My take on last night's ASMFC Addendum II hearing in MA

[Just n time]

How about one fish at 36 period. no comercial season and stopping the senseless slaughter of breeder fish in macho filled tournaments like the striper cup that kills more breeder fish in a year for what? A pin or a rod or a grand prize boat or a truck? Lots of people complain about how the stocks are going south but how many of these people enter fish in these stupid events that promote the slaughter of thousands of breeder fish? Conservation starts at home.Everyone who enters these events is part of the problem as well as every charter guy who kills 12 fish a trip to keep his clients happy. There, I'm not afraid to speak my mind.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Just n time

How about one fish at 36 period. no comercial season and stopping the senseless slaughter of breeder fish in macho filled tournaments like the striper cup that kills more breeder fish in a year for what? A pin or a rod or a grand prize boat or a truck? Lots of people complain about how the stocks are going south but how many of these people enter fish in these stupid events that promote the slaughter of thousands of breeder fish? Conservation starts at home.Everyone who enters these events is part of the problem as well as every charter guy who kills 12 fish a trip to keep his clients happy. There, I'm not afraid to speak my mind.

Well said.

[JakeF]

Originally Posted by Just n time

Lots of people complain about how the stocks are going south but how many of these people enter fish in these stupid events that promote the slaughter of thousands of breeder fish?

So true.... That's why I don't enter them, and my club's tournaments are catch & release only. You actually get penalized for fish that are not successfully released in our tournaments

[JakeF]

I have word from an inside source that the ASMFC Management Board has voted in today's meeting AGAINST increasing the coastal Commercial Striped Bass Quota. I have not yet heard the results of a vote on Issue 2 - Redefining Recruitment Failure... I will post as soon as I hear.

Thank you all for helping us be heard on this issue and encouraging the ASMFC to avoid taking a step in the wrong direction!

[JakeF]

This just in... Board voted unanimously on Issue 2 - to Redefine Recruitment Failure as recommended by the Technical Committee. This is HUGE and something we pushed for strongly over the last year! I don't think a lot of people really understood it's ramifications, so it didn't get the attention that Issue 1 - Commercial Quota Increase got, but it's just as big of a win for our beloved fish!!

[JakeF]

Here's how the voting on Issue 1 breaks down....
The exact vote for status quo went like this:

10-4-1
For Status Quo:
ME = Yes
NH = Yes
RI = No (increase quota)
MA = Yes
CT = Yes
NY = No (increase quota)
NJ = Yes
PA = Yes
DE = No (increase quota)
MD = Yes
DC = absent
PRFC = abstain
VA = Yes
NC = No (increase quota)
NMFS = Yes
FWS = Yes

While the votes tallied 10 to 4 in favor of maintaining Status Quo, I am SHOCKED that RI & NY voted FOR the proposed increase (maybe I shouldn't be, but I am).

Here's what the public comments received looked like for the states who's delegates voted in favor of the increase: