[SAMIAM]

This is off of Wikipedia...

Thresher sharks are slow to mature, males reaching sexual maturity between 7 and 13 years of age and females between 8 and 14 years in bigeye threshers. They may live for 20 years or more.

Conservation

All three thresher shark species have been recently listed as vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).[2]


Like all large sharks, threshers are slow growing and are therefore threatened by commercial fisheries.

Hate to say it, but let's release these guys if you already took one off the staple this year, or it died while fighting.

They are solitary creatures, mature slowly, if female, might have a lot of pups inside, and vulnerable to extinction.

You want to eat some thresher, try Ralph's. Load up on some steaks. Let the commercial guys do their killing. They're not gonna kill more just because you eat a couple steaks a month.

No need to do your part in driving this magnificent creature one step closer to the brink of extinction. :tu:

 

[NoLDR]

You are kidding right? I have to stop my fishing so the FN commercial guys can fill the quota and stock Ralph's? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!! I only take what I need but really do not need to stop for sake of the commercial operation:\.


I have not bought fish from a store in OVER 15 years and I'm sure as hell not going to start now.:
Going out in the am for another shot as last time they all managed to get away and yes I plan on taking a fish. I will kill it, steak it, package it and put it in my freezer for consumption. Once its gone then back on the water for another one. I prefer to kill only males and usually under 150lbs as I think they taste the best. Same applies to mako, I already have a fresh one in the freezer that should last a little longer as I just took it last week or so, they are tag and release for now.

I also tag mako and t's for research so I guess I do my part, as for the commercial operation why would we support them? Do they support us? Not that I can recall.


B

 

[SAMIAM]

Behavior Thresher sharks are solitary creatures which keep to themselves. It is known that thresher populations of the Indian Ocean are separated by depth and space according to gender. All species are noted for their highly migratory or oceanodromous habits. Thresher sharks are one of the few shark species known to jump fully out of the water making turns like dolphins, this behaviour is called breaching. [edit] Reproduction No distinct breeding season is observed by thresher sharks. Fertilization and embryonic development occur internally; this ovoviviparous or live-bearing mode of reproduction results in a small litter (usually 2 to 4) of large well-developed pups, up to 150 cm at birth in thintail threshers. The young fish exhaust their yolk sacs while still inside the mother, at which time they begin feeding on the mother's unfertilized eggs; this is known as oophagy. Thresher sharks are slow to mature, males reaching sexual maturity between 7 and 13 years of age and females between 8 and 14 years in bigeye threshers. They may live for 20 years or more. I hope that the 150 lbers are female and have lived through one reproductive cycle so far (somehow at 150 lbs I doubt this), (and how can you tell by the way without putting the shark on the boat and checking its anus if it's a female), and that you haven't caught and kept one so far this year. I'm not saying to support the commercial fisheries. One or two steaks a month, even a week isn't cause for those guys to kill more. Just adding less fuel to the fire.

This post edited by SAMIAM 06/03/2008

 

[Wils]

Behavior

Thresher sharks are solitary creatures which keep to themselves. It is known that thresher populations of the Indian Ocean are separated by depth and space according to gender. All species are noted for their highly migratory or oceanodromous habits.

Thresher sharks are one of the few shark species known to jump fully out of the water making turns like dolphins, this behaviour is called breaching.

[edit] Reproduction

No distinct breeding season is observed by thresher sharks. Fertilization and embryonic development occur internally; this ovoviviparous or live-bearing mode of reproduction results in a small litter (usually 2 to 4) of large well-developed pups, up to 150 cm at birth in thintail threshers. The young fish exhaust their yolk sacs while still inside the mother, at which time they begin feeding on the mother's unfertilized eggs; this is known as oophagy.

Thresher sharks are slow to mature, males reaching sexual maturity between 7 and 13 years of age and females between 8 and 14 years in bigeye threshers. They may live for 20 years or more.


I hope that the 150 lbers are female and have lived through one reproductive cycle so far (somehow at 150 lbs I doubt this), (and how can you tell by the way without putting the shark on the boat and checking its anus if it's a female), and that you haven't caught and kept one so far this year.

I'm not saying to support the commercial fisheries. One or two steaks a month, even a week isn't cause for those guys to kill more. Just adding less fuel to the fire.

I just got back with fresh popcorn. This should get good.

 

[jackpotJennings]

The fireworks are gonna start a month early I predict.

 

[NoLDR]

Trust me its not that hard to turn a t shark over and find out its sex. Seeing as most of these t's are tail hooked it makes it that much easier. Makos are a little more work but it can be done, if you want to make sure you're taking a male, just make sure the fish is played out and take a look

As for reproduction I am not really sure about that as I am not a biologist. Seems to me however that like most species there are more males than females and since a male cannot pup my bet is that taking a male has the least impact on the population.

I may be mistaken because I didn't quote your post but I believe you posted regarding big eye t's and not what we mainly have on this coast, so your information may be flawed as well as it will not apply to the species in question necessarily. Not that we don't have them (big eye t-s) its just not the most common t shark caught around here.

As for breaching I have seen blue sharks, makos and t-sharks all do it. Or does it not count if they are hooked when they do it? If thats the case then I have only seen t-sharks and makos do it in the open ocean. Breeding im not sure about but birthing is right now in my opinion as why else would we see so many big females in one area and then a short time later a lot of smaller fish? Would be curious if any of those fish taken off of Dana and Newport has pups as nobody is talking about that. Same goes for the month of june and july regarding the mako in Santa Monica Bay.

Regarding less fuel to the fire you once again seem to say that beause the commercial guys are killing fish that I cannot and that's just wrong. Limit the commercial take IMO so we can all have fun. Why should I stop fishing just because they are killing fish? In my opinion then stop the commercial fishing and allow me to fish all I want, will that work for you as there take is WAY GREATER than the recreational sector. Should make my sharking that much better.

SOLITARY creatures not really sure about this as how can one explain so many t's in such a small area? For example dana and Newport, I would consider that almost a school with how many have been captured in such a tight area of the ocean. Perhaps once they get much older but then how can one explain the current numbers? Perhaps a biologist can answer this one.

In any event I will keep fishing them and taking what I consider a reasonable amount for my consumption. It does not go to waste and 95% of the sharks I catch are released with a tag so I feel I am doing my part.

See you on the water. By the way trolled yesterday for 3 hours for nothing where have they gone? No worries I will find that one I need for the freezer in due time. The rest get a bright ORANGE TAG. By the way please return this tag should you ever catch one. The number to call is on it. Note the location, size and sex THANKS!

Brad

 

[SAMIAM]

You probably didn't get one yesterday because most of them in the area have already been caught.

 

[osprey4]

You probably didn't get one yesterday because most of them in the area have already been caught.

I am just wondering, has there ever been, in recorded history, a species of saltwater fish that has been fished to extinction? Not just to dangerously low levels but actually gone from the earth. If so how was the population counted to verify that extinction?