ANTI-CITES PETITION! SIGN TODAY!

[jamesytuna]

Done and done.

[twofinbluna]

Hey guys

I know many of you have signed the petition that is going around, and while that will be submitted as a comment to the CITES comment period, I wanted to remind everyone that it would be really good if we could get some individual comments in, as well. Below is information on the comment period. Comments need to be sent in by January 4th. While the petition is going to be helpful, if you could send in a comment that would be great. Any comment will suffice and all you really need to say is that you are opposed to bluefin being listed. I will try and get a sample letter up here for people to use in the coming days.

Information can be found: HERE

DATES: The public meeting will be held on December 2, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. In developing the U.S. negotiating positions on proposed resolutions, decisions, and species proposals, and other agenda items submitted by other Party countries and the CITES Secretariat for consideration at CoP15, we will consider written information and comments you submit if we receive them by January 4, 2010.

Comments pertaining to species proposals should be sent to the Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 110, Arlington, VA 22203, or via e-mail at: scientificauthority@fws.gov. Comments and materials received will be available for public inspection, by appointment, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at either the Division of Management Authority or the Division of Scientific Authority.

[twofinbluna]

hey guys, here is a sample letter that you can use to send in a comment. while tweaking it a bit to make it more personal would be great, its good to go as is if that is easier....

------------------------

Mr. Robert R. Gabel, Chief
Division of Management Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212
Arlington, VA 22203

Re: Cop15 & Northern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Dear Mr. Gabel:


I am a fisherman and am writing to show my strong opposition to a CITES listing for Northern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. US fishermen have been following the science for years and a listing will only punish us for that compliance. Recent stock assessments from ICCAT show that there are millions of bluefin in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, showing that it is a stock that is far from being "threatened by extinction".

As you know, ICCAT met this November in Brazil and made important changes that will allow for full rebuilding of bluefin stocks in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean within ten years. Furthermore, with the reduction of the Western Atlantic quota fishery to 1,800mt in 2010, overfishing will be ended on that part of the stock.

Given the changes at ICCAT, and the fact that no credible data exists to support a listing, we hope that the US government will oppose Monaco’s proposal to list bluefin tuna on CITES.

Thanks for your time,

[twofinbluna]

Good work, C & C

And as I mentioned earlier, the threat of a listing is already affecting domestic regulations. Over the last few weeks the enviros circulated a letter to get the bluefin amendment (regarding the increase in the gen.cat. limits, etc) delayed, and just yesterday it was announced that they had succeeded. The comment period had ended on the 21st, meaning that the rules could be in place in time for the coming season. But as a result of the enviros asking for a delay due to CITES, the comment period was extended until March 31st! Thats over 3 months! All because of the CITES issue. That means the new regs wont possibly in place for the season now.

Anyone who does not think this CITES thing will affect us all is nuts and should see this comment extension as the first sign of what it will do to us.

[Fishypantsmagoo]

signed sealed and to be delivered

[stevo75]

done #2721

[KP161]

Good work, C & C

And as I mentioned earlier, the threat of a listing is already affecting domestic regulations. Over the last few weeks the enviros circulated a letter to get the bluefin amendment (regarding the increase in the gen.cat. limits, etc) delayed, and just yesterday it was announced that they had succeeded. The comment period had ended on the 21st, meaning that the rules could be in place in time for the coming season. But as a result of the enviros asking for a delay due to CITES, the comment period was extended until March 31st! Thats over 3 months! All because of the CITES issue. That means the new regs wont possibly in place for the season now.

Anyone who does not think this CITES thing will affect us all is nuts and should see this comment extension as the first sign of what it will do to us.

Signed and email sent awhile back.

If a CITES listing is passed I would be rather surprised if they let juvenile fish be harvested. The enviros will use the CITES listing (right or wrong) to say the fish are endangered and juveniles should not be harvested. Maybe not 2010 but if a CITES listing happens word will get out the U.S. fishermen are catching pre-spawn fish and enviros will push hard to shut it down in 2011.

