Increase Commercial Catch for Striped Bass? Or NOT? - Sign up here - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JohnR · 08-10-2010, 06:57 AM

Yep, the ASMFC has an addendum to propose an increase in the commercial quota to "improve" equality between recs and comms.
(Also on the agenda is discussion for changing how YOY indices are measured / failure quantified). Full text:

Quote:

The proposal to increase the coastal commercial quota is intended to improve equality between the commercial and recreational fishery sectors. Although Amendment 6 established management programs for both fisheries based on the same target fishing mortality rate, the implementation of state-specific quotas for coastal commercial harvest (and not for recreational harvest) has prevented the commercial and recreational fisheries from responding equally to changes in striped bass population size. Since 2003, coastal commercial harvest has decreased by 3.6 percent, while recreational harvest has increased by 13.7 percent. Under the option, the Board would select a percent increase to be applied to the coastal commercial allocations assigned in Amendment 6.

Now many of you know that I am not pro or anti-commercial fishing for Stripers (I'd prefer reducing takes on both rec / com and better protection for forage fish). I know we have members that fish commercially and members that support game fish status. So we cover all the bases here and often argue these points ad nauseum. But I think the vast majority of the people here think that the stocks are heading in the wrong direction and that a reduction in take all across the board is necessary to benefit the health of the stocks.

So without getting into yet another battle to quagmire discussion (we can have another thread for that) who here is willing to GO TO THE HEARING? Maine and New Hampshire are coming in September. But Mass and RI are next week.

Add your name to the following lists on which meeting you can attend. Mass is next Monday in Dedham and RI is next Tuesday in Gansett.

John R: MASS (likely) & RI (definitely)

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
August 16, 2010; 6:00 PM
Holiday Inn
55 Ariadne Road
Dedham, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at (617) 626-1534

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
August 17, 2010; 6:00 PM
URI, Narragansett Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium
215 South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Mark Gibson at (401) 423-1935

Time to go all in. Full document attached.

afterhours · 08-10-2010, 07:09 AM

RI for sure.

JohnR · 08-10-2010, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afterhours

RI for sure.

Excellent

This is not a meeting people can afford to miss or hope others attend in their place.

If you give a bleep about the fish, you'll do what you can to go.

The Dad Fisherman · 08-10-2010, 07:40 AM

Where are they having the NH meeting? Any Info?

piemma · 08-10-2010, 07:52 AM

Maybe. I have a 6:00 AM "wheel up" to Pittsburgh 8/18. We will see. What time is the meeting?

JohnR · 08-10-2010, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Where are they having the NH meeting? Any Info?

NH is in September

Quote:

Originally Posted by piemma

Maybe. I have a 6:00 AM "wheel up" to Pittsburgh 8/18. We will see. What time is the meeting?

6PM meeting at URI Bay Campus

piemma · 08-10-2010, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

NH is in September

6PM meeting at URI Bay Campus

I will try to make it. Beautiful "hot" Norfolk VA right now

ecduzitgood · 08-10-2010, 08:28 AM

Folks may not like it but my position is 1 fish 36" NO COMMERCIAL. There are plenty of people who are selling their fish at the back door with no license, and others who catch more than they are allowed and pass them on to other license holders who sell them for a cut. At some point we have to look at the value of the fishing and not the value of the fish caught.
I am planning on Mass. and maybe R.I.

JohnR · 08-10-2010, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecduzitgood

Folks may not like it but my position is 1 fish 36" NO COMMERCIAL. There are plenty of people who are selling their fish at the back door with no license, and others who catch more than they are allowed and pass them on to other license holders who sell them for a cut. At some point we have to look at the value of the fishing and not the value of the fish caught.

So go to the Mass Meeting.

We can write letters and maybe have an impact, we can go to the meeting and maybe have an impact, we can go to the meeting AND write a letter and maybe have more of an impact, or we can beyotch about it here and have zero impact

- even though we may feel we have done something we probably haven't.

JohnnyD · 08-10-2010, 10:32 AM

I'm hoping to get out of work early enough to shoot down to Dedham.

The Dad Fisherman · 08-10-2010, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

NH is in September

I know....just wondering if you knew where.....thats a lot closer to my house than Dedham is

MikeToole · 08-10-2010, 11:31 AM

I will be going to the New Hampshire meeting for sure and I will also try to go to the Mass and Maine meetings. Letters have already been sent.

New Hampshire Fish and Game
September 13, 2010; 7:00 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at (603) 868-1095

The Dad Fisherman · 08-10-2010, 12:27 PM

That works a lot better than Dedham

MAKAI · 08-10-2010, 02:58 PM

I will be at Dedham
Time for the silent majority to grow some teeth.
No more excuses, it's time to man up or shut up and we will get what we deserve.

JohnR · 08-10-2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAKAI

I will be at Dedham
Time for the silent majority to grow some teeth.
No more excuses, it's time to man up or shut up and we will get what we deserve.

tattoobob · 08-10-2010, 06:10 PM

I will write a letter,

Going to something like this then getting up at 4:30am makes a tough day at work

freebie · 08-10-2010, 06:20 PM

will try for dedham next monday...

slow eddie · 08-11-2010, 04:37 PM

will be going to the r.i meeting. time to get my butt off the couch and do something constructive for a change.
at least now when i bit**ch, i can say i tried to do something about it.

Raider Ronnie · 08-11-2010, 04:55 PM

I'll be at the Dedham meeting in support of an increase.

JohnnyD · 08-11-2010, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

I'll be at the Dedham meeting in support of an increase.

Supporting an increase because of the science, or because of your wallet?

Redsoxticket · 08-11-2010, 08:36 PM

Rhode Island in support of conservation and science.

Raider Ronnie · 08-11-2010, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

Supporting an increase because of the science, or because of your wallet?

If people want to buy it someone has to sell it !

MAKAI · 08-11-2010, 09:24 PM

I have no issues with selling bass.
My issue is with where are the replacements.
Pulled this off the USFWS site.
Notice any trend ?

Nebe · 08-11-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

If people want to buy it someone has to sell it !

Until there's none left to sell.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

JohnR · 08-11-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

If people want to buy it someone has to sell it !

I'm OK with it but we can't chance that it runs out. Unlike farming where we replenish the crop, we need to be extra careful this crop replaces itself.

Otherwise Tragedy of the Commons Part Deaux and all.

Nebe · 08-11-2010, 09:34 PM

It's already started John .. All the signs are there.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Redsoxticket · 08-11-2010, 09:42 PM

Why don't the commercials' invest in farming. The investment amount by each investor correlates to a percentage of the take.

afterhours · 08-12-2010, 07:09 AM

let's kill 'em 'till they're gone...

what eben said...

JohnR · 08-12-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nebe

It's already started John .. All the signs are there.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Yeh, I think so too.

JohnR · 08-12-2010, 07:34 AM

PLEASE, we can do better than this, right? I know more people that are going than voiced on this thread, but lets get more of a firm list please. We need to represent this better. IIRC, Rhode island is one of the states in favor of increasing the quota, therefore it is very important to make it known that a lot of fishers don't want increased commercial take.

RI: Tuesday night

JohnR
Afterhours
Piemma
Slow Eddie
Red Sox Ticket

MA: Monday night

JohnR (maybe)
Ecduzitgood
JohnnyD
Makai
Freebie

NH (September)

MikeToole
TDF

MA in support of increased quota:

Raider Ronnie