VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

[flatbottom]

If you need numbers I will find a handful. T2o answer the question "where were they when they shut Md. down". I am not positive on this one, but I can say in the era, not many had the data or info we have today. Thanks to john (he invented the ultimate forum) data and info is easily available. Trying to gain info as a pauper boy like myself in the "shut down period" was unheard of, let alone readily available. Jump ahead to modern era. Location X in Reedville and the gulf of Mexico do not supply the pharmaceutical companies "omega oil" for the simplicity of by product. This corp received fed backed loans in millions. Just recently the biggest share holder has walked and pocketed his earnings with him. Not caring about the com or rec parties left behind, but only profit. Yes he heard the quota caps in the near future and bailed. Now today's era. I hope we do not get shafted, as tax payers, to foot the bills. So you see, this is business 100%. Will they shut the corps down? There is no....yes there is a way the House committees will run this. They will bail out the deficit and pass it on to you, me and the American public. Do not be fooled over stocks and catch quotas. (smoke to bring coms and recs further apart) Recently Mr Bush, ( he and his dad are a rock fishermen) speculated to name the rock fish a game fish. His heart is in the right place but his "House" under his watch, will sell us all short once again. Lets your votes in the polls reflect on this. I know there are more important issues. That is the gov. way. Bait and switch. now it is off

[Glenn W]

I ain't for sure, but I think my good friend Flat supports the bill----

[flatbottom]

GW I do not understand politics one bit. But I do know when a horse is not plowing a field today. I agree with you guys. Coms and recs should be on the same side. Dirty politics and finger pointing are most of the under lying issues of past. The next paragraph should explain just who is sleeping with whom. I always heard "it is not what you know, but who you know" ..with that said .....Hogarth you are a big fat lying azz. You two faced sum bit. I feel better now Now if I only knew what house members voted yes to the below paragraph......I will find out for my own satisfaction. Not that means anything here.

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The Chesapeake Bay Program has spent millions to help clean-up the Chesapeake Bay, and is the largest estuary restoration project ever undertaken by the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency plays a major role in directing this effort, which includes restoring the Bay's living resources. Ironically, another federal agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is providing financial assistance through a loan program totaling $20.6 million to Omega Protein Corp., who operates a fish processing plant located in Reedville VA, that annually harvests approximately 250 million pounds of Atlantic menhaden from the Chesapeake Bay. Omega Protein is the largest commercial fishing operation on the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast. Atlantic menhaden are a vital link in the food chain, and have the ability to filter a volume of water equal to the entire Chesapeake Bay in less than one day, with the potential to annually consume up to 25% of the Bay's nitrogen. However, since there is no quota to limit or control the harvest, this intensive fishery for Atlantic menhaden seasonally depletes the Bay's most valuable living resource. The loan program, mandated by Congress and authorized by Title XI of the Marine Act of 1936,( can you believe what you just read )
continue.........
is administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), an integral part of NOAA, and has assisted Omega Protein in securing loans through lenders with low interest rates enhanced with a government guaranty to the lender for up to 80% of the financing. Omega Protein's current Title XI borrowings are secured by liens on 17 fishing vessels and mortgages on their Reedville VA and Abbeville LA plants. In 1996, Title XI borrowing was modified to permit loans obtained through this program for shoreside construction. Omega Protein used the entire $20.6 million, originally authorized under the program, allocating approximately $14 million to refurbish 18 vessels. The remaining $6.5 million was used to modernize their plants with the majority of the money, $4.5 million going to the Reedville VA plant. Loans are now available under similar terms pursuant to the Title XI program without intervening lenders. Omega Protein has applied for an additional loan of $1.9 million under this new program to refurbish more of their vessels

end.

When that kind of money is on the card table......you have big players dealing. There is no way a rec lobbyist will unfold that federal note. Not until the lending and spending halts. Dig deeper. The Pharms Corps buying the Omega Oil are even, a bigger player in all of this. And we have a "lobbyist" representing recs, sent to Washington. God help those smelly little fish

[anthony]

Flat, that is some damn fine sleuthing there son....pretty work. All I can say is wow! I agree with Glenn in principle but this particular fishery should have been shut down long ago. Just not smart to continue to allow the harvest of menhaden in the bay, especially given it's weak state. Bunker can perform the function that all those Chesapeake oysters used to perform...filtering the bays waters. In addition, it is THE primary forage fish for every predatory fish in the bay....rock, flounder, trout (gray and specs), red drum, cobia, etc. If it takes something this drastic, so be it. We used to see ACRES of bunker in the lower Chesapeake...now a school the size of a swimming pool gets us excited.

[Capt. Brian Daley]

Thanks Glenn know one says it better than you

[livetofishnj]

When that kind of money is on the card table......you have big players dealing. There is no way a rec lobbyist will unfold that federal note. Not until the lending and spending halts. Dig deeper. The Pharms Corps buying the Omega Oil are even, a bigger player in all of this. And we have a "lobbyist" representing recs, sent to Washington. God help those smelly little fish

If the only groups pushing that bill were the rec and/or comm lobbies it wouldn't be going anywhere. On the other hand the environmental lobby might have the clout to at least give it a chance. Just something to consider.