20 duri lembut. Sirip dubur mempunyai 3 duri dan 15-17 duri lembut. Ekornya bercabang. Warnanya berbeza-beza tetapi biasanya kelabu biru dengan kecoklat-coklatan di belakang. Diapit oleh warna keperakan dan juga pada dibahagian perut.
Berat sekitar 60 kg tetapi biasanya 10-30kg.
Lebih menyukai kawasan tubir berbatu-batan, batu karang, dan dasar bercerun curam. Biasanya ditemui di sekitar pulau-pulau berbatu batan terpencil. Anak ikan biasanya membentuk kumpulan kecil tetapi ikan matang berenang tenang. Iakan yang sangat kuat melawan sekiranya dikail. Akan meragut kebanyakan umpan , tetapi lebih sering di kawasan tubir berbatu dan jigging. Biasanya dijumpai dengan pelbagai ikan jenis spesies Jack yang lain.
Banyak terdapat di kebanyakan kawasan Malaysia terutama pulau-pulau luar dan beting Laut China Selatan.


Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

More Stories:   http://blackboxfishtalk.blogspot.com/

'Monster' fish killed in Swiss lake

'Monster' fish killed in Swiss lake after biting swimmers

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A 70 centimeter (27.6 in) zander on Lake Maggiore, Switzerland was killed by police divers after it attacked several swimmers over the weekend. The fish weighed eight kilograms, or 17.5 pounds.

Zander Sander lucioperca
The fish bit six bathers, two of whom required emergency medical treatment for bite wounds up to 10 centimeters (3.9 in) long. Fish warden Fabio Croci said, "It is quite unusual for Zanders to bite humans". It is suspected the fish's aggression could have been a result of a hormonal imbalance.
After attempts to capture the Zander with a net failed, police divers resorted to harpooning it. Meat from the fish was later served to tourists around the lake.


 

 Sources

The Reef (2010 film)

The Reef (2010 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
The Reef
Directed byAndrew Traucki
Produced byMichael Robertson
Andrew Traucki
Written byAndrew Traucki
StarringDamian Walshe-Howling
Zoe Naylor
Gyton Grantley
Adrienne Pickering
Music byRafael May
CinematographyDaniel Ardillery
Editing byPeter Crombie
Release date(s)
  • 13 May 2010 (2010-05-13) (Cannes)
[1]
Running time88 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.5 million
The Reef is a 2010 Australian horror film. The film was written and directed by Andrew Traucki, his second feature film (the first being Black Water), and is about a group of friends who capsize while sailing to Indonesia. The group decides that their best bet for survival is to swim to a nearby island but find themselves stalked by a great white shark.[2]

 

 Plot

Luke invites his friend Matt (Gyton Grantley) and Matt's girlfriend, Suzie to join him as he sails to a coral reef. Also joining them is Matt's sister (and Luke's former girlfriend) Kate (Zoe Naylor) and fellow sailor Warren (Kieran Darcy-Smith). On the second day of their journey, the yacht strikes a reef and capsizes when the keel is destroyed.
With the current taking them further away from land, Luke gathers supplies from the overturned vessel with the intention of swimming to nearby Turtle Island. With the group gathered on top of the overturned hull, Warren activates the yacht's EPIRB, but Luke informs him that it is an older model that requires a plane to fly overhead to receive the signal. When Luke suggests the others to join him in swimming to the island (which Luke estimates to be twelve miles away), Warren refuses as he believes the water is shark-infested. With encouragement Kate, Suzie and Matt follow Luke into the water as he begins the journey.
During their journey, the group find the carcass of a sea turtle that has had its head bitten off. On the overturned yacht, Warren spots a large Great White Shark circling the vessel. Soon, the group are also stalked by (presumably) the same shark. It approaches them several times, even brushing past Kate, before leaving. Kate and Suzie are supported by Matt and Luke as they are both in shock. However, during her encounter, Kate lost the bodyboard she was using as a flotation device. When Matt goes to retrieve it, he is attacked by the shark and his legs are severed. He is comforted by the group, but quickly dies. As night falls, Luke, Kate and Suzie are once more stalked by the shark. Suzie blames Luke for talking the group into swimming to an island he has seemingly lost.
In the morning, the group has drifted to a shallow area of the reef, where they are able to stand and rest. In the distance, they can see a larger rock formation protruding from the water, and they swim towards it. Paranoia affects the group as they continue. They share a laugh when they mistake a dolphin for the shark that took Matt. However, the shark soon returns and kills Suzie. Luke and Kate rest on the reef, and they both declare their love for each other. They begin to swim the final distance to the rocks as the shark closes in. Luke assists Kate in climbing to safety, but as he climbs onto the rocks the shark seizes him and drags him beneath the water.
The written epilogue reveals that Kate was rescued by a fishing boat the following day, however extensive searches failed to locate Warren or the vessel.

