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Couple of quick clarifications on the seiner issue.
3 sets so far- over 100 fish total.
This is confirmed - one of the best harpooners in NE is 4 boats down from me. His airplane watched all 3 sets, and I also listened to them make the 3rd set on the VHF.
The "gentleman's agreement" someone referred to, was blown out of the water the first year it went into effect.
Mass Banned seining in Cape Cod Bay last season, then over the winter the seiners appealed, and Mass fisheries went back on their previous decision.
Paul Diodati will hear comments on the issue tomorrow, and depending on attendance, they may vote on the issue.
I am personnaly against the seiners taking entire schools of Giant Tuna from protected inshore waters like Cape Cod Bay. Not really looking to debate the topic, but I've been tuna fishing literally my entire life (I'm 35 - started going on the boat consistantly at age 5 and landed my first Giant r and r at age 13), and my family has been at it since the 1950's. I've seen firsthand how devastating this method is and the effect it has on the stocks. This is the only fishing method that removes the entire school from an area - and I do believe in the theories of "imprinting" and localized depletion.
I believe forage issues like herring and midwater trawling are also extremely important to ther health of the fishery.
I'm not an advocate of putting the seiners out of business completely - I just want to see them out of Mass State waters which will hopefully allow the once successful dayboat fishery to flourish again.
I will be at the meeting tomorrow and will hopefully get a chance to say my peace.
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