First Giant BFT in the Annie P

[BigLew]

Natchalkley,

You raise some very good points! I remember through the 80's when the Moonies had a big place in Gloucester, Mass. One of the businesses they used to raise money was fishing for bluefin tuna. They had an entire fleet of their own boats, which if memory serves me right, could have been copies of the 21 foot SeaCraft. I wasn't truly aware of the SeaCraft at that time, so I cannot specifically remember a VDR hull, but the shear line and the general look were definitely similar. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the 21' or a copy. Those guys would handline those tuna, and use a wrapping post on the bow to manage the fish during the fight to get it in!

Here in Newburyport, the last record BFT I remember was 1495 lbs.! At $22.00 a pound, we're talking some $30,000- for 1 fish!!! The Japanese holy days are at this time of year, and bluefin sushi is in high demand. The problem is, the fish are up here off the New England Coast at that time a year. Since that time, the Japanese have gotten smart and cooperate with each other regarding pricing rather than trying to outbid each other! They even had agents out on the water taking plugs of tuna and buying the fish on the spot. One fish per season paid for your boating season and still put money in the bank.

It was a real kick to be down at the docks after sundown until midnight, watching those fish come in, be weighed, headed and gutted, put in a coffin like box and iced down, loaded on trucks, straight to Logan Airport and they would be in Tokyo in the morning.

What a way to go!