 Cast

[3]

 Production

The film is based on the true story of Ray Boundy, who was the sole survivor of similar incident in 1983. [4] The film's five-week shoot began on 12 October 2009 in Queensland's Hervey Bay, Fraser Island and Bowen Bay, with additional shark footage completed in South Australia.[5][6] While in production of the film, cameras were streaming the film online on the film's website on 5 November. Traucki stated that "This kind of marketing strategy is absolutely vital" and "the mentality inside the Australian industry doesn't usually get behind original marketing strategies like this. I have ended up building this one myself, late at night with my web team."[7]
Rob Gaison, the chief executive of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, was concerned about the film being advertised as "based on a true story" which he felt could hurt the tourist industry for the area. Col McKenzie, the CEO of Association of Marine Park Operators, said that previous films about sharks near reefs attacking people such as Open Water had hurt the tourism industry.[5]

 Release

The Reef had its world premiere as a market screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2010. It was later shown at South Korea's Pusan Film Festival on 10 October 2010 and Spain's Sitges Film Festival.[2][8] The film's Australian premiere was in late 2010 at both the Brisbane and Canberra film festivals. The film received a wide Australian release by Pinnacle in March 2011.[2] Director Traucki said that "The biggest release we can hope for is 30 screens, which is what you get for Australian films, unless you make something like Australia."[6]
The film was released straight-to-DVD in the United Kingdom in January 2011. The film has received mixed to positive reviews, and currently holds a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 17 reviews.[9]

Jelajah Joran 2012 - S02E04

Demon Crabs?

Real Ghost Stories

Demon Crabs?

When I was about 10 years old my father took me on a fishing trip (1 day), something we usually do once per month. I got the buckets ready as he prepared the net to throw it into the trench (man made irrigation canal). After he finished preparing the net he threw it into the water and slowly dragged it up the bank of the trench. As he was pulling up the net, his expression changed to that of "slight" fear. And I knew why.
In the nets were 3 crabs. The smallest of these crabs were 12 inches across the shell with some very large tentacles. The crabs resembled what we Guyanese called "Buck Crabs" except they were 4 or 5 times larger that those we are accustomed to seeing. They were in fact... Hideous to look at. My father secured them in the net and we proceeded to his parents home, which was just a few houses from where we were living at that time.
When we arrived, he put the crabs on the ground and called his mother and sister to look at what he brought home. My aunt came out first, took a look at the crabs, began jumping up hysterically and shouted "you brought home those demons things, get them out of here". My grandmother nearly fainted and begged my father to go and release them.
Now I'll tell you why my father showed fear, my aunt behaved hysterically and my grandmother nearly fainted.
My father's grandfather (an immigrant from India) usually went to fish in the ocean (Atlantic Ocean), as a means of supplementing his food source as the low wage that was earned from cutting sugar cane was not enough to support his large family.
Before my father was born, the grandfather went on one of these exercises and caught a rather large crab, this crab measured over 16 inches across its back (the smaller species that we know about is called "Sherigga Crabs"). So he put the crab into a quake (a bamboo basket with a tightly closed cover), and proceeded home to show his family his great catch. When he reached home, he was extremely tired - which was strange as he usually fetched heavier loads over longer distances. He set the quake down and sat next to it to take a rest.
All of a sudden he was twisted backwards, with his belly up in the air and his heels reached the back of this head. Naturally, his wife and children were scared and frantic. Then a voice came out of the quake asking him why he disturbed it (the crab), well he couldn't really answer. His wife was now screaming louder and running around like a headless chicken.
A neighbour heard the commotion and came over, he asked the crab what it wants to which it replied; that it must be put back at the exact location from where it was taken from before it released my great-grandfather. My great-grandfather gave the neighbour the direction to where the crab was caught, he then picked up the quake and proceeded to the location.
Based on the timing given, it seemed that as soon as the crab reached its hole, it released the hold it had on my great-grandfather. That was the last time anyone in the family brought home an abnormal creature.
...I'm not sure if my father released the crabs we caught that day, chances are that we had crab curry some time later that week.


