New species of fish discovered in ocean trench near NZ

By James Ihaka Email James

 

Researchers (from left) Steve Bailey, Alan Jamieson and Andrew Stewart with deep-sea specimens. Photo / Malcolm Clark

 

 

An expedition to one of the deepest ocean trenches has discovered a new species of fish and another not previously caught in the southwest Pacific, giving scientists a better understanding of biodiversity in the deep seas around New Zealand.

Niwa scientists working with colleagues from the University of Aberdeen and Te Papa Museum discovered a new species of eelpout and new records of a rattail fish that has not previously been caught in the southwest Pacific on a recent voyage to the Kermadec Trench.

They also found a rattail that has not been caught in New Zealand waters for more than 100 years, a large deep-sea cusk eel and large numbers of amphipods, such as marine sand-hoppers.

Niwa principal scientist Dr Malcolm Clark said the voyage was part of a continuing series to investigate how the biodiversity in the trench differed from that at shallower depths and in other trench systems.

He said the international collaboration allowed local researchers to use scientific equipment they do not have and to sample places that would otherwise be inaccessible.

"The results from this deep exploration are giving us a much better understanding of biodiversity in the deep sea around New Zealand, and enable us to better assess potential risks to the ecosystem from future climate change and even human activities, which may include seabed mining," he said.

Voyage leader Dr Alan Jamieson, from the University of Aberdeen, said they had recovered a considerable amount of data, which would be added to information collected from the Kermadec Trench over three previous voyages on RV Kaharoa by the Aberdeen-Niwa team.

"A voyage such as this is testament to how feasible scientific research in the deep sea has become," he said.

"The technological challenges of the past no longer exist, and shouldn't limit our responsibility to learn about and understand the deep sea to help ensure the long-term health of the deep oceans, one of the largest environments on earth."

In seven days of sampling, the scientists - who used landers with cameras attached that free-fall to the seafloor, as well as baited fish traps - caught more than 100 fish and took more than 6500 photographs.

They covered waters well below the depth that light penetrates, sampling depths between one and six kilometres on the edge of the Kermadec Trench - one of the deepest places on Earth, with depths exceeding 10km.

The new specimens will be held at the National Fish Collection at Te Papa while the amphipod samples will be registered in Niwa's invertebrate collection.

Dr Clark said a further expedition to the New Hebrides Trench was planned for October.

By James Ihaka Email

 

 

 

Full Article:  nzherald

More News:  GoFishTalk

Pike found choked on zander in Netherlands

 

By Patrick Jackson BBC News

Mr Spaargaren found the fish near his home

Anglers are scratching their heads after a pike was found dead with a zander - a fish of similar size - jammed in its mouth in the Netherlands.

Rene Spaargaren, from Almere near Amsterdam, noticed the dead fish locked together in water near his home and dragged them out with a boat hook.

"It was clear that the pike had bitten off more than it could chew - or swallow, rather," he told BBC News.

British angling expert Charles Jardine said the event was "really unusual".

"What on Earth possessed the pike to take on prey that size?" he asked. "Gluttony just killed that fish."

Mr Spaargaren reported his find to the Dutch nature conservation news website Natuurbericht, which published the story and one of his incredible photographs.
'Not a python'
He came across the fish while doing some work by his jetty this week.

The pike was unable to release its catch once it had bitten

Having calculated roughly that the pike measured about 1m (3.2ft) long and the zander about 75cm (2ft 5in), with a combined weight of about 15 kilos (33lb), he threw them back in the water.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Jardine explained that the zander, sometimes known as the "pike-perch" because of its similarities to the two other species of fish, was an unusual choice of target for a pike.

"A pike is not an alligator or a python - it will not accommodate similar-sized food," he told the BBC.

"Because the teeth on a pike go backward, it would have been unable to release its grip on the zander. It was a death grip for the fish."

Mr Jardine, who champions angling among schoolchildren for the Countryside Alliance Foundation, added: "I have seen Victorian pictures of such things, done with artistic licence, but nobody gave them much credence."

A similar phenomenon was reported in Suffolk, England, in October 2011, when a pike was found dead with a carp in its mouth.

However, that pike was more than four times the size of its prey, according to an article in the UK's Daily Mail newspaper.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20971848

Chinese Expert Calls for Fishing Moratorium and Halt to Yangtze Dam

By: Katy Yan

Research staff members monitor the health of endangered finless porpoises at the Tian-e-Zhou Oxbow Nature Reserve.

Photo: Keen Observer9 via Flickr
 

After years of overfishing and rampant dam-building, a senior fisheries expert with the Chinese Academy of Sciences has spoken out against the ecological threats facing the Yangtze River by calling for a 10-year fishing moratorium and joining environmentalists in decrying the proposed Xiaonanhai Dam.
In an article published in Oriental Outlook and translated by chinadialogue, Cao Wenxuan expounded on the importance of key Yangtze River fish species for the entire basin ecosystem and warned against what might happen if fisheries declined even further. His solution is a 10-year moratorium on fishing in the Yangtze so that fish numbers can recover. (This is not the first time scientists have called for a 10-year moratorium; just last year, two other fisheries experts made the same proposal.)
In the article, he and fellow fisheries expert Weng Lida, formerly head of the Yangtze Water Resources Protection Bureau (a body under both the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Environmental Protection) go on to warn against the Chongqing government’s plans for building Xiaonanhai Dam on the Upper Yangtze River and the impact that the Yangtze dam cascade, which includes Three Gorges Dam, has had on fish numbers. He also strengthened the position of environemntal activists by joining them in their critique of proposed fish passages and tunnels, which activists see as an ineffective solution to mitigating the negative impacts of the dam.

