Dangerous survey question
 

I was filling our a survey regarding headboat fishing in the Gulf and this was one of the questions. Options was $10 per fish or $50 plus other variables on the next 2 screens. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Many recreational fisheries, including gag grouper, are managed through bag limits to help ensure the fishery is not depleted. An alternative management option used in some fisheries is where fishermen pay a fee per fish they retain. For the next two choices, assume that there is an alternative fishery management in place where there are no limits on the number of gag grouper you can retain (i.e. no bag limits), but rather a fee for each gag grouper retained.

The fees would be collected by the headboat operators as customers leave the vessel at port. The headboat operators would keep the money from the fees in return for operating under strict regulatory limits per vessel on the number of gag grouper that their customers can catch and keep for the year.

How acceptable do you find the fishery management option where there are no limits on the number of gag grouper you can retain (i.e. no bag limits), but rather a fee for each gag grouper retained?

Not only is this a bad idea but something tells me corruption would be a major issue :rolleyes:

Re: Dangerous survey question
 

collect money in cash and then write out check? good luck with that

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Just when you thought you've heard it all! I will be charging $3 per Fluke this season, no bag limit and I will be sure to send a check! LOL!

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Total crap and another money grab... Same thing as catch shares for the commercials. Pay money and take all you want.

The species is in trouble and needs to be protected.... But if you send us money you can take what you want. :mad:

Re: Dangerous survey question
 

The grouper is in the mail.
I swear !!!

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Think of the precedent it would set for other fisheries... It would be the first domino of many.

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I will gladly pay you Tuesday for 37 fish today :eek:

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Gerry.....you hit the nail right on the head. Turning a public resource into a profit making pay per fish production. That structure completely undermines fishery management on the surface based on the contents of the post. It's like the trout ponds where you pay for the fish you retain but in those cases someone owns the ponds, pays for the fish to be stocked, feeds them and makes money on the spread. How could anyone suggest charging for a public resource which belongs as much to the angling community as anyone else. And as others have already commented, how in the world would anyone administer that structure, it's impossible! It's all about money, politicians could care less about the health of our fisheries, they view them as just another opportunity to horse trade a public resource with someone for a personal pay day!

Re: Dangerous survey question
 

So is the money collected used to get male fish laid ?
I'm having a tough time understanding how me paying a per fish fee will insure healthy fish stocks

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Oh, come on.... They are going to use all that money on science to make the stock healthy... What would make you think otherwise :rolleyes:

And the fish will be less expensive and you can keep your Doctors too :D.

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Good one Gerry, and I thought I was going fishing to get away from the beauacratic B S. Will it ever end?

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NO..it'll only get worse...instead of a light haze, it'll be a "pea soup" fog and IMO it's not that far in the future no matter how hard we in the fishing community fight, unfortunately. Hope I'm wrong, but..........

Re: Dangerous survey question
 

Don't mean to get political here so lets' just say, this is a direct result of big government. Even with the best intentions in mind government programs mutate...

Health care as an example.... Most people think health care should be accessible to everyone and practically one of your inalienable rights as a US Citizen....I think and still think we need universal health care but what they did mutated into what we have now....

Fisheries management... Most people agreed that something had to be done to protect the resources and I think we'd all agree on that. Magnuson Steves act comes along and look what we have now.... Over managed fisheries and people thinking we should pay for fish.

Tolls on the parkway that were supposed to be to pay for the road work or a bridge and would be taken down after it was paid for.... Look what we have now.

In all 3 examples our money is being used to hire more staffers to run these programs which consumes all the money slighted to actually do things to help a given situation. It also creates top positions in the Government who the politicians that are elected get to appoint and the appointees are there because they did a political favor for the elected official.

It's a vicious cycle perpetuated by all parties as well as state and local governments and we are all on the merry go round :mad:

Get out and vote and get involved in organizations that protect our interests, not the governments.

I feel better now that I got that off my chest... Carry on :D

Re: Dangerous survey question
 

I think it's more sinister than that. Seems like more of a money grab than a byproduct of a growing staff.

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You may be right Striper... But it's not like they are going to take the money and put it in a mattress or go out to dinner... It will go to fund the activities of managing the fishery.... Scientists, staff, enforcement.

Each of these government agencies fight for more money and more staff every year... They never try to do more with less because they know they will get a lesser budget next year. I'm sure you've heard the stories of these agencies going out on a buying spree or filling unfilled positions at the end of the year for that reason... Spend it or loose it and you don't get it next year.

In fairness this happens in the private sector as well since bureaucracies exists in large bloated companies too.

The bigger you get the more bureaucracy there is, government or private sector.

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I will gladly pay you Tuesday for an extra couple fish today. :p In other words, you can keep all the fish you want, as long as you don't get caught not sending in a check. :confused:

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Totally Agree Gerry this is more bullshit that proves if you pay the Govt you can do what you want. I never thought for a moment they want to protect the stock.:(:(