NMFS and We The People

[Deep C]

Ok boys and girls. Roughly 12 hours spent with some of the most powerful tournament directors of the Atlantic and all of NMFS top people. Although there was loads of stuff were covered the fisheries people from the mid level through Hogarth and Kelley really impressed me.
You guys know that its almost impossible to impress me and to have a dozen or so of people from an organization that I have held and do hold in contempt impress me speaks volumes... Much of today was really an education. Although I anticipated spome of the crap, and I did some good old fashioned Deepin at times, much of the day was spent gaining a better picture of whats happening here... A whole lot of todays meeting surprised me and was a hell of an education.
No, I'm not changing sides but I have found a level of respect for them I didn't think I would.

I was caught off guard by the level of complaints regarding which baits get circles from all the directors. It surprised me that virtually all of them wanted the "combo baits" I scream so vocally about, designated in a way that would make them a viable option once again... I was also impressed at the North Carolina delegation and their fervent desire to allow big naturals such as macks to be run with "J" hooks also.
Brief visits to concerns about participation fall out were just that , brief. Examples from south Florida resistance to circles and the fact the re was no significant drop was used in arguement. I played the other side at request of one of the players on their side to help keep the debates alive and see what other public sentiments might shake out. So I pointed out again that the differences in a live bait sailfish event and a trolled bait event are vast. I didn't sugar coat the public sentiment that NMFS really has no business interfering either.
What I found interesting was despite all the crap we saw at the tourneys about 50% mortality using "J"s and doom, 40 times gentler circles and death + doom propaganda. That today they provided us with what I would have to call "true" detailed reports on the info gathering and findings from two studies in 2002 and again 2005. They also gave the real numbers. Only in drop backs of 11 seconds or more did the "J" cause significantly more damage than a circle. At under 5 seconds the rates of incidents were only slightly better with circles. And at the most commonly used dropback rate amongst the pros of 5-10 seconds they had nearly identical problem ratios. .47 to .49 . So even less of an impact than I thought. Still it was unanimous to use them for small naked baits.
The issue of bigger baits though was about a 50/ 50 split. The Carolinians were most vocal on that citing regional ways of fishing really require "J" hook aplication there.
They showed some front rigged Islanders they claimed might be productive but I along with others were able to quickly dismiss that. I thought I was the only one who would come with rigged baits in various configurations but several did and they all had reached the same conclusions I had. The vote was basically unanimous in favor of reclaisfying "Combos" .
I had lunch with the Carolina contingency, Rick Webber and Mike Kelly. We all had fish...
During free time I brought up other issues many of you had asked me to forward... I will detail them and the responses in a detailed letter.
I won't bore you with details but getting things done around there but it litterally takes an act of congress. They are constrained by a sickening amount of red tape. They only have a 30 person pool of observers for all interests on both coasts combined, none trained in recreational type fishing or data collection. Costs are past their budget. Just the paperwork reduction act would take several months of work just to get a standardized data sheet approved. In otherwords they couldn't do proper testing if they had to.

There are several options on the table on how to allow combos back in and that will be their job to see which one they can use best. So thats that. It won't be the full study many hoped for. It will have to be done some other way. That ball is now rolling.

What came across very clear in this meeting was that they are not against recs. In fact they are screaming irate about what they are forced to award the commercial interests. Why then do they seem so lopsided?

Here we go... I have said it a thousand times over. We as recs are not organized. We have nobody to voice our concerns. Their advisory pannel is almost entirely either fishery or commercial interests. Not because they want it that way but because we as recs whine without putting our own in place on that comittee. They were begging for regular rec fishermen to join that panel. Since they are only an agency that answers to higher authorities. We need to get our voices heard at the highest levels in Washington. Lobbyists are a great start. Then diect pressure from all of us on our congerssmen and senators is the best way to effect change...

SPEAK UP! OR FOREVER LOSE YOUR RIGHTS!

It was clear that they are pawns. They want to be on our side but unless we get off our dead asses and apply pressure on their purse string holders we're doomed. Llets step it up a notch go call your reps right now with what ever issues are getting under your skin...

