The $250 fee per fish was covered on DR1 news a few days ago and the $250rd fee even applied to spearfishermen according to the article.

With the fee only applied to billfish, it probably would help encourage catch and release, but my experience has been that a first time catcher of of billfish generally wants to bring it back to the dock and bask in the limelight. On the other hand, many experienced anglers are content to release the fish unless it is being kept for food.

And you're absolutely right about the nets. When we banned gill net fishing in Florida about 6 years ago, not only did the inshore fishing vastly improve, but offshore as well!

The fish traps are also a serious problem as you so rightly pointed out. I noticed the other day that they are now trapping in over 300' of water. There's nothing left in shallow waters.

To lay the blame for the decline in fish stocks on the sportfishing industry is another lie. The sportfishermen don't account for 10% of the fish taken, it's the commercial boys who are wiping it out with nets and longlines and then pointing the finger at the highly visable sportfishing boats. And until the DR patrols its waters and enforces conservation rules, it will continue to decline, probably to the point where the tourist sportfishing industry will die.