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Old 01-21-2004, 07:33 PM   #24
JohnB
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: South Shore, Mass
Posts: 40
Here is a letter I wrote to Gripers. They did not respond. I did not care to get involved with the EEZ thing because I thought it trivial to the fact they want to put a crushing on baby fish. These dopes will ruin the fishery if we are not careful.

JB

Dear Sir


I took notice to the conflicting positions posted on your organizations web site. The anti - conservation positions taken by your group worry me.

In reading the information put forth on stripersforever.com, I got the impression that the leaders of this group advocate the killing of juvenile striped bass. Even more strange was the fact I noticed stripers over 28"s being referenced as "large" on your site. I am scared that the day has come where a 10lb striper is referred to by an "experienced" fishermen as large. I doubt not the veracity of your efforts to improve recreational striper fishing, what I doubt is the knowledge and experience of those that have had the greatest influence on the positions of your organization.

In the short term, by advocating the slaughter of school bass ( sub 36'' fish) , your group wishes to destroy the chance of the average angler to catch fish in the medium or large class. Over time, your groups position would lead to the destruction of an adequate breeding population. I challenge the leaders of your group that fished for bass in the late '80's - early '90s to recall the size of the fish they caught. My guess is that not many of the folks in the scoping positions of your org fished for bass back then. If they did fish, they would remember a tremendous number of fish just below the rec. size limit of 36"s. Within a couple years of the limit being dropped, they would have again noticed the "lawnmover blade effect". This "lawnmower" known as recreational striper fishing, does a remarkable job of limiting the individual size of fish in the biomass to that of a size just below the recreational size limit. I've watched how the "grass" has been cut for 25 years. Right now, there are a hundred active grass cutters for every one that fished in the '70s. I take people out daily from May 1 to Oct. 10. There are probably 100 guide licenses on the South Shore of Mass. now as opposed to 2 of us in 1989.

Your advocacy of the slaughter of juvenile fish flies in the face of striped bass conservation. Common sense says that if you kill most of the fish before they become even low level breeders, you are not going to have much of a future for the species. There simply will not be enough fish living long enough to replace the current cows. Any slot size would simply be a window of death that very few fish would escape. In contrast, allowing the majority of fish to become prime breeders before they are eligible for legal take, would go far in ensuring the long term future of both the species and the fishery we all love so much. Issues such as overpopulation and food supply are far more reasonable to deal with than another demise of these fish.

If your current beliefs were instituted today, the average Joe would be lucky to catch a 10lber during a fall run night a Nauset Beach. This negative change would occur within a short few years. I believe your organization can do great things for this species if it is based on true conservation. The inability of your organization to generate widespread enthusiasm and support is because of the poor ideas it is based upon. My hope is that your group will change it's advocacy of slaughter. I think you will be amazed at the support you receive by changing to a position that adheres to the ethic of conservation.


Best of Luck

Capt John R Bunar Jr

JohnB
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