Opposition to The Modern Fishing Act

[Gerry Zagorski]

Just wanted to make you all aware that there are groups who oppose the Modern Fishing Act... To ignore them would be foolish. Here is one example in particular
http://conservefish.org/2017/09/18/fish-losing-voice/

Take a read through the article and you will see that their major point is the stocks are in decline and need to be protected.

You are never going to be able to convince an environmental extremist of anything else because they'd prefer we don't fish at all....

There are however some people in our very own recreational fishing ranks who are lead to believe some of the information here...

Here are some talking points I have for them and why they should support the Modern Fishing act.

- We do care deeply about the fishing stocks but Sea Bass is a prefect example of fisheries management gone wrong.... The stocks are reported to be rebuilt yet we still have punitive measures in place to rebuild them??

- Ours is not a fight for more liberal regulations at the expense of the fish stocks. We want the science improved for the health of the stocks. We don't want more liberal regulations, we want the right regulations.

- Our fight is about access.... Access to a resource that has been slowly taken away from us... Shortened seasons, closures, being forced to target larger fish which are the very fish responsible for reproduction. We all like to fish and many of us practice catch and release and that's a personal decision. If the season is closed that decision is made for you.

- Fisheries management is needed and no one would argue with that. The intent of Magnuson which you can read by googling it " Providing fishing opportunities and economic benefits for both commercial and recreational fishermen as well as fishing communities and shoreside businesses that support fishing and use fish products" However even with the best of intentions, this is a typical example of government over site gone wrong. The very laws intended to help us are hurting us. It's kind of like Affordable Health Care....

Things are certainly coming to a head here and we need to continue to fight for Magnuson reform. We need to educate those willing to listen that this not about exploiting a fishery, it's about changing the methods and science to protect the fishery and give reasonable access to people who enjoy our sport.

[frugalfisherman]

When somebody belly aches that much it generally means the tide is turning against them.

[Rocky]

Us recreational fishermen are getting screwed and we have been getting screwed for many years now. In all honesty the future does not look bright for us. The more they take from us the less they give back...... why is that? Because they can, and unless we fight with every tooth and nail available it will only get worse.

Numbers count my friends and if you are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing that won't help us recreational fishermen one bit. Please get involved in this fight and complain to the right people (our politicians). Go to the meetings and be heard.

Trust me it will be a uphill battle, but I am not ready to take up knitting yet.

[BigRock44]

well stated and thank you gerry for shedding light on this issue. the primary way i stay informed on most of this stuff is through this website, and the people who take the time to post the things that are important to the fishing community. gonna take the next hour or two to voice my opinion to the proper people and forward requests to my fishing buddies. way too easy to become complacent if we let ourselves - fight on fellas!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Just trying to do my part and hope others will as well.

[TerriMc223]

Nicely stated Gerry. Reasonable and thoughtful.

[rumster]

Thank you Gerry.

[bender]

very well stated sir.

[Ttmako]

Just a quick note to highlight what we are up against and why contacting our senators is vitally important to change MSA and its inflexibility.
The Marine Fish conservation network is supported by the National Resources Defense Council, as well as the PEW organization and the Environmental Defense fund.

They have virtually unlimited resources. According to tax filings (Form 990) the NRDC alone had $130M of revenue and assets of more than $300M.

That is what we are up against. So if you can't or wont support the 3 letter org., at least spend literally 2 minutes and or $.50 to contact YOUR representative. That is what they are in office to do.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Ttmako

Just a quick note to highlight what we are up against and why contacting our senators is vitally important to change MSA and its inflexibility.
The Marine Fish conservation network is supported by the National Resources Defense Council, as well as the PEW organization and the Environmental Defense fund.

They have virtually unlimited resources. According to tax filings (Form 990) the NRDC alone had $130M of revenue and assets of more than $300M.

That is what we are up against. So if you can't or wont support the 3 letter org., at least spend literally 2 minutes and or $.50 to contact YOUR representative. That is what they are in office to do.

Thanks for pointing this out Tom... The opposition is well organized and funded... They are not just going to roll over and let this go... We have short window of opportunity here and it's up to ALL OF US to keep a full court press on our representatives to support us, not them.