Not long ago, sport fishermen would haul in a marlin and have it smoked or turned into a trophy. Now the pressure is on to let it go. The replica mounts are just as beautiful as the real thing. We still catch well over 100 sailfish a year and all of ours are let go. I always say that if it has any life at all, let it go.
Many recreational fishermen point fingers at longline fishermen for dwindling billfish numbers.
It's had a severe impact on sports fishing. Beideman said longliners and sport fishermen have the same interests and use the same basic tools. That hook with the same bait in the warm waters is going to catch the same species, whether it's hooked to a longline or to a rod and reel. It's rather discouraging that there's a discrimination. One's a criminal and the other's had a lucky day.