Dear Fellow Fishermen,

I am writing to inform you about a cause that is worth everyone's time. It is the Massachusetts Freedom to Fish Act (F2F). As you may or may not know, The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and The Massachusetts Striped Bass Association (MSBA), along with a growing number of other local organizations, have been working very hard behind the scenes to make F2F into law in Massachusetts. We now need your help!

We have a tentative hearing date set at the Massachusetts State House for Thursday, November 13th and we need as many anglers as possible to fill the room - and that means you!

Why do you need to go?

There are extremist environmentalist groups seeking to close vast areas of the ocean permanently to fishing. For example, The Ocean Conservancy (TOC) is currently championing a campaign calling for a "network" of marine reserves (permanent no fishing / no take zones) in the Gulf of Maine that are at least 100 square miles. They have already succeeded in imposing such closures in California. Also, The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is actively calling for the creation of "fully protected ocean wildlife and habitat areas at Stellwagen Bank, where all extractive and otherwise harmful activities would be prohibited." They have their sites set on Stellwagen Bank and they promise there will be a closure there. In fact, reliable sources tell us they have the votes now on the Stellwagen Advisory Panel to do so!

These closures are arbitrary and the science cited by these organizations crumbles under minimal scrutiny. That is exactly why they are against F2F. When F2F is enacted, it will require scientific justification and tangible goals before a closure is implemented. More importantly, it will require that the closure is reevaluated over time to see if the closure's goals have been met. If not then it stays closed. If so, then F2F requires the closure will be removed. Does this sound reasonable to you? I thought so.

Folks, organizations like CLF and TOC have key people on the panels that manage your favorite fishing spot. In fact the former head of CLF, Douglas Foy, now heads the Massachusetts Department of Environment! The bottom line here is that it doesn't matter if you fish with a rod and reel or with a gill net - these groups discount us all the same. Indeed, if you take a fish home for dinner then these extremist groups consider it to be a "harmful extractive" activity. It is for reasons like this that we all need to make sure that they don't succeed in permanently taking away our access to our prime historic fishing grounds.

MSBA President, Patrick Paquette, summed it up best when he said "For years we (Recs vs. Commercials) have been arguing over the rules of the game. In this one case, what is at stake is the whole playing field."

While the Massachusetts Freedom to Fish Act will only apply to state waters (within 3 miles of the coast), do not under estimate the need for it's passage. These environmentalist groups are presently working very hard to create closures within the Commonwealth's waters and passing F2F in individual states will help pave the way for the national version of the bill that will apply to federal waters.

It is often said that most fishermen are conservation minded. I think that this is very true. All we ever ask for are reasonable regulations so that we can pursue our favorite past time while ensuring the sustainability of fish stocks. Indeed, when species are found to be in trouble, fishermen are usually the first ones to call for tighter regs. F2F is simply a legal formalization of our conservation ethic and WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SEE THAT IT BECOMES THE LAW.

Please visit the following link to learn more about The Massachusetts Freedom To Fish Act.

http://www.msba.net/f2f

Then schedule November 13th off with your employer and come to the Massachusetts State House on that day. By all means spread this message on every fishing website that you visit. Feel free to paste it whole or in part. However, keep in mind that all of the discussion in the world of this topic on internet message boards won't make nearly as much difference as actually showing up and demonstrating to our elected officials in that we will not stand by idly and let these out of touch conservation groups decide our fate. Ladies and gentlemen, fishermen of all types are the largest stakeholders in this debate. Let's show our elected officials just how large we are!

If you have any further questions or are interested in car pooling to the state house on November 13th, then please send email to f2f@basspond.com

We hope to see you there.

Sincerely,
Mike Flaherty
MSBA Political Committee Chairman

If at all possible, I will be attending this meeting and I encourage anyone else that can in any conceivable way, to attend this too. Even if you do not fish Stellwagen or even ever intend to, this is their foot in the door. So if they close Stellwagen, what's next? Vineyard Sound? Nantucket Shoals? Billingsgate? Buzzards Bay? Jeffries Ledge? Block Island Sound? Rhode Island Sound? It's all within the relm of possibility if they are able to produce their first closure!

I encourage anyone with some extra available days to give it a shot and come meet with us!

Thanks!

John

They close Nantucket Shoals and I totally lose it. Beyond description. Freak central. Wacked. Start grabbing weaponry, make someone pay.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Ok, calm now.

I'll try and get involved here :)

Specifically this is the local version of what is being prepared for the EEZ and beyond. This proposal for inshore in state waters might have say no fishing from Cohasset or Scituate, no fishing from Madaket to Tuckernuck, or No fishing in the Harbor Islands... Anything is possible but it is also scary and likely to happen if we, as concerned anglers do not get involved and put an early stop to this.

