[JohnR]

I got this in an e-mail a little while ago and it's also been listed in The Fisherman and OTW:

The New England Fisheries Management council is endeavoring to radically alter if not ostensibly shut-down recreational rod and reel ground fishing for cod, haddock, pollock, etc. for private, charter and party-boat fisherman in New England coastal waters. As reported by NE Fisherman`s Field Editor, Ed Nowak, who regularly attends the Council meetings, "A motion to achieve a 67 percent reduction in recreational, party and charter boat landings was carried at the November 9th meeting of the NEFMC. If recreational fishing goes over the proposed reduction in landings, the council plans to install further size and bag limit restrictions" Currently new size and bag limitations are part of the proposal. The new bag limits, if imposed, will virtually shut-down charter and party ground fishing. Many of you and your readers make annual trips to New England to fish for cod. They have experienced cod fishing like "the good old days" as a result of the years conservation measures restricting commercial and recreational fishing. Now that the fish are back in size and numbers as well as expanded back into their historical ranges in New England, the "17 member Council; thirteen of them favor,or are representatives of the Commercial fishing industry" wishes no one to have access to the resource. To say the least, the Council is bias. Further, the meeting in early December where the motion will be voted will be "full of Commercial fisherman".

The restoration efforts for ground fish, like the striped bass, are one of the few fisheries management success stories. This resource belongs to all of us.

Recreational anglers are now getting more of their fair share. Evidently the Council doesn't think that is right. Please endeavor to get the word out to your readership and have interested individuals send letters to:

New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Newburyport, MA. 01950; to the attention of Thomas Hill, Chairman.

Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, December 19, 2001

9:00 a.m. -- Introductions (Thomas Hill)

9:05 a.m. -- Skate Committee Report (William Brennan) Approve the skate species overfishing definition alternatives for inclusion in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and public hearing document to be developed for the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP)

9:30 a.m. -- Groundfish Committee Report (Frank Blount) Approve the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for Framework Adjustment 36 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP; the draft document will include a range of alternatives for meeting the goals of Amendment 7 to the Multispecies FMP; the Council will select alternatives and possibly identify a preferred alternative to be included in the Framework 36 DSEIS.

Actions proposed are intended to reduce Gulf of Maine cod fishing mortality and discards as well as reduce fishing mortality on Georges Bank cod. Some alternatives may also reduce fishing mortality on other stocks and may affect the recreational sector. Measures include, but are not limited to: gear modifications, mesh size changes, closed area modifications, adjustments to the days-at-sea clock, days-at-sea reductions, alternative trip limits, limits on the number of gillnets allowed, night closures, a cod minimum size increase and changes to blocks of time out of the fishery. Other issues that may be included in the framework are:

an extension or change to the Western Gulf of Maine Closed Area
tuna purse seine vessel access to groundfish closed areas
a controlled access program for Closed Area II to harvest yellowtail flounder
an increase in the Cultivator Shoal whiting fishery trip limit
a change in the area authorized for the northern shrimp fishery
Public comments will be accepted at this meeting. Additionally, a 45-day comment period on the Framework 36 DSEIS document will be announced following clearance by agencies charged with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) oversight. Final decisions on the Framework 36 action and the Final DSEIS will be made at the March 2002 Council meeting.

Looks like back to the bad old days of the Recs paying when someone else effs something up