Dam cascade contributing to rapid decline

The Yangtze River is China's biggest freshwater fishery, accounting for 56% of all catches. But fish numbers are dwindling.

Photo: Qiu Bo (Greenpeace)
 

Cao and his colleagues are not alone in doubting the efficacy of fish passages. A recent publication by a host of fish migration professionals concludes from their global experience, “We have learned that it is always better to remove barriers because in this way we can revitalize our rivers. It is almost always cheaper than building a fish pass, and removal has multiple benefits for river naturalization – all aquatic and riparian flora and fauna will benefit! Such solutions can address a range of problems, of which fish migration may be just one” (Executive Summary, From Sea to Source).
[UPDATE: A new study published in Conservation Letters on Jan 16 reported that fish-passages built into dams on three major rivers in northeastern US have failed to allow migratory fish to pass through, raising questions for all the dams being proposed worldwide.]
Here is an excerpt from the article describing the severity of the decline in fish numbers as a result of dam construction on the Yangtze (emphasis added later):

Observations by the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that, before the dam at Gezhou was built, fish eggs and fry from spawning grounds upstream in Chongqing, Wanxian and Zigui would float down to the middle reaches of the river before hatching and growing. Gezhou is a “run-of-the-river” hydropower dam, and most of the eggs and fry which pass through the sluice-gates do survive. But bubbles of gas are found in the bodies of some of the fish, which do not survive.

And at the Three Gorges Dam, where in June 2003 the reservoir was filled to a depth of 139 metres, the majority of the fish passing through the sluices are believed to die as a result of nitrogen poisoning.

In 2007, the reservoir was filled to 156 metres, and 98% of the 316 million fry passing through the dam died. Many of the 912 million fry of the “four farmed fish” passing through in 2008 also died.

Cao explains that a dam changes the natural flow and rise and fall of the water, and this – especially the filling of a deep reservoir – affects the local climate and reduces the river’s ability to cleanse itself. Large quantities of harmful substances are produced, affecting the food chain.

“In the cold water of reservoirs like Anjiang and Danjiangkou, the methylation of heavy metals creates organic substances, which are absorbed by plankton and enter the human food chain and damage health,” says Cao.

“The water flow at Gezhou isn’t bad. The Three Gorges is a bit worse, and then Xiluodu and Baihetan are worse again. And it’s not just methylation. The vegetation at the bottom of the reservoir becomes methane, which is a greenhouse gas – that means carbon emissions.”

The implications of this final remark by Cao is also important given the debates that have raged on over Weibo (China’s Twitter) about whether hydropower can be considered a clean and green source of renewable energy.

Xiaonanhai “in breach of regulations”

The twice-redrawn boundaries for the Upper Yangtze Rare and Endemic Fish National Nature Reserve

The reserve boundaries were redrawn twice from 2005 to 2011 to make way for hydropower development. “It’s as if national nature reserves are optional,” says Cao. “It’s unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about fish or about people – you’ve got to obey the law.”Cao also went on to explain why environmental groups and experts oppose the Xiaonanhai Dam on the Upper Yangtze, which has been avidly promoted by the Chongqing government, despite the location of the dam and its reservoir in the Upper Yangtze Rare and Endemic Fish National Nature Reserve. According to China’s Nature Reserve Regulations, no “production facilities” can be built within the core or buffer zone of a nature reserve, while in the surrounding area, no production facilities are allowed which pollute, damage resources or spoil the appearance of the reserve. “So building this dam, which obviously affects the aquatic ecology, is in breach of this regulation,” says Cao.
In addition, preliminary construction at the dam site began as early as March 29, 2012 despite the lack of an approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and wide-spread criticism from experts and the general public. The resettlement process has also begun for the 200,000 people that would be affected, and there are already reports of unfair compensation and lack of prior and informed consultation.
While the project remains on hold, a coalition of environmentalists and activists has called on the public via Weibo to fight the project through the EIA process. They are also calling on the Chongqing government to respect the 18th Party Congress’ commitment to an “ecological civilization,” where economic growth should not be pursued at the expense of biodiversity and livelihoods. It remains to be seen whether the Chongqing government will commit to environmental protection, or whether it will opt for pursuing energy projects that promote polluting growth targets.

Full Article:  http://www.internationalrivers.org/blogs/

Albino barra takes expert by surprise

 

This 1.16m albino barramundi was caught and immediately released in the Proserpine Dam by Rod Sherrif while on charter with Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters. Contributed

AN EXTREMELY unusual 1.16m albino barramundi was caught and released in the Proserpine Dam by Rod Sherrif while on charter with Lake Proserpine Fishing Charters.

