Parrot fish

[fernandezh]

I would like to start off by saying that I really appreciate all the hard work you guys are putting into protecting our rights and ability to spearfish. Capt. Rich and Capt. Ed Walker and you other spearfishing advocates, I am sure you guys don't hear it enough, but you guys are the awesome.

Scott too for having this forum where we can meet online to discuss these issues.

I write my letters and would attend the meetings if I lived in the area.

I have a question. Why are Parrot fish still forbidden to be harvested by speargun? These fish are numerous, and are actually detrimental to the development of coral on the reefs. Other than being fun to look at, I think their numbers justify harvesting. Is this being looked at?

Hector

[RichT]

Hector,
Thanks for the kind words.I would also like to point out Special recognition to "Denny".
He spends many hours on the phone everyday and has attended meetings all over Florida when not one single other person has been there to defend fishing /and or spearfishing. He has even driven to Georgia to help defend OUR rights.
Denny does this for the love of the sport and on his own dime.
I really wish more people would get involved and learn some of the issues facing us.
I have known Denny for quite a few years and he is by no means a rich man. I personally cant figure out how he can afford to spend so much time on these issues and not live out of a cardboard box.
I would suggest if you ever get to meet him that everyone at least buy him a beer!
There are MANY others who deserve a special THANKS for vollunteering so much of there own time to help with these issues.
Your question about the parrotfish is interesting.They are legal to harvest in Hawaii.I dont know why not here in florida. I dont believe there is an overabundant population of parrotfish anywhere except for the extreme southern parts of Florida though.
Maybe we can put that on the list of things to fight for after we win the battles concerning Hogfish,goliath grouper,red grouper.gag grouper,snapper,mpa's,longliners,and Grays reef.
Did I leave anything out?
I would like to thank you Hector and our other brave soldiers for protecting our Country and our rights to be able to question those in authority and even our own government.

[Spear One]

There are many fish (about 14 species) that you can take with a rod & reel but not a spear in the state of Florida. Politics and Spearfisherman apathy are mostly responsible for these species being on the "no spear" list. A few years ago they tried to add a bunch more to the list but we stopped it. They said they were trying to "standardize" the rules throughout the state. I personally think that that we should work toward having all of them removed from the "no spear" list with the possible exception of Snook. I really don't think Snook belong on there either, but I don't think I have the energy to fight that battle.

[fernandezh]

Thanks Kevin. Just keep on keeping us informed on any developments you guys come across. You have a good point about rod and reel limits vs. the tighter spearing limits. There are definitely not enough of us to justify the limits you talked about. You guys definitely have our support.

[kitefisherman]

Do parrotfish get cigutera from eating all that coral?

[Spear One]

Probably! I wouldn't want to risk it.

[SPEARIT]

We used to do the offshore islands of Venezuela like Los Roques on the yacht and one of the family's guests would shoot the hell out of big Parrots and fly them back to the mainland. I asked him if he ever worried about cigutera and his answer was no(but I'd seen him use barracuda to make cerveiche) so I didn't believe him. Parrots definitely carry cigutera.

[fernandezh]

while we are on the subject. . . any chance on getting the now numerous Manatees off of the non-spearing list? :D

[bluephoria]

Originally posted by fernandezh
while we are on the subject. . . any chance on getting the now numerous Manatees off of the non-spearing list? :D

I still cant figure out how to filet those things. :)

[kbaydiver]

To the member above Parrot fish do not have cig

[fernandezh]

http://www.cigua.com/aboutUs/newsroom/72501.htm

I just read on a site that:

Ciguatera can infect reef fish like groupers, parrot fish, trigger fish, surgeon fish, wrasses, barracudas, snappers, moray eels, and jacks

Which also includes all the typical fish we shoot in FL (snappers,grouper and jacks) But then again this comes from a site that is selling a Cig. Test kit. and it makes it like all of our fish have Cig. I ate a parrot fish last year and it tasted great.

Hector

[DGregory]

Ciguatera appears to be very rare in Florida fish (Barracuda being the exception). Some ciguatoxic fish have been traced to the Tortugas, primarily large hogfish. The primary fishes associated with ciguatera appear to be jacks, snappers and groupers from particular Caribbean areas. If unsure it is best to eat smaller sizes of fish if they are taken from known or suspected ciguatera areas.

[Doc]

I have a good friend from st croix who grew up with Parrot fish a a staple; he turned out OK... keeps asking me to shoot him some here. He sais they be good eatin'

[DGregory]

Parrotfish apparently are tasty and are very popular with the south Florida Hatian community. The fish trappers had a ready market for the parrotfish they caught. However, with fish trapping being phased out I do not know if parrotfish are marketed. Plus it is illegal to spear parrtofish in Florida. See list of prohibited species below.

68B-20.005 Prohibited Harvest of Certain Species.
The spearing of the following species and species groups is prohibited:
(1) Billfish (species of the genus Xiphias, Istiophorus, Makaira, and Tetrapturus).
(2) Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus).
(3) Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus).
(4) Bonefish (Albula vulpes).
(5) Jewfish (Epinephelus itajara).
(6) Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus).
(7) Permit (Trachinotus falcatus).
(8) Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus).
(9) African pompano (Alectis ciliaris).
(10) Sharks as defined in Rule 68B-44.002, Florida Administrative Code.
(11) Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari).
(12) Manta ray (species of the genus Manta and Mobula).
(13) Snook (species of the genus Centropomus).
(14) Red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus).
(15) Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus).
(16) Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis).
(17) Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis).
(18) Surgeonfish (family Acanthuridae).
(19) Trumpetfish (family Aulostomidae).
(20) Angelfish and butterflyfish (family Chaetodontidae).
(21) Porcupinefish (family Diodontidae).
(22) Cornetfish (family Fistulariidae).
(23) Squirrelfish (family Holocentridae).
(24) Trunkfish (family Ostraciidae).
(25) Damselfish (family Pomacentridae).
(26) Parrotfish (family Scaridae).
(27) Pipefish and Seahorse (family Sygnathidae).
(28) Puffers (family Tetraodontidae).

[snowblind]

I got a few parrot fish while in baja last june. They taste very good! I *did* get sick while on the trip, but it was when I was at the "resort" and was more lax about using bottled water for washing food and brushing teeth so I think it was the water and not cigutera.
brad