Source :  http://www.yourghoststories.com/


More Stories:   http://blackboxmystery.blogspot.com/

Yellowfin tuna


Yellowfin tuna

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Yellowfin tuna
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Scombridae
Tribe:Thunnini
Genus:Thunnus
Species:T. albacares
Binomial name
Thunnus albacares
Bonnaterre, 1788
The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.
Yellowfin is often marketed as ahi, from its Hawaiian name ʻahi although the name ʻahi in Hawaiian also refers to the closely related bigeye tuna.[2] The species name, albacares ("white meat") can lead to confusion. The tuna known as albacore in English, is a different species of tuna: Thunnus alalunga. However, yellowfin tuna is officially designated albacore in French, and is referred to as albacora by Portuguese fishermen.

 Description

The yellowfin tuna is one of the largest tuna species, reaching weights of over 300 pounds (140 kg), but is significantly smaller than the Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tunas that can reach over 1,000 pounds (450 kg) and slightly smaller than the bigeye tuna and the southern bluefin tuna. Reported sizes in the literature have ranged as high as 239 centimeters (94 in) in length and 200 kilograms (440 lb) in weight. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) record for this species stands at 388 pounds (176 kg). Angler Kurt Wiesenhutter boated this fish in 1977 near San Benedicto Island in the Pacific waters of Mexico. Two larger fish weighing 395 lb and 399.6 lb were boated in 1992 and 1993 respectively. These remarkable fish stand as the largest rod and reel yellowfin tuna captures thus far. On November 30, 2010, Mike Livingston of Sunland, California[disambiguation needed ] reeled in a 405.2 lb Yellowfin off the tip of the Baja peninsula aboard the vessel the Vagabond. Livingston's 86-inch (2,200 mm) catch, which had a girth of 61 inches (1,500 mm), is still pending verification by the International Game Fish Association to replace Wiesenhutter's 388 pounder as the new all-tackle World Record holder.
The second dorsal fin and the anal fin, as well as the finlets between those fins and the tail, are bright yellow, giving this fish its common name. The second dorsal and anal fins can be very long in mature specimens, reaching almost as far back as the tail and giving the appearance of sickles or scimitars. The pectoral fins are also longer than the related bluefin tuna, but not as long as those of the albacore. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines.

 Habitat

Yellowfin tuna are epipelagic fish that inhabit the mixed surface layer of the ocean above the thermocline. Sonic tracking has found that although yellowfin tuna, unlike the related bigeye tuna, mostly range in the top 100 meters (330 ft) of the water column and penetrate the thermocline relatively infrequently, they are capable of diving to considerable depths. An individual tagged in the Indian Ocean with an archival tag spent 85% of its time in depths shallower than 75 meters (246 ft) but was recorded as having made three dives to 578 m, 982 m and 1,160 meters (3,810 ft).

 Life history

Deeper diving and cruising seems to happen more often in the daytime, changing to shallower swimming at night, probably in response to the vertical movement of prey items in the deep scattering layer. They are normally a schooling fish and stay in their immediate school.
Photo of a few dozen fish swimming in dark water
School of yellowfin tuna
Although mainly found in deep offshore waters, yellowfin tuna may approach shore when suitable conditions exist. Mid-ocean islands such as the Hawaiian archipelago, other island groups in the Western Pacific, Caribbean and Maldives islands Indian Ocean, as well as the volcanic islands of the Atlantic such as Ascension Island often harbor yellowfin feeding on the baitfish these spots concentrate close to the shoreline. Yellowfin may venture well inshore of the continental shelf when water temperature and clarity are suitable and food is abundant.
Yellowfin tuna often travel in schools with similarly sized companions. They sometimes school with other tuna species and mixed schools of small yellowfin and skipjack tuna, in particular, are commonplace. They are often associated with various species of dolphins or porpoises, as well as with larger marine creatures such as whales and whale sharks. They also associate with drifting flotsam such as logs and pallets, and sonic tagging indicates that some follow moving vessels. Hawaiian yellowfin associate with anchored fish aggregation devices (FADs) and with certain sections of the 50-fathom curve.

