Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Clearly there is growing public concern about the condition of the marine ecology, both in terms of overall marine health and the fish stocks in particular. Indeed, there is a problem that must be managed.

There are many factors that are causing the decline in overall marine health including over-development, pollution, and the harvesting of fish.

However, I want to make everyone aware of the movement by some groups (The Ocean Conservancy in particular) that is trying to establish "Marine Protected Areas" (MPAs) that would establish zones which would completely and permanently ban fishing activities. They have proposed bans in areas such as Stellwagon, Billingsgate Shoals, Waquoit Bay and many others.

Further, these groups want to have establish such "protected areas" without input or authority from fishermen (which they wish to exclude specifically) or input from certain science-based standards.

A bill (the Freedom to Fish Act) has been proposed, which would prevent such arbitrary and draconian measures from being installed in Massachusetts, but it has been virtually "pocket vetoed" in the Massachusetts legislature (an Act that has been passed in New Jersey and Rhode Island).

I encourage all of you who wish to preserve our right (and the rights of our children and grandchildren) to engage in our traditional ability to fish the waters of Massachusetts, to learn more about MPAs and the Freedom to Fish Act (F2F Act) which hopes to counter these measures and install more reasonable solutions.

This effects you! Don't sit by idle while special interest groups, who fundamentally dislike fishermen, curtail your historical right to fish. Learn more, get involved, and contact your local legislators and let them know that you vote, and you vote for fishing.