NMFS Meeting in silver springs yesterday on the Bluefin Tuna

[sashamy]

i think we should make herring a gamefish....that would solve a lot of forage issues!

[MountainM]

I completely agree with the moratorium on the fishing. I know its hard with everyone on the other side catching up everythign that moves but it needs to be an international ban.

Otherwise there truely will not be any BFT left for anyone. Commercial, rec, no matter your location.

[F.stop]

kobey and i went to the meeting in silver springs md and wrote letter to let our voices be heardon the 2009 bluefin regs. att Sarah Mclaughlin/NOAA

Yesterday afternoon Sarah Mclaughlin/NOAA personally called me we talked for a go 15-20mins i must say she was very sincere and seemed like she wanted to hear and help. I offered to take anyone from NOAA out fishing for bluefin tuna either on my boat or a local charter boat, so they can see first hand how good the fishing has been in are area as well as the economic impact on the area. She put that on record and this may be happening. I also told her i would help in anyway to help with bluefin research, i tagged 27 fish last year.

Bottom line we as fishermen have got to go to these meeting weather it be charter boats or recreational fishermen....THIS EFFECTS US ALL. We can not afford to sit back and ***** and moan and think oh someone else will go and make excuses not go to meetings. If you can find the time to fish you can find the time to go to meetings. The internet is a great tool....BUT you have to go to meetings fax letters, make phone calls report landed fish etc. I know it's a pain in the ASS! But we have to do this......this is what it's come to! Because ENVIRONMENTAL groups do!!...and we know hoew strong there voice is.

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

well it seems against all odds steve had his voice heard. so I guess that all the people who say that when you go to these meetings you don't get heard are sadly mistaken. Just think if more people showed up? Maybe we could get our ideas put to work instead of bitching about the unjust on these fishing forums. With most of the attitudes out there, one will never know.

[RCARNEY]

Doesn't it seem ironic that the meetings in the northern areas are held when a high percentage of the participants that pursue these magnifigant fish are south of the meeting areas working for a living. Divide and conquer comes to mind. I suspect that the attendance would improve if the meetings were to be held while marinas were full of boats rather when the majority were hundreds of miles to the south.