ACTION ALERT

To: MA Recreational Fishing Community

RE: Complaints of Pogie Boats (Samll Menhaden Purse Seiners) causing user conflicts and localized depletion of Menhaden in Boston's Inner Harbor

Fishermen and Charter Boat Operators that want MA DMF to do something about the current increase in commercial fishing for Pogies in Boston;s Inner Harbor and the surrounding Bays and Estuaries has the opportunity to attend and state their complaints to the MA Marine Fish Advisory Commission & DMF Officials at the regularly scheduled meeeting of the MA Marine Fish Advisory Commission (the group appointed to represent your interests) on THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3 2009. The meeitng is being held st the Radisson hotel in Plymouth MA which is located at 100 Water Street.

Although the issue is not on the agenda, the commission is aware of the issue and anyone that attends will be given time to speak. The following link shows the complete agenda for the day. Those wishing to adress the Pogie Boat issue are urged to show up around 1 pm as this issue will not be adressed before lunch.

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/marinefisheriesnotices/mfc/mfc_sept_agenda_083109.htm

Due to a work conflict MSBA is not sending our Gov't Affairs Officer and urges anyone that wants to adress this situation to make time and show up.

This Action Alert is brought to you by the MA Striped Bass Association(www.msba.net), serving the MA Recreational Fishing Community since 1950. Why aren't you a member?

what can those of us who care, but can't get the day off, do?

Thank You Patrick. Julie and I are going and are trying to get a group together! This is very important to me!!

Hi Fishingfreak, a phone call to the DMF will not hurt and will definatley help, the more complaints they get the better. So if any of you can not make it because you have to work or have other things to take care of because of the short notice on this meeting I think anyone who can not make it should flood the phones.:fury::uhuh:

To Fishing Freak
I am not sure what you can do but I will let it be known that there are others who were unable to attend that are concerned as well.

I commend everyone getting involved in this but make sure you don't shoot your local bait/tackle shops in the foot. Here in Rhode Island RISAA went on a crusade against the boats and the local bait shops were the pawns. The result was nobody could get pogies for bait from many of the shops. Not sure its relevant in this case but make sure to get the local B&T input on this issue.

DZ

I commend everyone getting involved in this but make sure you don't shoot your local bait/tackle shops in the foot. Here in Rhode Island RISAA went on a crusade against the boats and the local bait shops were the pawns. The result was nobody could get pogies for bait from many of the shops. Not sure its relevant in this case but make sure to get the local B&T input on this issue.

DZ

You're mistaken about the cause/effect that you claim. The push by RISAA resulted in NO CHANGE in legislation. And I personally do not recall having problems getting pogies from B&Ts. In fact, this year there were more commercial boats raping the Providence River than in the past.

Hi DZ I respect your opinion on the tackle shops but they are not losing bait from the commercial sector, they are being hurt by the seiners who sale bait to the recreation boats on the water because they don't want to pay there local tackle shop for bait. This I have witnessed 1st hand as alot of recreation fisherman just do not understand what is happening. If they get bait from the pogie boats they are just helping them be able to take more and more bait every day.

Also for those of you who what your opinions heard, but cannot make the meeting today, here is a number an email address you can call or email your comments to.

Diodati, Paul
paul.diodati@state.ma.us Director
Facility: MO Administration
(617)626-1530

Just a follow up from todays meeting, we were not allowed to speak at this meeting so there was a communication problem as we were told that we would be able to.

However, it was brought up at the end of the meeting by Chuck Cassela who is one of the board members and represents the recreational sector. He will be having a meeting with Paul Diadoti who is the director of Marine Fisheries to discuss where the boats have been going as there have been photos submitted and to see if they are in fact in violation of where they are allowed to set their nets.

Chuck and Paul agreed to discuss our concerns after the meeting had adjourned for the day, which was very considerate as they did not have to do that. We were given a chance to let them know what has been going on in the area's of the inner harbor and how there just is not that much bait to go around in the 1st place.

Chuck was also given a copy of the regulations that the Pogie boats must abide by under their boat permits, we will be given this information later and then we will know for sure if they are in violation or not. As they will not be able to meet about this issue until Wed at the earliest.

IF they are in violation, Mr Diodatti said he will definatly deal with this issue, IF they are not, which cleary in some of the pictures we have taken they are, Then not alot can be done as they have as much right to be there as we do. SO we will let you know what we find out over the coming days.

In the mean time, if you are out there and see them setting inside of wallostons Moorings or Marina Bay area, or Winthrop harbor, please do not be confrontational, the best thing you can do is write down the GPS numbers for where they are, take photos of where they are, and send them to division of Marine fisheries. Also you can email your concerns or call them and let DMF know how this is affecting your fishing as they are also not allowed to set nets in areas where fishing is being conducted.

Thanks for the heads up Jules.