Here's who voted to increase the commercial quota

[finchaser]

Here's who voted to increase the commercial quota on Striped Bass

The proposal to allow an increase in the commercial quota on Striped Bass was approved. http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/images/smilies/confused.gif
Here's the vote on the ASMFC Striped Bass Board proposal to increase the coastal commercial quota.

In favor – RI, CT, NY, DE, MD, DC, PRFC, VA, NC, USFWS;
Opposed – ME, NH, MA, NJ, PA, NMFS).

The contact information for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/ (http://www.asmfc.org/)..
click on About Us... and then click on Commissioners...

No contact information is listed for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Striped Bass Management Board...

The proposal is apparently intended to improve equality between the commercial and recreational fishery sectors. The rational is that since 2004, 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 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass

[gjb1969]

:2flip::beatin::argue::burn:i have no words!!

[Monty]

:2flip::beatin::argue::burn:i have no words!!

Urghh, me either.

[DarkSkies]

The proposal is apparently intended to improve equality between the commercial and recreational fishery sectors. The rational is that since 2004, 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 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass

If they want equality, why don't they just split the quota down the middle, with Recs getting 50%.
Give the Comms the other 50%. :eek:

Surely they need it, after all they have families to feed and commercial fishing is a tradition in the US, isn't it? :kooky:

I wonder if most fishermen really care about this. Why don't we just agree to everything the Comms want, just give it to them.

How many people really care about this stuff when you look at all the Salt-water fishermen out there?
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=6615

I think the more we give in, the more they'll want. It's time to get organized and really try to rally people against Comms being given more quota, but sometimes I have to ask myself what's the use? :don't know why:

In the winter when no one is catching fish, it's easy to get folks to pay attention to this. Now people are all focused on getting big bass. I wonder with all the apathy out there, if we'll ever be able to get enough support to make any progress. :huh:

[surfstix1963]

Yes they just laugh at us this has to come to a head w/recs and comms or soon it will become a literal war against each other and maybe our polite tactics w/ the Govt. are also coming to an end maybe it is time for some radical movements.

[fishinmission78]

.

In favor – RI, CT, NY, DE, MD, DC, PRFC, VA, NC, USFWS;
Opposed – ME, NH, MA, NJ, PA, NMFS).




:burn:In VA and NC they slaughtered bass all winter in the EEZ and not much was done about it. I'm not surprised to see them listed here too.

[vpass]

We need to start campaigning to the public that Bass are loaded with PCB's and they carry dieases that causes fish handling diease. Show pictures of the damage that it does. We need to lie alittle like politians do. It's the only way. Put fear into the people and they won't buy bass. If there is no demand com's will be wasting money going after bass. It would be consider a trash fish to the Com's there after.:eek: Game fish to us.:clapping::clapping:

[nitestrikes]

In favor – RI, CT, NY,

Schumer hasn't done much for us then, has he?

[voyager35]

I bet if you were to do a correlation study with the states that have accepted or had the most lobbying activity by commercials, that first group "In favor" would be the group where the most money was spent by them.

[surfstix1963]

Schumer hasn't done much for us then, has he?
No not really just showing up and giving the BS politicians speech when needed you know the make you feel good speech for votes,I,ve sent letters and emails to his office never got so much as a return email from his secretary he looked impressive at the rally but thats it.I'm not thrilled about NY's decision to be in favor.I am so aggravated I won't even buy seafood anymore :2flip: .

[DarkSkies]

This is a reminder that Comms are trying to increase or get quota that previously wasn't allowed. These meetings are going on during July. If you think something is wrong with this increase, please try to get yourself to a meeting and see what it's about.

There's one in NJ tonight in Tom's River, 7pm. Thanks, people.

[BassBuddah]

Anglers argue over catch limits of striped bass
E Setauket LI 7/21/10
This was the meeting last night in E Setauket. From Newsday.

Arnold Leo, Fisheries Consultant for the Town of East Hampton, address the board about his views on supporting the proposal of expanding commercial fishing of striped bass.

