Charter fisherman are not concerned about legislation limiting the size of marlin allowed to be caught because the majority of bill fish are tagged and released unless they are reeled in dead.

Several charter fishing boats were contacted recently and asked how the new legislation would affect them.

None of the fisherman wished to be named, but all agreed that the proposed legislation would not harm the Island's charter fishing industry.

One Captain said it was more exciting for tourists to watch the fish being tagged and released, and it also meant that the fish could be caught again.

Last year, 2,200 pounds of Blue Marlin were landed, compared to a high of 41,276 pounds in 1992. And 1,100 pounds of White Marlin were landed last year, compared to a high of 4,061 pounds in 1995.

It should be noted that 90 percent of marlins are released.

In 1997, The Royal Gazette's fishing correspondent, Pickled Onion reported on possible legislation resulting from the 1997 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas meeting held in Spain.

The matter was extremely contentious then and continues to be. The US was lobbying for a ban on the retention of billfish and essentially wanted all high-seas fishing nations to release any and all marlins that might be caught (dead or alive).

ICCAT recommendations that are adopted become binding on all the contracting parties.

This means that each country must enact legislation or else have in place measures to ensure the enforcement of the policy.

In this instance, billfish retention would have to be prohibited by all the member nations, including Bermuda.

And this would apply to recreational fishermen as well as commercial fishermen.