Where's The Support?

[CaptTB]

Perused the CCA website today.

Where's their discussion and outrage about Sea Bass???

Where's their support of the suit??? (Granted, they filed their own Grouper lawsuit but even verbal support would be nice)

The have a chapter in NY, where's the CCA support of it's members and anglers???

Same place it has always been in my experience, somewhere other than here!

Perused the JCAA website.

Where's their support of the RFA and the lawsuit?????

There is mention of the closure of course, and I know JCAA will be there alongside UB and RFA fighting at the council and Commission level (thank you guys) but why not movement to help out it's members and other anglers? Where's the "unity" that I have been hearing so much about from various JCAA people? Or do I have to wait till Oct. 24th to find out what to do?

Perused the NJOA website. We've seen lots of posts on here by the "NJOA Chairman" about the Sea Bass closure and the NJOA rally, yet oddly there is not ONE SINGLE MENTION OF THE SEA BASS LAWSUIT anywhere to be found on the NJOA website.

There is no mention of ANYTHING related to our problem with the Sea Bass closure, but lots of talk about Trenton, NJ

How will THEY be remembered?

Perhaps it's time to stop worrying about how "we will be remembered" and worry about ACTUALLY HELPING FIGHT THE PROBLEM.

Perhaps it's time to stop trying to drum up support for a rally that has absolutely nothing to do with the sea bass closure (and, stop using said closure to drum up support) and it's time to actually support those who are ALREADY FIGHTING THE FIGHT....WAITING FOR THE REST OF YOU TO CATCH UP!!

Or, maybe it's time to march on Trenton

If my comments seem a bit harsh, they are meant to be.To steal and change a quote from a movie: " This is a time for serious people, and their 15 minutes is up." We need help NOW, not waiting a couple of weeks to hold rally's or a couple months to poll membership one at a time yadda yadda.

It's time to act, and act definitively, decisively and swiftly.

It's not just your hobby, it's not just your job, it's not just your family business, it's not just my family business (although it is my family business ) but it is ALL OF OUR HOBBIES AND ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES.

We are either in this together or we are finished, period.
The Sea Bass lawsuit is only the first shot in what must be a full broadside, otherwise this is all just a waste of time, and it's time for me to simply run my riverboats and work with computers.

Either way I'll still be standing, question is will anyone who fishes be able to see me or will they, like me, simply move on to something else?

[Capt. Lou]

None of this is very surprising to me, the divisive nature of our fishereies organizations, in a way it's been our downfall. Capt. TB is correct if they all step up we have a chance,if they don't, we all go down!!
More interesting to me is the across the board lack of important industry support, I don't mean the lip service kind, what I'm referring to is the glaring lack of monetary type. Yet we as consumers still purchase their products,perhaps a boycott may be in order to deliver the messsage of the gravity of this issue that could not only end sportfishing but bankrupt their companies as well.

[hammer4reel]

IT really amazes me that a thousand guys will bitch and moan about the regulations getting stuck down our throats, yet when someone tries to set up a trip to get some MUCH NEEDED support to the Org that ARE fighting for us it gets less than 20 people who want to attend WTF
guys better wake up soon or you might not even be able to fish for dogfish and sea robins

[PocketFisherman]

Are you talking about the SMS Tog Trip?

If so, honestly, not a lot of detail about it.

[dales529]

Originally Posted by PocketFisherman

Are you talking about the SMS Tog Trip?

If so, honestly, not a lot of detail about it.

Thats just ONE of the many things. There was little interest in the SSFFF Fundraiser trip last June. Little activity at the trade shows, Little ACTION at the end of Fluke season. Some better results at The Sea Bass Closure but still mainly complaints about the closure. Some attention with the NEW FORUM but as a whole NOT the thousands of replies, calls, comments questions, posts required to get something done.

AS far as Steve's Tog trip. It takes a lot of time and energy to put "details" together, As he posted, first comes an interest level, small as it may be, then arranging a boat and picking a date etc. He then posted he is starting the process and there will be more to follow. So honestly see if he needs help and express your interest or not. There will be plenty of time to complain about the arrangements once posted.

[apmaurosr]

Perused the NJOA website. We've seen lots of posts on here by the "NJOA Chairman" about the Sea Bass closure and the NJOA rally, yet oddly there is not ONE SINGLE MENTION OF THE SEA BASS LAWSUIT anywhere to be found on the NJOA website.

Actually, TB, there's been a lot of posts about the rally - but only one thread about sea bass. The reason is, as I've explained in other threads, the R.O.O.R. rally is about a number of issues; from a failed bear policy to the denegration of our forests to the raiding of funds that are needed to keep DFW, F & G Council amd the Marine Fisheries Council "whole" and operating effectively. The instituitions that help to manage our access to the outdoors are being dismantled before our eyes. We need to send a message to Trenton that we will not accept this any longer.

Why you would choose one issue to try to belittle the work of the NJOA is a mystery to me but it's your typewriter - so pound away. The NJOA has a proven track record of results and we are focused on accomplishing a long list of outdoor issues - and that's where we focus our attention - even though we are an all volunteer organization.

Now, for those readers who have already seen my response on the subject of sea bass I apologize for repeating myself - but it apparently needs to be restated. Tom Fote, Commissioner to ASMFC, will speak at the rally about what people can do about the closure. Since the mission of the NJOA is limited, on the most part, to New Jersey issues (not federal) we are looking at the problem from the standpoint of what our GOVERNOR can do - not what the feds can do, I believe the RFA handles those aspects.

So, TB, since you singled me and my threads out to the members of NJFishing.com I thought I would take the time to respond personally. Just a piece of friendly advice though, when you want to point out that "unity" is a good thing (and I'm 100% with you) then you might not want to strong-arm those you want to unify - it seems counterproductive and it usually ends in creating divisiveness. It might also be, as with the NJOA, some organizations are taking a different apporach to the problem. But, this is only my opinion.

BTW, two weeks ago we arranged to have a SSSFF booth set up at our rally. I hope this is helpful to the cause.

So, I've had my say and I will now steer clear of this thread since the winds are blowing out of the "Nor' East."

Ant
Chariman
New Jersey outdoor Alliance
http://www.njoutdooralliance.org