Suing The People Who Are Trying To Ruin The Bluefin Fishery

[Captain Greg Sears]

Andy I understand the issue. And I don't mean to sidetrack the thread.

There's data on the net about a 20% kill estimated for what happened in the gulf.Show me this Data ? Bullcrap I'm no scientist but one would have to speculate that since all of that oil is floating around in the gulf, the breading grounds for Western Atlantic bluefin, that there has to be an affect. There was a recent report of juvinal Dolphins washing up on shore. How many of them are crab food that didn't make it to shore? They speculate that the deaths were related to the oil spill. Makes sense, but I'm not a scientist. I guess the proof will be in the pudding. I don't recall a great season of acres of footballs being caught off the coast. Maybe that's a coincidence.

The answer to your question is No I haven't been fishing over the last 2 years. But I still know and talk to a lot of fishermen. That will change this year as I get ready to start fishing again. so you realy do not know what your talking about?

Its my understanding that the bft fishing off the cape was good. Probably better than it's been for a while, but in areas off RI and CT, it wasn't that good. So you seem to know, how is the fishery holding up? Was the quota even met by any division? I may be wrong but I don't think the rec quota had been met.

What can be expected for this season? Good Question

And no matter how good it was last season or how good it could be this season, it's never going to compare how good it was just 20 to 30 years ago. Some are saying its better than 30 years ago ask my Canadian friends

I'm not even sure how the fishing was of Carolina this winter. I would expect if it were epic, we'd be hearing about it. They have already filled the trophy or are close to it

I remember when the striped bass stocks were depleted and how it was finally managed to the point of a good comeback.

That would not happen with the bluefin, because it's all about the money. Some guys where making more money Striper fishing last year

The fact of the matter is you can have all the awareness that you want. You can attend all the meetings you want. You can file all the lawsuits that you want to pay for. But the only way to change things is by voting and putting people in office that have the same beliefs as you. And if you're passionate about the fishery, then back a pol who has the same interest and passion. Otherwise none of these crooks that get in will help anything other than their pocket. Love this comment

I guess if enough people showed up with gaffs in hand and poured out of the meeting rooms and into the streets with torches and pitchforks that could possibly result in a positive outcome in the meetings. Let em know you mean business and someone could be intimidated enough to back down. But that hasn't happened yet. I am about to but instead of pitchforks I would use a Poon Harpoon

Whats being done with the quotas is criminal. But guess what, that's not stopping them from taking it to the recreational fishermen. They've been "throwing down" against the rec's forever.Time to grab your Poon too

Recreational fishermen spend a lot of money, but who is going to organize a lobbing effort to fight big business and the government. Might as well as hang up the charter business at that point, because its a lifetime commitment.With that attitude you should hang it up

It would take a monumental effort to put together the right lobbing and grassroots effort required to make a change. But that's just my humble opinion.

Good luck in the endeavor. The cold one's can't even take us away from the reality. Better grab the hard stuff. Everyone in unison.... Drink.

Fishermen have the highest rate of addiction of any profession

[twofinbluna]

How about we get a law passed so nobody is allowed to harvest Bluefin tuna?

Between the Deep Water Horizon disaster and the overfishing by all, there may not be any bluefin left in a few years anyway.

As a charter captain, you should file against BP. There's enough articles about how a good percentage of the spawn was killed off last year.

If the footballs don't show up this year, it's probably over anyway.

I believe there are groups lobbying to get the BFT placed on the endangered list. And that's really the right thing to do.

No offense, Fortunate, but you are really out to lunch on this issue...

[Fortunate One]

No offense, Fortunate, but you are really out to lunch on this issue...

Bluto: Hey! What's all this laying around stuff? Why are you all still laying around here for?
Stork: What the hell are we supposed to do, ya moron? We're all expelled. There's nothing to fight for anymore.
D-Day: [to Bluto] Let it go. War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: [to Boon] Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...
[thinks hard of something to say]
Bluto: The tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!
[Bluto runs out, alone; then returns]
Bluto: What the **** happened to the Delta I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you're gonna let it be the worst. "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my *** from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...
Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. Psychotic... but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons, but that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
D-Day: [stands up] Yeah, I agree. Let's go get 'em.
Boon: Let's do it.
Bluto: [shouting] "Let's do it"!
[all of the Deltas stand up and run out with Bluto]

Capt Greg, the reason the bft are alive and well in Canada is because the NMFS has allowed pair trawlers to clean out all of their food source down here. You know that.

