Fish Disposition for travelers?

[ebnash]

For those of you who travel to Panama and fish with charters or lodges, what are you doing with your fish?

Is everything caught and donated to locals if not eaten while there or are you paying to get it processed and shipped home?

Thanks,
Erik

[tap]

Personally I've never brought fish back in 50 trips I've made. A good majority of "key gamefish" such as roosterfish, bluefin trevally, cubera snapper, billfish, etc. are released. However, tuna, amberjack, dorado and some other species are sometimes left onboard that exceed the amount needed for a nights meal. These "excess" fish are usually taken home by the crews, frozen for future use, donated to schools/orphanages or packed for shipment for the anglers. Only a small % of anglers bother with the shipment of fish. I remember a couple of years ago this German had arranged with a restaurant owner in Munich to buy his fresh-frozen fish at a price that paid for his airfare. You can't pack ice or dry ice on airlines so the fish must be frozen solid for travel so travel time is critical. The bottom-line is: Catch and release is preferred by operators and most anglers.

Tony Peña
"The Roving Angler"

[ebnash]

Thanks for the reply. I often wonder what is done with all of the fish I see in the weekly photos of the Panama/Costa Rica section here on BD. I am now assuming the fish are photographed and released in most cases.

I would never try to bring fish home from that far myself. I am just interested in planning a future trip here and wanted to know that fish caught don't go to waste.

Thanks,
Erik