Remember not to tie off to the FAD!
Boats should never tie off to the FAD. The mooring gear is designed to secure the FAD float and line only. While this may be tempting as the currents can be strong out there this may damage to the FAD and the radar reflectors on them or worse cause them to break away. If the current is moving you too fast, deploying a sea anchor will help slow down your drift and give you more time in the strike zone.
Due to the FADs being located reasonably far offshore, limited good weather condition windows to fish them means it’s unlikely you’ll be the only boat on the FADs. This means it can get crowded on the FADs and some simple etiquette rules will help keep things running smoothly.
In the likely situation that you are not the only boat fishing the FAD, patience will be needed as only one boat should be in the strike zone at a time. Boats should wait roughly 200m up-current until the strike zone is clear then make their pass at it. Once you have exited the strike zone circle back up-current by taking a wide course. The idea is to keep the dolphinfish from shutting down for as long as possible by keeping the boat pressure in the strike zone down.
Keys

- Current direction

- FAD

- Strike Zone (100m radius)

- Packs of pelagic species such as wahoo, tuna and marlin (can be found in the vicinity of the FAD)

- Dolphinfish
Method

- Wait up current until it’s your turn to drift past the FAD.

- Drop spear fishermen up current, display the dive flag, circle wide and pick up down current.

- Cast, troll or spear close to the FAD one at a time. Do not tie on to the FAD!

- Take a wide circle back to avoid shutting down the dolphinfish.

- Troll skirts and diving lures wide of the FAD in search of other pelagic such as wahoo, tuna and marlin.
Boats should never tie off to the FAD. The mooring gear is designed to secure the FAD float and line only. While this may be tempting as the currents can be strong out there this may cause damage to the FAD and the radar reflectors on them or worse cause them to break away. If the current is moving you too fast, deploying a sea anchor will help slow down your drift and give you more time in the strike zone.
Spearfishers should be aware of other FAD users and should not enter the water if other boats are around the FAD. Likewise, anglers should wait until spear fishers have completed their drift past the FAD before deploying lines (spearfishers usually only spend a short time period around the FAD). It is highly recommended spearfishers display the “Divers Flag A” when drifting in the water near the FADs and have a boat with an operator acting as a lookout accompany those in the water.
FADs are there for the benefit of all recreational fishers and courtesy should be extended to fishers who are already using a FAD and new arrivals should be accommodated. Please recognize conservation values, be responsible, share with other users and take only as many fish as you need.