Informational Public Hearings for Marine Protected Areas Scheduled

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of
informational public hearings to collect input from area fishermen and
others that may be impacted by the designation of marine protected areas
(MPAs) in federal waters. The Council is considering the use of marine
protected areas as one of several management options to address overfishing
for some deepwater species of fish included in the Council's snapper/grouper
management complex. Nine proposed candidate sites are being considered for
designation.



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On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 00:07:08 -0500, "Capt. Dave"
wrote:

Informational Public Hearings for Marine Protected Areas Scheduled

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of
informational public hearings to collect input from area fishermen and
others that may be impacted by the designation of marine protected areas
(MPAs) in federal waters. The Council is considering the use of marine
protected areas as one of several management options to address overfishing
for some deepwater species of fish included in the Council's snapper/grouper
management complex. Nine proposed candidate sites are being considered for
designation.

You need to rally your local clubs state and regionally. I went to
the NE meeting and there were some really weird science being thrown
around top "prove" the side of the eco-types - some of it down right
lies. And when you question their data, the response comes back
"prove us wrong" - well, you can prove a negative - you can't prove
they are right, you can't use they are wrong. I won't get into the
flawed science they tried to blow by the NE meeting - it would take up
to much bandwidth.

I'm not against MPA's - in fact, I think they are needed, but on a
rolling basis - in short a management plan rather than an outright ban
on fishing.

Look what a good management plan did for the Atlantic Striper and
summer fluke.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
"My rod and my reel - they comfort me."

St. Pete, 12 Lb. Test

Greetings Tom,

I am doing everything I can to "Rally The Troops", but it is an Up Hill
battle. I read the "Science" they put out every week and you are
correct....some of it is BS!

MPA's....I think the correct approach is size limits and catch limits. I
think if you really wanted to help the fisheries along the eastern
seaboard.....you should start with BANNING inshore bottom trawling and
offshore longlining. Both these methods have a way to high bycatch/catch
ratio.

I keep trying to sound the horn.....

I just hope enough people take an interest before it is to late!

Capt. Dave

www.fryingpantower.com

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 00:07:08 -0500, "Capt. Dave"
wrote:

Informational Public Hearings for Marine Protected Areas Scheduled

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of
informational public hearings to collect input from area fishermen and
others that may be impacted by the designation of marine protected areas
(MPAs) in federal waters. The Council is considering the use of marine
protected areas as one of several management options to address
overfishing
for some deepwater species of fish included in the Council's
snapper/grouper
management complex. Nine proposed candidate sites are being considered
for
designation.

You need to rally your local clubs state and regionally. I went to
the NE meeting and there were some really weird science being thrown
around top "prove" the side of the eco-types - some of it down right
lies. And when you question their data, the response comes back
"prove us wrong" - well, you can prove a negative - you can't prove
they are right, you can't use they are wrong. I won't get into the
flawed science they tried to blow by the NE meeting - it would take up
to much bandwidth.

I'm not against MPA's - in fact, I think they are needed, but on a
rolling basis - in short a management plan rather than an outright ban
on fishing.

Look what a good management plan did for the Atlantic Striper and
summer fluke.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
"My rod and my reel - they comfort me."

St. Pete, 12 Lb. Test

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 08:53:43 -0500, "Capt. Dave"
wrote:

Greetings Tom,

I am doing everything I can to "Rally The Troops", but it is an Up Hill
battle. I read the "Science" they put out every week and you are
correct....some of it is BS!

The last meeting, the Ocean Conservancy introduced the test trawl data
that NOAA and USFWS did in Long Island Sound and along the Rhode
Island beaches - it pretty much "proved" their point that the total
fish stocks are declining, etc. When somebody finally looked closely
at the trawl data, they found that the trawl was 6 1/2 feet off the
bottom on one end and badly out of alignment!!! A satistician who is
also an avid fisherman did an analysis and figured that they missed
collecting 40 to 60% of the fish and that was conservative. Even NOAA
admitted that the guy was right when they finally admitted the trawls
were SNAFU'd.

MPA's....I think the correct approach is size limits and catch limits. I
think if you really wanted to help the fisheries along the eastern
seaboard.....you should start with BANNING inshore bottom trawling and
offshore longlining. Both these methods have a way to high bycatch/catch
ratio.

There 'ya go - I'm with you on that one. I was sitting up at Watch
Hill last week and watched a trawler about 200 yards off the beach at
Napatree just sucking up everything in it's path.

I keep trying to sound the horn.....

I just hope enough people take an interest before it is to late!

In Rhode Island, there is a strong group, Rhode Island Sal****er
Anglers, who has been advocating more responsible management not
banning with size/slot/seasonal limits across the board. One of the
things this group has done is to question the supposed 40% of the
total poundage quota placed on the recreational fisherman. RISAA
figures that it's more like 15% of the total catch and that the
commercial guys are raping and pillaging our side of the equation!!!!

~~ Sigh ~~ I need to calm down and think good thoughts. :)

Take care Dave - keep up the fight.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
"My rod and my reel - they comfort me."

St. Pete, 12 Lb. Test