 Diet and predation

Yellowfin tuna prey include other fish, pelagic crustaceans, and squid. Like all tunas their body shape is evolved for speed, enabling them to pursue and capture fast-moving baitfish such as flying fish, saury and mackerel. Schooling species such as myctophids or lanternfish and similar pelagic driftfish, anchovies and sardines are frequently taken. Large yellowfin prey on smaller members of the tuna family such as frigate mackerel and skipjack tuna.
In turn, yellowfin are preyed upon when young by other pelagic hunters, including larger tuna, seabirds and predatory fishes such as wahoo, shark and billfish. As they increase in size and speed, yellowfin become able to escape most of their predators. Adults are threatened only by the largest and fastest hunters, such as toothed whales, particularly the false killer whale, pelagic sharks such as the mako and great white, and large blue marlin[disambiguation needed ] and black marlin. The main source of mortality, however, is industrial tuna fisheries.

 The commercial fishery

Yellowfin tuna loaded onto a truck for transportaton. Palabuhanratu, West Java
Modern commercial fisheries catch yellowfin tuna with encircling nets (purse seines), and by industrial longlines.

 Pole and line

Formerly, much of the commercial catch was made by pole and line fishing, using live bait such as anchovy to attract schools of tuna close to the fishing vessel that were then taken with baited jigs on sturdy bamboo or fiberglass poles or on handlines. This fishery, which targeted skipjack and occasionally albacore, as well as yellowfin, for canning, reached its heyday between World War I and the 1950s before declining. The most well-known fleet of pole and line boats sailed from San Diego in California and exploited abundant stocks in Mexican waters, as well as further south to Panama, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands.[3] Interviews with fishery participants as well as video footage preserve the memory of this fishery and the boats and men that pursued it.[4]
Pole and line fishing is still carried out today in areas such as the Maldives, Ghana, and by a small number of boats fishing out of the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores. Few pole and line boats now specifically target yellowfin and the contribution that these fisheries make to the total commercial catch is incidental to the total take. In the Maldives, for instance, the catch is a mix of skipjack tuna and small yellowfin that often associate with them.

 Purse seining

Purse seining largely took over commercial tuna fisheries in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, purse seines account for more of the commercial catch than any other method. The purse seine fishery primarily operates in the Pacific Ocean, in the historic tuna grounds of the San Diego tuna fleet in the eastern Pacific, and in the islands of the western Pacific, where many US tuna canneries relocated in the 1980s; but significant purse-seine catches are also made in the Indian Ocean and in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, especially in the Gulf of Guinea by French and Spanish vessels.
Purse seine vessels locate tuna via onboard lookouts, as was done in the pole and line fishery, but they also employ sophisticated onboard electronics, sea-surface temperature and other satellite data, and from helicopters overhead. Once a school is located, the net is set around it. A single set may yield 100 tonnes (98 long tons; 110 short tons). Modern tuna seiners have a capacity of up to 2,000 metric tons (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons) reach speeds of over 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) and carry multiple spotting helicopters.[5]
Purse seining for yellowfin tuna became highly controversial in the late 1970s when it became apparent that the eastern Pacific fishery was killing many spinner dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin and other cetaceans (often referred to as 'porpoise' by the tuna fleet) that accompany the fish. This association has been long-recognized by commercial tuna fishermen.
Since the introduction of "dolphin-friendly" labeling, an increasing number of purse seine sets are now made on "free schools" unassociated with dolphins, as well as schools that associate with floating objects—another long-understood association that has grown in importance in tuna fisheries. The latter practice in particular has a major ecological impact because of the high proportion of bycatch, including manta rays, sea turtles, pelagic sharks, billfish and other threatened marine species taken by setting nets around logs and other floating objects. Such tuna are often significantly smaller than the larger adult tuna associated with dolphins. The removal of huge numbers of juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna that have yet to reach breeding age has major potential consequences for tuna stocks worldwide.

 Longline

Most of the commercial catch is canned, but the sashimi marketplace adds significant demand for high-quality fish. This market is primarily supplied by industrial tuna longline vessels.
Industrial longlining was primarily perfected by Japanese fishermen who expanded into new grounds in the Western Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Longlining has since been adopted by other fishermen, most notably South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.
Tuna longlining targets larger sashimi-grade fish of around 25 kilograms (55 lb) and up that swim deeper in the water column. In tropical and warm temperate areas, the more valuable bigeye is often the main target, but significant effort is also directed towards larger yellowfin. Longlining seeks areas of higher ocean productivity indicated by temperature and chlorophyll fronts formed by upwellings, ocean current eddies and major bathymetric features. Satellite imaging technology is the primary tool for locating these dynamic and constantly changing ocean areas.
Sea turtle and seabird bycatch is a major environmental issue in the longline fishery, as is the mortality that longline fishing inflicts on species that are incidentally captured, such as billfishes, sea turtles and pelagic sharks.

