ASMFC SB Decision Day is Wednesday in CT: Who's Going?
 

This coming Wednesday (October 29) The ASMFC SB Management Board will select the final options for Addendum IV to Am 6 of the SB Manamgent Plan.

The meting is being held at the Mystic Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Blvd, Mystic CT. Meeting starts at 10:15 am and is scheduled to go until 6:30 pm.

The reduction is not a done deal by any way. Current polling of Commissioners etc indicates that although it is likely the new reference points will be adopted the biggest vote in play is the choice of taking the reduction in one year vs 3 years. This is huuuuuge for us in New England because if they choose the three year phase in and do not achieve the needed reduction we will surely be looking at seasons in the near future. Which would you rather give up, May or Sept? Simply put, we must encourage ASMFC to take the reduction in 1 year so that we have a likelihood of achieving the target.

If you want to skip the initial presentations and show up for just the real debate...I predict the real discussion and motion making will start after lunch around 1pm.

We need to pack that room on Wednesday. MSBA is running a carpool...See our FB page. Im hoping other clubs are going to do what they can to get members to attend.

So Im calling out my fellow members of S-B. Time to participate in democracy and show up. A lot of the southern clubs & web site guys showed up for the big Menhaden vote in MD a few years ago and it mattered a great deal...did you hear that Bigfish. This meeting is in our back yard and it's time for New England anglers to bring the heat.

Who's going?

I'm going on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

I'm going
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It is scheduled for a week day to ensure only those with sufficient economic interest can justify giving up a day of work to attend. If recreational opinion mattered they would schedule the meeting at a time when such opinion could be fairly sampled.

Because the decision will be made with economic interest as a foremost priority, and because there is no accountability at stake for any decision made, it is hard to believe this process will be anything close to "democratic".

I will try to be there for the afternoon debates.

All of the ASMFC boards meetings, spring, summer, fall and winter are held for three weekdays. The sampling of opionion is what takes place at the hearings that were held in all states, most of them were held in the evenings.

ttt
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Just got back from ASMFC meeting in Mystic, where I was reappointed as an advisor to the Summer flounder, black sea bass and scup management board.

How true
 

It's always about the money. If it were about what's best for the fish the decision would be obvious. Democracy has nothing to do with the decision. This about what's good for a relatively small segment who makes money directly from producing dead bass be it for a commercial fisherman or a charter boat operator. In a democracy a relatively small group is not supposed to grab an inordinate share of a public resource. Guess we will see if our democracy is working for the majority of the people or not.
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Some might contend that the shore-bound catch and release only fisherman is the minority segment.

A "majority" of commentators on a niche website is not necessarily representative of the overall population of coastwide fisherman that target striped bass.
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No it's not, but the overall majority of people shore, boat, comm, for-hire who went to the meetings and wrote-in comments all agree by a 94% margin that a reduction is needed and desired. Every single comment is there, verbatim.

http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/...pplemental.pdf

Thanks for posting that Matt. What we should learn from this is that they took EVERY comment into account - no matter how short. There was no reason not to send a 1 sentence email.

If anyone would like to tune-in via their computer, you can register to listen live here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/256839182

You will receive an email from ASMFC to follow a link in order to tune in. It may cut-out, but you may also be able to listen to the whole thing. The meeting's agenda is posted on the ASMFC website at the top of their quick-links tab on their website home page. It begins in a few minutes

Thanks Matt !

I'm on, break until 1:30

Upped it to 2PM now..must need more booze.:buds:

option B section 2.5 - change F target passes 12-4

So that's 25%, reduce to target in 1 year correct?

Is the "how" a separate vote?
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No, right now there is ongoing debate to reach a compromise.
3 year option is shut down.

currently it is an option for 2 years up for vote (which wasn't in the original documents) so they are taking public comments on this...

Lots of motions to amend going on. Chesapeake states want different reduction than coastal. 20.5% reduction for Chesapeake Bay States vs 25% reduction for coastal. They are going to vote now
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25% coastal fishery, 20.5% reduction in CBay effective 2015

"expected to reduce F to target in less than 2 years"

passes 10-6 (maybe)

....arguing semantics & also does this meet the intended goal?

The motion passes to go to a vote.
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