March on washington Feb. 24th, 2010

[BasicPatrick]

Unfortunately, the environmental wing of the Pew Charitable Trust (Pew Environment Group) is a huge corporation with many different branches. Some are very extremeist and opposed to all that fishermen beleive and sometimes they're positions are right there with us.

I am the MA State Chair of the RFA and at the same time have worked with Pew moderates on isses where we share a common interest.

IMNSHO...both views on this thread are correct and incorrect at the same time.

Remember...For a long time Bob Pond was laughed at by the recreational fishing community...today he is known as the first person to stand up for Striped Bass.

[numbskull]

Sort of like the civil war all over again. "The problem isn't slavery, the problem is the people who don't like slavery. Damn abolitionists are the enemy." Take a look at how that reasoning worked out and I think you can see where we are headed.

The problem isn't the Pew Trust. The problem is that they are right, we have abused our fisheries. Making them into boogie men isn't going to change that even if we want to pretend it will.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Sort of like the civil war all over again. "The problem isn't slavery, the problem is the people who don't like slavery. Damn abolitionists are the enemy." Take a look at how that reasoning worked out and I think you can see where we are headed.

The problem isn't the Pew Trust. The problem is that they are right, we have abused our fisheries. Making them into boogie men isn't going to change that even if we want to pretend it will.

If you really think the civil was fought over slavery its no wonder you think Pew and its allies are only trying to protect the fish. Again I ask, show me one stock that fishing has driven into deep trouble. Also, why your at it, explain to me why we are facing increasing restrictions on species that are at an all time high?

[numbskull]

[QUOTE=MakoMike;737083]I Again I ask, show me one stock that fishing has driven into deep trouble. QUOTE]

Weakfish
Inshore Cod
Halibut
Striped Bass once and heading there again
Scup
Fluke
Inshore Pollock
Whiting
Swordfish
White Marlin
Bluefin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna (NE population)
Big Eye Tuna
Winter Flounder
River Herring
Wolffish
Tautog heading there fast S of NE.

You can quibble on a few, but none of those populations are anywhere near where they were 35-40 years ago....except Halibut which got wiped out 80 years ago. But who cares, cause who would be willing to pay you to take them off the Race in March to catch 200 lb fish?

[MakoMike]

[QUOTE=numbskull;737096]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

I Again I ask, show me one stock that fishing has driven into deep trouble. QUOTE]

Weakfish
Inshore Cod
Halibut
Striped Bass once and heading there again
Scup
Fluke
Inshore Pollock
Whiting
Swordfish
White Marlin
Bluefin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna (NE population)
Big Eye Tuna
Winter Flounder
River Herring
Wolffish
Tautog heading there fast S of NE.

You can quibble on a few, but none of those populations are anywhere near where they were 35-40 years ago....except Halibut which got wiped out 80 years ago. But who cares, cause who would be willing to pay you to take them off the Race in March to catch 200 lb fish?

I'm not going to get into a pissing contest over this. But you obviously haven't done any research in compiling the above list as you are wrong for more than half of it. According to the scientists that do the match, the fluke population is at a historic high, never been more fluke around than there are today. So how come we have these ridiculous fluke regs of 4 fish at 20" inches or similar?

[numbskull]

[QUOTE=MakoMike;737294][QUOTE=numbskull;737096]

I'm not going to get into a pissing contest over this. But you obviously haven't done any research in compiling the above list as you are wrong for more than half of it. QUOTE]

So you agree then that the other 1/2 of the list is overfished?
Point made, I think.
You planning any Halibut trips this year, or that income wouldn't be helpful?

[afterhours]

i think ALL fishermen are to blame in the decline of the fisheries that i've been involved in. i've been fishing for 50 yrs and must say that the striper, bluefish, blackfish and winter flounder fisheries are not what they once were, period. just going by the eyeball test....