Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Want to first off say thanks to Capt Tony. When we discussed this back in early Sept there was never any hesitance on his part and it just took a couple of weeks to get a date together that met our schedules. Given everything he is involved with that was no EASY task on his part. Also, Tony feel free to correct anything below if I misunderstood or make an incorrect statement. It was a lot to absorb years of yours, RFA and SSFFF's work in 3 hours.

Learned from the meeting that there is MUCH to learn but came out extremely comfortable that the RFA and SSFFF are groups that every fishermen NEEDS to be directly involved with. Rest assured NO ONE is sitting back and getting "fat" on your dues. For that matter NO ONE even takes a dime for all their efforts which consists of Time, travel to meetings across the eastern seaboard, phone calls, e-mails, conferences, trade shows etc etc.

The acronyms mentioned in todays posts are the huge number of groups, councils, proposals etc that must be dealt with on every level but the real work is done on the federal level which is why the RFA is the group to direct our immediate attention. They have the people in place to speak for us on that level.

The biggest issue and the fight these 2 groups put out for US is trying to get the DATA and the CORRECT Data in front of the councils that ultimately decide our fate. Getting them to listen to it is another front they work on for US. The science is flawed as we all know and can complain till doomsday but to present better science and get them to listen takes Time, money and a lobby group such as the RFA and SSFFF.
They are getting results!!!
An SSFFF Example: The recent study by Dr Maunder proved that the fluke stock is NOT 50% rebuilt as thought but 72% REBUILT. Thats a huge success. The trick seems to be to get these agencies the right data so that the stock assessments are correct and then the quotas can be set properly. If the quotas are not set properly Based on "the best available science" then all else goes down the same path. Mis-information that leads to closures or regs that have no basis other than the methods that created them.

RFA constantly lobbys for real numbers and believe it or not without their recent effort / sucesses we could be in an even worse situation. It was agreed to get some more information out to US fishermen so You can literally see the results, updates etc more often. When you join the RFA you will get the newsletters etc.

Imagine if these groups had the multitude of NJ Fishermen behind them. It sure would make some on the Fed Level take some additional interest in their message instead of OH NO here comes Tony Bogan or here comes the RFA again. As Dan posted that Capt Jimmy stated when the commercial guys need money they ask and recieve. So lets say 1000 of us join RFA, thats $35,000 immediately at ONLY $35.00 ea for a whole year membership.
OR we keep going at the current pace where 10 people or industries have to donate $3500 ea. to raise the same $$. Thats just an analogy and hypothetical numbers but you get the idea and its probably not too far off the mark.

Thanks also to Steve, Leif, Dan, Henry, Mike, capt jimmy etc for attending. great group of guys willing to give up a Friday night, drive up to 2 hours, get home late, probably get yelled at etc etc. Its going to take all of that and more to help our cause.

More to come soon on a larger scale meeting.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Two hours for me, two minutes for LAB! damn I live too far away from the water:)

not to mention I gave up my friday night card game

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Sounds like a good meeting. And Shrimpman - thanks for the PM, unfortunately I didn't get it until later on yesterday as I was (ironically) out fishing for most of the day. Hopefully there will be some more meetings scheduled in the near future to continue to get the word out.

And as far as the RFA support, it IS worth it. Let me tell you that as a reporter, it's usually hell to call an organization and get straight, good facts. Whenever I've called RFA, Jim Donofrio himself is right there to answer questions, and he knows the answers right off the top of his head. There's no "call back later" or "we'll have to look that up for you" type of thing. Jim and the guys over there are REALLY on the ball and are not afraid to speak their minds when it comes to fighting for recreational anglers. They're there full-time, every day, and always traveling between NJ and DC.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Thanks again for the info guys. I think it is absolutely imperative to keep everyone informed and provide them with the best way to help out. Since i read the posts this morning, i purchased a 3-year memebership to the RFA. I also intend on donating to the Summer Flounder group after the next pay-period. I am going to spread the word about the importance of keeping these organizations funded and push my peeps to join/donate as well. Please keep providing as much info as possible b/c i really feel the donations will increase if people are more informed.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Well, Steve, Mike, Dan, Dave and Tony did a great job summing up the meeting so I won't elaborate.

