Quote:
Originally posted by MakoMike
Spence,
In thses parts about 60% of the commercial abss catch is on rod & reel and other 40% is gillnets, not what do you want to change that would make things any better? Being critical of the industry is easy and mostly a knee jerk reaction. How about some specifics?
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I don't think I've said anything without thinking about it first. I'm not very knee-jerk...
As for what would I change...I'd start managing the ocean as an ecosystem rather than this absurd idea you can just pick a single species out and increase/decrease the load based on some prediction model.
Stripers are somewhat unique as they are one of the few large fish that can be caught from, or close to shore in the northeast. They seem to have a much larger value to the recreational industry than to a limited commercial catch and it's clear they can barely sustain limited recreational and commercial quotas. Given this I'd make them a gamefish and go for healthy stocks and good revenue for the states from recreational fishing.
I'm not anti-commercial by the way. I appreciate the fact that people are willing to do a dangerous job so I can buy my stick sword for the grill.
But I also believe that if left unchecked commercial fleets will wipe the oceans clean. For sure there are good comms that follow the rules, and management has had a big impact in the US. But the rules the comms have to follow seem to be based more on negotiated tactical settlements with no strategic endgame. Each group is pushed more to the extreme because they are afraid of loosing everything.
That's why I think we need big change in how we fish. Just my opinion of course...I grew up in Iowa and have little saltwater heritage. My view is that of the outsider.
-spence
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