Hi All,
Today I sent an email as far across the upper-sphere of management, Maryland & federal, that I could.
This email, included below, offers a striking demonstration of why we need flexibility put back into management; why we must not allow a law to remain in place that forces fisheries personnel to go far beyond reason and regulate with unserviceable data--despite that it is "The Best Data Available."
It demonstrates why you should consider requesting, writing, calling, your DC representatives to support the "Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act."
And, since the Mid-Atlantic Council meeting begins today--where sea bass will be one topic among many--you may want to send it to your state's representatives on the Council; bring it to their attention.
Please take a moment to review the letter and simple data fields below, a quick cursory glance, the least skim of this data.. Do not worry that you may not understand the lingo or abbreviations, the numbers speak clearly: No fishery that I have known experiences pogo-stick catches like this.
Yet it is from these very data sets that the government asserts we exceeded our sea bass quota for 2009.
That is why we were closed last fall, and will suffer a greatly shortened season in 2010.
Its not right.
Regards,
Monty
Good Folks,
There must be some line where free, thinking people will not allow the law to take them; a place where the Best Science Available can be sent to the shredder and common sense allowed to rule the day.
I beg you to search MRFSS in the screens below.. Did Massachusetts really see this dramatic a jump in their wave 3 sea bass fishery?
Did New Jersey's wave two, 2009 private boat numbers happen - ever?
NY's sudden jump in catch...
Strikes me that in the transition to MRIP, MRFSS slipped by with less scrutiny.
Every Fish Counts - and every bit of claptrap in the data slices like a knife.
Regulators are sentencing my industry, my fishery--the recreational sea bass fishery--to death with data that shouldn't see the light of day.
I think: No, I know that this fishery can be engineered to greater population than has ever existed..
And I know the regulations about to come forth will preclude many present day participants from ever enjoying the fruits of what management could do; that we will have departed the industry in bankruptcy, our lost business these last few years irretrievable: our contribution to restoration irredeemable.
Please see below. Its your data: the data from which you might base great economic distress.
Or, cast aside, allow fishers a fighting chance of surviving the great recession.
Regards,
Monty Hawkins
Partyboat Morning Star
Ocean City, MD.
Hi Monty, I see this as another example of too much government. The country is going to hell in a hand basket under this regime. My only solice is that I voted for the american-John McCain. I hope that some good can come out of the bean counter mentallity, that these guys have, but I doubt it. Good luck, and good fishing
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
