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Hey guys,
S529, An Act relative to Oceans aka: the O'Leary bill has been in play for almost a year. A similar Bill proposed by the governor is seemingly dead right now.
A group of RFA affiliated organizations in MA (MSBA, Stellwagon Bank Charter Captains Assoc, North East Charter Captains Assoc, MBBA, etc, etc) has been working through our MA RFA operatives with significant help from the RFA National Office, to negotiate and effect the parts of this bill that we see as negative. I am one of those directly involved.
A highlight of the issues we want out of the bill or changed include...Placing overall authority of a comprehensive management plan for all state waters (a good thing in theory) to the Secreatary of the Environment, a political appointee with no formal education on ocean or fisheries management. Creating a new layer of government, which includes a "scientific committee" with very powerful authority to do work no longer done by the MA DMF due to serious cutbacks in budget over the last years. the ability to create various levels of Marine Protected Areas including No Fishing Zones without the safeguards we expect when our access to state waters is restricted. etc. etc.
We have been making ground and continue to work on this bill. The reason we havwe made ground is that in various shows of fishiermens unity we have made some post card campaigns and e-mail caampaigns show some support. Please resopond when requested as it is only constand pressure that will allow your representatives to continue making headway.
I hope this explains it some.....
Now my friends know why I do not make plugs
HO HO HO
Merry X-mas
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