Mr Sherrif was visiting the Whitsundays from Groote Eylandt (a small island off the Northern Territory).

Local charter guide and barramundi expert Lindsay Dobe said that after many years fishing the dam, he was very pleased there were still fish in the dam that could surprise him.

"It's very unusual to find a white fish this big, as they don't normally make it this size."

"They are very white so predators tend to find them a lot easier," Mr Dobe said.


Full Article:  http://www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/

Colombo's fishy beauty in danger of extinction

By Correspondent

 

(SUPPLIED)

Pethia Cumingii known as ‘Depulliya’ in Sinhala is now a native endangered species.

According to The Island newspaper, in 1991 this ornamental fish was found in eight locations, but in 2012 its habitat has reduced to five.

Found in mountain streams in Sri Lanka, basically in the Kalu Ganga. The habitats of this fish are spread in Horana, Ingiriya and Bodinagala in Colombo.

Environmentalists yesterday urged the government not to ease the regulations regarding the export of endemic species of freshwater fish and plants to boost the profits of the ornamental fish exporting industry.

According to environmentalists, the Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD), on the instructions of the Economic Development Ministry, was to formulating rules and regulations to ease the export of rare, endemic and protected freshwater plants and fish.

Environmentalists accused the ornamental fish exporting industry of seeking to loosen regulations in order to boost their earnings.

Addressing the media, at the National Library Auditorium on Wednesday (09), Environment Conservation Trust (ECT) Director, Sajeeva Chamikara claimed that if those rare, endemic and protected species, which were protected under the flora and fauna protection ordinance, were removed from their original places, for the special breeding system, they would be extinct in a short time.

He warned that freshwater fish, some that have been named only in the recent past, were under threat due to over fishing for export.

Chamikara stressed that people would collect those species from their native environment to the point of extinction to make money.

Environmental Lawyer Jagath Gunawardane said that if the present trend of over exploitation continued, all 91 species would face the same fate as many endemic freshwater fish.

According to Nadeeka Hapuarachchi, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the freshwater fish were the most widely traded wild species from Sri Lanka and the severe threat faced by endemic fish included habitat degradation and water pollution by increased human activities and over exportation.

Meanwhile, ornamental fish exporters claimed that by easing the restrictions, they can recapture a larger share of the export market and use a portion of the proceeds to do work that will go much further towards protecting Sri Lankan habitats, which are under serious threat due to severe pollution.

WCD Director General, H. D. Rathnayake told The Island that the WCD had been funded to prepare rules and regulations to allow breeding and export of eight endemic, rare and protected species of freshwater fish and 13 species of freshwater plants on the instructions of the Economic Development Ministry.

Ratnayake noted that the WCD wouldn’t allow those species to be caught from their native environment.

Man arrested about to skin croc

Acting on a tip-off, the Puttalam police arrested a man who slaughtered a crocodile close to the Pawattamduwa tank.

The police said that at the time the police entered the man’s land a kilometre away from the tank, the suspect was ready to skin the nine foot long reptile, according to The Island newspaper.


Full Article: http://www.emirates247.com/news/sri-lanka/colombo-s-fishy-beauty-in-danger-of-extinction-2013-01-13-1.490836

Fishermen from the Forties pose alongside huge catches, including mega mantas and whopping whale sharks

You should see the one that got a ray! Fishermen from the Forties pose alongside huge catches, including mega mantas and whopping whale sharks

• State is home to some of the largest sea creatures on the planet
• Early 20th century anglers show off their amazing hauls

By Steve Robson

Long famed for sunshine and Disneyland, Florida's original pastime was to take advantage of the seas surrounding it filled with some of the largest creatures in our oceans.
This series of amazing pictures from Florida's state archive reveal how early 20th century anglers hauled in huge catches including a 1,200lb manta ray and a 45-foot long whale shark.
The collection of images, entitled Hooked: Florida’s Big Fish, documents the state’s long history as a centre of commercial and recreational fishing.

Quite a catch: This 1,200lb manta ray was caught by a local fishing guide called Forrest Walker in 1938

Tipping the scales: Anglers with a 30,000lb whale shark they caught in 1912 which was 45 feet long

Hooked: A crew of anglers show off a grouper caught in the Halifax river in the 1920s

Impressive: A couple stand proudly with their haul of sailfish sporting matching knickerbockers in 1935

 

Threatened: Some species such as the hammerhead shark, pictured left on Palm Beach in 1893, and the Bonito shark, pictured right, are now running low on numbers

The photos give a fascinating insight into the exploits of fisherman in the first half of the 20th century who would still have been discovering some of these creatures for the first time.

 

Despite their gentle nature, giant manta rays were much-feared when they were first seen.
Two films in the 1930s, The Sea Bat and The Sea Fiend, portrayed them as 'devil killers of the sea' which helped garnish their reputation as a danger to humans.
One picture also demonstrates how Florida's fishing reputation has attracted some famous angling fans over the years, including author Ernest Hemingway who is snapped with a huge sailfish he caught in the 1940s.
Florida has the longest coastline in the lower 48 states and thousands of lakes, rivers, springs, and swamps.
Some of the famous local species include the tarpon, marlin, giant manta ray and sawfish.
While years of harvesting have taken their toll on sensitive fisheries and ecosystems, Florida’s marine environment remains one of the state's main economic strengths.

