West Coast fisheries managers have banned fishing with longlines off California, Oregon and Washington until further notice, according to an update on the International Big Fish Network sent in by the National Coalition for Marine Conservation (NCMC). The U.S. Secretary of Commerce approved a ban within the 200-mile zone in February, but then went on to approve the ban on longlining on the high seas in April because of excessive hooking of endangered sea turtles. Future meetings of the Pacific Fishery Management Council may yield regulations that will reopen the waters to longlining, so the NCMC cautions that concerned anglers should remain vigilant and vocal on this issue. For more information, visit www.ibfn.org and www.savethefish.org.
