The Swordfish Hunters The Life, Death, and Future of Xiphias Gladius |
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| Author:
| Armbruster, Thomas |
| Artist:
| Armbruster, Catherine |
| Cover Design by:
| Armbruster, Catherine |
| Drawings by:
| Troy, Tony |
| ISBN: | 978-0-578-61945-3 |
| Publication Date: | Nov 2020 |
| Publisher: | SandyHook SeaLife Foundation
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| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $18.00 |
Book Description:
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The vessel rises, then falls into the swells over the Hudson, one of the deepest submarine canyons in the North Atlantic. The crew is hunting the dangerous swordfish, the gladiator of the sea. Through a bone-chilling dawn they labor, pulling lines from the depths. Then - fish on! Killing stick in hand, the greenhorn leans over the railing of the pitching boat, scanning the churning water for the swordfish below. The first mate screams - "Gaff the damn eye." The greenhorn knows this...
More DescriptionThe vessel rises, then falls into the swells over the Hudson, one of the deepest submarine canyons in the North Atlantic. The crew is hunting the dangerous swordfish, the gladiator of the sea. Through a bone-chilling dawn they labor, pulling lines from the depths. Then - fish on! Killing stick in hand, the greenhorn leans over the railing of the pitching boat, scanning the churning water for the swordfish below. The first mate screams - "Gaff the damn eye." The greenhorn knows this fish is valuable. Boating it could make or break the trip for the entire crew; he cannot afford to miss. He also knows that this fish, one of the largest predators in the Atlantic, is increasingly harder to find. The Swordfish Hunters takes us to sea aboard the Defiance where the author relates his intense, and sometimes humorous, experiences as a commercial fisherman. And it is here, in the NW Atlantic, that he explores the natural beauty of the open ocean against the brutality of mechanized longlining, the technology that has decimated wild fisheries for over 50 years - and the bigger story. Scientists warn that life on earth depends on abundant fish in healthy oceans, raising the question - can the fisheries, especially the swordfish, billfish, sharks and tuna at the top of the food chain, be returned to commercially-viable and sustainable levels? Although the author finds promise in new technology, he also believes that public support at many levels is key. The Swordfish Hunters, a marine narrative embedded with passion, science, and Thomas Armbruster's innate connection with the ocean, begs for that commitment.