 

Making a splash: Florida's waters attracted famous fishing fans including author Ernest Hemingway, pictured right in the 1940s

Fresh: Anglers standing with a day's catch at Palm Beach around 1900

Unique: Florida is home to some of the world's most unusual species such as the giant manta ray, pictured here in the 1940s

Hook, line and sinker: Bomber crews relax with a spot of fishing at West Palm Beach during World War Two

Acrobatics: A tarpon fish flips out the water in this photo taken in the 1920s

Computerized fishing rod won't put worms on hooks

SmartRod has a bite-sensitive accelerometer. Just sit back and wait for the alarm to ring. Then reel 'em in.

by Tim Hornyak

January 4, 2013 12:25 PM PST

(Credit: Indiegogo)

If you like a little high-tech help when fishing for dinner, leave the fishfinder at home and try this electronic rod.
The SmartRod has an accelerometer that tells you when a fish bites your line. A sound or light alarm goes off so you can try reeling it in promptly.
Billed as the first of its kind in the world, the SmartRod is the subject of an Indiegogo campaign that's aiming to amass $50,000 for development with 20 days remaining. It's got a long way to go.
As the promo vid below explains, the rod has three sensitivity settings that you select with the push of a button.
"It does all the thinking for you, so you can concentrate on catching fish," inventor Ed Hope says.
The 7-foot spinning rods, which start at $55, automatically stop bleeping as soon as you start reeling in the line. There's also a silent mode for when you don't want to disturb fellow anglers or the fish themselves.
A nice feature is that you can use any reel since the alarm is built into the rod itself.
Now if only it had a built-in laser too

 

Tim Hornyak

Crave freelancer Tim Hornyak is the author of "Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots." He has been writing about Japanese culture and technology for a decade. E-mail Tim.

 

 

Full Article:  http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57562095-1/computerized-fishing-rod-wont-put-worms-on-hooks/

Enjin sangkut guna gas memasak ganti petrol

SALAH seorang pegawai penyelidik menunjukkan enjin sangkut yang menggunakan gas memasak kepada Ahamad Sabki Mahmood (kanan) di Bukit Mertajam, semalam.

BUKIT MERTAJAM 6 Nov. - Sekumpulan pegawai dari Institut Penyelidikan Perikanan (IPP) Kampung Acheh, Setiawan, Perak berjaya menghasilkan enjin sangkut menggunakan cecair gas petroleum (LPG) bagi menggantikan penggunaan minyak petrol dan diesel.
Penghasilan enjin sangkut yang menggunakan gas itu dijangka dapat membantu meningkatkan penggunaan teknologi hijau dalam industri perikanan marin negara.
Ketua Pengarah Perikanan Malaysia, Datuk Ahamad Sabki Mahmood berkata, penciptaan inovasi tersebut turut membantu mengurangkan kos operasi nelayan di pinggir pantai.
"Kos penyelenggaraan dan operasi enjin sangkut yang menggunakan gas memasak atau LPG ini dapat dikurangkan sebanyak 20 peratus berbanding penggunaan petroleum atau diesel sebelum ini.

Read more »

Ikan Yang Berkepala Transparent

Melayukini.net – Subhanallah! Ikan Yang Berkepala Transparent | Kita sudah melihat pelbagai jenis ikan yang yang mempunyai bentuk fizikal yang pelik. Namun pernahkah kita melihat ikan yang yang berkepala transparent ini? Ikan ini dikenali sebagai Macropinna Microstoma adalah satu-satunya spesies ikan dalam keluarga Macropinna dari ordo Opisthoproctidae dan dari keluarga Barreleye. Yang membezakan spesies ini dengan ikan lain pada adalah bahagian kepalanya yang transparent di mana didalamnya berisi cecair , dan juga matanya dapat terlihat dengan jelas. Jom lihat gambar di bawah ini.

Matanya memiliki bentuk yang agak lucu ckit dan unik,ianya dapat bergerak ke depan dan kebelakang serta keatas bawah sampai berputar 360 darjah, sehingga ikan ini dapat melihat kebelakang melalui bahagian kepalanya yang transparent. Macropinna Microstoma memiliki mulut kecil dan sebahagian besar tubuhnya ditutupi dengan skala yang besar.

Pada umumnya Ikan ini mampu diam dan hampir tak bergerak di dalam air, pada kedalaman sekitar 600 meter (2.000 kaki) sampai 800 meter (2.600 kaki), dengan menggunakan sirip yang besar untuk menjaga kestabilannya, sambil sesekali matanya berputar mengawasi sekelilingnya. Pada keadaan cahaya yang minima ikan ini mampu mengesan mangsanya melalui siluet. Kim Bruce Robison, yang telah sekian lama mengamati spesies ini mengatakan bahawa ketika mangsanya seperti ikan-ikan kecil dan ubur-ubur mulai terlihat, maka matanya berputar seperti teropong, dan menghadap ke depan dengan merubah posisinya dari horisontal ke posisi vertikal untuk menangkap mangsanya.

