State Marine Fishery Council Meeting

[capt74]

The state marine fishery council will hold an open meeting Thursday at 4 PM in Stafford Township Municipal building. The address is 260 East Bay Ave. Manahawkin. All should attend.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Thank you

[1captainron]

4 PM!!!! What else is new.......I was told originally it was scheduled for 7PM??

[Rocky]

4 PM!!!! What else is new.......I was told originally it was scheduled for 7PM??

When have these meetings and locations ever been accommodating to the people that they mostly influence?

[bunker dunker]

i would love to go but i have a fluke and sea bass trip.

[Rocky]

i would love to go but i have a fluke and sea bass trip.

bastard!!! :d

[tautog]

Would go but I have to work to pay my ridiculous property and income taxes.

[Gerry Zagorski]

See some of you at the meeting....

[dakota560]

The state marine fishery council will hold an open meeting Thursday at 4 PM in Stafford Township Municipal building. The address is 260 East Bay Ave. Manahawkin. All should attend.

Does anyone know what the structure of an open meeting is? Is there an agenda, is it open for public comments, are there specific topics or open to any topic. For anyone whose attended previously, be curious how the meeting is run and what the purpose is before driving 4 hours round trip to attend.

[Sullivan]

Does anyone know just where the municipal building is ? Would like to attend If I can .

[capt74]

Address is on the first post.

[capt74]

Dakota there is an agenda. They also take public comment. If you look on there web site you can read minutes from past meetings.

[Chelsea-Sea]

I would attend but have to work overtime to pay for the new fuel tax. 30 cents a gallon, thank you governor

[captnvinny]

My sources tell me the agenda is about fake news and handing out 2017 fluke hooks:eek:...I sure hope everyone gives em hell!

[Gerry Zagorski]

I would encourage you all to attend but before you do get informed on the issues and find out who our real adversaries are.

1) The council does not set our quotas, NOAA/NMFS does.. All the council can do is try is either accept one of the crappy options NOAA/NFMS gives them to achieve our measly quotas or refuse to accept any of the options (which they did) and we are deemed out of compliance, like we were....

2) Some of the people you may direct your anger at are they very people fighting for you. If you want them to continue that fight treat them with respect.

3) If you want this to be a productive meeting you might concentrate your comments and questions on things they can control
- Ask why meeting times and locations are not after hours and in locations where more people can attend - Ask for an explanation on why we didn't go for it all and go out of compliance with status quo.
- Ask them why when they felt status quo was no longer an option, how and why it was decided to go with an 18 inch fish with a shortened season?

Lastly and most importantly ask them what they think we can do to help them help us... They've been at this a very long time and just might have some good ideas.

[Down Deep Sportfishing]

Get ready for a few crumbs

[Capt Joe]

I would encourage you all to attend but before you do get informed on the issues and find out who our real adversaries are.

1) The council does not set our quotas, NOAA/NMFS does.. All the council can do is try is either accept one of the crappy options NOAA/NFMS gives them to achieve our measly quotas or refuse to accept any of the options (which they did) and we are deemed out of compliance, like we were....

2) Some of the people you may direct your anger at are they very people fighting for you. If you want them to continue that fight treat them with respect.

3) If you want this to be a productive meeting you might concentrate your comments and questions on things they can control
- Ask why meeting times and locations are not after hours and in locations where more people can attend - Ask for an explanation on why we didn't go for it all and go out of compliance with status quo.
- Ask them why when they felt status quo was no longer an option, how and why it was decided to go with an 18 inch fish with a shortened season?

Lastly and most importantly ask them what they think we can do to help them help us... They've been at this a very long time and just might have some good ideas.

Ok Gerry, we got it, now we know exactly what to say and do. Thankyou!
Should write a book "State Marine Fishery Council Meetings for Dummies"

[Gerry Zagorski]

Ok Gerry, we got it, now we know exactly what to say and do. Thankyou!
Should write a book "State Marine Fishery Council Meetings for Dummies"

I guess I'll see you there Joe??

[Capt Joe]

You will meet Ryan!

[Rocky]

I am leaving now, I will be there in a little over a hour.

[Capt Joe]

Crickets..........

[capt74]

Attended the meeting yesterday afternoon. Was really surprised to hear one head boat captain from Brielle call the RFA and United Boatman of NJ useless and not worth the money. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

[Capt Joe]

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

Oy Vey!
We are more fu**ed than I thought.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Crickets..........

Well I think the people new to being involved got a very good education and appreciation on how fisheries management works and how our NJ Marine Council is practically powerless when it come to our regs.

A few other notable things discussed
- The possibility of splitting NJ into North and South so each could have different regs and seasons.
- Holding meetings at 6:00 so more people can attend
- Doing a better job of communicating important meetings and issues so more can attend
- How it's tough to get anything done or changed on short notice, you have to be out in front of issues early and stay involved.

[dakota560]

Attended the meeting yesterday afternoon. Was really surprised to hear one head boat captain from Brielle call the RFA and United Boatman of NJ useless and not worth the money. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

Attended yesterday's meeting which would test anyone's metal. People are rightfully mad, pissed off and have had enough but those emotions won't change the landscape. In my humble opinion, there's three major issues holding us all back. Top of the list is the Magnuson- Stevens Act. All roads eventually lead to language contained in that legislation which seems to trump everything else. It needs to be repealed and rewritten. The entire focus on managing catch levels through increased size limits is single-handedly destroying the summer flounder fishery.......period. Second is as a group we are nowhere near the funding level to engage in a long term battle with Washington. Third the industries and people dependent on this fishery: commercial operators, recreational, tackle suppliers, marine boating industry, marinas, etc. have not come together to create a unified voice. The RFA and SSFFF are small organizations with big hearts and intelligent and committed people but they're too small to take on Washington themselves.
Without corporate and state government funding, my fear is we're fighting a battle we can't win. What amazes me is with the impact this will have on multiple state's economies, local governments can't appropriate the necessary funds along with corporate sponsorship's to organize properly and collectively fight the federal government. There's professional fund raising companies who raise billions of dollars a year for a variety of initiatives, why is it the fishing and marine industry as a whole can't.

At the meeting last night, there was much discussion about people again getting involved, organizing, contacting our local representatives, same stuff discussed at every meeting. Talked in depth about how to get the word out, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ Vimeo. Digg. Flickr. Pinterest. etc. No disrespect intended but if you look at the average age of the NJMFC committee, it's probably 65 or older. I'm not sure any committee member would know how to market our fight in today's world. We need state and corporate funding, we need leadership, we need a stronger lobbying effort and we need a coordinated marketing campaign to counter all the PEW, NMFS, ASMFC, and Charles Witek's of the worlds blather that has brought us to the doorstep of disaster. Without it, I'm sorry to say we're the tail and we won't be wagging the dog anytime soon. It's politics and the only way to win is having a seat at the table.

[Capt Joe]

Excellent points. We also need a NJDEP commissioner that has a semblance of what he is doing before getting involved in decisions of which he knows NOTHING about.

[Rocky]

I attended yesterdays meeting and in no way did I leave there feeling any kind of positive thoughts for our fishing future here in NJ. When it has become more political over actual science we will be screwed every time. Unless the masses of fishermen who are only bitching on the sidelines get involved in this fight we may have a chance.
Talk is cheap, action is needed.....NOW!