RFA Press Release 1/2 read the PDF here or see the text on post below

RFA Press Release Page 2/2 - read the PDF here or see the text on post below

For ease or read and downloading:

http://www.striped-bass.com/regulation/BillPressReleaseRFA110303.pdf

http://www.striped-bass.com/Images/rfaani2.gif
PRESS RELEASE
Recreational Fishing Alliance
PO Box 3080 New Gretna, NJ 08224
P: 1-888-564-6732 F: 609-294-3816

Morrissey and Fallon Introduce MA Freedom to Fish Act

(Boston)- Senator Michael W. Morrissey (D-Quincy) and Representative Christopher G. Fallon (D-Malden) have introduced the Massachusetts Freedom to Fish Act (Senate Bill 2043 & House Docket Number 4107). The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Bruce E. Tarr (R-Gloucester) and Senator Robert E. Hedlund (R-Plymouth).

The bill has been scheduled for a hearing before the General Court Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources for November 13th at 10am in room A-2 of the State House.

This bill establishes standards for the use of “no-fishing” Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a fishery management tool in any of the Commonwealth’s waters.

“Recreational fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in this state. It adds a lot to our quality of life here in Massachusetts,” said Senator Morrissey. “Massachusetts has a thriving recreational fishing industry which includes anglers, boat builders, retailers, party and charter boat businesses, marinas, and many others up and down our coast.”

“Over half a million anglers fish in Massachusetts waters each year making a major contribution to the state and local economies,” said Representative Fallon. “This bill establishes standards that must be met before any of our waters can be closed to all fishing.”

According to a 2002 report from two independent consulting firms, 615,300 anglers fished in Massachusetts’s waters in 2001 a total of 7,685,000 fishing days for a total economic output of $888,486,177 million.

“Our ocean, bays and estuaries are some of Massachusetts’ most important natural resources and they must be managed effectively,” said Senator Tarr. “The marine environment can be adequately protected without unnecessarily closing off areas to fishermen.”

Recreational fishermen have long demonstrated a commitment to conservation by seeking and supporting effective fishery management plans, participating in voluntary research programs and educational outreach, and practicing ethical fishing.

The MA Freedom to Fish Act prohibits closures to fishing unless there is a clear indication that fishing is causing a specific conservation problem and that less severe measures will not be adequate. This bill would also require periodic review of any closures, a scientific basis for the size of any closure, and provisions to reopen areas to fishing whenever the basis for the closure no longer exists.

Spearheaded by the RFA, the bill is supported by a coalition of Massachusetts recreational and commercial fishing organizations including the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association, Massachusetts Beach Buggy Association, Plum Island Surfcasters, Marblehead Surfcasters, Northeast Charter Boat Association, Stellwagen Bank Charter Captains Association and Green Harbor Tuna Club.

“This initiative is in response to a misguided environmental movement to close off vast areas of our oceans by creating no-fishing MPAs,” said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). “Right now, recreational and commercial fishermen in California are facing a closure of some of their state’s best fishing grounds.”

“We’re not out to ban MPAs,” added Mr. Donofrio. “We’re out to establish standards before they are used.”

“Massachusetts fishermen are fortunate to have friends like Representative Fallon, and Senators Morrissey, Tarr, and Hedlund in office,” said Mike Flaherty, political committee Chairman for the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association. “The MA Freedom to Fish Act is a proactive bill that will enhance our ability to go out and enjoy the great fishing opportunities we have here in Massachusetts.”

“The use of MPAs in one form or another is not new,” said Senator Hedlund. “What is new is the push to exclude fishing from an area with no rationale for doing so and that is simply unacceptable.”

Recreational anglers are encouraged to come out to the hearing on November 13th to show their support for the Freedom to Fish Act.


The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, grassroots political action organization representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 1-888-JOIN-RFA.

There's a couple sides to this.

Shutting down Stellwagon inherently wouldn't be bad, as long as thats the extent of the MA shutdown.

Great, we'll actually have a place where fish can chill.
Maybe it'll help offset slightly all the people who take more than they need/kill and toss back/take shorts. Who knows.

Next is the fact that great, close places down.
People are still going to fish them regardless.
How are we going to enforce it?
With WHAT MONEY?
Because as it is, enforcement is lacking, and I'm sure all of you agree with me.

Before closures are thought of maybe people should look towards enforcement.

