Tuna total surpasses 100

By Eric McCarthy

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

TIGNSH, P.E.I. – Fifteen-year-old Jordan Gaudet just might be his uncle’s good luck charm.

Rocky Gaudet sailed into Tignish Run on Aug. 7 with his fifth tuna of the 2008 fall season.

“That’s the main fellow,” Rocky Gaudet said, suggesting his nephew accounts for his early season success. “I lost one fish (this season) and he wasn’t with me.”

This one dressed 585 pounds and a Japanese buyer at dockside described its quality as “so-so.” Many factors are used in rating quality said Sakurai Atsuji, and those include meat quality and texture and the stickiness of the meat and oil. He’s procuring fish for the auctions in Japan. He purchases some and takes others on consignment.

The captain of the vessel Rocky Waters is pleased with the way the season is progressing.

“This year, so far, is better than the last couple of years,” Gaudet said, adding the biggest improvement is in price. Boats are limited to a maximum of one fish per day and Gaudet believes that’s helping to keep the demand strong.

He said it took two hours to tire out the fish he hooked Thursday off North Cape.

As of the end of the day Wednesday, Aug. 6, 110 tuna had been landed at Island ports. Another six were accounted for by 2:30 p.m. the following afternoon, including Rocky Gaudet’s and one brought in by his brother Rodney Gaudet and Keith Doucette right behind him. For them this is their first season.

(Eric McCarthy is a journalist with Transcontinental Media’s Journal Pioneer, which is a contributor to the Sou’Wester.)