Marine Protected Areas
 

Got a survey call last night about establishing MPA's off of New England and if they are a good or bad idea. whole thing was about feelings, nothing to do with facts.

Kind of devious questions in my estimation asking if they should be protected from OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, MINING ANDcommercial fishing. Later follow on question would you be ok since it "only" would affect a "small number" of people involved in commercial fishing??

Such BS . Nothing like letting environmental wackos dictate fisheries management
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Mpa def work but I hope we never see one in NE. Once it's gone, it's gone forever
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Personally, I wouldn't comment until I had all the facts I needed to make an educated reply....apparently these number crunchers didn't want to bother you with trivial things like facts and figures, just the "touchy-feely" tree-hugger questions.

Without the facts it's just a waste of time.

That is the rub for me. As a fisherman, I don't want to see areas closed off to any fisherman (commercial or recreational), but the scientist in me knows they do work, and have spillover into adjacent areas.

Probably more effective to limit the mid-water trawlers and some other bait issues, but that probably isn't enough for some species to rebound...