GRAND PRIZE WINNER of Tag-A-Tiny Tuna Tournament

Captain Gary Cannell was the GRAND PRIZE winner of the North Shore Community Tuna Association’s Tag-A-Tiny Tuna Tournament, to benefit the Large Pelagic Research Center’s Tag-A-Tiny program.

Gary has always practiced and encouraged tag and release of all fish that cannot be legally retained, and of all fish that will not be consumed.   The Tag-aTiny weekend was no exception. Charters on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were treated to fine bluefin action. Each day Tuna Hunter put here charters onto several bluefin, retaining one fish each day (all between 50 and 58 inches) and tagging all remaining fish.  While tied with First Light Anglers on the number of tuna tagged, Tuna Hunter brought home the Grand Prize for most fish caught over the weekend.

Tagging efforts did not stop there – Tuna Hunter continued tagging bluefin tuna through November, and will continue fishing and tagging to support reasearch and preservation of our industry.

The focus of the Tag-a-Tiny Tournament, was promote tag-and-release of juvenile bluefin tuna and to raise funds for Dr. Molly Lutcavage and the UNH Large Pelagics Research Center. The Tag-A-Tiny program studies the migration paths of juvenlile bluefin tuna through internal and external archival tags.  The Tag-A-Tiny program has made great progress since its inception in 2005. ( Read more about the Tag A Tiny program here) but funding is needed to continue this important program.

Thank you to the tournament sponsors: Ouellette and Smith (Fishlaw); Grady-White Boats; Gloucester Seafood Display Auction; Gloucester House Restaurant; Captain Carlo’s Restaurant; Commercial Fisheries News; On the Water Media; Madfish Grill; Intershell; The BillfishFoundation; and Seaboard Products Company, proud distributors of Anheuser Busch Products.
Please support these sponsors as they help support our fishery!

TUNA HUNTER strongly supports tag and release of bluefin tuna and other species, and Molly Lutcavage’s efforts with bluefin tagging in particular.

Rob and friends on a 40th birthday charter tackled this bluefin, their first, and retained it for the birhtday party.. They tagged the next 3 fish, a worthy effort toward bluefin tuna research!

Proper Tag placement is critical – the tag has be on the top of this fish, behind the dorsal fin, in order to avoid the major artery.