Sounds like a great opportunity to show in force to stand up for our rights and then after the meeting head out in force to exercise our rights and take rod and reel in hand and show them pinko bastards what we are all about!!! Who is in????:kewl:

Likwid - the problem is that several groups want to go and say "Close here... here... and here". Keep everyone out unless they want to take pictures - for one, it sounds like "user group reallocation" to me, A protected Ocean Wilderness Area is an area in which all fishing and other extractive activities are prohibited, where people take only pictures and leave only bubbles. In these areas, living marine communities have the opportunity to thrive, largely unaffected by human activities, and people can study, explore and experience ocean life in an untrammeled condition for generations to come. Reallocation is the root of half the problems as it is between rec & comm - why should this be any different - but I digress... To have the ability to shut an area down, completely, totally sets a couple bad precedents. First, the ability for one user group (like Ocean Conservacy) to be able to close an area will only be followed up by more areas LOCALLY. It will not end at one. You WILL see more and more areas closed to no fishing. And we are not talking 300 miles of shore but 1-3 miles and then 3 to 200. Second, the reasoning for creating these no take zones negates the need for any serious fisheries management. If you keep everyone out there is no need to manage, right? What the Freedom to Fish essentially states that BEFORE you create an Marine Protection Area, you must reasonably prove that fishing is the cause of the failure and that intermediate steps or regulation would not foster a recovery of a species or a habitat. If a doctor thinks you have a bad back but he can treat it and rehab it back to health, do you want him to just fuse it instead? Sure, you can walk stiff backed and both solutions "fixed" the back (I'm tired couldn't think of a better analogy) but you would rather try the rehab, right?

In nutshell, this is just the beginning. More and more areas will be closed if we do nothing. What we are saying is that you need to prove that other methods will not bring about positive change before shutting down an entire section of the ocean...
Damn -0 will need to approach this again with a clear head - gotta watch Pats...

PLEASE REPLY ASAP TO f2f@basspond.com IF YOU LIVE IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TOWNS!!!


City of Lynn, and the towns of Marblehead and Swampscott, all in the county of Essex.

The town of Falmouth, in the county of Barnstable; and the towns of Chilmark, Edgartown, Aquinnah, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury, all in the county of Dukes County; and the town of Nantucket, in the county of Nantucket.

Thanks in Advance,
Mike Flaherty
MSBA Political Committee Chairman

Just bringing this back up - 70% certain that I'll be able to go THIS THURSDAY!

Again, with beating a dead horse - this is really important to get this legislation passed. This legislation will make it so someone cannot arbitrarlity shut down say, Hacthes to Truro as preserved space, or the Elizabeths, or Rockport... Very Important for people to attend of they can!

Just a thought but is there a way to set up an “E-Petition” Where people can sign to support this on-line. As much as I would like to go to the State House and support this, I have no time off left and I'm sure other people are in the same boat.

With the accessability the internet gives us maybe theres a way to get names together in support of this.

Or does anybody know of an internet site thats setup for us to do this for this issue?

Just a thought

I hope some folks can make it to the hearing but if you can't then there is still plenty of work to be done afterward and we can sure use your help. If you want to be kept abreast of the latest Mass. F2F alerts then visit the following website to subscribe to the MSBA email list.

http://www.msba.net/newsgroup/subscribe.html

Please note that Thursday's hearing is not your typical fisheries hearing. It is actually an opportunity to provide testimony to the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture

This is the real deal folks. If you want to have some impact on the laws governing your access to your historical fishing grounds then it behooves all fishermen to attend who can.

Thanks Again,
Mike Flaherty
MSBA Political Committee Chairman

Ladies and Gentlemen,
This message applies to anyone interested in attending the F2F hearing on the state house this Thursday November 13th. This includes MSBA members and non members alike. Please reply to f2f@basspond.com if you plan on going so we have a rough idea on how many folks will be coming.

Here is what to expect...

- The hearing starts at 10:00am

- It will be a public hearing and anyone can testify.

- There may be a sign up sheet at the door (used for order of testifying) but they will call for anyone else wanting to testify.

- They do not want people to read prepared testimony, but appreciate if it is turned in. Testimony should summarize written info or just making a point(s).

- Those attending the hearing should dress neatly (jacket & tie NOT required).

- There are metal detectors at the entrance to the State House, so no firearms, knives, etc. Be prepared for a line if large turnout or another "popular" issue being considered. Arriving early? - visit senators and/or representatives.

Directions follow and I hope to see you there.

Mike Flaherty
MSBA Political Committee Chairman

************************************************** **********************

DIRECTIONS:

I suggest taking the "T". The best T-stop is Park street and it it accessible from the red or green lines. Get off at Park St and walk up the hill. Govt Ctr is a "long" up hill walk if weather is bad and "not so bad" up hill walk in good weather to the State House.

The following is from: http://www.state.ma.us/sec/trs/trsdir/diridx.htm and it will be helpful if you decide to drive in.