I did want to thank Dave for putting it together and having the opportunity to participate. Thanks to Capt. Jimmy for making the time to come to the meeting and providing useful information and insight as well from both the
recreational and comercial side.

Now is the time to do something. The RFA and SSFFF have clearly made a difference and the varying "acromyms" are starting to listen and take notice, but it is only the begining.

After doing my own research and hearing Tony Bogan speak, I have complete confidence in the RFA, SSFFF and their agenda.

http://www.joinrfa.org/

http://www.ssfff.net/

I will continue to posts the updates that I receive from the RFA for those who have not joined yet. Since I have started reading the RFA press releases and updates I have a better understanding of how things work/don't work with respect to the fisheries.

Thanks,

Leif

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

Dave, thanks for setting the meeting up. Tony, if we had more like you, we would be in front of the process, as opposed to chasing it.
Many different items were brought up as everyone else has said. We as a group need to continue to invest in our future, SSFFF, RFA, or there won't be a fishing future.
Much has already been done, much is in process, much more on the drawing table. All this takes money, I for one having helped at previous shows know how hard it is to raise money, but if we don't continue they will win. We need to become more educated, and more proactive to insure our future as fisherman.
Once again thanks to Capt. T.B., Capt. Jimmy, and the rest who spent the time to help get the education process started.

Henry

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

I understand what you're saying sportfishing but sometimes you gotta trust someone. I was asked today "why should I trust RFA when they've been around for 15 years and what have WE gotten FOR US in that time.........fluke limits get tougher with shorter seasons and smaller limits every year, sea bass limits/size tougher...............flounder GONE." I wish I had the answer for that person but I don't.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

That's the problem in a nutshell, if you just want to sit back and let someone else do it fine, but don't bitch when it doesn't get done. Tony and the rest of SSFFF take nothing, they pay for all their travel and expenses, Oh and by the way, Tony hasn't run a fishing boat for almost 20 years. He is doing it because he realizes the importance to everyone around him, now and in the future. All these people can only do so much, after that we must hire professionals that know how to work within the system, so that we can make a difference.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

The profession I'm in has an org. looking out for it's best interests and what we have found is it all comes down to two things.
1) MONEY. fighting takes money, the more you have the better you can fight to make the changes that benefit you.
2) MEMBERSHIP, the more members you have the more seriously you are taken. You can have the best cause in the world but if you only have a few members....well that isnt going to add up to very many votes come election time is it.
Maybe the RFA has done the best it can with the money and membership it previously had BUT if we add our numbers to theirs more can be accomplished...to me it's worth a try.

Re: Meeting with Tony Bogan
 

LAB, that's an easy answer. You have 1 or 2 bluefin per boat...... instead of ZERO for the past ten years.

You have had some of the best Fluke regs in the NE for the past 5 years, instead of next to nothing.

I guess my point is that United Boatmen, RFA, JCAA and a handful of individuals have been fighting this fight for years. Had these people and groups not been there you have no idea how bad things would be right now. We defeated paybacks for YEARS. You would cringe at the things that the enviros wanted in the MSA that they successfully argued to have removed.

The list goes on, but I refuse to get into a "what have you done for me lately" argument. (not that you were arguing LAB)

I guess the way I look at it is for the past decade we have all collectively worked our asses off fighting to stay in business, to get some fair shakes, to stop the a holes from simply taking over.

What exactly has sportfishingusa done?

And, who would you rather support........him? Or, those who have actually been fighting without any help from him?

I am picking on him on purpose since he gave the same old standard excuse not to do anything that I have heard for years. I think he copied and pasted it from threads I read on sites that don't even exist anymore. If I had a dime for every time someone used that one as a justification not to do anything I wouldn't need to do this, I'd have plenty of cash! I do understand what he means, I just don't agree with the sentiment to do nothing because those fighting the fight haven't achieved something he deems worthy, when he hasn't bothered to fight the fight himself and never considered what things would be like if there hadn't been a fight all these years.

That's all, it is not personal, and I mean that sportfishingusa. You are not guilty of anything that a million other guys haven't already done...... nothing.

Please do not take this as a personal attack, I am merely pointing out what has been happening since day one and reacting to the fact that it still goes on.