Tuna season extended with catch and release

Several P.E.I. fishermen are still out hooking tuna, despite the end of the summer season,undera catch and release program for sport fishermen.

'If we didn't have this catch and release for the charter boats, boats would be tied up now.' Joey Gauthier

The summer season ended Thursday after just four days, but Joey Gauthier's charter boat season is just beginning. Gauthier, along with10 other charter operators, are taking wealthy sports fishermen out on the water to do battle with powerful bluefin tuna, at a cost of $1,000 a day.

The fishermen are ready to pay the price, even though they don't get to land the fish.

"You just fight him for a while and get a look at him, get some pictures of him," Gauthier told CBC News Monday.

"Make sure the tuna's in good shape there, swimming a bit, and then let him go back to sea."

The 11 charter operators are fishing on a three-tonne quota they purchased from Newfoundland last year. They had originally planned to use it simply for catching the fish, but by catching and releasing they get more mileage out of the quota and can fish right into the fall.

"If we didn't have this catch and release for the charter boats, boats would be tied up now until Oct. 5," Gauthier said.

While the charter operators show there are economic benefits to catch and release fishing, there is still the question of whether it's good for the tuna. A project proposal from the P.E.I. Fisherman's Association is hoping to look at that issue.

The association isasking for $500,000 fromthe Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agenciesand the province to track tuna and see whether or not the fish survive catch and release sport fishing.