TONIGHT---Tuesday March 27@ 7PM
Radisson Hotel
180 Water Street
Plymouth MA

TOMORROW IS RHODE ISLAND
Wednesday March 28 @ 7pm
Hilton Garden Inn
One Thurber Street
Warwick RI

Now is the time for the recreational fishing community to show up in force and help bring accountability to the Atlantic Herring Mid Water Trawl Fleet. Every fish (Cod, Striped Bass, River Herring & Tuna) that relies on Atlantic Herring or is seen as by catch in this fishery is in some sort of trouble. This is no coincidence. Tonight is the Public Hearing for Boston & South Shore.

Please attend and sign the attendee list. Please go to the mic and give your opinions. The following is a list of items that have been prioritized by the MA Striped Bass Assn, the CHOIR Coalition and many small boat commercial fishermen. If you don't know what to say, go to the microphone and read this over and over. This is democracy and we need your vote. Your voice matters

1. 100 percent at-sea monitoring (Section 3.2.1.2 Alternative 2 )on all category A & B midwater trawl fishing trips in order to provide reliable estimates of all catch, including bycatch of depleted river herring and other marine life

2. Discourage the wasteful dumping of catch, Section 3.2.3.4 Alternative 4D including the fleet-wide limit of five slippage events per management area. Operational discards are dumping of valuable natural resources and must be included.
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3. No herring mid water trawling in areas established to promote rebuilding of ground fish populations (Section 3.4.4 Alternative 5).

4. We can not wait for new science to protect river herring. We support an immediate catch cap based on recent catch. To limit what is currently being killed as by catch is a good start. We support Section 3.3.5 only if modified to require immediate implementation of a catch cap.

I will try to make it tomorrow for a short bit to Warwick.

Anyone else going to Warwick?

Wasn't able to make the Plymouth hearing last night (wife had late work meeting and no babysitter).

I heard there were 80-90 guys there and it was a good showing. Anybody go?

I'll be there for sure and I hope to drag Zach Harvey along for good measure. I think they also deserve to hear from Captain Jim White...he might scare them off for good.

I'll be there for sure and I hope to drag Zach Harvey along for good measure. I think they also deserve to hear from Captain Jim White...he might scare them off for good.

Mike, I'm sure you don't but if you need Jim's number or email address let me know

Myself and Flatts1 will be at the meeting in Warwick RI tonight.

Plymouth had just over 90
Portsmouth NH had just over 50
Fairhaven MA had just under 80
Gloucester Ma had just over 50


Roll Tide Roll

Tell your friends to make sure and talk about the alternatives and not just complain....100 % monitoring/Dumping limited to 5 events per management area/require them to weight the fish.....we must support alternatives....

Patrick - how did this finish up?

Sorry I had to rush through my elaborate, well prepared read quick jumble but had to go pick up son...

Went to the hearing last night in Warwick - interesting to see the mix of people and hear from some of the commercial guys (who did have some valid points). This was my first hearing and I quickly realized that there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed and commented on by the public.

Although this has been reiterated 1000 times comments can also be submitted by email and by snail mail:

You can also submit comments

by email to comments@nefmc.org (Attention/Subject Line: Herring Amendment 5 Comments)

by mail to:
Mr. Paul Howard
New England Fishery Management Council
50 Water Street
Newburyport, MA 01950

Public comments on Draft Amendment 5 will be accepted by the Council through 5:00PM on April 9, 2012.