I'm tired and will post more later...

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

Good work Deep nice to have one of our guys keeping score i hope our guys here from NC pressed the issues and made some headway sounds like let me know what our plan of action is cause alot of guys around here are also on our page with the issue i have been keeping track up here with Randy Gregory from NC Gov cup it's a long slow ride. Keep it up brother!

[hotrodmarlin]

thank you

[Reeltitanium]

Good Job Deep C!

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

Here we go... I have said it a thousand times over. We as recs are not organized. We have nobody to voice our concerns. Their advisory pannel is almost entirely either fishery or commercial interests. Not because they want it that way but because we as recs whine without putting our own in place on that comittee. They were begging for regular rec fishermen to join that panel. Since they are only an agency that answers to higher authorities. We need to get our voices heard at the highest levels in Washington. Lobbyists are a great start. Then diect pressure from all of us on our congerssmen and senators is the best way to effect change...

SPEAK UP! OR FOREVER LOSE YOUR RIGHTS!

It was clear that they are pawns. They want to be on our side but unless we get off our dead asses and apply pressure on their purse string holders we're doomed. Llets step it up a notch go call your reps right now with what ever issues are getting under your skin...

I'm tired and will post more later...

Ok paul,
first who would the recs talk to? There has to be a ground or a somewhare people can go to talk to whoever. the comms have their people that lobby for them and the gavt has to listen because they have the money. Now take the rec side, where do we start? a few people here and there talking to their congress men will fall on deaf ears, RfA seems to be all over the place and not getting to much done. WE NEED A MAJOR PLAYER TO STEP UP THAT HAS A VOICE THAT WILL BE HEARD. The comms know who they can go to...we dont. where can we start? the rec fishing industry brings a huge economic impact to each state. Just now for the stripers, in New Jersey is buzzing with toins of people, Hinches has more people buzzing Around now then I have seen all summer. The people are there but who and how are they gonna get orginized?
Good work on taking the time to talk with the nmfs people. now we need a R.N.M.F.S( RECREATIONAL NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE)

[gradywhite273]

Your are 100 percent right bluewater, we need people like deep who care and voice, we need a movement to start so they know we just aint going to take it lying down. The recent elections show that, you can give the politicians all the money they can spend, however, they are on notice again, that in the end, its the peoples vote that counts, and when they get pissed, watch out.

Again thank you deep for your time and devotion.


tim

[Capt. Brian Daley]

Thank you Deep very greatfull for your services were needed keep up the
great work

[Deep C]

There are a gazillion things still spinning around my head from all that we discussed yesterday. These guys fell short of begging us to enlsit some lobbyists on our side. I don't know how to get that done. They also asked that real fishermen be included on their advisory comittees...
Currently there are several other fisheries reps on there. Several from commercial interests. I see one from RFA who failed to show for their last meeting that covered some of the stuff we covered yesterday. Hogarth even commented... "Where were you guys last year... This is what we need.... Input from the tourney directors, pro captains, manufacturers, etc... If you guys had been on board last year we wouldn't be having these debates now."

Mike Kelly, their director, went so far as to nominate me for the advisory pannel. That was nice of him but there are very specific proceedures involved with nominations. I'm trying to dig up that info and I'll get iit up on line as soon as I have it...

Think of others that woould speak well for our industry while I'm digging that stuff up.

If someone has info on how to get a lobbyist and whats involved then by all means pop up the info.

[gradywhite273]

Deep, got off the phone with vince odomski, congressman dent's aide, he is getting me out a package on lobbying, he says its a to z. I for one , will do whatever you ask me too. ( except go sharkin)


Tim

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

deep,
if hogarth is true to his word then what he needs to do is get on these fishing sites and start showing the fishermen around the world, what they can do to attend meetings. I for one never know when there is one, until its to late. also try to find somthing on the web site...cant be done unless you want a permit then they are everyware. we need to step up and so does nmfs.