Advise: Carefully choose your charter boat when abroad

Hi,

I'm posting this on behalf of my mum (who is also a keen angler) to warn people to really choose carefully their charters if you don't want your so awaited trip finishing like this:






Choose carefully your big game fishing trip !!

I booked big game fishing on the Yatch Sant'Anna in Algarve in Portugal, http://www.algarve-seafaris.com, excited to have a very pleasant day. The ocean was absolutely perfect and we boarded from the Marina of Vilamoura at 10.00.
The two crew members were very unfriendly and never show any interest of their passengers.
We didn't receive any advices or safety recommendation. We don’t ever know where we can find the safety jackets in case of emergency.
There wasn’t organisation at all on board and the rods were finally in the water around 1.30. We believe we still have 2.30 fishing at least. What a disappointment!! We were asked to watch a rod and we were not allowed to use the rods by ourselves. The music on board was very loud and completely inappropriate for a fishing trip.
Then a small mako shark was on the line and I assisted at the biggest panic and lack of professionalism I never see in my life. One of the two men jumped and pushed away the guy who was trying to take the rod.
He couldn’t manage the fish which was trying to escape under the boat. The crew members were shouting at each other and the second one carried the fish all around the boat. They succeed finally and pulled up the fish on board.
Then the shark was completely butchered. The hook was ripped off with the hook gaffe. The poor animal which was fighting for his life received kicks and was molested and badly injured by the two men.
It was not big game fishing but big game killing.



There was blood everywhere and they continued to bully the fish.





They didn’t show any respect for this amazing animal and left him dying slowly in a corner of the boat.
Some of us had a very bitter discussion with the crew members who responded aggressively and showed haughtiness. So we refused to fish or more exactly watch the rod we were supposed to. Reminding to the men the blue shark is fully protected and they have to release it or to kill him properly if there is no other choice after badly managed this catch.



The ambiance on board was very bad. I was told to shut my mouth, stop complaining, and one of the two men was threatening and didn’t appreciate my persistence to take the most of pictures I can.
The shark was discarded in the hold and the deck washed.
Another fish had been taken: a beautiful Dolphinfish and the man who was in charge to the rod had no choice as the sailor took the fish and threw it in a bucket where the creature died slowly. They don’t offer to release the fish. Obviously one of the two men was the one who gave the orders in the boat, without any consideration that we paid to be on board to fish and decide if we take or not the fish and kill it properly.


These men didn’t show at any moment a tiny sign of respect even for the ocean as they threw their butts and rubbish in the water. All the balloons used as floats were left in the ocean.
This day was dreadful and I was in a hurry to go back and get through this trip.


But it was not the end!!
They get out the shark from the hold and offered to take pictures. Then they threw the fish in the water and washed carefully the deck of the boat erasing all traces of blood.
I was astonished and on the verge of nausea. Unfortunately I couldn’t take a picture as the two men did a shield and acted very quickly.
No respect of the ocean, no respect of the fish, no respect of the customers.
This entire trip was a bad drama with outrageous actors, and a perfect waste of money. A bad experience I won't forget.
But it wasn’t a waste of time as it is very useful to know that this kind of fishing trip still exists, in spite of numerous actions for the safety of the ocean and the marine wildlife.
Thankfully most of the fishermen are aware about the fragility of our environment, and this kind of behaviour has to be reported.
I hope more and more of us will be involved in the struggle to preserve our waters and the wildlife and fight to ban a boat which offers this kind of fishing experience.
I can add that I am sea, coarse and game fishing for more than 40 years and I have never seen so much shocking behaviour from “professional” charter crew.

Martine. Dublin – Ireland

i'm at a loss for words, i cant believe they acted like that

shocking.
report these men to someone in the tourist industry over there. show someone in the industry this report.
something might be done about it and something might not, i dont know, but at little effort might go along way in educating a these guys.
its a shame this s*** goes on in this day and edge, this is the mentality of some people unfortunately.
we are as shocked as you are mate and sorry you that you had to witness these mindless ignorant idiots. and you paid for the privilege disappointing
write THEM a letter and tell them that you have reported them.....