[edit] Artisanal fisheries

Besides the large-scale industrial purse seine and longline fisheries, yellowfin tuna also support smaller-scale artisanal fisheries that have often supplied local domestic markets for generations. Artisanal fisheries now also often fish for the lucrative sashimi market in many locations where international air shipment is possible.
Artisanal fishermen tend to employ assorted hook and line gear such as trolling lines, surface and deep handlines and longlines.
By far the largest fishery using artisanal methods exists in Philippine and Indonesian waters where thousands of fishermen target yellowfin tuna around fish aggregation devices or payaos, although this fishery far exceeds the artisanal scale in terms of tonnage caught and the numbers of partipants involved and should more properly be considered a commercial handline fishery. General Santos City is the most important Philippine port for the landing and transhipment of catches. Catches that qualify as sashimi-grade are mostly shipped to the Japanese sashimi market; those that do not meet the grade are sold locally or canned. Elsewhere in the Pacific, small boat fishers in Hawaii, Tahiti and other Pacific islands supply local and in some cases foreign markets with fresh yellowfin.
Handline-caught yellowfin tuna is one of the few exports of the economy of St Helena.

 Sport fishing

Yellowfin tuna are a popular sport fish in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength when fought on rod and reel. Many anglers believe that large yellowfin are, pound for pound, the fastest and strongest of all big game tunas: renowned American author S. Kip Farrington, who fished the classic giant bluefin tuna fisheries of Bimini and Cat Cay in the Bahamas as well as Wedgeport in Nova Scotia, Canada, in their heyday, rated the yellowfin tuna of Hawaii as equal to a bluefin 'twice his weight'. Sport fishermen also prize the yellowfin tuna for its culinary qualities.
Photo of 6 men, four of whom are holding up tuna
A sport fisherman displays his 50 lb. yellowfin tuna.
Yellowfin tuna probably first came to the attention of sports fishermen when they appeared on the tuna grounds of Catalina Island, California, only a few years after pioneering fishermen invented the sport, targeting the Pacific bluefin tuna. These tuna were of the same species caught by commercial fishermen in Japan and the western Pacific, but the reason for their appearance was not known at the time. Later it was discovered that warmer water species such as yellowfin tuna, dorado and striped marlin enter southern California waters in seasons having favorable ocean conditions, particularly during the El Niño phenomenon, which brings warmer water up North America's western coast.
Yellowfin tuna were subsequently discovered by sport fishermen in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Hawaii and many other parts of their range. Larger adult fish which had developed distinctively long sickle fins were initially thought to be a different species and were known as Allison tuna (a name first given by the then curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Louis Mowbray, in 1920). Such destinations as Hawaii and Bermuda became famed for their catches of these beautiful fish. In Hawaii, various styles of feather lures served as bait, but in Bermuda, chumming techniques from boats anchored on productive banks were evolved to target not only Allison tuna but also wahoo and the smaller blackfin tuna. Bermudian experts developed techniques to take all these fish on light tackle and for many years the International Game Fish Association records for yellowfin tuna were dominated by entries from Bermuda in the lighter line classes, with fish in the 200 pounds (91 kg) and larger class from Hawaii taking most of the heavier line class records.
Today, yellowfin tuna are a major sport fish pursued by sports fishermen in many parts of the world. Thousands of anglers fish for yellowfin tuna along the eastern seaboard of the United States, particularly in North Carolina and New England. Yellowfin are also a popular gamefish amongst anglers fishing from US Gulf Coast ports and also from San Diego and other ports of southern California. Larger "long range" boats in the San Diego fleet also fish in Mexican waters, searching for yellowfin tuna in many of the grounds that the San Diego pole and line tuna clippers used to fish. The yellowfin tuna is also a highly prized catch in the offshore sport fisheries of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Sport fishing for yellowfin tuna exists on a smaller scale in many other parts of the world.