Macropinna Microstoma pertama kalinya ditemukan pada tahun 1939, oleh Chapman, dan pada masa itu sempat pula di abadikan gambarnya, namun pada gambar yang diambil Chapman pada waktu itu tidak terlihat kepala yang transparent dari spesies ini.

Melayukini.net - Sungguh hebat ciptaan Allah SWT. Inilah kali pertama admin melihat kepala ikan yang transparent yang mana kita mampu melihat di bahagian dalamnya. Walaupun melihat daripada gambar sahaja, itu sudah membuatkan kita memuji tentang kebesaran Allah SWT.

Sumber: Oh Video Tv | Koleksi Luar Biasa Dan Pelik Melayukini.net

How did shark end up on golf course?

A two-pound spotted shark was found at San Juan Hills Golf Club and taken to Dana Point to be released into the ocean. Golf-course workers and a state fish and game official assume it was dumped there, but they have differing scenarios on who, or what, did it.

By ERIKA I. RITCHIE / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – A 2-pound shark ended up near the 12th hole at San Juan Hills Golf Club in a case that a state fish and game official thinks is "pretty fishy."
Melissa McCormack, director of club operations at the golf course, said the 2-foot-long spotted shark was found by an employee Monday afternoon as it lay flopping on the grass close to a group of golfers trying to make their putts. A golf marshal grabbed the shark and took it to the clubhouse.

This small shark was found near the 12th hole at San Juan Hills Golf Club in San Juan Capistrano. It was released into the ocean at Baby Beach in Dana Point and swam away.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN JUAN HILLS GOLF CLUB., REPORTING BY ERIKA RITCHIE

"We couldn't believe it was still alive," McCormack said. "There was a puncture wound under his dorsal fin and there was fresh blood. We assumed he was picked up by a bird and dropped there."
The golf-course staff rinsed the shark with faucet water and put it in a bucket, she said. A cart attendant quickly drove it to Dana Point Harbor, where it was put in the ocean near Baby Beach, and it immediately swam away, she said.
"This is definitely the weirdest thing I've ever seen here," she said. "There's been nothing as bizarre as this. We'll get the occasional mountain lion and coyote, but nothing like this."
McCormack estimated the golf club is about two miles from the beach as the crow flies. "We get a lot of eagles, herons and sea gulls here," she said.
But the story "sounds fishy to me," said Assistant Chief Dan Sforza of the California Department of Fish and Game. "It seems weird it could be out of the water that long. It doesn't sound like it could be a recipe for success."
Sforza said someone might have dumped the shark at the golf course.
"Leopard sharks are legal to possess but they have to be 3 feet long," he said. "There is a black-market trade out there for leopard sharks. They're real cool-looking. Maybe it got too big for someone's tank."
Sforza said the only bird likely to have carried the shark from the ocean is an osprey.
"That would be the only bird that's big enough," he said. "Pelicans don't use their beak. They just swoop in and swallow. Sea gulls wouldn't be big enough to carry a 2-pound shark."

Read More:  http://www.ocregister.com/news/shark-375483-golf-mccormack.html

Strange fish likely wolffish: officials

 

Submitted by Andrew Hebda

This strange looking fish, believed to be Atlantic wolffish, was found at Big Glace Bay beach in June.

      

Send to a friend

Send this article to a friend.
Last name*Email*Your name*Your email*Comments

NEW WATERFORD — Jason Brown describes a dead fish he found on Big Glace Bay beach as ‘Cape Breton’s sea monster.’
“It is the ugliest scariest fish I have ever seen,” said the New Waterford man. “It looks like a piranha, there is that many teeth in it and probably half an inch long. It is a scary looking thing.”
Brown, his partner Kyla McPherson and their son Landon, 2, were on Big Glace Bay beach a few days ago when they made the find.
“We just had the baby out to play in the sand,” he said. “It looks like ‘Tremors’ that horror movie where worms come out of the sand. I have never seen anything like it.”
Brown said he can’t imagine this type of fish being common to the area and was hoping to have it identified.
“I wish the whole fish had been there so I could have seen a little better what it would look like. I would like to find out what it is and how it got here.”
Pam Davidson, spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said after sharing the photograph with officials in the department, it is believed it to be a wolffish, which is a protected species.
Andrew Hebda, curator of zoology with the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, agrees it is likely an Atlantic wolffish.
Hebda liked Brown’s description of it looking like a ‘sea monster.’
“They are sea monsters, absolutely, I will buy that,” he said.
In mid-June, Hebda received pictures of several dead fish on Big Glace Bay beach from Dr. Katherine Jones, associate professor in the biology department at Cape Breton University.
“We were hoping to get a hold of the head, then we could confirm what it is,” he said.
However by the time Jones returned to the beach, the fish had disappeared.
Looking at Brown’s picture, Hebda determined the fish was the same as the first pictures he received. He said it appears the fish became covered in sand and then later uncovered.
“I know it is the same one as you can see the same line with the same hook in his mouth.”
Hebda said it seems a bit on the big side to be a wolffish, but there is a possibility because of the teeth.
“There is an outside chance it could be a wolffish, that is the strongest possibility. But there are also some large angler fish with a similar kind of head, although the teeth tend to be more delicate.”
He said the big teeth of a wolffish are used for crunching crustaceans and sea urchins.
“Those are really big heads, probably about 8-10 inches top to bottom,” he said.
He is hoping that the fish head will be sent to him and then he can make a positive identification.
Hebda said because there is a hook in the mouth, someone fishing may have realized it is a protected species and dumped it.
According to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website, the Atlantic wolffish and northern wolffish are among 103 aquatic species listed under the federal Species at Risk Act and given protection as of June 2004.
The site says the number of Atlantic wolffish in Canadian waters declined by 87 per cent from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s.
It was noted the wolffish can be found across the north Atlantic Ocean from southern Newfoundland to the Barents Sea and in the western North Atlantic, off west Greenland and Southern Labrador and in the Strait of Belle Isle, as well as the Scotian Shelf and in the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy.


