Groundfish Committee Meeting Portland ME, Wednesday Jan 18th Who is Going

[relentless]

On Wednesday there will be a Groundfish Oversight Committee Meeting in Portland at the Marriott Sable Oaks in Portland, ME. I certainly hope there is a good turnout of charter,party and recreational fisherman in attendance because what is on the table is ugly. There are two links included, the first being the agenda and the second from the PDT meeting back in December. The second one has the recreational measures in paragraph 13. If you like groundfishing for anything standby for the hammer to drop if we do not get support from our own. This will set the table for recommendations to the council for the council meeting in two weeks. Lets show up and be a presence, speak out and take care of ourselves. If not than stop your bitching about the rules and regulations and think about golf. I am taking a vacation day to attend and if you work and have a personal day or need to use a vacation day, think about the importance of this and the council meeting. I just can't stress this anymore about how critical these are now.

http://www.nefmc.org/nemulti/cte_mtg...ittee_memo.pdf

http://www.nefmc.org/nemulti/cte_mtg...ll_summary.pdf

Recreational Measures
13. The type of recreational measures needed depends on the amount of catch reduction needed. It is difficult to predict the effectiveness of recreational measures. Generally, the measures that would be most effective are time or area closures, followed by bag limits and then minimum size restrictions.

14. Minimum fish size: The current recreational minimum fish size is 24 inches for GOM cod. Information in the assessment suggests that recreational discards increased with each recent increase in the minimum fish size. While it may seem counterintuitive, a reduction in the minimum size to 19 inches might reduce discards and overall recreational catches.

15. Bag limits/seasons: A change in minimum size alone is not likely to meet mortality objectives. Party/charter interests typically oppose changes in the bag limit below ten fish per angler, but the only alternative to a restrictive bag limit would seem to be a shorter season or closed area. A closed area is probably the most effective measure. A bag limit of five fish per angler and closing the WGOM closed area to all recreational groundfish fishing would likely dramatically reduce recreational catches

You can kiss your deepwater pollock and haddock good bye if this goes through.

Respectfully,

Captain Dave Waldrip
Charter Boat Relentless

[FullStrikeAngler]

Are they accepting the Assessment as valid??? If so we are screwed.

[On The Edge]

I was wondering the same thing George and agree if they acept the latest assesment as valid the fishery is screwed, the fisherman are screwed, and the fisheries management people have no clue what they are doing. I wish i could make it tomorrow. Working 12 to 14 hour days in an Office BLOWS.

[relentless]

I will post up upon my return but I think the word of the day will be screwed.

Dave