MSBA Action Alert--Stripers Forever Bill Could Pass- Only One Hearing--This Thursday

[jmac]

Anyone know if these people @ Stripers Forever look to get the R.I season closed down also ?

I think its just a matter of time before they spread their agenda up and down the Coast.....

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by tattoobob

Check out this pretty much sums it up

Telegram.com - A product of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Sums up the opponent's side of the argument. Otherwise, nothing he states is really supported.

I agree with his statements about pollution in the Chesapeake and with regards to protecting the bait. Otherwise, his only arguments against the bill is that commercial fisherman won't make money on the fish and the commercial quota will be redistributed to the recreational fisherman, which doesn't make any sense since the recreational take is so poorly tracked.

Gamefish status is the way to go.

[sokinwet]

BF- Childish antics...Whatever...I guess when you have no valid arguement other than "IMO" you might as well try to deflect the discussion there. Here's the rub BF...this is very personal to me. I have been commercial fishing for stripers since the 1950's and nothing gets much more personal than someone taking $$ out of your pocket for their own selfish reasons. Now I read your "take,take take...kill, kill,kill" post so I figure you & most of the "anti's" are probably saying I'm just as selfish. Maybe...but here's the difference; I don't have the marine fisheries degree that would qualify me to be making the decisions so I let the pro's (not the pol's) make those decisions. They allow a quota fishery; I'm fishing..they don't, based on actual "best science" management, and I'm not. It's that simple.

"I do not think there should be a commercial striper fishery...is there a problem with that?"
Not at all; again your opinion...but since I don't think you have a PHD in Marine Fisheries, I don't think you are qualified to make that decision for everyone else. I posted somewhere else about the similarities between this SF bill to the Animal Rights agenda driven Question 1 we had shoved down our throats several years back. Big outside $$, fringe science and outright lies, demonize blood thirsty hunters ; then just convince an uneducated public to vote against the professional opinions of DF&W and virtually every other real conservation agency and voila!! We're up to our ears in beaver flooding problems, coyotes are everywhere and if not for the common sense of those making F&G Board appointments, we would have animal rights groups controling our Fish& Game Board. Now I guess an animal rights idiot would say the end justifies the means. Frankly, I can't believe that any sportsman would support this type of political influence peddling.

[BigFish]

Do you possess a PHD in Marine Fisheries? Guess probably not so the fact that you fish commercially for money makes you MORE righteous in your opinion? My feeling is that the stock is overfished by the commercial sector Sokinwet and it needs to change or the stocks will once again be depleted! As was aid earlier "We will be doomed to repeat history". You do not like/respect my opinion because it flies in the face of your opinion so instead of discussing it like a rational person (which.....you obviously are not) you choose to stoop to getting personal and acting like a child by trying to attack what you know of me i.e the fact that I build and sell plugs. Are you going to be there Thursday fighting for what you believe?

[sokinwet]

BF - Unlike you, I realize my opinion is just that...my opinion. " I don't have the marine fisheries degree that would qualify me to be making the decisions so I let the pro's (not the pol's) make those decisions" Guess you didn't really read what I said...not a surprise.

As far as "my" childish, personal attacks...I believe I said I wouldn't be spending my money supporting a business that doesn't give a dam about fellow fisherman! But then again that's just the childish, not very rational side of me coming out...probably hard to understand you being such a stand up guy that would never stoop to personal attacks.

As far as being at the hearing; unfortunately I cannot attend due but be assured that I have contacted my rep and the members of the NR Committee.
PS Would you like me to tell you who your's is in case you feel like doing the same.

[BigFish]

I was commenting on the fact that you also did not have a PHD....I most certainly read what you write. Man, your tone is just so harsh that I think you are in fact incapable of a mature discussion. I most certainly have respected your opinion without belittling you. You carry on though and happy fishing!

[Swimmer]

Hey Patrick, how many college degrees do you have?

[Nebe]

I've already stated my thoughts on this subject, but mark my words on what I am about to say.... If this bill passes it will pass because massachussetts wants to insure that they are doing their part to protect a valuable resource- income from saltwater fishing liscense. The low fee thus year will go up... Watch. But the rub is that they and other states who realize they can capitalize off of this have to make sure there I a reason to buy one...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[CowHunter]

Saltwater license is coming anyway... Lets see who has saltwater licenses NC, VA, MD, DE, CT, NY.... Who is left NJ, RI, MA??? You know that wont last...CT went up 300% since 09 for Non Res..Charter licenses went up from $200-$400 in both NY and CT.

I hear some welfare organization is banding together and heading up from NY to Mass to push a bill for a saltwater license, if recreational anglers can go out and have "Fun" catching striped bass they should pay for it and give the money to the less fortunate! ;-))

[Back Beach]

I don't see this bill passing in its current form. SF is asking for too much too quick. It may pass over time in smaller chunks, beginning with a one fish per day limit, then size change, then commercial ban. I say its a no go and more of a publicity stunt to garner attention and support for the next assault.

[CowHunter]

Can you believe how much support Stripersforever recieved??? .5 percent, yup...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[CowHunter]

Not the rich retired yuppies representing stripers forever... Their intentions may be in the right place. But they are ignorant on placing the blame in the wrong place... Coms took 10 percent of the catch...

[MAKAI]

Most of my charter capt friends this time of year are sleeping to 11 and getting fatter.
Piss me off with jealosy.

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by MAKAI

Most of my charter capt friends this time of year are sleeping to 11 and getting fatter.
Piss me off with jealosy.

I highly doubt the "sleeping till 11" statement !

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

I highly doubt the "sleeping till 11" statement !

You don't know my friends Ron.
If I pop in on them when I 'm in the area this time of year
They are still in their slippers at lunch.