Martine: Absolutlely disgraceful behaviour! Sorry to hear that this segment of your trip was tarnished by these morons but I hope the rest of your holiday was brilliant! As said, try and report these guys to whatever organization you can so further anglers are not subjected to this. See ya soon

Aurel: And I thought mackie bashing at the hook last year was bad!

jeese man, thats utterly horrendous!!. i hope these men are reported to the appropiate authoritys and dealt with accordingly. such disregard for the welfare of the fish in their care is unacceptable!! and to think there guys are likely out doing this 5 days a week. a very sad thought

i cant believe that,,, i want to comment but dont know what to say

i cant believe that,,, i want to comment but dont know what to say

+1

Very sad to witness such brutal conduct. But thanks for your report. Its a pity that crew wont read it, and even if they did, some people just don't get it.

what a mess!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies guys. I couldn't believe what my mum told me on the phone in the evening, until I saw the pictures ... They talk for themselves and she told me that is not the worst she could have taken if not threatened.

This whole story make us so angry that we say enough is enough. We are sick to see the seas abused by these kind of "professional", by trawlers, dredgers, big and small pollution and slowly we won't have the choice than stop fishing

This article has been posted on websites in Ireland, UK and France.

It has also been sent to Irish, UK and French magazines.

It is being translated in Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese and will be posted on forums and sent in magazines in these countries.

We are actually contacting the Tourism authorities in Portugal and searching how these charters are licensed in Portugal to contact these authorities as well.

We don't know if it will have some impact but we feel the need to do as much as we can.

In my family we have always fished and hunt, but when you decide to take the life of an animal do it correctly and for a purpose not for throwing them back dead or in the bin.

I already hope that when some of you will go abroad and will look for a fishing trip, that you will take as much precaution as you can regarding the boat you will book.

If we do this some of these scumbags will run out of business because of lack of customers.

And I urge everybody who witness poaching, pollution ect ... to report them and to fight against this.

Thanks again.

those people should not be allowed on the water.

Id like to believe "What goes around comes around" and that those people that allegedly call themselves fishermen on that boat, get whats coming 2 them!
Stuff like that gives fishing a bad name and Ruins the sport!!!

Thanks for posting up, cant really call it a great read as such, sad 2 read more so, but interesting 2 see what is still going on in the world 2 day!

All the best SQ....

I've posted this thread on a couple of fishing forums from Germany and Austria. These guys need to be taken out of their disgraceful business, the sooner the better. Thanks for letting us know.

What a sad read it's such a shame that a beautiful animal is treated so bad and left to die such a sad death..... Glad that you have posted the report on different forums and you are taking the correct steps with the tourism board..

These so called fishermen need to be shown how fragile the sea is at the moment and speaking of the death of the fish was watching a fishing show last night and was told that there is over 1 million sharks killed every year by the so called fishermen.....

All the best and thanks for highlighting the problem abroad with some charter boats, but I will say never had the problem while in Cancun a few years ago..... The yanks know how to run a boat very well...

Id like to believe "What goes around comes around" and that those people that allegedly call themselves fishermen on that boat, get whats coming 2 them!
Stuff like that gives fishing a bad name and Ruins the sport!!!

Thanks for posting up, cant really call it a great read as such, sad 2 read more so, but interesting 2 see what is still going on in the world 2 day!

All the best SQ....

totally agree bro, KARMA'S A BITCH they will be met on judgement day lol......................

Disgraceful,and shocking for your poor Mum who witnessed it Congratulations on doing something about it

Just wanted to know whether you and yer Ma paid the spectator rate of E25 or the Fisherman rate of E50 and whether or not you purchased a license. Is it required to pay a local permit cause I'll be heading off there in a few weeks. Tight lines.

Thanks for the replies.

@Martin: that's just brilliant. Thanks a million

@Queequeg: Wasn't there only my Mum. She paid something like 55/60 EUR and for the license on a boat I'm not sure, but you will need one for shore fishing.

@Martin: that's just brilliant. Thanks a million

no problem at all, as I always say: let it be their wallet to cast the final vote

Seen that charter when i was in Villiamoura last year was tempted to head out, THANK GOD i didnt, thanks for the heads up! I hope this starts spread through other forums to educate anyone going on holiday abroad!