Modern taxidermy spares catch of day
5/22/2005 9:44:52 AM by EVAN S. BENN
The business of immortalizingfish has striking similarities tothe sport of catching them.Like fishing, marine taxidermy is aSouth Florida institution, and its onethat doesnt rely on frequent innovationsto survive.
In fact, the last major change inmarine taxidermy came about 30years ago, when fiberglass fish modelsbegan replacing the traditionalskin mounts that over time wouldcrack and fade on anglers Floridaroom walls.
We dont do skin mounts, sotheres absolutely no reason for someoneto bring a fish in here, said NickYanuzzi, sales manager of KingSailfish Mounts in Pompano Beach.Were all about catch-and-release.
Because it helps preserve fishpopulations and makes a longer-lasting,more lifelike mount, fiberglasshas long been the most popular wayto make a permanent fish trophy.Gone are the days of soaking deadfish in chemicals to preserve theircolor and skin.
Now, all anglers have to do isshow taxidermists a photograph oftheir catch or describe its weight andlength. The rest is as easy as taking asimilar-sized model out of the taxidermistswarehouse, making a fiberglassmount out of it and painting thefishs markings on it.
The whole process takes about oneto three months and costs anywherefrom a few hundred to a few thousanddollars, depending on size.
Gray Taxidermy in PompanoBeach has perfected the process in its35 years, churning out about 1,000fish mounts a month enough thatthe company claims to be the worldslargest marine taxidermy firm.
The move from skin mounts tofiberglass created a better product,said Bob Dowling, a former fishingcaptain who now manages sales forGray Taxidermy. Plus, its better forus to have them release the fishbecause then that fish can be caughtagain, and we can mount it for someoneelse.
Unlike King Sailfish Mounts, GrayTaxidermy also makes skin mountsand partial skin mounts, where theywill attach the fishs real teeth or finsto an otherwise fiberglass model.
Gray also dabbles in non-marinetaxidermy: Everything but cats andhumans, Dowling joked. But fish from tiny feeder fish to massive hammerheadsharks, from glimmeringyellowfin tuna to barracudas providethe bulk of the business.
South Florida is home to a fewother marine taxidermy businesses,including J.T. Reese in FortLauderdale and Atlantic Taxidermyin Oakland Park. The companiescustomers include both tourists whocome to fish in South Florida andanglers who score their catches allover the world.
A love of the outdoors is almost aprerequisite for taxidermists,explained Rick Tauber, an eight-yearveteran at Gray Taxidermy.
Most of us here are fishermen orhunters, Tauber said during a walkingtour of Grays 70,000-square-footworkshop, which stands out on thewest side of Interstate 95, just northof Atlantic Boulevard, thanks to thegiant marlin that leaps skyward infront of the building.
A sizable number of the employeeshave been in the business formany years or are second-generationtaxidermists, he said.
And, they take pride in what theydo, whether its hand-painting theglass eyes that go on the fish mountsor buffing out imperfections.
In the three decades GrayTaxidermy has been in business, itsemployees have tried to stay on thecutting edge of new trends such asthe switch to fiberglass and the newceiling mounts, which are especiallypopular for people who want to hangsharks over their pool tables, for 360-degree viewing.
But, in 2001, the company gotslapped with a $30,000 fine fromFloridas attorney general. Thestates investigators claimed thatGray paid charter-boat captains todrum up taxidermy business from itsfishing clientele.
As part of the settlement, boatcaptains now follow a set of ethicalstandards that bars them from usinghigh-pressure tactics to sell taxidermycontracts.
Despite the new standards, anInternational Game Fish Associationofficial said rumors still abound.
Its fairly pervasive to hear thatthe boat captains are on the taxidermypayrolls, and they pushtourists to take that fish to so and soto get mounted, said JasonSchratwieser, fishing and sciencedirector for the association. Gray isthe one I hear the most about, but itshard to substantiate claims.
But, Dowling said those tactics area thing of the past for Gray, and thathis company has not had any suchcomplaints since the 2001 incident.Sales are strong enough without havingto pressure charter-boat anglers,he said, and taxidermists are confidentthe fiberglass mounts will keepbusinesses booming for years.
I think people are always goingto want taxidermy, Tauber said.Especially now, as younger peopleare getting into fishing, theyre morein tune with the fun of it. For them,the idea isnt to kill everything andget back to dock. Now its go out,have a good time, and then bringhome a memory to keep.
Quicksplash
HOW MARINETAXIDERMY WORKS
Taxidermist makes a plaster mold ofthe fishs body. Fins are made fromseparate molds.A fiberglass model is made usingthe plaster mold. The model issanded, and then rinsed with waterto remove imperfections.Fins and glass eyes are then addedto the fiberglass model, along witha coat of gray paint.Artists paint lifelike colors and patternsonto the fish model.After a final inspection, the productis shipped to the customer.