Artificial Reefs

[Genesis]

This does not sit well with the fact that EVERY structure suitable for them east of Mobile Bay has 1 to 50 of the beasts on it, and the fact that once they show up NOTHING else is there after a couple weeks. Even the juveniles of other species disappear.

Oh, they don't "disappear" - they get turned into Jewfish-excrement

Endangered by fishtail. As FT has noted, there as many of them as you'd like to see around here, and they are extremely efficient eating machines - far better than sharks, in fact.

 

[Don Burke]

I've seen a few artificial reef proposals that try to capitalize on funding/support from both fishermen and divers. Since neither of those groups particularly likes the other (can't fish where the divers are and can't dive where the fishermen are), how do they get along on the same wrecks when both were courted for support in the sinking?

The best example around here is the Chesapeake Light tower Reef. They just sunk so much stuff scattered over a medium sized area that very few people can't find something. The New York subway cars are the latest addition, adding to stuff that has been down there for up to about 40 years.

 

[archman]

That's interesting about the jewfish being on the eastern rigs. I have only heard vague rumours about it before, and its so easy to confuse them with black and warsaw's. Jewfish are in ecological collapse (can't maintain breeding populations) in much of their natural reef habitat... I didn't see a single one at Looe Key in 2002. Hmmm...

If they're on the artificial reef structures now, I can fairly well predict what the regulatory folks will do. The artificial reefs will become "refuges" for them and the rest of the community can go hang itself. This is well argued, since artificial reefs ('cept those concrete facsimiles) aren't designed or intended to replace natural habitat. Now the "birdhouse idea" for protected species, the fisheries folks will latch onto that with both teeth. I wouldn't be surprised if they even use that exact term I just made up.

I've only dove a few rigs, and they in the far west Gulf. The only big grouper was a warsaw weighing in at 125 pounds, AFTER gutting. That fish was probably older than anyone on the boat, so much for respecting your elders. The local spearfishers in our neck of the woods are saying that its harder and harder to find the "single big grouper" at the bottom of Texas platforms... We don't have any burdgeoning grouper populations over here, might be a larval recruitment issue.

 

[FredT]

That's interesting about the jewfish being on the eastern rigs. I have only heard vague rumours about it before, and its so easy to confuse them with black and warsaw's. Jewfish are in ecological collapse (can't maintain breeding populations) in much of their natural reef habitat... I didn't see a single one at Looe Key in 2002. Hmmm...

If they're on the artificial reef structures now, I can fairly well predict what the regulatory folks will do. The artificial reefs will become "refuges" for them and the rest of the community can go hang itself. This is well argued, since artificial reefs ('cept those concrete facsimiles) aren't designed or intended to replace natural habitat. Now the "birdhouse idea" for protected species, the fisheries folks will latch onto that with both teeth. I wouldn't be surprised if they even use that exact term I just made up.

I've only dove a few rigs, and they in the far west Gulf. The only big grouper was a warsaw weighing in at 125 pounds, AFTER gutting. That fish was probably older than anyone on the boat, so much for respecting your elders. The local spearfishers in our neck of the woods are saying that its harder and harder to find the "single big grouper" at the bottom of Texas platforms... We don't have any burdgeoning grouper populations over here, might be a larval recruitment issue.

I first saw jews on the rigs south of Biloxi about 5 years ago. Generally they were smaller, in the below 200# category. They done "growed up" now.

Now I have to check for the black spots (visible at all depths and angles) and /or fin shape before shooting any grouper in low vis.

Jews are common on all artificial reefs, and any natrual reef with 2' of profile or more. Gag hunting is starting to be restricted to natural and artificial cover with about 18" of profile, or smaller than a volkswagon simply 'cause the jews have either eaten or driven off everything worth shooting on most larger structures.

BTW there are several documented unprovoked attacked on divers in the eastern gulf now. DO NOT assume these "gentle giants" are harmless! Treat them as you would a mountain lion. Normally not consistantly agressive to humans, but those who have been "fed" by the finhuggers now associate divers with food. Since those aren't marked as ' I may attack if If I think you might have or may be food." it's necessary to watch them all once they get up over a couple hundred pounds.

FT

 

[100days-a-year]

Jewfish get chased at Looe Key by the 100-200 people thru there every day.I still manage to find them even freediving.Nearby the Busch has up to 4 residents up to 500#+.Every wreck I dive in the Keys has at least one on it.The deep ledge at 65'-100' has a lot too.I've actually had them steal lobster less than 2' away.Here in Jax they are taking over the wrecks further out as well.In Ft Pierce last summer I counted over 15 on one 60' by 120' barge in 70' of water.I am glad to see them recover but I wish some of these fisheries"scientists" actually got in the water with fish to see them too.

 

[archman]

If you two (and anyone else with some observations) could spare a few moments to skim through this report, see if you find anything that you disagree with and please post it. In particular the sections on diet (p.28), migration (p.32), abundance (p. 39-40 & Table 11, figure 27 on page 41), population dynamics (p.43-44), fishing types (p.44-45, tables 14 &15), fishing by area (tables 17 & 19), depth ranges (p. 49), and regulatory measures (p. 56).

http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/tr146.pdf

A lot of what I'm now hearing isn't tracking with the party line, and I'd like to figure out why. Call it a hobby... or something less appealing. Maybe these silly little sanctuaries really ARE working... beats me.

 

[Genesis]

I had a Jew steal a snapper I had speared OFF MY SPEAR last summer. He came out of his hole when I fired, ate the fish right off my spear, and turned around and went back in his hole.

I nearly lost my reg from being slack-jawed at what I had just seen.

He had absolutely no fear of me whatsoever.

I've had sharks "come play", but none have ever done anything like that. IMHO the Jews are far more bold when it comes to taking what they want. In the instant his mouth was open it was significantly larger in diameter than a 5-gallon paint bucket - if he had decided to eat MY head instead of that fish, I would have been toast.

 

[FredT]

http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/tr146.pdf

A lot of what I'm now hearing isn't tracking with the party line, and I'd like to figure out why. Call it a hobby... or something less appealing. Maybe these silly little sanctuaries really ARE working... beats me.

If so they started working 5 years or so before they were established.

I'll dump the report manyana on a higher speed connection.

FT

 

[100days-a-year]

I didn't see many studies on Jewfish past 1989.It did a great job of chronicling the decline of jewfish.

 

[cdiver2]

Maybe the problem is not to many jew fish but to few fish to support them and the fishermen ?
Artificial reefs, I have just finshed readindg the mandate for artificial reefs in Pinellas county and it states no artificial reef shall have a greater hight than 1/4 of the depth it is put in. Why different life require depth and light. I would have thought to complete the cycle comeing nearer to the surface would have been better.
Fishermen and divers will never get on so let them each support there own artificial reefs just make it a no fishing on diving reefs and no diving on the fishing reef.
Just a thought.