Tom’s Update August 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
The summer off Southern California is in full swing with the Fall months now in clear sight. Summer is a good time to spot a “two-finner” or swordfish basking at the surface in our local waters. It usually happens when you least expect it. These fish are now trickling back into our local waters after a long journey back from their tropical spawning grounds, which can be over 3,000 miles away. Off California we can expect these fish to stick around for the next 3 to 4 months, depending on water temperature and food availability. During the next few months they will be spending most...
Tom’s Update August 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
The summer off Southern California is in full swing with the Fall months now in clear sight. Summer is a good time to spot a “two-finner” or swordfish basking at the surface in our local waters. It usually happens when you least expect it. These fish are now trickling back into our local waters after a long journey back from their tropical spawning grounds, which can be over 3,000 miles away. Off California we can expect these fish to stick around for the next 3 to 4 months, depending on water temperature and food availability. During the next few months they will be spending most...
Tom’s Update August 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
The summer off Southern California is in full swing with biting bass along the shoreline, foaming areas of bluefin tuna outside the Islands and sightings of the first few swordfish entering back into our local waters. July and August are good months to spot a “two-finner” or swordfish basking at the surface. It will usually happen when you least expect it. These fish are now trickling back into the Southern California foraging grounds after a long journey back from their tropical spawning grounds, which can be over 3,000 miles away. While out on the tuna grounds the team used a harpoon to put the first couple...
Tom’s Update August 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
The summer off Southern California is in full swing with biting bass along the shoreline, foaming areas of bluefin tuna outside the Islands and sightings of the first few swordfish entering back into our local waters. July and August are good months to spot a “two-finner” or swordfish basking at the surface. It will usually happen when you least expect it. These fish are now trickling back into the Southern California foraging grounds after a long journey back from their tropical spawning grounds, which can be over 3,000 miles away. While out on the tuna grounds the team used a harpoon to put the first couple...
Tom’s Update June 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
PIER’s field season is here! This week NOAA delivered on its promise, providing PIER permission to start up a long awaited project that focuses on expanding deep-set fishing opportunities off the California coast. Over the next two seasons PIER will build a team of cooperative fishers to test fishing gear that is not currently authorized for use off the US West Coast (this testing is often referred to as exempted or EFP testing for short). PIER’s EFP is designed to test deep-set gear that targets a range of highly migratory species, like opah, tuna and swordfish while also trying to avoid sensitive species, like sea turtles and...
Tom’s Update June 2025: Highlighting Ongoing PIER Research
PIER’s field season is here! This week NOAA delivered on its promise, providing PIER permission to start up a long awaited project that focuses on expanding deep-set fishing opportunities off the California coast. Over the next two seasons PIER will build a team of cooperative fishers to test fishing gear that is not currently authorized for use off the US West Coast (this testing is often referred to as exempted or EFP testing for short). PIER’s EFP is designed to test deep-set gear that targets a range of highly migratory species, like opah, tuna and swordfish while also trying to avoid sensitive species, like sea turtles and...
Tom’s Update: April 2025
The PIER Team formally kicks off a partnership with the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. This week the PIER team launched a new addition to its fleet, a fully refitted Boston Whaler Outrage. The Whaler has been fully gone through and is now ready for the water. The Whaler was generously outfitted with a 175-horsepower V MAX SHO® series outboard through the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. PIER retired its previous Whaler in late 2024 after 25 years of service! We are confident that the new addition will serve and support our research needs well into the future. Thank You Rightwaters™! Looking Forward: The PIER team is in the process of writing scientific...
Tom’s Update: April 2025
The PIER Team formally kicks off a partnership with the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. This week the PIER team launched a new addition to its fleet, a fully refitted Boston Whaler Outrage. The Whaler has been fully gone through and is now ready for the water. The Whaler was generously outfitted with a 175-horsepower V MAX SHO® series outboard through the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. PIER retired its previous Whaler in late 2024 after 25 years of service! We are confident that the new addition will serve and support our research needs well into the future. Thank You Rightwaters™! Looking Forward: The PIER team is in the process of writing scientific...
Tom’s Update: April 2025
The PIER Team formally kicks off a partnership with the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. This week the PIER team launched a new addition to its fleet, a fully refitted Boston Whaler Outrage. The Whaler has been fully gone through and is now ready for service. The Whaler was generously outfitted with a 175-horsepower V MAX SHO® series outboard through the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. PIER retired its previous Whaler in late 2024 after 25 years of service! We are confident that the new addition will serve and support our research needs well into the future. Thank You Rightwaters™! Looking Forward: The PIER team is in the process of writing scientific manuscripts...
Tom’s Update: April 2025
The PIER Team formally kicks off a partnership with the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. This week the PIER team launched a new addition to its fleet, a fully refitted Boston Whaler Outrage. The Whaler has been fully gone through and is now ready for service. The Whaler was generously outfitted with a 175-horsepower V MAX SHO® series outboard through the Yamaha Rightwaters™ Program. PIER retired its previous Whaler in late 2024 after 25 years of service! We are confident that the new addition will serve and support our research needs well into the future. Thank You Rightwaters™! Looking Forward: The PIER team is in the process of writing scientific manuscripts...