Andy, I'm just trying to keep it real. Provide scientific data that tells us the fishery wasn't damaged by the 4.9 Million barrels that poured into the gulf. I just saw today the CG is heading out to a slick that is over 100 miles long out there. I'm not totally expressing resignation. As an entrepreneur I try to keep things in perspective. I've been through many battles. Last Friday I was successful with a legal battle. I'm in the mist of another. I know the energy that it takes. As an entrepreneur when I read this thread the first thing that came to mind is someone could make a decent living off of this cause. Set it up properly, organize it well, get donations for lobbing efforts, perform the work, grab 10 percent off the top for operating it. Could always grab more if needed to spend on the cause for aggressive marketing and organizing of entities like the IFGA.

The task at hand is great.

Don't kid yourselves guys. The fishery is certainly in big trouble and if it gets to the endangered species list some folks on this forum will have their businesses hurt.

[cappyD]

So fortunate...what is your point exactly...fight the fight? Dont fight the fight? Someone is going to most likely take the reigns here and file a suit...unlikely one of the concerned guys on this thread...but there are far too many angry people for it not to happen. My guess is there will be many coming. Im all in behind the entity that does step up, and I am going to make alot more phone calls/emails to find out more info.

Heres what scares me. You keep bringing up the gulf crisis...the news said this...the article said that...if you step back for a second and take a look at the big picture...your reaction is EXACTLY what the EDF and other environmental organizations want...EXACTLY. And dont think for a second that they dont DIRECT the media.
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So you cant blame some of the educated guys on this thread to have a problem with your posts. Its nothing personal. Im sure youre a good guy with good intentions for the fishery...but dont just assume all this propaganda(thats what it is by the way) about the gulf crisis is all true. I KNOW fishermen down there...charter fishermen. The fishing has been INCREDIBLE since the oil spill. A lot of the beaches never closed! The big yellowfin bite has been insane at times. But the industry is way off...why? The fishermen down there are pissed...more so at the media than they are at BP!!

Are you getting this? So before you try and chip away at an already very shaky momentum...which is easy to do...think about what would happen if a few suits do materialize and the EDF nad Lubchenko spokes get jammed...and some very wealthy people are exposed and embarrassed...I would LOVE to see that happen. I wish I had more time, more money...but unfortunately I have more kids and more bills at the moment...and God willing..more fish to catch.

Otherwise I might indeed start a mission of my own. And for those of you who think Im nuts, I probably am...but I wouldnt be the first "crazy" person. Im certainly interested in jumping onboard with the right plan. I will promise to dig around and find out more.

The suit that Greg Sears brought up...from what I hear is having a very tough time as the laws are working against them. We need to find an infraction of the law and I think the RICO Statute idea is a worthy case. If anyone knows a good prosecuting attorney...ask them for advice!

[dwar9739]

Its my understanding that the bft fishing off the cape was good. Probably better than it's been for a while, but in areas off RI and CT, it wasn't that good. So you seem to know, how is the fishery holding

I fished both the cape and off block island and while I did not see the size or quite the number of fish off block I saw in the cape, I don't think we had a single trip fishing for bluefin south of block without atleast one fish. We fished just about every nice weather weekend starting June 8th. Caught that day and just kept on catching we tagged maybe a dozen and a half fish last year from under 20 pounds to around 70. All off the RI coast. I have pictures. One I will put up when I get out of work of a fish that was under 20lbs and it was one of 3 landed of a quad we had, all babies. So like I said the fish are there and they are in pretty big schools. they are just not quite the size and quanity of the fish in the cape. Of course the draggers do a good job clearing the area of bait fish. But that's another story.
We need to get this figured out that's for sure. And I think Rec and comm guys can work together. We can make sure we can all still fish for them and make sure they will be there to fish for and then get back to the good ole days of fighting between ourselves about who should be fishing and for what and where and when and all that good stuff. But first let's get this figured out.

[AndyP]

mocking the effort to synthesize a plan by suggesting that the respondents on this thread are a gung ho bunch of morons and, perhaps worst of all using one of my all time favorite movies to do it, is extremely annoying. If fortunate one is truly informed, interested and resourceful I ask that he please illuminate the rest of us on the best way to influence those whose decisions will regulate the bluefin tuna fishery.
Nobody is suggesting that the BP mess will not impact the bluefin stocks in New England and that is precisely why we want a more transparent and rational regulatory process. Sweeping generalizations about environmental damage from the oil spill and conjecture are useless. We hang together or surely we shall hang alone.

[captdom]

Andy I understand the issue. And I don't mean to sidetrack the thread.

If you didn't mean to sidetrack the thread, why did you continue on with your worthless drivel?

Maybe you should fire up that expensive Cabo of yours and actually go see for yourself instead of replying with sarcasm, things you "heard" from others, and ill-informed speculative statements.

You are way off the mark on almost every account, and are detracting from a thread that you obviously have no business being involved with.