Time to fight for Eels

[timw]

Yes Mike, thats me.

To me I guess what it boils down to is that each individual state has the authority to take action, and ASMFC has the authority to take action, yet no one has taken any. This decline didn't happen overnight, folks have been aware of it for many years now, yet these things are still getting smacked through all their life stages. How many of our coastal fish species have an open season for the young of the year lifestage? How many species can be fished for with pots by recs? How many have no quota on the amount landed by comms. ASMFC has had the authority over the past several years to establish some sort of reasonable limits on these fish like they have for other coastal species and they have not done it.

On the one hand they are asking the Feds if the things are endangered, on the other hand they are doing nothing. If the stocks are in bad enough shape that ASMFC has to ask the Feds the endangered question, then they are certainly in bad enough shape to warrant some sort of catch limits beyond the ones in place.

That is why my brother and I filed the petition to list them. Because everyone was wringing their hands and talking about it, but no one was doing anything about it. Judging by their current proposal nothing has changed.

I am sure this all makes perfect sense within the regulatory arena, but from my view it sure looks like they are d#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g and running.

[MotoXcowboy]

Originally Posted by chief10

MotoX- I read one on this site before. run a search for eel bob. I think it was plastic jar-mix water with kosher salt until it dissolves then freeze .

thanks chief

[MakoMike]

Tim,
I can tell you that even the guys on the technical committee were amazed at what they saw when they did the stock assesment. None of them thought the stocks were in such bad shape. I think that the ASMFC will be forced to act before the USF&WS can. The ASMFC will be in receipt of the peer review and (assuming it passes the peer review) the stock assessment will be preented to the management board in January, Even with their legnthy process they should have something out for public comment by April/May. The USF&WS isn't likely to even act on your petition until late next fall and they can't get a lisiting through until next winter. If the ASMFC doesn't act, they will loose a lot of credability.

[MakoMike]

I thought you guys might be interested in my comments to the ASMFC on the proposed Addendum 1 to the eel fishery management plan. If any of you wished to copy all or part of this letter and use it as your own, please feel free to do so.

Ms. Lydia Munger

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

1444 ‘Eye’ Street, Northwest

Washington, D.C. 2005

Dear Sirs:

I am writing in response to your request for public comments on Addendum I to the Interstate Fisheries Management plan for the American eel.

In light of the dismal stock assessment recently produced by the Technical Committee and the even more recent affirmation of the bleak outlook for the species by the peer review panel, to proceed forward with this Addendum would not only be ludicrous, but would also be against the charter of the ASMFC. Adoption of this Addendum would send the signal to the fishing community that it will be “business-as-usual” going forward with respect to this fishery, which plainly cannot be the case.

Instead I urge you to withdraw this Addendum and save the cost of the scheduled public hearings. In addition the American Eel Management Board should recommend that the Commission adopt an emergency measure at the February meeting barring all possession of American eels. While such an action will not provide the same level of protection as the contemplated listing under the endangered species act, it will provide some badly needed protection until the U.S.F.& W.S. and N.O.A.A. Fisheries can act, which likely won’t be until some time next fall. Unless the ASMFC acts now, the eel situation will only worsen as the glass eel season gets underway this spring and the fishing for the yellow and silver eels continues for another summer.



Yours Truly

[Mr. Sandman]

Some Christmas whinnnning...
I am not surprised they do nothing while scratching their head. Look at the way they handle the herring...same thing. They know there is a serious problem. Stocks are being wiped out and next year you can't take any...but this year...still they are going full bore....

I think this is typical and fully exposes the commerical bias that is built into our regulatory system. They really don't care about the fish, just the attempt to maximize the commerical harvest.

IMO there are too many regulatory bodies dealing with fishing and not enough being done. The communication between each is expensive and time consuming. They need less money, fewer bodies and a few men that will R E G U L A T E without regard for politics. This whole system sucks if you ask me and has demonstrated that it does not work.

I want to know when they expect the codfish to come back strong...they have been working this problem for more 2 decades!

[MakoMike]

So do something besides whinning. They are looking for input, so write them a letter and tell tham what you would like to see them do about eels!