Source:  http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2012-08-09/article-3048923/Strange-fish-likely-wolffish%3A-officials/1

Record Setting Fish Gets New Home, Name

Record Setting Fish Gets New Home, Name

 

 

The world's largest blue catfish finally has a new home, and a new name. The new 121.5 pound star attraction at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens seemed right at home in her new 26,000 gallon aquarium at the fishery. Dozens of people of all ages turned out for the big unveiling. Receiving just as much attention as the fish today, was the man who caught it. Cody Mullennix accepted award after award for his record-setting prize.

"Wow, you know," said Mullennix. "I didn't know catching a record blue cat is going to draw all this attention. I was just doing it out there for the fun, the sport of it."

"When anyone does a new world record, it's the same as McGwire batting the baseball, you know," said Sugar Ferris of the National Fishing Hall of Fame. "Within the fishing world it's really important."

"We want all the world records in Texas," said Phil Durocher, the Director of Inland Fisheries at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. "That's one of the things we strive for. It creates excitement. It increases the value of fishing in the state. It gets people excited about coming here."

But, what had most of the crowd excited about coming here today was the new name Cody was to give the 60-inch long fish. In the end, he called her "Splash".

"Splash, he did make a big splash up there in the water," said Mullennix. "We talked about this, this is the hardest thing I had to do was name this fish. It took me along time. It wasn't until just last night that finally something came and stuck. I think splash was a good name for it."

Cody says "Splash" will be on display for awhile at the Fresh Water Fisheries Center in Athens for anyone to see. But, he vows to return "Splash" to Lake Texoma, where he says is her real home.

Kevin Berns reporting kberns@kltv.com

 

Source:   http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1634405

Punggah dua dozen tenggiri tuas

Oleh Abu Bakar Ali

(DARI kiri) Tekong Wan Ahmad, Cikgu Mi, penulis dan Sidek menunjukkan tenggiri yang dipancing di tuas dalam perairan Yan, baru-baru ini.

YAN: Angin bertiup perlahan diiringi ombak kecil. Ini keadaan yang paling digemari pemancing dan nelayan untuk menguji beberapa tuas (unjam) di sekitar perairan daerah ini yang popular dengan tenggiri.
YAN: Angin bertiup perlahan diiringi ombak kecil. Ini keadaan yang paling digemari pemancing dan nelayan untuk menguji beberapa tuas (unjam) di sekitar perairan daerah ini yang popular dengan tenggiri.

Penulis bersama tiga rakan dari Petaling Jaya iaitu Haji Yusof, Kamal dan Sidek berkesempatan mengunjungi tuas di sini ditemani Tekong Wan Ahmad yang juga anak jati Yan bersama Cikgu Mi.

Sebenarnya hasrat hendak ke tuas sudah lama dipendam. Namun ketiadaan hubungan (tekong atau pemancing yang dikenali), membuatkan ia hanya sekadar perancangan. Sehinggalah, apabila seorang kenalan baik yang secara kebetulan pernah ke sana, memberikan nama dan nombor telefon Tekong Wan Ahmad kepada penulis untuk dihubungi.

Dalam perjalanan kami memasang angan-angan hendak menarik seberapa banyak tenggiri. Ini kerana sebelum itu ada pemancing pernah mendapat lebih 10 ekor tenggiri jika kena air dan umpan.

Justeru, langkah pertama sejurus bot bergerak ke lokasi ialah mencari umpan hidup yang menjadi kegemaran tenggiri.

Setibanya di tuas pertama, kelihatan sekumpulan burung camar berlegar-legar di atas buluh menandakan terdapat anak ikan atau umpan di situ. Apa lagi, penulis dan rakan-rakan tidak sabar-sabar menghulur pancing apollo bagi mencari selar kuning, kembung dan cencaru.

Hampir penuh tong Coleman 54 Qt dan pada masa yang sama, penulis sempat menghulurkan belon bagi teknik pancing apungan. Ternyata usaha itu tidak sia-sia, tidak sampai lima minit, belon pecah yang menandakan ada ikan sudah mengena.

Akhirnya tumpas seekor tenggiri. Selepas ditimbang beratnya kira-kira 4 kilogram (kg). Ini sudah cukup memuaskan hati kami. Dalam asyik membicarakan tangkapan penulis, giliran joran Kamal pula diragut tenggiri.

