Fluke Regulations - So now what

[Ttmako]

Now that we got hosed by most of our neighbors at the ASMFC, what do we need to do?

First and foremost, take a broader look at why we are in this situation. The Magnuson-Stevens act is how we are regulated. This law, while perhaps well intended, is having terrible unintended consequences. The law needs to be repealed.

Please don't be foolish and believe the fisheries managers. The regulations for any fishery will never be relaxed with our current regulatory framework.

Look at seabass. The SSB is 130% of what it needs to be. The council just cut the recreational harvest by another 8%, while increasing commercial harvest by 50%+.

The porgy SSB is 200%+ of what it needs to be. The council just cut the bag limit from 50 to 15 fish. When asked why, the response was "because 50 fish is too much". Now, I would rather have a root canal than clean hundreds of porgies, but having the government dictate what is too much is a very slippery slope.

The entire regulatory framework needs to be completely revamped. The people who have been and are fighting this is the RFA.
If you are outraged at the entire fisheries management process I urge you to join with them in repealing the MSA.

[Jpell15]

15 porgy this year? There's a billion of those out there.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Ttmako

Now that we got hosed by most of our neighbors at the ASMFC, what do we need to do?

First and foremost, take a broader look at why we are in this situation. The Magnuson-Stevens act is how we are regulated. This law, while perhaps well intended, is having terrible unintended consequences. The law needs to be repealed.

Please don't be foolish and believe the fisheries managers. The regulations for any fishery will never be relaxed with our current regulatory framework.

Look at seabass. The SSB is 130% of what it needs to be. The council just cut the recreational harvest by another 8%, while increasing commercial harvest by 50%+.

The porgy SSB is 200%+ of what it needs to be. The council just cut the bag limit from 50 to 15 fish. When asked why, the response was "because 50 fish is too much". Now, I would rather have a root canal than clean hundreds of porgies, but having the government dictate what is too much is a very slippery slope.

The entire regulatory framework needs to be completely revamped. The people who have been and are fighting this is the RFA.
If you are outraged at the entire fisheries management process I urge you to join with them in repealing the MSA.

Exactly Tom!! Magnuson needs to have some flexibility and Fisheries Management needs to be sobered up and totally revamped.

Support the RFA for fighting the political side and the SSFFF which is trying to get better science introduced.

www.joinRFA.org
www.ssfff.org/id65.html

[bigal427]

I say we all become outlaws.

[frugalfisherman]

Originally Posted by bigal427

I say we all become outlaws.

I've been eating 16 inch fluke sashimi for years now. As they say in that old commercial "just do it".

[SaltLife1980]

Originally Posted by bigal427

I say we all become outlaws.

How much is the fine if you are in possession of short fish? Cant be that much can it?

[Short Cast]

I think it might be $200.00

[Rocky]

It is not over yet guys so lets not go nuclear here. There are still many wheels turning in this process before the final decision will be made.
If you have not contacted your representatives yet please do so, and please stay informed.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Rocky

It is not over yet guys so lets not go nuclear here. There are still many wheels turning in this process before the final decision will be made.
If you have not contacted your representatives yet please do so, and please stay informed.

Rather then the nuclear option we could have a Sunctuary option. If the Fed says we can only keep 3 @19 and our state wants status quo which is 5 @ 18.... The Govenor can choose not to enforce 3 @ 19 within the 3 mile line of our state and enforce 5 @ 18 instead....

[AndyS]

Go to the NOAA site and read about Black Sea Bass. Stocks rebuilt, not over fished. So they cut our winter offshore sea bass fishing and lowered the limits, I'm so over saltwater fishing.