 Cuisine

Photo of plate carrying 6-7 slices of seared tuna arranged vertically around a pile of other food next to a dollop of sauce arranged  on a plate
Pan-seared tuna, served rare
According to the Hawaii Seafood Buyers Guide, yellowfin tuna is widely used in raw fish dishes, especially sashimi. This fish is also excellent for grilling.[6] Yellowfin is often served seared rare.
Yellowfin buyers recognize two grades, "sashimi grade" and "other", although there are variations in the quality of "other" grades.[7]
Yellowfin is becoming a popular replacement for the severely depleted supplies of southern bluefin tuna.
In 2010, Greenpeace International added the yellowfin tuna to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries."[8]

Giant tuna sold for $177,000

Giant tuna sold for $177,000 at Japanese fish market

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
 
Wednesday, January 6, 2010


Pacific bluefin tuna in their native habitat.
(Image missing from commons: image; deletion log)
Tuna sushi ready to serve.
This Tuesday, at a wholesale auction at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, a 512-pound bluefin tuna was sold for over sixteen-million yen ($177,000 USD). The great fish was bought and then shared by the owners of a local sushi restaurant and a Hong Kong-based dining establishment. This tuna is the most expensive fish sold on record since 2001, when a 440-pound tuna was sold for over twenty-million ($220,000) at the very same market.
When asked by local media outlets why he decided to purchase this giant tuna, the Hong Kong restaurateur said, "I want[ed] to make an impact on the Japanese and Hong Kong economies by buying the highest-priced tuna."
This locally caught tuna was among over two-thousand others bought and sold at this bustling fish market. Japan is the world's largest consumer of seafood per annum. With tuna being a major staple of their cuisine, the Japanese eat nearly eighty-percent of all commercially caught bluefin.
However, tuna consumption in Japan has declined over recent years due to the change in the spending habits of its people as a result of economic downturns from the most recent recession.
"Consumers are shying away from eating tuna...We are very worried about the trend," a spokesperson for the Tsukiji market told the Associated Press.
In addition to the lack of demand and declining tuna stocks, fishermen and wholesalers worldwide are worried by the possibility of tighter fishing regulations that will be sanctioned and enforced by the Japanese government. Despite this promise, many environmentalists say that this is not going far enough; they say that the only way to curb the inevitable extinction of the Pacific bluefin tuna is to initiate a trade ban on the fish altogether.

 

