Lets Hear Your Opinion on NMFS opening the 2001 closed waters to Long Liners

[flatbottom]

Guys I have a rough draft being looked at by the top adviser on this site. Wording is important as is the point needed served. They (NMFS) will hear the member voice of this site with your support. We as a World Wide fishing community do not ask for much of this fishery and sure do not want it shoved up our azz. There are areas being sword fished as we speak. I see no problem with NMFS hopping a ride on those boats for data collection. Leave the closed zones closed. There is no improvement in economic numbers to be gained by the Permits. The long liners are fishing today. Everyday !!!!!
This is a fraudulent waste of tax payers money and a sure sign to the public that other agendas are at work here. Hiding behind and using research as a way to further the opposed agenda will not be tolerated. The Opening of the zones will not bring our quotas any closer to reaching the ICCAT quotas issued to the United States.

[Glenn W]

Of late it may appear that I have been siding more with commercial fishing interests than recreational interests. My naiveness regarding a better policy of commercial and recreational fishing interests working together to protect our U.S. fisheries aside, the ignorance of reality by so many recreational leads me to appear to play the Devil's advocate in many instances.
Now the reality of what is going on with this situation (you may not like it and you may not agree with the policy, but it is reality nonetheless).
First NMFS is part NOAA which in turn is a division of the U.S. Department od Commerce--- that's right COMMERCE. It is not part of the Deptartment of Interior. The Department of Commerce is primarily concerned with interstate and international trade.--- that would be commercial fishing people.--- don't give me this malarky about tourism and ma & pa tackle shops--- understand what the Dept. of Commerce's responsibility is---protect and promote interstate commerce.

With the above said, we all know that the US is part of ICCAT in which the US has a Swordfish ICCAT quota. The US swordfishing quota has not been met for several years and the Southern Atlantic Biomass is now at 99% of sustainable harvest levels. The real US Government fear (as far as the Dept. of Commerce is concerned) is that out ICCAT Swordfish quota will be cut since we are not coming close to meeting the level we currently have.

Put yourself in NMFS shoes a minute with the responsibilities charged by our congress and executive branch.---- seems like a no brainer if your job is to promote commerce, save our ICAT quota (for commerce), and at the same time, a closed area is currently at 99% of a sustainable harvest level.

If one does not understand or agree with the role of the US Department of Commerces as a matter of policy, simply undertand the clear law that it must abide by--- primarily the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act of 2006. Supported and signed into law by President Bush. Read it carefully and understand, especially all you right wing--- Republican-- keep the regulations away, supporters that are crying foul about your recreational social interests.

Here is a good summary of the act and with very little creativity, it is easy to see why NMFS is doing what it is with this project.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0070112-1.html

If Americans want better fisheries management, the best place to start is changing the laws that NMFS must enforce.

If Fishing interests want better fisheries management, the CCA, RFA, etc. need to put their petty ego's and power struggles aside and work with commercial interests in protecting AMERICA's interests for all.



Tomorrows topic: Why America needs to ban the Democratic party northeast of Pennsylvania and in the entire Great Lakes region---