tuna permit -- Skipjack too?

[sterlings]

Question for all you RT tuna guys...

I was reading a thread yesterday about the boat permits needed for bluefin, sharks, etc., and I'm aware that one must have such a permit to target those fish -- however, I noted in someone's response that they included skipjack in a list of species these permits cover.

Question is, do I need a special permit if I catch and keep Skipjack that are caught incidental to Bonito and Albacore ?

I don't know if it matters, but I fish mostly in Rhode Island for those things...

much thanks in advance.

[Soundking]

Im pretty sure that incidental catch is included in the permit, I really dont think that anyone can tell the difference between skipjack and albie tackle, but just to be on the safe side, I'd get one, besides, you can always go after tuna and sharks and not worry about gettin a permit, its just 20 bucks, and its worth getting to prevent the headaches.

[Cheju]

Do you need a permit to wade fish for these species or are we talking about a permit for a boat?

Cheju

[capemike88]

Read the other thread on this topic.

[ruge13]

for other species wade fishing is legal. For Tuna species (blue fin, yellowfin, skipjack, etc.) it is illegal to wade fish for them. You must fish from a permitted vessel.

[capemike88]

Would a tube count? I mean theres room for the regestration numbers and everything, I can see it now, the future of tuna fishing and swimming tunes named "Hard Core"

[jettyjockey]

this question came up last year after striper mike landed a 75lb bluefin tuna from a marshfield beach and kept the fish...my understanding is that its legal to shore fish for tuna but you can't legally keep a shore caught tuna...the boat permit does cover skipjack tuna as well...

[Slamdance]

It is NOT legal to fish for or keep tuna from shore. It's such a rare occasion to have tuna caught from shore that no one did anything about Striper Mike's fish last season, but it was still an illegal catch and they could have gone after him had they really wated. Skipjack are included in the permit requirement.

[jettyjockey]

this is the actual wording of the tuna regulation:

Q: May I fish for Atlantic tunas without a vessel (e.g., from an oil rig or from shore)?
A: No, only permitted vessels may fish for Atlantic bluefin, bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. If one of these species is caught incidentally during fishing activities from shore or from an oil rig, it must be released immediately.

you definitely can't legally keep a shore caught tuna...the grey area is "fishing" for them versus incidentally catching one...striper mike incidentally caught a bft but kept it instead of releasing it, which is where the contraversy began...(i still say it was an amazing catch )

personally, if i happen to be fishing the east end of the canal in september and just happen to be throwing a 4oz megabait tin (bunker color, or course) and a school of football bft's happen to show up, i seriously doubt that i'll stop fishing until they've gone by...