9th Annual RFA Flukathon Sat June 17th Official Sign Up

[CadiShackFishing]

Dave well said let's not put the cart before the horse.

[GDubya07]

Dave thank you and everyone else involved for everything that you do

I couldn't agree more that this is the time to show your support and get involved instead of blaming other people and throwing your hands up in the air

Now is the time people , please if you can show your support and get on this trip ,

The funny thing is that I remember when most complained that if the trip was on a Saturday or A Sunday people would come out and fill the trip in minutes???


GDubs-

[dales529]

We had yet another meeting last night. As far as I am concerned the war on fishing regulations just heated up not died off because we lost another battle.
Its a war and again NO ONE is happy with the current situation whatever it may turn out tomorrow. The WAR is Quotas and MSA Reform
After 9 years participating I have learned and am still learning how difficult this is but believe doing something is better than doing nothing, and have seen many doing more than me at their own expense

As disappointing as the recent situation is I cant justify to myself giving up so this TRIP is ON. I WILL find enough to sail and then some. Talked to Capt Ron and he is excited to have us.

Update on fundraising for this trip:
- Because I still believe in the WAR 50% will go RFA-NJ and 50% to SSFFF
- To cover trip expenses as stated we need a minimum of 30 as I never have asked for a discount from our hard working captains, what they charge is what I pay.
- I cant given the current situation ask for raffle prizes from our local NJ businesses as in the past . I am sure you understand but I will try and get something from big industry.
- I personally am donating (1) Bogan Rod and 3 spots on my trips with Capt Jerry on the Fish Monger . (1) Spot each on July 25th , Aug 29 and Sept 5 Fluke trips
- We will do (2) 50/50 's a $20 and a $10 plus a boat pool for the most kept shorts LOL (Just kidding ASMFC and NOAA but by the way GFY)

So we give a NJ Party Boat some business, we fish for fluke, get out on the water, have some fun, maybe even bitch a little, learn more about the war we face, give SSFFF a few bucks and let loose a little.

Support and come if you want, Don't if you don't but we are going

[joetheplumber]

Paid on line - joe the plumber!

Dales sign me up for two spots, might be a third will let you know by Tuesday. Not 100% certain I can make it but will pay you for two spots regardless.

As for everyone's frustration about the regulations, I share those frustration. Personally I feel like NJMFC caved on us but I also realize there's a lot at stake here. Most of us enjoy the benefits of the fishery recreationally, much different situation then if your livelihood depended on it and you had a six or seven figure mortgage on a boat and your earnings depended on this fishery to stay in business. Most here have jobs we wouldn't risk over 2 more fish at 18" and maybe 20 or 25 more days in the season. If we did, our view about the outcome of all this might be slightly altered. Washington knows that and has us by the short hairs in other words. It's not a good situation we find ourselves in but it is the situation nonetheless.

The only way we win this is through the courts, I agree with Dale in that respect. Either MSA is going to be overhauled or the fishery, in the absence of a complete change in NMFS management philosophy, will collapse. And since there's no reason to believe NMFS will suddenly decide to change their management ideologies, we're really looking at legislation to change MSA as our only viable hope. That or an outright Tea Party! Fighting Town Hall is hard enough, fighting the most powerful government in the world is virtually impossible but there are industry groups trying. Most of us, myself included, have no idea how much time and effort these organizations give of themselves to change this situation without personal compensation and they deserve and need our support. Supporting these groups is everyone's personal choice, but if choose not to then either get involved some other way and offer up a different approach to deal with this insanity or don't complain about the work these people are doing on our behalf or the outcomes we have forced down our throats every year. It's disingenuous.

For those who have read my posts, we know what the problems are.

Size limit increases causing the harvest of larger female breeders effectively destroying SSB reproductive capacity. Reproduction strength is down 80% over the last twenty years.

Increased demand for larger sushi grade summer flounder driving higher prices for larger fish at the wholesale level. Secondary issue is unknown impacts of hygrading commercial catch at sea while culling larger more valuable summer flounder.

Continued commercial harvest during offshore migration between September and November, summer flounder's primary spawning period. Inexplicable how NMFS allows this to occur while SSB is being destroyed

Getting the powers to be to acknowledge these facts predicated on their own science and data is another matter all together. Politics at it's worst. It's my hope this ends up in a lawsuit with NMFS's own data used to force change as a result of the negative impacts their policy decisions are causing on the economy which is a direct violation of MSA. Like everyone else, I'm angered having this forced down our throats every year. The only hope we have is that eventually the people working hard representing us will find a way to force the governing bodies to refocus their management efforts on issues confronting the fishery as opposed to managing to benchmarks levels set 41 years ago under MSA. Mandating the same senseless defensive measures year over year will do nothing other than cause continued harm to the fishery.

[dales529]

Tom (Dakota) Thanks and hope you can make it. Your work is appreciated and is helping. Keep it up

Dave, just paid for 5 spots, might have one more tomorrow will let you know. Look forward to seeing everyone on the trip.

[dales529]

Originally Posted by dakota560

Dave, just paid for 5 spots, might have one more tomorrow will let you know. Look forward to seeing everyone on the trip.

Great Tom. Look forward to fishing with you and your gang!

[hartattack]

It's great so see that we now have 39 fares

It's disappointing to see that less than half are paid

Let's fix that please . . . Dave works sooo hard to keep us NJFlukers afloat, please send a check or RFA-paypal gift now