 Sources

Wednesday 30 May 2012

River Monsters Episode 4 - Chainsaw Predator

Spooky Barracudas

Spooky Barracudas

By Capt. Tom Roland

Barracuda on FlyThe defining element of winter flyfishing in the Florida Keys and elsewhere are the cold fronts. As the wind increases and the water temperature decreases, bonefish, tarpon, and permit sometimes leave the flats for more consistent temperatures found in deeper water. Redfin Needlefish and scores of baitfish remain on the flat and offer a succulent feast for opportunistic barracudas gathering on the flats. With the reputation of the barracuda as a voracious and aggressive predator, many anglers pursue them with lofty expectations. Truthfully, big barracuda in shallow water can be very difficult to catch.
Big barracuda lay motionless in strategic locations waiting for passing baitfish. With their extraordinary eyesight, barracudas are able to spot their quarry from great distances. Because barracuda constantly look upwards and outwards to spot their prey, they become aware of a flats skiff advancing from a long way away. Contrary to tarpon, bonefish and permit, when a barracuda sees the boat they do not usually leave the flat but tolerate our presence and simply refuse to eat. If the barracuda does not see the boat or the fly line in the air, the angler stands a reasonable chance of catching the fish.
Barracuda on the flatsTo entice an outsized barracuda to eat a fly, anglers need to cast long distances. In fact, casts to wary barracuda need to be quite a bit longer on average than most bonefish or even permit opportunities. Spin fishermen have phenomenal success with barracudas simply because they can throw a very lifelike lure 150 feet or more and rip it across the surface at 20 mph mimicking a fleeing needlefish or houndfish. Barracuda enjoy the chase as much as the reward and often follow for 100 feet or more. Fly anglers can not imitate that action very well, but flyfishing methods are very productive in their own way. I try to spot the fish from at least 100 feet away and set up the first shot at 70-80 feet. If my angler can get the fly to the fish at this distance, chances for hookup rise dramatically. Present the fly so that it lands well in front and beyond the barracuda so that it will travel away from the fish. Throwing the fly across the fish's field of vision allows it to get a good look at the fly with both eyes. I have found that barracudas tend to initiate the pursuit more often if the fly is presented in this manner. Begin stripping and twitching the fly slowly to get the fish's attention. As the race begins, speed up the retrieve by stripping faster and longer. Continue stripping fast and let the fish come up right behind the fly. Do not slow your retrieve. If the barracuda does not eat the fly at this point, continue stripping quickly until the fly is 30-40 feet from the boat and then sweep the rod tip through the water while extending your arm to the side, bringing the fly right to your feet. Barracuda are reluctant to eat flies if they have become aware of the boat. However, if a barracuda focuses his attention on a fly before he sees the boat he will track the fly within inches of it. Often the barracuda feels as though the fly will escape underneath the obstruction (the boat) initiating the strike. If the skiff comes too close to the barracuda before the cast is made, the fish becomes aware of the boat and becomes agitated. Anglers can witness the fish turn away from the boat or slowly move away. The ideal shot is to the single fish facing the boat. Sometimes the fish are aggressive towards all flies thrown in their direction but because of weather conditions and the general mood of the fish, even long casts will not convince them to eat the fly.
Barracuda on FlyIn the case of spooky barracuda, anglers can change their terminal tackle to accommodate the situation. I routinely use a 12 foot tapered leader made of hard monofiliment. I use a standard bonefish or permit taper for my leader construction and usually taper to 12-pound test. The butt section is connected to the fly line with a nail knot with a lock. The taper is created with blood knots throughout the leader. Barracuda have a mouth full of razor sharp teeth that are not only sharp on the point but also on the sides like a double-edged knife. These teeth will shear any monofiliment and the only material that will stand up to the task is wire. Choices in wire are varied but the basic types are solid or braided. I have come to prefer the solid wire for barracudas and I only use a 3-6 inch shock tippet comprised of 30-pound wire. I connect the wire to the leader using an Albright knot and attach the fly with a Haywire twist. The shorter shock tippet may result in a few fish biting through the class tippet but I have found that I can get a much larger number of fish to bite the fly.
I am careful to use lines that are camouflage in some way. A few years ago I began fishing with the clear fly lines on the market. I have had great success with both the floating and the sinking clear fly lines. There have been numerous and varied fish caught on my boat with clear lines that would have been spooked with a brightly colored line. Clear lines are wonderful for barracuda and highly suggested. I also dye my standard lines for all species. The colors that I have found least offensive to permit, tarpon, bonefish, and barracuda are olive, black, dark green, and brown. I use rit dye or waterproof markers to color the lines permanently. These colored lines resemble the natural vegetation in the water and have proven to spook fewer fish. For barracudas I prefer a clear line for the best and most stealthy presentation.
Big BarracudaIn many situations, barracuda are in very shallow water. Large and heavy flies will often spook them upon entry. Big barracuda will eat very small flies and sometimes prefer them. Try using small flies that enter the water without a splash. Using small flies for big barracuda is my favorite. Watching a cuda chase down a fly that he thinks is a real fish and not simply aggravating the fish into striking is one of the great joys of flyfishing. Conversely, big flies can be the only things that can convince a big cuda to eat. Flies 12 inches and larger are excellent patterns to throw at cudas. I use extra large flies on tough fish in deeper water. I carry a wide variety of flies in many sizes, sink rates, colors and shapes that I use on a regular basis. Whether I am using the extra large or the small flies, I have found that barracuda will often short-strike. I have begun tying tube flies for a few reasons. First, tube flies enable the tyer to create flies of any size. Secondly, the tyer can place the hook anywhere within the fly. I choose to locate the hook even further back than the end of the fly. Simply include a piece of aquarium tubing between the tube fly and the hook the length that you require. Also, try different patterns than the normal baitfish patterns. Some very large barracuda have been caught on bonefish or permit flies.
If the barracuda are simply too spooky to approach in the boat, wade if you dare. Wading can put you within casting range of barracuda that see the boat from great distances. Be careful for both the barracuda and more importantly, the sharks. Huge blacktips, lemons and bull sharks are on the flats specifically to eat barracudas. Use extreme caution when releasing barracuda as a big shark will literally stop at nothing to eat a barracuda.
When fishing for barracudas, always carry a pair of gloves and an extra long pair of pliers. The best I have found are "Hookouts". These pliers will keep the barracuda from biting your fingers. Handle barracuda gently but firmly. Always point their head towards the water with no obstruction in the way. If the barracuda lunges or squirms out of your hands, simply toss it in the water. A loose barracuda in the boat can do great damage to passengers and to the boat.
Even though barracudas are supreme predators that attack every chance they get, most days prove that they are also wary and reluctant to eat flies. By changing your tactics slightly and using these techniques, fish that were previously spooked by the boat may now be caught.