Tensions flared over one of the Atlantic coast's most prized sport fish last night in East Setauket (http://www.newsday.com/topics/East_Setauket%2C_NY) as Long Island (http://www.newsday.com/topics/Long_Island%2C_NY) fisherman argued over a proposal to increase commercial fishermen's share of the striped bass harvest.
Around two dozen showed up at a hearing to share their views with representatives from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages coastal fisheries in the region and will decide on the matter in coming months.
Prized by recreational anglers, striped bass also fetches a healthy price for commercial fishermen who catch the big predators in coastal waters off the South Shore and East End. Sport anglers, tackle shop owners and others opposed to the plan showed up for the hearing along with commercial fishermen, who complained their catch limits have not increased even as striped bass stocks have rebounded.
"In the interests of fair management, it's time to increase the commercial quota," said Arnold Leo, fisheries consultant for the town of East Hampton (http://www.newsday.com/topics/East_Hampton%2C_NY).
Recreational fishermen fear opening up the commercial fishery could jeopardize gains made over the past two decades, as conservation measures brought stripers back from the brink of collapse due to overfishing.
Over the past six years, Atlantic recreational fishermen caught on average more than three times as much striped bass as commercial fishermen, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (http://www.newsday.com/topics/Department_of_Environmental_Conservation). The agency issued 476 commercial striped bass permits this year.
Those commercial captains face increasingly tough limits on the number of popular eating fish they catch and have been lobbying regulators to increase their striped bass harvest.
Among opponents' concerns: a recent decline in the overall number of fish caught and a disease among striped bass in Chesapeake Bay (http://www.newsday.com/topics/Chesapeake_Bay) that anglers fear could lead to future population declines.
"The recreational catch has declined 65 percent between 2009 and 2006," said Charles Witek of the angler group Coastal Conservation Association of New York (http://www.newsday.com/topics/New_York%2C_NY). "We should not be increasing mortality for any reason."
James Gilmore of DEC's Bureau of Marine Resources says the population is now so abundant that hungry stripers may be contributing to declines in other fish like winter flounder.
After hitting a low of 8.8 million fish in 1982, the Atlantic striped bass population is now estimated at 52.8 million, according to the commission.
Summing up his objections, recreational angler Albert Albano, 33, of Sayville (http://www.newsday.com/topics/Sayville%2C_NY) said: "I don't like to see the fishery toyed with in a way that could harm it in the future."

[DarkSkies]

Sent in by Finchaser, and G, thanks!




Stripers Forever members – The Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission is again proposing to increase commercial quotas for striped bass. E-mails by Stripers Forever members to Eric Schwaab, Administrator for Fisheries at the National Marine Fishery Service, changed their vote from in favor of the commercial increase to against. We can do the same for other members of the ASMFC.




The justification for the proposed increase is the claim that the commercial catch decreased 3.6% from 2003 to 2008 while the recreational harvest increased by 13.7% during that time period. These statements are not completely true, and they certainly do not reflect the true direction of the relative commercial versus recreational shares of the fishery.




We have prepared a letter below that you can use as your e-mail testimony - or better still you can borrow information from it and create your own. Fishery management is still very much a people business, and genuine, from-the-heart comments will go a long way. Whether or not you were able to attend a public hearing, your e-mail testimony is vital, and the time is now.




We urge you to put your letter into an e-mail and send it to two places:

The ASMFC – send it to nmeserve@asmfc.org (http://us.mc528.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=nmeserve@asmfc.org)

Your state fishery director – go to http://www.stripersforever.org/Info/index to the SF website, click on your state from the map on the left side of the home page, and find your state fishery director under “Contacts – State Officials” - send him/her the e-mail too.




Dear ASMFC:




My name is XXXX, I am from the state of XXXX and I am very much opposed to any increase in the commercial striped bass quota. Here are the reasons why:

The claimed decrease in the commercial catch of striped bass is not really true. The commercial quotas have been caught annually and they have not decreased.

The commercial catch includes no estimate of the well documented illegal catches along the Atlantic coast. Even a modest estimate of the illegal harvest would materially revise the commercial catch upward.

