Dolphin Limit change ?

[reeltight]

60 per boat down to 54 per boat from the Keys to North Carolina.

So is this a feel good vote? How many boats are keeping 60 dolphin a day? Does moving it down to 54 really change anything? Obviously I'm not a fish or ocean biologist but this doesn't make sense to me.

[Black Bart]

Is the Aggressor still running charters? Just kidding, heh heh...

[ecu1984]

Many years ago, when I mated at Oregon Inlet during college, we took out 6 people charters to the stream or there about every day
of the summer and often hit the dolphin where everyone on board was baling them as fast as they could go
and we'd have 60 or so. I personally don't want to clean that many fish any longer
Just received these pics from one of my best buddies and fishing partner, yesterday Saturday 6/19, 13 miles off the beach, all from one weed "island"

Dolphin on dock.jpg
Weedline.jpg

[BOGSTER]

NC’s charter fleet “bailing” and South Florida’s summer “schoolie” fishing can’t be helping.

I’d bet there’s more dolphin killed at 24 inches than any other length combined.

……….but, there’s a blue billion of em out there.

[Highstrung]

they're extremely fast growing fish. I just don't have any use of keeping a tiny ass dolphin, or haven't in the past unless it's a really bad day.

[Hogg]

They make a good marlin live bait.

[ecu1984]

They make a helluva sandwich, when blackened in a cast iron pan and put on a bun

[BOGSTER]

For years I’ve wanted to bridle a few and pull em.

[mudflat]

I prefer a 24in over a 24lb any day of the week.

[CUduckreeper]

they're extremely fast growing fish. I just don't have any use of keeping a tiny ass dolphin, or haven't in the past unless it's a really bad day.

Correct. It makes no sense in my opinion to keep small dolphin. Give that 24" fish a chance to make it to next year and he's a 20 lb fish.
https://dolphintagging.com/
This program was actually started in SC. The guy who started it use to come give a presentation once a year to our fish club. It was very interesting to learn the growth rates and migration patterns of dolphin. We have been tagging small dolphin for a couple years now and it pretty cool when you get a report that a fish you tagged was recaptured.

[ecu1984]

I prefer a 24in over a 24lb any day of the week.

This man knows about eating dolphin
add: not when it comes to catching them but when it comes to eating them

[ecu1984]

Correct. It makes no sense in my opinion to keep small dolphin. Give that 24" fish a chance to make it to next year and he's a 20 lb fish.
https://dolphintagging.com/
This program was actually started in SC. The guy who started it use to come give a presentation once a year to our fish club. It was very interesting to learn the growth rates and migration patterns of dolphin. We have been tagging small dolphin for a couple years now and it pretty cool when you get a report that a fish you tagged was recaptured.

Reality is, most folks that saved all year and live for that one week they get to the coast are going to keep them
There is no shortage of them from what we see
They are absolutely the most beautiful fish when "lit" up around the boat