Talks Aim to Salvage Mexican Tuna Season

San Diego’s fleet of long-range boats is preparing for another season at Mexico’s Revillagigedo Islands, home of the world’s largest yellowfin tuna.

Trouble is, there might not be a season.

Mexico has called for a management plan to be developed for the offshore archipelago, which last June was designated a nature reserve. And until the plan is completed, the government says no sportfishing permits will be issued.

The plan is scheduled for completion in January, which would be well into the long-range season. The plan would then be subject to review and would not have to be activated until June 5, 1995. The season would be over and the fleet would be out hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Sportfishing Assn. of California, which represents the interests of the Southern California fleet, is not giving up.

Barnard Thompson, an attorney hired by SAC, has been talking with Santiago Onate Laborde, chief of staff for lame-duck President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

Thompson was told that when Mexico’s Desert Bighorn Reserve was established a few years ago, a similar situation existed for hunters from the United States. Because they had historically been issued permits, an exception was made and they were able to conduct limited hunts.

Thompson said he might be able to use that as a precedent.

“The issue has now reached the highest levels in Mexico,” Thompson said in a statement. “And we can but hope that some sort of solution will be found in order to issue, at the very least, provisional permits until the management plan is implemented.”

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Just when it seemed things were getting back to normal. . . .

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the El Nino phenomenon that creates abnormal weather patterns on both sides of the Pacific and sends unusually warm water up the coast of California, appears to be developing again in the tropics.

NOAA said in a news release that during El Nino , the abnormal warming of the eastern Pacific usually begins in mid to late December and peaks in spring, which, depending on its magnitude, could bring tuna, dorado and blue marlin--among other tropical and subtropical species--into local waters as it did in 1992-93.

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Dogs often chase cats, but Buddy the pit bull nearly met his match recently near Boulder, Colo.

Western Outdoors magazine reports that Mark Norton, 30, of Boulder, had pulled over at a mountain turnoff to let his dog take care of business, but the animal, a bull terrier-English Staffordshire mix, instead ran snarling into the bushes.

Norton ran to the rear of the car, where the dog had clamped its powerful jaws on a cougar’s throat.

The big cat eventually broke free, however, and took off with another cougar that had been standing nearby.

Buddy was treated for puncture wounds on his head and scratches on his chest.

Norton credited the “lock-jaw ability pit bulls are so famous for” for saving its life.

Briefly

SOUTHLAND FISHING--The local fleet has basically said goodby to the tuna and hello to chili peppers, reds, vermillions and the rest of the bottom-huggers generally lumped into the rockfish category. There are still some flurries of big-game activity, however, notably at the northern Channel Islands, where squid have ridden the currents, throwing white sea bass into a mild frenzy. “We had a feeling they were there, but trying to get the people to go out there on a hunch was difficult,” said John Shull, skipper of CISCO Sportfishing’s Pacific Dawn, which along with other Oxnard boats will be making trips to the islands as long as the bite lasts. The Grande reported 21 fish--between 15 and 25 pounds--on Monday and 24 on Tuesday.

BAJA FISHING--The Bisbee’s Black and Blue marlin tournament gets under way today off Cabo San Lucas, and it figures to be competitive as blue marlin, though not as abundant as in previous weeks, are showing daily. Largest of the week, a 620-pounder caught by Jim Wettlaufer of Massachusetts aboard La Brisa. The black marlin that stormed the area two weeks ago seem to have left, although Larry Burson of Jig Stop Tackle in Dana Point did land a 551-pounder on the panga Catalina. The small-game scene is dominated by dorado, which have invaded the Sea of Cortez in what some are calling record numbers. The fish are thick north to the East Cape region and beyond to La Paz. Farther north at Loreto, the focus is shifting from dorado and sailfish to yellowtail and cabrilla.

NOTEWORTHY--The Billfish Foundation is holding its annual conservation awards dinner on Thursday at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Cortez Yacht Charters of Lemon Grove, which specializes in fishing trips to Baja and is a staunch promoter of catch-and-release, will be honored as the recipient of the award for group achievement for its promotion of billfish conservation.

HUNTING--San Diego’s city lakes’ duck program is under way, with mixed results. Barrett was the most productive, as 50 hunters on Saturday bagged 107 ducks, with mallards, widgeons and ringnecks accounting for most. At Sutherland, 24 hunters on Sunday shot 20 ducks, mostly mallards. At Otay, 40 hunters killed 39 ducks, mostly green-wing teals. . . . The Department of Fish and Game says more than 100 tags remain for the A-24 Monterey either-sex archery deer hunt, which ends Nov. 6. Details: (408) 649-2870.

SURFING--Surfline-Wavetrak reported in its newsletter that Florida surfer Tyler Callaway “almost became a part of the food chain” recently at a Sunshine State surf spot called Stuart Rocks. Tyler was reported as having pulled his foot from the mouth of a black-tip shark in the nick of time. His cuts required 27 stitches but, according to Wavetrak, “he still has all his toes.”