Cobia in the Pacific?

Invasive Cobia Spreads in Panama

Here is another link.http://www.keyt.com/news/cobia…d-invade-pacific/38056762

Cheers, Don

It is found in warm-temperate to tropical waters of the West and East Atlantic Ocean, throughout the Caribbean, and in the Indo-Pacific off India, Australia and Japan.[1] It is eurythermal, tolerating a wide range of temperatures, from 1.6 to 32.2 °C.

It's not new to the Pacific. Just the west coast of the Americas.

I was in a fishing trip in the Pacific side of Panama recently and believe me, if they were not there is because they haven't made their way up here... :rolleyes1:

Maybe soon... I don't know the consequences, but there's plenty of food for them here. And I mean PLENTY. I don't think they are going to be a problem. Plus, a tasty, fat stupid fish in my waters? :thumbsup2:

Quote from Marco

I was in a fishing trip in the Pacific side of Panama recently and believe me, if they were not there is because they haven't made their way up here... :rolleyes1:

Maybe soon... I don't know the consequences, but there's plenty of food for them here. And I mean PLENTY. I don't think they are going to be a problem. Plus, a tasty, fat stupid fish in my waters? :thumbsup2:

Carry an extra gun. I've only stoned one, of the 8 or so that I've landed. I've had them spin and tear a well placed shaft right out of the body, almost cutting it in half, and it swam away. :@
They're docile until you touch the shaft that's stuck in them. They don't seem to mind if you have the shooting line in your hand and will swim around. I've let them bleed….more blood than I thought I had….but when I grabbed the shaft…..holy shit.
Shaft benders for sure. You're going to love them Marco. :thumbsup2::laughing:

PS, I think I know the company that they escaped from. It's owned by the daughter of the owner of Walmart. They were buying cobia fry from Belize, the place where my buddy Jorge worked. Now, we're both here in Vietnam. Crazy baby…..haha

So you won't live in Belize anymore?

Sounds interesting. Id be worried only about competition with pelagic/semi pelagic predators in the near future,, that is if they become established... hard to say if they can even compete with existing yellowtail, amberjack and other jacks in the area to become established.

Quote from Marco

So you won't live in Belize anymore?

Probably again someday. I just have to make enough money to put my two little ones through Harvard Medical School. :cool2:Then maybe back to Belize and spearfishing….if I can still dive. :confused1:

Every time I moved to someplace new in my life, it never turned out the way I thought….so, we'll see.

Quote from hank

Probably again someday. I just have to make enough money to put my two little ones through Harvard Medical School. :cool2:Then maybe back to Belize and spearfishing….if I can still dive. :confused1:

Every time I moved to someplace new in my life, it never turned out the way I thought….so, we'll see.

Hank- the move is permanent? Didn't you just build a house in Belize? Are you starting a new family in Vietnam? :nono::nono::laughing3::laughing3:

How us the diving in Vietnam? Should be great I would think :thumbsup2:

Quote from Oscar

Hank- the move is permanent? Didn't you just build a house in Belize? Are you starting a new family in Vietnam? :nono::nono::laughing3::laughing3:

How us the diving in Vietnam? Should be great I would think :thumbsup2:

Who knows where this will lead, Oscar. I was offered a job that I couldn't refuse. I get to do exactly what I love to do….besides hunting fish, surfing, playing guitar and sex……:D…

But at least, if I don't like it, I can say, "screw this, I'm going home". I'd never had my own house before because my jobs always provided housing.

And no, I won't be making a new family in Vietnam…..gawddammit….:laughing:…at least not with anyone other than Araceli.

My buddy Jorge (aka the Spaniard in my old posts here) had been here five years. He says it's pretty fished out. But so was the Philippines. We'll see. Not sure if they allow spearguns here.

Vietnam is beautiful. I got to stay in Mui Ne on the coast but also managed to go to Da Lat, Saigon, and Hanoi. I still want to go back to see Ha Long bay. Post pictures when you can. Have a tiger for me too. Cheers.

Always scary to hear about a new invasive species no matter how tasty. Would love to whack one!
Hank I bet the pelagic spearing will be just fine even if nearshore is f@$ked

Yes, I have had the same experience with cobia as Hank. A meal well earned. Not sure how they would compete with native species though. Roi are decimating native reef fish in Hawaii, lion fish in other regions, striped bass in lakes and Colorado river decimating fresh water native species. Seems like non native species, once introduced to a new environment begin to dominate as predators and local species of fish begin to diminish. It will be interesting to see.

Hank, good luck in Vietnam. I was in Thailand this summer and almost went to Vietnam. Love that part of the world. Hope your boy is killing it over Kona side. We should be headed home to BI for a few weeks this summer and will make sure to give him a call.

My son Kawika with a few roi shot over Kona side. I used to eat them...good grouper meat...until they got known for ciguatera. Too bad. Now we shoot every roi we see and throw them in the garden for fertilizer.

Maybe we could build an underwater wall to keep these invasive species out......:rolleyes1:

Quote from makoa

Yes, I have had the same experience with cobia as Hank. A meal well earned. Not sure how they would compete with native species though. Roi are decimating native reef fish in Hawaii, lion fish in other regions, striped bass in lakes and Colorado river decimating fresh water native species. Seems like non native species, once introduced to a new environment begin to dominate as predators and local species of fish begin to diminish. It will be interesting to see.

Hank, good luck in Vietnam. I was in Thailand this summer and almost went to Vietnam. Love that part of the world. Hope your boy is killing it over Kona side. We should be headed home to BI for a few weeks this summer and will make sure to give him a call.

My son Kawika with a few roi shot over Kona side. I used to eat them...good grouper meat...until they got known for ciguatera. Too bad. Now we shoot every roi we see and throw them in the garden for fertilizer.

Thanks Makoa. I'll get Jake's number and PM it to you. He works a lot of overtime right now. He's at Shrimp Improvement Systems near the Kona airport and that deep sea water intake system.
He's really getting into body boarding and recently bought a 5'9" surfboard. Knowing his kamikaze style, it won't surprise me if he's riding 15 foot Sunset in a few years. :thumbsup2:

Also, I never knew this….Mike Stewart, the world boogie board champ a few years back is from Kona. Jake says the waves get pretty good. And he hasn't been there for a summer yet. The south swells must get unreal.

Right on Hank. Sorry I haven't gotten over Kona side since he's been there. Plenty guys who dive there though. I'm sure he's got to know some. I know exactly where he's at. We dive close by there in the Ono lanes right off shore! My boys and I are thinking about helping our Mexican friend start a shrimp tank down in Mex. I'll have to get some advice from you another time.

Aloha!

Sorry I missed you Hank....we don't arrive in Belize until May 3. Happy hunting!