ASMFC-ACRONYM-Always Slashing Migratory Fish Concentrations

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by reason162

Any way you interpret the plot OP has it wrong when it comes to the 14" comm limit. It's not a question of fairness vs the rec limit; draggers don't want a smaller min size bc the most valuable fish are larger than 14". They would be ecstatic to have a 19" limit like recs do bc those fish are worth more money.

I think we can agree that in an ideal world, there would be no highgrading allowed at all. Everything you drag up counts against your quota, no tossing back dead fish. But as we've discussed before, regardless of the laws written enforcement is key, and that seems to be lacking on the high seas.

I've nothing against reducing the porgy take, I highly doubt it'll go down to 3 lol but 50pp is rather obscene. Bluefish are in trouble, whatever they need to do to prevent catastrophe they ought to do it. We had a world class fishery that was underappreciated and will be sorely missed if things go south permanently. I've never seen the wanton waste of fish as on bluefish party boats replicated in other fisheries. Gunny sacks of big blues baking in the sun, hauled off for what? Fertilizer? It's unconscionable.

MRIP is easily misinterpreted by some people (on purpose or otherwise) if you zoom in too close on localized data points, but overall it is sound. MRIP passed muster with the national academy of sciences and that's good enough for me.

Didn't realize the other thread was shut down. No wonder I got a classy PM from Sal...worth a chuckle.

Must be nice to be the GURU! LMFAO Gunny sacks of blues is bull shit.Most of what you post is your opinion not science.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by Capt Sal

Must be nice to be the GURU! LMFAO Gunny sacks of blues is bull shit.Most of what you post is your opinion not science.

Yeah the bass are offshore, the blues and weaks are "cyclical," everything's fine, nothing to worry about...

The only bullshitter here is you.

[mjz157]

Originally Posted by reason162

Yeah the bass are offshore, the blues and weaks are "cyclical," everything's fine, nothing to worry about...

The only bullshitter here is you.

Sadly these party boat captains will fight tooth and nail for no changes and it's all for short term gain. Little do they realize the dollar they are earning today will be cents on the dollar if they are lucky in a few years. Shortsighted.

[Charlie B]

Originally Posted by mjz157

Sadly these party boat captains will fight tooth and nail for no changes and it's all for short term gain. Little do they realize the dollar they are earning today will be cents on the dollar if they are lucky in a few years. Shortsighted.

I really don't think they are for no changes in the regulations. Or for no regulations for that matter. But rather for regulations that actually work and are fair. The current regulations neither work nor are they fair. If they were we wouldn't be in the situation we are in...Charlie

[reason162]

To be clear, the scientists at ASMFC do not get to set regulations. They can only make recommendations based on their data, and then the management board takes that and other considerations under advisement when they come up with final regulations.

One of the other considerations is economic impact, and that is where "rec angler" groups representing the for-hire fleet direct their energies in lobbying against stricter regulations, almost across the board.

There are other, larger problems with ASMFC, but the fact that more political appointees sit on the board as opposed to actual fishery biologists is one of the reasons fish stocks have declined over the years.