Hell I know lots of guys out of work who see no need to get up early, just killing time hoping something breaks. I am lucky that I have more work than I can handle. Or I might be doing the same thing.
Are you taking charters out of Boston in January ? Because that's my point I was poking fun at my pals, it was meant as a joke.

[CowHunter]

It sucks to work 7 days a week without a day oFf for 6 months in a row...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[MAKAI]

You don"t have to tell me, I've carried a 50 to 55 hr full time construction job with a weekend bartending gig for almost 30 yrs and it still aint enough. Next wife is gonna be rich though.

There is something to be said for working on the water. When I mate for my buddies charter or when I comm bassed, tired as I was I didn't feel it was work, like the trenches I dig, all the barroom brawls I've been in. I enjoyed being on the water too much.
I need a do over.

[Redsoxticket]

What were the final conclusions of the hearing ?

[PRBuzz]

My guess: everyone had so much fun today that they are going to go away and study the issue some more..........

[CowHunter]

Its a tough one to study... Comms kill 10%, Recs kill 90%... And SF is Blaming the Mass Coms...

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by CowHunter

Its a tough one to study... Comms kill 10%, Recs kill 90%... And SF is Blaming the Mass Coms...

The other part of the argument is that the recs represent 99.99% of the anglers and generate 90% of the economic impact.

[CowHunter]

So you take out the comms , give the rec guys a bonus tag allotment, (Commercial quota 1.1 mil lbs) for an extra fish and you will have a healthy striped bass stock I take.... Who will you have to blame then???? I guess the 10% economic impact doesnt mean anything so just throw it out only rec guys should kill fish....

[CowHunter]

Trying to understand this economic impact.... If I take my clients out on a charter and the limit is 2 fish per man at 28", that will equate to 10 dead bass a trip...Now lets say you got the bonus tag like you do here in NJ its 15.... Im no mathmetician but if it were a 1 fish limit per man than thats 5 dead bass and results in far fewer fish killed recreationally and overall. The economic impact stays the same if they kill 5, 10, or 15 fish on a trip???? The more they kill the more thats given away to nieghbors or frozen and forgoten...
A 1 fish limit would reduce a 10 million pound catch to probably around 5 million.
Look, almost everybody I know that charters, or fishes recreationally KILLS their limit. The response I get is, "The law says I can kill two so Im Killing two"

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by JohnR

The other part of the argument is that the recs represent 99.99% of the anglers and generate 90% of the economic impact.

I understand that...to some extent. However, I am not convinced that I should be able to keep a bass every day I fish, but someone else who doesn't fish can't go to a nice restaurant and get a bass fillet during a limited season. It is all about total numbers to me. Economic impact wise, having a healthy fish population is what is needed to keep recs fishing. Even if I could never keep a bass, I would still fish. Not the case for the commercial guys.

Stuff needs to be fixed, but cutting the commercials out doesn't seem to be necessary to me, but I am open to all points on this. I would actually be much happier to have a limited commercial season and not allow recs to keep fish over 40".

[zimmy]

Is there some reason I am missing that makes it a comm. vs. rec issue? Shouldn't this discussion be about how many fish are being killed? I don't care who the frig is taken em. Dead fish is dead fish.

[maddmatt]

Originally Posted by zimmy

Is there some reason I am missing that makes it a comm. vs. rec issue? Shouldn't this discussion be about how many fish are being killed? I don't care who the frig is taken em. Dead fish is dead fish.

exactly

this is all about divide and conquer

peta's laughing all the way to their next law suit

i wouldn't doubt it if they have ties or made contributions to stripers for ever.

[sokinwet]

"I would still fish. Not the case for the commercial guys. "

I don't agree. Most every commercial guy I know fishes before, during and after the commercial season.

[maddmatt]

Originally Posted by sokinwet

"I would still fish. Not the case for the commercial guys. "

I don't agree. Most every commercial guy I know fishes before, during and after the commercial season.

true that

[BasicPatrick]

A big thanks to all that came out to the State House for the public hearing today. Anyone that attended clearly saw that there is overwhelming public opposition to the legislation. The Stripers Forever advocates could not even answer basic questions from committee members and pretty much imploded when asked to justify/defend their proposals. They had their chance to make their case and failed miserably.

Although some forces wish to use this legislation to fire up a feud between the Rod & Reel Commercial Fleet and the Recreational Fishing Community, MSBA will not allow that to interfere with ongoing political unity and actions that can truely make a difference and bring improvement to some issues we all know exist. For example, it is only when acting as one community can we make progress in the campaign to bring change to the Atlantic Herring Fishery (especially the rape of our local waters by Mid Water Trawl and Pair Trawl Gear) or make sure that the next round of Striped Bass Management actions at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adresses known issues. Together We Can!!!

A big thanks to the following organizations for turning out members and participating in today's actions:

Cape Cod Charter Boat Assn.
Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman's Assn
Cape Cod Salties
MA Beach Buggy Assn
MV/Chilmark/Dukes County Fishing Group
New Bedford/Marion Fishing Group
North East Charter Boat Assn
RFA MA
Stellwagen Bank Charter Captains Assn
(If we missed anyone, we apologize)

[trapperpierre]

......and, I know the drill: people forget I spent 7 years on the ASMFC SB Advisory Panel-when I made a strong statement(based on scientific& reliable anecdotal fisherman observation) for the betterment of the resource--I was not reappointed by the Governor...so it goes..(and..at times I miss fly'n down to Wash DC, the 5 star hotel accomodations, 1 liter bottle of Fuji water on the dresser, and the 3 lbs. lobster dinners lol)
...........I thank you all for computer reports on the hearing along with Kenny's text messages(would have attended-but the flu bug found me..)
...............responsible multiple use of natural resources is the only way to go............................................