A Fisherperson needs your help!

[Gumada]

Done

So far we have one whole leg and a foot to represent us in Washington, let's see if we can't get the entire lobbyist there. We'd arguably have a better chance presenting our thoughts about ways to improve the current management of the fishery. Gumada thanks for stepping up, please everyone continue showing your support. This fishery is just too important and too special to ignore.

[dales529]

Thanks Gumada
Last I checked we are at 10% of the goal, Sad commentary on ALL of us I must say.

Come March /April the posts will start on summer flounder regulations for 2022. Some will say NJ Dept of Fish and wildlife will introduce a slot but we ALL know it wont happen. Some will say RFA didnt do anything but we ALL know thats not the case.. Tom Dakaota who has posted more about this situation since Tony Bogan has donated more than others.

Again why do 1% of fishermen have to do the work for the 99% of the masses? I have tried to understand and done my part but my god what $5.00 from each of you would do is so important if in masse given how may of us fish and bitch.

Unfortunately you cant fight this without support and lobbyists. The NOAA data will show high catch and high mortality rate. If you were on the water at all this year in NJ PP and north fish were there from July on and those of us out there had some very good trips but that doesn't mean we overfished.

The effort from yesteryear was non existent. in May and June from PP north to Sandy Hook we didnt even try for Fluke, Raritan Bay barely had a solid fishery. I dont believe south of PP was much better on keepers early or later.
Fishing effort plays a big part in NOAA data. I fish weekdays and guess what the "fleet" doesn't exist

NJ will support for status quo as it has for many years but we all know you cant keep taking the females and while NJ wants a slot fish it cant be done if NOAA reports on catch, effort and mortality are based on the "best available" science or nothing changes.
We need to get Tom Dakota data , SSFFF Data RFA Data, JCAA data etc etc into the hands that matter and that takes a few bucks and lobbyists.

Funny most have posted that about we Need lobbyists but yet here we stand without the means to get it done.

AGAIN: Your donation goes to the NJ Chapter of RFA and will be used for ONLY NJ fishing rights and we DONT get paid, its ALL volunteer

Guys I'm not going to preach because everyone here knows what's happened in this fishery. And it will keep happening until summer flounder goes the way of winter flounder, whiting, cod, mackerel etc. No one ever thought those fisheries would disappear from our local waters but they all did in the blink of an eye. If you think that can't happen to the summer flounder fishery, you'd be wrong because it's already happening. Only one statistic I'll bore you with. In the last stock assessment, between 2010 and 2017 the stock declined by 73 million fish of which approximately 40 million were mature females and most of the 73 million were sexually mature fish both females and males which means the overall spawning stock of this fishery is being destroyed. All triggered by the use of increased size minimums to constrain catch in the recreational sector and the consequences of that decision across the entire fishery.

The data from the most recent stock assessment is screaming there's a significant problem in the fishery. Unfortunately that data mandated by law to drive decisions is being largely misrepresented or completely ignored. Why? We can argue that point but it wouldn't change the state of the fishery one bit.

It's very simple, we have a choice to make. We can work together utilizing our individual skill sets to save this fishery or stand by and watch it fail. In making that choice, consider how different your life would be if this fishery didn't exist. The social consequences would be enormous, the economic consequences to shore communities and businesses dependant on the health of this stock would be substantial to both the commercial and recreational sectors.

If losing this fishery doesn't concern you, ignore this post. However, if it's future health is important to you, your kids and grandkids, please contribute what you can. RFA, Dave and similar organizations fighting for the preservation of our rights and the survival of these resources for all our benefits need your help to get this data in the right hands and change the fortunes of a once thriving fishery.

Personally, I'm disgusted with how many fisheries we discuss in terms of "remember when" as opposed to how great they are today. We all have an opportunity to effect the latter, please don't take that opportunity for granted. Your support and voice matter!

[acabtp]

link isn't working... donate link at bottom of https://www.joinrfa.org/rfa-new-jersey-chapter/ goes to a paypal page that says "This organization's page is broken."

Acabtp, could you do me a favor and try again. I just did and it worked fine, maybe Dave saw your email and corrected it. The link should take you to RFA NJ website, hit the donate option and that should give you the option of making either a PayPal or debit / credit card contribution.

Thanks for your support, pointing out the issue and when you retry could you please post if you were able to get through.

Thanks again for your help!

[dales529]

Originally Posted by acabtp

link isn't working... donate link at bottom of https://www.joinrfa.org/rfa-new-jersey-chapter/ goes to a paypal page that says "This organization's page is broken."

acabtp: checked this out and link seems to be working properly. You have to enter a dollar amount before clicking the pay buttons, again your choice of paypal or debit / credit card. Also you dont have to join RFA NJ if you only want to make a donation
Please advise or anyone else if you are having any issues.

https://www.joinrfa.org/rfa-new-jersey-chapter/
Thanks for your support!

[acabtp]

Yep, link is fixed now

Kicked in another $100... Let's keep these fish around for everyone's kids and grandkids!

Acabtp.....thank you and those who have contributed!

There's a 34-page paper I'm finalizing, which will be summarized as well, going to the Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, which National Marine Fisheries Services ultimately reports up under. NOAA, NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Members from the Mid-Atlantic and New England Regions, State Senators for every state involved in this fishery and Representative from shore based communities will be copied by email as well. Document should be ready to send within the next two to three weeks.

The document will show, based on their own data, current regulations are destroying this fishery. The economic impacts involved already have been enormous. It's all there, no one has taken the time to connect the dots. This document will.

I want to find a way of posting it through a link on this forum and start a petition to change the regulations. Until the people managing this fishery are forced to acknowledge the damage the current regulations are causing the fishery and the economy, nothing will change. I have the analysis, I need the people who can carry that message to Washington. This is 4-5 years in the making and my work is absolutely spot on. That's why RFA's and Dave's request for a lobbyist is so vitally important to save this fishery and create the voice we need at the level we need it at. We have the data and analysis which is indisputable, we need your help and support getting the data in the right hands and on the table to hold management of this fishery accountable for the substantial decline over the last decade.

As Dave already mentioned, this is all volunteer work on personal time. No money raised here will be used for anything other than delivering the message to save this fishery and benefit both recreational and commercial sectors.

I implore members here to meet the $5k quota so we have someone hand delivering a strong message to Washington and our very own State Representatives. I don't mean to over dramatize the situation, but we're truly at the crossroads with this fishery. We can't continue killing off the spawning stock, continue harvesting a disproportionate number of females, kill the recruitment strength of the stock, kill millions of sexually immature fish in the process and expect this stock to have a future. It has to change and it has to start now. PLEASE show your support any way you can!

[GDubya07]

Done and Done