Selepas hampir lapan jam memancing, penulis bersama rakan kembali ke jeti. Apabila dikira, kami memperoleh 24 ekor tenggiri dengan berat antara 4 hingga 8 kg seekor. Kami menganggap trip mencatatkan tangkapan paling lumayan.

Kami kemudian dipelawa ke rumah Tekong Wan Ahmad untuk mandi dan menikmati juadah petang sebelum meneruskan perjalanan pulang ke ibu negara.



Sumber Artikel:  Joran
More News: www.GoFishTalk.com

Old School Fish Story: Giant Grouper Mauls Spearfisherman, Revenge Taken

Old School Fish Story: Giant Grouper Mauls Spearfisherman, Revenge Taken

 

by Alex Robinson

David Sikes of the Corpus Christi Caller has uncovered a classic fish story from the 1970's that's worth checking out.
The story revolves around a massive Goliath grouper that attempted to eat then 25-year-old spearfisherman Steve Withers.
From the Caller...
" 'He was so big he looked like the bottom," said Withers' diving partner John Beard. "He raised up and I got the hell out of there. I ran around the pipe and got Steve. As we came around we headed toward the bottom beside the fish.'
That's when the Goliath turned, opened its gaping maw and engulf part of Withers, head first.
'He just inhaled him,' Beard told the reporter.
Silt and sand stirred from the bottom by the strike clouded Beard's view of what happened next. Unable to see and therefore unable to help, Beard ascended to the boat, where the wives of the two divers awaited. Beard was prepared to proclaim Withers a lost diver when he spotted his partner bleeding and sitting on the stern nursing his wounds."
After this story was reported to local news outlets, another young spearfisherman named Brian Gulley set out to catch the man-eating Goliath grouper. A few days later Gulley and his dad found monster fish.
Here's the report from the Caller ...
"The big-eyed grouper backed up and maneuvered slowly to one side of a motionless Gulley.
Gully pivoted, aimed and fired in a single motion, plunging the barbed projectile deeply between the fish's eye and gill plate. In a blur, the powerful jewfish turned and bolted.
'He jerked me out of my fins,' Gulley said. 'And he circled around the pipe I don't know how many times with me hanging on. It was 20 minutes of pure rodeo.'
The fish measured 7-foot-4. It was six feet in circumference."
Gulley's fish had an estimated weight of about 650 pounds. He was sure it was the same fish that attacked Withers. But after seeing the fish, Withers said the grouper that attacked him was even bigger.
If you're curious, the world record Goliath grouper weighs in at 680 pounds and was caught off Fernandina Beach, Florida. Swim carefully folks.



Article Source:   http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/gone-fishin%E2%80%99/2012/06/old-school-fish-story-giant-grouper-mauls-spearfisherman-revenge-taken

Haruan Pelahap!!

Haruan Pelahap!!

Ini lah haruan pelahap walaupun bersaiz 2 jadi dewasa katak jenis sure catch pun ditelannya.
Zulhilmi Hat
hilmi@bharian.com.my
Haruan pelahap

KECIL pun kecillah, janji seronok,” kata cikgu Yusmie kepada penulis yang baru-baru ini yang giat memburu ikan persis kepala ular atau haruan (Channa striatus) di sekitar Kuala Selangor untuk dijadikan ubat kepada isterinya yang baru lepas bersalin.

Lubuk haruan di bekas lombong pasir sekitar Batang berjuntai..lihat air dengan pokok rumput apabila katak getah ditarik di celahnya..kelibat haruan pasti mengejar

Lokasi rahsia kami terletak di tasik bekas kuari pasir yang menamatkan operasi sejak sepuluh tahun lalu dan hari ini ia dihuni pelbagai spesies ikan tawar seperti haruan toman dan sebarau dan bujuk.
Perjalanan kami bermula di Bandar Country Homes, Rawang selepas dijanjikan penulis bersama cikgu Yusmie yang akan bergerak menggunakan dua buah motosikal. Kegunaan motosikal sangat fleksibel berbanding kereta kerana kami perlu bergerak pantas untuk meneroka lombong pasir yang berselirat sekitar daerah Kuala Selangor itu.

Peluru digunakan PENULIS iaitu sure catch frog

Setibanya di lokasi petang itu, kami berdua bergegas mempersiapkan alat memancing masing-masing untuk bertempur dengan pemangsa yang paling di gemari kaki mengilat kerana kerakusan spesies ini menyambar umpan.
Cikgu Yusmie mempersiapkan diri dengan joran Abu Garcia Hornet Stringer yang dipasangkan kekili menegak jenis Shimano Calcutta manakala penulis dengan joran Abu Garcia Conolon dan kekili Shimano Scorpion DC yang sememangnya menjadi ‘senjata’ ampuh untuk memikat sang haruan ini.

Senjata bukan calang-calang iaitu Shimano Calcuta dengan Abu Hornet Stringer

Menurut cikgu Yusmie, pemilihan umpan di lokasi ini terdiri katak getah berekor atau plastik lembut replika ikan yang biasa digunakan sebelum ini. Dua jenis umpan tiruan ini dianggap gewang ‘pembunuh’ haruan selain katak minyak dan cicak.
Selepas mendengar penerangannya, penulis terus yang menyelak kotak gewang untuk melihat adakah ada lagi gewang simpanan seperti dinyatakan cikgu Yusmie dan mujurlah beberapa gewang jenis itu terdapat dalam simpanan.