Article Source: http://www.cyberangler.com/

Barracuda


Barracuda

Barracuda
Temporal range: Early Eocene to Present[1]
Great barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda, with prey
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Sphyraenidae
Genus:Sphyraena
Klein, 1778
Species
See text
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species can reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width.[2] The barracuda is a salt water fish of the genus Sphyraena, the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, and is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.

 

 Appearance and physical description

Photo of baracuda with coral swimming above coral
Great barracuda hovering in the current at the Paradise Reef, Cozumel, Mexico
Barracudas are elongated fish, pike-like in appearance, with prominent sharp-edged fang-like teeth, much like piranhas, that are all of different sizes which are set in sockets of their large jaws. They have large pointed heads with an under bite in many species. Their gill-covers have no spines and are covered with small scales. Their two dorsal fins are widely separated with the anterior fin having five spines, the posterior fin having one spine and nine soft rays. The posterior dorsal fin is similar in size to the anal fin and is situated above it. The lateral line is prominent and extends straight from head to tail. The spinous dorsal fin is placed above the pelvic fins and is normally retracted in a groove. The caudal fin is moderately forked with its posterior edged double-curved and is set at the end of a stout peduncle. The pectoral fins are placed low on the sides. Their swim bladder is large.
In most cases, they are dark green, dark blue, or gray on their upper body with silvery sides and chalky-white belly. Coloration varies somewhat between species. For some species, there are irregular black spots or a row of darker cross-bars on each side. Their fins may be yellowish or dusky. Barracudas live primarily in oceans, but certain species such as the Great Barracuda live in brackish water.
Some species grow quite large, such as the European barracuda, barracouta or spet (S. sphyraena), found in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic; the Great barracuda, picuda or becuna (S. picuda), ranging on the Atlantic coast of tropical America from North Carolina to Brazil and reaching Bermuda. Other barracuda species are found around the world. Examples are the California Barracuda (S. argentea), extending from Puget Sound southwards to Cabo San Lucas; the Indian barracuda (S. jello) and the black-finned or Commerson's barracuda (S. commersoni), from the seas of India and the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago.

 Behavior

Photo of diver swimming among barracuda
Scuba diver inside a group of sawtooth barracudas in Koh Tao, Thailand
Photo of barracuda head in profile with jaw extended
Closeup of a great barracuda
Photo of large fish surrounded by many small fish
Great barracuda and jacks, Saba, Netherlands Antilles
Photo of fish with vertical stripes along length of torso
A battery of sawtooth barracudas, Sphyraena putnamae in Bora Bora
Drawing of long, thin fish with two matching pairs of top and bottom fins
Northern sennet, Sphyraena borealis
Photo of many long, skinny fish
A battery of yellowtail barracudas, Sphyraena flavicauda off Dayang, Malaysia
Barracudas are voracious, opportunistic predators relying on surprise and short bursts of speed (up to 27 miles per hour (43 km/h))[3] to overtake their prey.
Adults of most species are more or less solitary, while young and half-grown fish frequently congregate. Barracuda prey primarily on fish (which may include some as large as themselves). They kill and consume larger prey by tearing chunks of flesh.

 Barracudas and humans

Like sharks, some species of barracuda are reputed to be dangerous to swimmers. Barracudas are scavengers, and may mistake snorkellers for large predators, following them in hopes of eating the remains of their prey. Swimmers have been reported being bitten by barracuda but such incidents are rare and possibly caused by poor visibility. Barracuda generally avoid muddy shallows, so attacks in surf are more likely to be by small sharks. Barracudas may mistake things that glint and shine for prey.[4] There has been a reported incident of a barracuda jumping out of water and injuring a kayaker[5], but a marine biologist at the University of Florida said the type of wound appeared to have rather been caused by a houndfish[6].
Handfeeding or touching large barracuda in general is to be avoided. Spearfishing around barracudas can also be dangerous, as they are quite capable of ripping a chunk from a wounded fish thrashing on a spear.
Diamond rings and other shiny objects have been known to catch their attention and resemble prey to them. Caution should be taken when swimming near mangrove coastlines by covering or removing such items.

 As food

Barracudas are popular both as food and game fish. They are most often eaten as fillets or steaks. Larger species, like the Great Barracuda, have been implicated in cases of ciguatera food poisoning.[7]
Southern Nigerians smoke them for use in soups. Smoking protects the soft flesh from disintegrating in the broth.

 Species

There are 27 known species: