Dave Lamoureux Kayak Fishing Facts:

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Dave Lamoureux holds the world record for catching the largest Bluefin Tuna (BFT) legally and unassisted from a kayak (157 lb, 5'6" on 11/05/09). Lamoureux broke his own Bluefin record three consecutive times catching tuna that weighed: 60lbs, 80lbs, and 157lbs. Lamoureux is the word record holder of the largest Tuna (of any species) ever caught legally and unassisted from a kayak. Lamoureux holds the informal record of the largest Tuna ever "ridden" and fought, estimated at 800lbs (independently estimated by three, unacquainted, commercial tuna fishermen using sonar). The fish was so big that Dave was told by the nearby fisherman that "it didn't even know he was there". Lamoureux is currently chasing the unassisted kayak record for largest fish ever caught (currently a 183lb Pacific Halibut). Lamoureux is the first person ever to paddle in the ocean up to five miles offshore and target pelagic Bluefin Tuna and succeed on multiple occasions. Lamoureux's fishing expeditions include carrying his kayak and equipment 300-400 yards down dunes and then paddling up to 27 miles in a single day.

Lamoureux is believed to be one of the first to experience a true "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" in a kayak by riding the giant Bluefin Tuna at speeds up to 10-15 mph. A "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" was a term used by Nantucket whalers to describe what occurs immediately following the harpooning of a whale. The whale, realizing it had been harpooned, would attempt to flee and thus drag the whale boat along with it. Lamoureux created the ultimate marine Big Game Sportsman endeavor by combining kayaking, Bluefin tuna fishing, big blue water, independence and self-sufficiency. Lamoureux's average trip fishing for BFT requires 2.25 hours or preparation the day prior and 10.25 hours total the day he actually fishes. Of this combined 12.5 hours only 5.25 hours is spent on the water and of this reduced figure, Dave only spends and average of 2 hours fishing his chosen spots. Lamoureux's longest trip comprised 18 hours of preparation and exertion and covered an unwelcomed 27 miles. These timeframes do not include having to ride, fight, restrain, transport, or dress and process a BFT.

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Bluefin Tuna Facts:

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The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) or Thunnus Thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) is considered to be one of the fastest, largest, strongest, feistiest, most powerful and most prized big game fish. Maximum speed: is a staggering 80 mph (128.75 kph ). Sources: American Scientific "The Bluefin tuna in Peril" and Wiley Interscience, The Journal of Fish Biology, V.35 Issue 1. Largest published BFT of record is 1,508 lb (684 kg) and 15.03 ft (458 cm). Source: Fishbase Consortium; citation: Claro, R . 1994 Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo. The IGFA all-tackle angling record for BFT is a 1 ,496 lb(678.97 kg) fish of 9.97 ft (304 cm) fork length taken off Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia in 1979. Source: FAO (Food & Agricultural Organization of the UN). On the automotive acceleration scale of 0 to 60 mph, BFT can match a sports car's 7 seconds. Source: World Wildlife Fund Tuna also have incredible endurance with fights lasting 2-6 hour being common.  Source: New England Commercial Fishermen. They are among the most ambitiously migratory of all fish, and some tagged specimens have been tracked swimming from North American to European waters several times a year. Source: National Geographic. The pelagic BFT can traverse the entire Atlantic Ocean in 60 Days. BFT will not give up a fight unlike most other big game fish. Tuna will fight until it dies. Source: DL There are 2 other species of BFT, the Pacific BFT (Thunnus Orientalis) and the Southern BFT (Thunnus Maccoyii).

BFT is one of the most highly regulated commercially harvested pecies internationally. See "Bluefin Tuna Regulatory Facts" lower on page. BFT is one of the most prized harvestable fish with value for a single fish running into the 10's of thousands of dollars for US fisherman. A single BFT has sold for over $175,000 in Japan. Source: Associated press Jan 5, 2010. BFT live 15 - 30 years. Source: many that vary across the range. BFT dive to 3200ft (1000m) . Source: Wikipedia.org BFT have to swim to breath. Source: Fisheries & Oceans Canada. BFT are warm endothermic (warm blooded) and their ability to thermoregulate (regulate its body temperature) is the most highly developed of any fish. Sources: MarineBio.org. & Wikipedia.org. BFT is classified as suffering from overfishing and from being overfished. Source: NOAA's Fisheries Service. The fishery is managed domestically by the NOAA Fisheries Service Highly Migratory Species Management Division and internationally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Two stocks are assumed: 1) Western Atlantic and 2) Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Source: NOAA BFT Eastern Stock is estimated to have declined by 74.2% (25.8% remaining at end of 2007). Source: ICAAT (SCRS) 2008 Report BFT Western Stock is estimated to have declined by 82.4% (17.6% remaining at end of 2007). Source ICAAT (SCRS) 2008 Report.

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Bluefin Tuna Fishing Regulations:

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Should have federal recreational Saltwater License (2010). Must have MA state recreational Saltwater License (2011). Must Register your kayak with the State. Must have a Federal HMS Permit (Highly Migratory Species). Must Carry permits and registration on your vessel. Must travel out/in and fish Under-Own-Power. Using a "Mothership" is illegal. You have to paddle out, fish and return under your own vessel's power. No Receiveing Assistance of any kind from another vessel. No Transfering-At-Sea of BFT. This means it is illegal to pass a BFT by any means between 2 vessels. You can NOT pass the fish, the rod or the fisherman and the rod with a BFT on the line.

Retention limit for HMS Angling permit: 1 BFT/Vessel/Day/Trip , measuring 27" to less than 73" CFL. 1 BFT/Vessel/YEAR , measuring 73" or greater (trophy fish). Must Report within 24 hrs the landing of a BFT to NOAA. This list is only a partial summary of the extensive regulations surrounding BFT. Individuals should obtain a copy of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): Title 50 Chapter VI, part 635 or access NOAA. See link below.

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Cape Cod Facts:

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• Race Point Cape Cod, Dave most frequented fishing local, is the farthest and most northern tip of the Cape Cod Peninsula in Massachusetts.

• It reaches far out into the Atlantic Ocean like a great curled and flexing arm with the fist clenching 40 miles southeast of Boston.

• Cape Cod has had over 3,600 ship wrecks and Dave's location ranks as one of the most notorious and dangerous. Source: National park Service.

• It is listed by the World Wildlife Fund as one of the top 10 whale watching locations in the world.

• The fishing location is sandwiched between the U.S. National Park Service managed Cape Cod National Seashore and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) managed Stellwagan Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

• The prolific and viewable marine wildlife seasonally make this location "The Yellowstone of the Atlantic", in reverence to our first national park.

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