So in my opinion a CITES listing will most definitley affect more than just the commercial guys.

[seacoast]

I finally signed
#2742

[Captain Greg Sears]

Signed and email sent awhile back.

If a CITES listing is passed I would be rather surprised if they let juvenile fish be harvested. The enviros will use the CITES listing (right or wrong) to say the fish are endangered and juveniles should not be harvested. Maybe not 2010 but if a CITES listing happens word will get out the U.S. fishermen are catching pre-spawn fish and enviros will push hard to shut it down in 2011.

So in my opinion a CITES listing will most definitely affect more than just the commercial guys.

I have sent and received a bunch of emails regarding species of animals and plants That are on CITES listing for endangered species. Regarding harvest for personal consumption. there is no listed species that you can harvest unless for scientific reasons. Because of the difficulty of enforcement of monetary value (IE Black Market) the USA does not allow the harvest of Endangered Species.

On another note other countries allow the harvest of everything because they do not follow CITES regulations.
It is a Big Ocean and we only control the fishing in a small part of it. Unfortunately we live in the area that has the best enforcement (believe it or not) and makes the most regulations. And has most of the Dogfish Lovers.

I was thinking of buying an Island off of Africa more than 200 miles from the mainland. Fly the flag of FORTUNA and call it paradise. But then I realized I would die of starvation or disease. My boat would break down and I could not get the parts. I would miss Doug's Ranting about rec guys so I decided to stay hear and just fight the battle as long as I can.

All Members of Mass Bay Guides and the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association have signed this petition!!

[KP161]

I have sent and received a bunch of emails regarding species of animals and plants That are on CITES listing for endangered species. Regarding harvest for personal consumption. there is no listed species that you can harvest unless for scientific reasons. Because of the difficulty of enforcement of monetary value (IE Black Market) the USA does not allow the harvest of Endangered Species.

On another note other countries allow the harvest of everything because they do not follow CITES regulations.
It is a Big Ocean and we only control the fishing in a small part of it. Unfortunately we live in the area that has the best enforcement (believe it or not) and makes the most regulations. And has most of the Dogfish Lovers.

I was thinking of buying an Island off of Africa more than 200 miles from the mainland. Fly the flag of FORTUNA and call it paradise. But then I realized I would die of starvation or disease. My boat would break down and I could not get the parts. I would miss Doug's Ranting about rec guys so I decided to stay hear and just fight the battle as long as I can.

All Members of Mass Bay Guides and the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Association have signed this petition!!

I agree with you 100%. I just get the feeling some rec guys are thinking "This will be great...the commercial guys won't be able to fish and we'll have the fish all to ourselves." Yeah, right.

Like you said the U.S. is a member of the organization and is going to follow a CITES listing to the letter of the law. It will be way too high profile if the U.S. doesn't and continues to harvest even for domestic use. The only thing I could posssibly see is if the U.S. sets up a fishery for "Scientific Purposes". The U.S. will not do what Japan or other countries do...be a member and then when an animal is listed that they don't like being listed (whales) just ignore it.

The only way the Mediterrean excedes their quota by so much is lack of enforcement or the law enforcement over there is paid off to look the other way. Like you said the U.S. has the best enforcement.

It's been mentioned before but if the quota reduction in the east by ICCAT was enough to ward off a CITES listing this time around the next hurdle is going to be the east sticking to their quota.

To your point of the U.S. having the best enforcement...Some of the newer guys to the bluefin fishery might not realize it becasue we haven't filled the commercial quota in quite a few years but when the quota gets close to being filled the U.S. takes it pretty seriously and brodcasts on VHF that the general category will be shut down at midnight on a certain day. Often with only 24 hrs notice. I don't think they don't do anything like that in the east. Seems like they just tally what was caught 4 months after the season and say wow we really nailed them last season.