Coming from
North of Boston:
Route 93 South to Central Artery.
Take Exit 23 at Haymarket.
Bear right at the bottom of ramp on to New Chardon St.
Haymarket MBTA Station will be on the left.
Keeping to the left, go through the set of lights.
Take a left into the parking garage. ( Safe Harbor Garage, 50 New Sudbury Street)

On foot, exit garage by turning left on to New Chardon St Cross over Cambridge St. Now walk up the hill on Bowdoin St. You will see the back of the State House in front of you.

There are entrances to the State House on Bowdoin Street (Handicapped Entrance), Mount Vernon Street, Derne Street and of course the main entrance on Beacon Street.

South of Boston:
93 North to Central Artery.
Take Chinatown/Kneeland St. exit. (21)
At bottom of ramp, take a left turn onto Kneeland St. Proceed on Kneeland St., which becomes Stuart St., go through several sets of lights. (4) When you come to Charles St. South, you must take a right turn.
Next intersection is at Boylston St. Continue straight on Charles St.
The Boston Common Underground Garage is entered from the right lane of Charles St.

On foot follow signs in the garage to Beacon St. /State House exits. You will end up on the Boston Common next to Beacon St. Walk up the hill on Beacon St. (a right turn from the garage exits) and the State House will be on the left at the top of the hill.

West of Boston:
Take the Mass. Pike East, once in Boston, keep right inside the tunnel, and take Exit 22, the Copley Square /Prudential Center exit. Inside the exit tunnel, keep to the right and follow signs for Copley Square. When you come out of the tunnel, the exit merges onto Stuart St. Continue straight on Stuart St through 4 sets of lights, keeping left. At the 5th set of lights, you must take a left turn onto Charles St. South. Go up Charles St. South to the next intersection, Boylston St. Go straight on Charles St., and keep right to enter the Boston Common Underground Garage, Follow directions on foot as above for "South of Boston".

From the Airport:
Follow exit signs to Sumner Tunnel
Go through tunnel and at end bear right onto Cross St.
You'll pass under the Expressway and come to a set of lights
Go straight and continue up New Chardon St. (Haymarket Bus Station and parking garage are on left)
Go thru 2 more sets of fights on New Chardon St and you'll cross over Cambridge St
After crossing Cambridge St you'll go up the hill on Bowdoin St. (Red Hat Restaurant on right)
You must take right onto Derne St just behind the State House
Take left onto Hancock St
Then you must go right on Mt. Vernon St
Take 1st left onto Joy St
Take next left onto Beacon St - you'll pass right in front of State House - to circle around again take first left onto Bowdoin St.

BUMPBADOINK!!!

MSBA Letter to OMTF Requesting Clarification of its Purpose:


An excerpt follows and the full text may be found at...

http://www.msba.net/f2f/msba_omt_2.htm

I think this letter helps to illustrate just how entrenched environmentalist
groups are in the processes that may decide the fate of your favorite
fishing holes.

Best,
Mike Flaherty
MSBA Political Committee Chairman

=====
On November 13, 2003 MSBA and a number of other Massachusetts organizations
attended a hearing before the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and
Agriculture at the Massachusetts State House in order to testify in favor of
bill S2043. This bill is also known as the Freedom to Fish Act. This bill
calls for scientific justification before a fishing closure can be put in
place. It also calls for evaluation criteria to be met in order to see if
the goal of a closure is being met. If the goal is being met then the
closure would stay in place, if not then the closure would be removed. It
is a very straightforward and reasonable bill. However, it is being
strongly opposed by The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and The
Massachusetts Audubon Society. Both of these organizations have members on
the OMTF and these individuals were also in attendance at the state house
that day to testify against this bill.

MSBA does not question the right of these environmentalist groups to oppose
the Freedom to Fish Act. However it is now very clear to us that these
environmentalist groups are using the OMTF work in order to help persuade
legislators to vote against the bill.

This concerns our organization greatly. It seems clear that these groups
are in the OMTF pushing their own agenda and not working in an open-minded
voyage of discovery with regard to addressing the issues that may or may not
be needed in the OMTF Framework.

...

MSBA believes that the efforts by OMTF members Priscilla Brooks and Jack
Clark are clearly not in the best interest of the OMTF. In fact these
members could actually undermine the legitimacy of the hard work put forth
by the other members on the OMTF who are sincerely working hard to develop a
fair and balanced framework that would benefit the citizens of the
Commonwealth. As we have written before, the fact that Ms. Brooks' former
superior at CLF, Douglas Foy, is now the head of the Commonwealth's offices
of Environment and Energy should raise serious concerns about what CLF hopes
to gain by being a part of the OMTF.