Immediate Action Needed Now - Bluefish

[Gerry Zagorski]

This from Keep America Fishing

Stop the Bluefish Quota Transfer

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) have proposed a new Bluefish Management Plan. If approved, the new plan would transfer a portion of the Bluefish quota from recreational anglers to commercial fishermen.

For years, saltwater anglers have been fighting to conserve Atlantic bluefish. Recreational landings have consistently stayed below the quota. Now, some are requesting the unused recreational quota be permanently awarded to commercial interests.

We need your help to ensure the preservation of the recreational bluefish quota. Keeping the bluefish quota as is helps conserve the fishery and continues to provide recreational anglers with fishing opportunities when other seasons are closed.

The MAFMC is current accepting comments on this plan. Please follow the instructions below and send a message telling them you oppose this ill-advised proposal.

How to send a message:

1 – Click here http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bluefi...tion-amendment to go to the Council’s online comment form.

2 – Fill out the name and email address sections, select your role and check the boxes that apply to you.

3 – Copy the Sample Message below and paste it into the “comments” section. Please feel free to add your own thoughts.

Sample Message:

As a recreational fisherman, I am opposed to the proposed Bluefish Allocation Amendment of the new Bluefish Management Plan.

Recreational anglers have been good stewards of the bluefish fishery. By keeping landings down and practicing catch-and-release, we have helped protect Atlantic bluefish from overfishing.

As sportfish, bluefish are an important fishery for the recreational sector because their seasons are often open when other fisheries are closed. Reallocating the quota could cause undue hardship for communities that depend on recreational fishermen during otherwise slow times of year.

Please reject the Bluefish Allocation Amendment. Thank you for your consideration.

[BigRock44]

done.

[Gumada]

Done

[Canyonfish]

Done....... and by the way I love catching Blues... and I also like they way they taste..... I don't mind fish tasting like fish

[RAMMFISH66]

DONE!!!!!!
By the way, where are the surf Bluefish??? Have not had a bite it two weeks, the surf has been quiet..See ya all later, Robbie

Every post I've ever read about allocations being transferred deal with transferring a portion of the recreational quota to the commercial guys, has commercial EVER transferred part of their quota to recreational interests....a little quid pro quo!

Gerry,

Done. Members of this site, it literally takes 2 minutes to post your concern and outrage about the proposition Gerry posted. The ramifications of overfishing their quota by commercial interests should be borne by commercials, not shouldered by the recreational fishing community and the many businesses that depend on our support. There should be a thousand posts to this thread from people who responded to Gerry's request. It doesn't get any easier than this, PLEASE use your voice to make a difference and matter. We owe it to ourselves and one another to tell the powers to be we're not going to sit on our ass and have a resource we're as entitled to as anyone taken away from us and our children. If there's one thing you can do today in an effort to make a difference, light this post up and reply.

[slammer]

Done.

[pectoralfin]

Done! This doesn't surprise me. When has NMFS ever been concerned about the social and economic impact of their actions has on the recreational sector as they have for the commercials.

[bender]

done...