Public Meeting requesting comments for the Proposed Circle Hook Rule

[Squidnation]

I attended the Public Comment meeting for the Proposed Rule to temporarily Suspend Circle Hook Requirements in Atlantic Billfish Tournaments This evening. Here are some of the notes that I took.

The turn out was rather disappointing but I attribute that to the odd location - Snow Hill Public Library, and the lack of promotion of the meeting. Except for White Marlin Open President Jim Motsko, I think the few that were in attendance heard about it from a friend or from this site.

The meeting was held to hear public comments on three alternatives to the Current Circle Hook Regulation.

The Current Regulation as it stands now is

Anglers Fishing from HMS permitted vessels and participating in Atlantic Billfish Tournaments must deploy only non-offset circle hooks when using natural bait or natural bait/artificial lure combinatons and may not deploy a J-hook or an offset circle hook in combination with natural bait or a natural bait/artificail lure combination.

The Proposed Rule or course of actions are 3 alternatives.

Alternative 1 - No Action (status Quo) Maintain existing non-offset circle hook requirements for anglers fishing from HMS permitted vessels and participating in Atlantic Billfish TOurnaments.

Alternative 2 - Suspend existing non-offset circle hook requirements for anglers fishing from HMS permitted vessels and participating in Atlantic billfish tournaments through Dec 31, 2007. (Preferred Alternative)

Alternative 3 - Remove Atlantic Billfish tournament circle hook requirements and promote voluntary use of circle hooks by tournament anglers. (considered but not further analyzed).

Two individuals Publically commented for the record.

WMO President Jim Motsko voiced his comment as a strong proponent of the Current circle hook ruling. He also did not object to the suspension of the circle hook ruling for the following reasons.

1. The delay will allow time for NMFS to define what a circle hook is.
2. The delay will allow for Anglers to learn and become more familiar and comfortable with the use of non-offset Circle Hooks.

Capt Franky Pettolina publically commented saying he did not have a problem with non-offset circle hooks for the use of white marlin fishing with natural baits. He further voiced his request that NMFS strongly study and reconsider the allowing of the use of J-hooks for the purpose of targeting blue marlin while using Natural/Artificial Combination baits.

The Public Comment period is open Until march 30th 2007
Written Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Russell Dunn or Randy Blankinship, Fisheries Management Specialist, HMS Division using any of the following methods

Email - 0648-AV25@noaa.gov. Please include the following subject line "Comments on Proposed Billfish Circle Hook Rule"

Mail -
NOAA/NMFS HMS Management Division
263 13th Ave South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Please mark the envelope - Comments on Proposed Billfish Circle Hook Rule

Fax - 1-727-824-5398
Federal e-rulemaking Portal
http://www.regulations.gov
please include in the subject line the following identifier:
I.D. 022607F

The official Ruling is to be handed down in April.


Their will also be another hearing this Thursday, March 29th from 7-9pm in Morehead City at the Carteret Community College, Joslyn hall, HJ. Mcgee, Jr. building. 3505 Arendell Steet, Morehead City, NC 28557-2989.

and also on March 28th 2007 From 7-9pm at the Broward County Library, Main Library, 100 South Andrew Ave. Ft Lauderdale. Fl 33301


I strongly encourage as many people as possible to attend and voice their comments.

Also - Everyone should sign up fot Atlantic HMS News. It is an electronic newsletter of the laterst Atlantic HMS related actions from the NMFS. It will also include times, dates and locations of future meetings. You can sign up by visiting

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/newslist/


Although the official comment period ends on March 30th The director encourages comments beyond the deadline period.

Their is no proposed action to officially propose alternatives to allow J-hooks on Natural Bait/artificial bait combinations at the moment. But they are discussing it and encourage all comments on the subject.

[Glenn W]

Thanks Bill

[whitey]

Thanks for the update Bill.

I got my Feb issue of Billfishing Magazine today and I saw your ugly mug in the profiles.

[ocalex]

thanks man i was gonna try and go i just didnt have time to make the trip from baltimore

[Captain Jay Kavanagh]

2 people commented.

That is a joke, we should be up in arms about this.

This rule really wont affect the WMO So much as they are fishing dink baits.

Please show up and make your voice heard in Morehead!

I will be there!

I wish some one would have spoken more passionately about opposition.

[frankypettolina]

2 people commenting was 1/3rd of those in attendance over the age of 18 (young Nico looked to be hard at his homework while he was there )

The biggest problem was that the event was poorly publicized and held at an awful location (which we discussed after the meeting with the speakers)

I volunteered the OC Marlin Club as a place to hold future meetings, but that was shot down as the Speaker told me that the open meetings needed to be held at a public venue where the public would feel welcome (not at "YOUR CLUB" is what I was told) Holy hell, Marlin fishermen not feeling welcome at a Marlin Club!?! Go figure. Last I checked, half of OC was trying to get into the club on a regular basis, even though they are not members, I don't think feeling not welcome would have been a problem.

PEOPLE: Please email and call NMFS more!! We need to work on getting them to try and find an exemption for J hooked big baits. Dink baits on circles is not the issue here (yes I know "BIG BROTHER" holding our reigns is an issue, but there is nothing we can do about that) We have to give them a viable alternative for big baits. The point is that these "Scientists" are basing their info for white and blue marlin on a case study of 50, thats right 50 fish. 41 whites, and 9 blues. When Bill asked if other studies were being done, or taken into consideration the answer was yes. When Bill asked what they were the answer was "there are several other studies being done." The poor gal had no idea what was being done or who was doing it. The other problem with the case study they are using is that they base their info on fish being fought to exhaustion in order to properly place a pop up sat tag. One of the whiteys that died on a J hook was fought for 83 minutes! 1 hour and 23 minutes on a J hooked whitey! Can't imagine that fish was in a bad one when they let it go with a 8 inch tag beating down its side after 2 minutes of handling at boat side. I have caught a whole bunch of whites over the years (I dare say more than 41!) and can count on 1 hand the number of times I have spent an hour on whitey. How in the hell did they manage to do it in so small a sample group? I'll tell you. They had to fight the fish till it was damn near dead, grab a hold of it, take measurements, estimate its weight, handling it for several minutes then let it swim away. Real world test study my ass. Shame on these scientists for basing their findings on a horribly small test group. They cry that pop up tags are very expensive, so they can't do a large group. Too bad, if you can't study it correctly, do not try to enforce a rule on it.

Bottom line, keep writing and calling. I don't understand why we can't get minimum of manufacture rated 200 or 300 pound mono leader as the minimum for J hook use period. Try to gag whitey on 200- it ain't likely. Hell try to hook 41 whiteys on 200 using naked natural bait. Let me know how long it takes, and how you make out.

[ocalex]

franky i agree, i agree and i agree, i have written my email and am trying to do everything i can to do my part