Tangkapan cikgu Yusmi@Zauber dengan haruan menggunakan soft plastic
Lokasi pertama kami iaitu lombong pasir sebesar kolam renang yang dalamnya sekitar tiga meter. Di keliling lombong itu pula terdapat berpuluh-puluh lagi lombong di mana saiznya serta kedalaman berbeza-beza dan semuanya mempunyai rumput air yang tumbuh meliar sepanjang tebing lombong itu.


Katak getah warna putih dan Oren juga laku di lubuk ini

Pada pemerhatian penulis, kawasan lombong ini cukup luas dan aktiviti memancing seharian dekat sini belum tentu dapat menghabiskan semua lombong yang ada!

Bekas lombong pasir yang menjadi habitat haruan dan toman

Zingggggg...kedengaran bunyi balingan dilakukan cikgu Yusmie ke tepi lombong mempunyai rumput air dengan katak getah berwarna putihnya. Kayuhan separa laju dibuat untuk mengapungkan katak getah seakan-akan berlari di permukaan air.
Tiba-tiba satu kelibat berwarna hitam dari bawah air muncul dan menghentam katak getah hingga menghasilkan bunyi percikan air ‘debushhh’. Cikgu Yusmie yang bergegas membuat rembatan joran menghala sisi badan bagaimanapun gagal menaikkan ikan itu.
“Ahhh terlepas rezeki untuk orang rumah...besar ikan tu,” keluh cikgu Yusmie yang kecewa akibat sambaran dari mangsa pertama tadi.
Tidak jauh dari cikgu Yusmie, penulis yang beberapa kali membuat balingan di lokasi sama sejak awal tadi dengan katak getah berwarna hijau gagal membuka selera haruan untuk menyambarnya. Katak hijau kemudian di tukar berwarna oren agar haruan terus di hambat mangsa hingga tebing ke tebing lombong.
“Kecil pun kecil la chor, janji ikan mahu makan,” kata cikgu Yusmie yang cuba menenangkan hati penulis.

Akhirnya habuan untuk penulis

Katak jenis hijau turut dibaham tatkala senja menjengah di ufuk timur
Sehingga jam 7 petang, tiada seekor ikan haruan berjaya dinaikkan kami berdua melainkan semuanya terlucut ketika ikan berenang masuk ke dalam rumput air di tebing lombong.

Toman pada lokasi berbeza

Cikgu Yusmie kemudian menukar taktik dengan menggantikan katak getah kepada getah putih yang dipadankan dengan kekipas dan kemudian dibaling tengah lombong menerima sentapan dari mangsa.
Melengkung joran cikgu Yusmie akibat dibawa ikan ke rumput air yang memaksa kayuhan laju dibuat oleh beliau untuk mengekang mangsa masuk lebih dalam ke dalam rumput.
Hampir tiga minit juga cikgu Yusmie mengawal ikan supaya tidak membenamkan diri dalam rumput dan akhirnya haruan berskala 500 gram berjaya didaratkan dengan jayanya.
“Selamat...orang rumah tak marah la balik ni sebab lesen dah dapat,” kata penulis kepada cikgu Yusmie yang dibalas dengan senyum kelat.

Hasil menarik dengan Shimano Scorpion DC:Rod Abu Conolon 20-20lb dan katak getah Mazzy Frog dari Viva

Semakin lewat senja, haruan kelihatan timbul semakin kerap di tepi dan tengah lombong dengan menghasilkan bunyi ‘bushh’ apabila mangsa menyambar kumpulan ikan seluang.
Penulis yang masih setia menggunakan gewang katak berwarna oren membaling ke arah hemburan tadi dan seekor haruan berskala 400g berjaya dibawa ke ke tepi.
Sebelum jam 7.45 petang, kira-kira empat ekor haruan berjaya dijinakkan oleh kami dengan gewang getah dan getah lembut mempunyai bebaling pada hari itu dan tidak termasuk berbelas-belas kali terlucut ketika melakukan sentapan.

Gewang jenis spinner baits turut laku di lombong ini

Namun, hal demikian itu tidak menjadi masalah bagi kami selaku kaki mengilat tegar seperti kami dan apa yang penting misi memancing kami pada hari itu boleh dikatakan berjaya dan cukup untuk mencari lauk untuk isteri cikgu Yusmie yang baru bersalin.

Info:

*Haruan adalah spesies pemangsa yang lazimnya menyerang umpan di permukaan air.
*Umpan katak minyak dan cicak dikatakan paling mujarab untuk menjinakkan persis berkepala ular ini.
*Gewang jenis katak getah menjadi pilihan untuk memburunya.
*Waktu memancing haruan sekitar jam 7-9 pagi atau 6- 7.30 petang.
*Kawasan habitat mudah dikesan dalam lombong mempunyai rumput atau reba kayu, sungai, paya dan sawah padi




Sumber Cerita:  http://joranharian.blogspot.sg/