Friday, September 24, 2010

Tag A Giant Dreams


TAG has a fantastic weekend in store for anyone who loves bluefin tunas -led by Dr. Steve Wilson and Team Canada- and a Team in the Mediterranean led by Dr. Andy Seitz and Dr. Pablo Cermeno working in the gorgeous Adriatic Sea just south of Venice - now that is hard duty. Of course I am here in my office, looking out at the ocean- writing a grant- can't wait to be tagging tunas again-and have to admit- "wish I was there". If you're a fan of TAG fishing you'll be checking our pages over the next few days. Up in Canada where Dr. Steve Wilson and Mr. Robbie Schallert are making history once again- with the hard working Port Hood Nova Scotia fleet of Tag vessels and our PEI TAG team- led by Bay Queen IV Captain Dennis Cameron, and PEI boats headed up by Captain Bruce Kues and his former record holding father - we're so proud of this team. Today after a post- hurricane Igor patient hold -they went out and together tagged 9 giant bluefin, yes I did say 9 giants- of the 1000 lb variety! Our Canada team off spectacular Cape Breton. A remarkable story unfolded-including fish that measured 302cm- 3 meters plus! We tagged one that big three years ago that swam into the Bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico to spawn. Now anyway you slice it- this is a big fish. They are pushing 1300 lbs at this length imagine a fish over 3 meters in length- on the tag boat and carrying our spectacular Wildlife Computers PAT satellite tag jewelry, thats a smart bluefin (survived a lot of decisions, migrations, humans, and a few white shark/orca encounters I suspsect) - My hats off to our team (I don't wear a hat). But you know what I mean. And to everyone who is a member of the TAG family -just imagine the fun they were having- Rob says he was hand feeding 1000 lb giants behind the boat. I would guess they were trained off NC.

Great job- team Canada! May these fish find the Cabot Straight, See my natal shores of Cape Cod, and visit NC on the way to the Gulf of Mexico Spawning ground- swim free- and swim fast!

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