The ASMFC should use the 2009 data to further clarify that the commercial share of this resource has actually increased and not decreased. The recreational harvest of 23 million pounds in 2003 dropped to 21.5 million pounds in 2009, for a drop in harvest of 1.5 million pounds. The recreational harvest therefore dropped by 6.5% over the latest time frame while the commercial catch has remained the same.

The total recreational catch of striped bass - numbers of fish caught and released instead of just those kept – tells a far worse story for recreational angling and for striped bass themselves. Between 2003 and 2009 the recreational catch dropped by more than 50% in numbers of fish, while the commercial catch was essentially unchanged. The commercial share of the striped bass resource has in fact increased dramatically.




This is certainly not a time to be increasing the harvest of striped bass, by any sector. Fishing mortality needs to be cut back and not expanded, and when you consider that the average recreational angler on the East Coast was responsible for harvesting less than a single fish for the entire season, it is the commercial sector that should be decreased and not increased.




Sincerely; XXXXXXX





These letters are vitally important. We need to eliminate the terrible effects that commercial striped bass fishing have on this resource by making it a game fish everywhere – this proposed increase as an example of the negative effects that commercial fishing has on striped bass management – but in the meantime we need to do everything possible to stop further expansion of commercial striped bass fishing. Please send your letter today.




Brad Burns ,

President of Stripers Forever




Public hearings were held in all coastal states during the summer. Only Maine and New Hampshire remain. The times and locations of these hearings are below. We urge our members to go to these hearings and let your voices be heard:




Maine Department of Marine Resources

September 14, 2010; 6:00 PM

Town of Yarmouth Log Cabin

196 Main Street

Yarmouth, Maine

Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553




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

[DarkSkies]

RFA response and template letter for anglers to send:

Sent in by Finchaser, and G, thanks!




Stripers Forever members – The Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission is again proposing to increase commercial quotas for striped bass. E-mails by Stripers Forever members to Eric Schwaab, Administrator for Fisheries at the National Marine Fishery Service, changed their vote from in favor of the commercial increase to against. We can do the same for other members of the ASMFC.





The justification for the proposed increase is the claim that the commercial catch decreased 3.6% from 2003 to 2008 while the recreational harvest increased by 13.7% during that time period. These statements are not completely true, and they certainly do not reflect the true direction of the relative commercial versus recreational shares of the fishery.





We have prepared a letter below that you can use as your e-mail testimony - or better still you can borrow information from it and create your own. Fishery management is still very much a people business, and genuine, from-the-heart comments will go a long way. Whether or not you were able to attend a public hearing, your e-mail testimony is vital, and the time is now.





We urge you to put your letter into an e-mail and send it to two places:


The ASMFC – send it to nmeserve@asmfc.org (http://us.mc528.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=nmeserve@asmfc.org)


Your state fishery director – go to http://www.stripersforever.org/Info/index to the SF website, click on your state from the map on the left side of the home page, and find your state fishery director under “Contacts – State Officials” - send him/her the e-mail too.





Dear ASMFC:





My name is XXXX, I am from the state of XXXX and I am very much opposed to any increase in the commercial striped bass quota. Here are the reasons why:


The claimed decrease in the commercial catch of striped bass is not really true. The commercial quotas have been caught annually and they have not decreased.


The commercial catch includes no estimate of the well documented illegal catches along the Atlantic coast. Even a modest estimate of the illegal harvest would materially revise the commercial catch upward.


The ASMFC should use the 2009 data to further clarify that the commercial share of this resource has actually increased and not decreased. The recreational harvest of 23 million pounds in 2003 dropped to 21.5 million pounds in 2009, for a drop in harvest of 1.5 million pounds. The recreational harvest therefore dropped by 6.5% over the latest time frame while the commercial catch has remained the same.


The total recreational catch of striped bass - numbers of fish caught and released instead of just those kept – tells a far worse story for recreational angling and for striped bass themselves. Between 2003 and 2009 the recreational catch dropped by more than 50% in numbers of fish, while the commercial catch was essentially unchanged. The commercial share of the striped bass resource has in fact increased dramatically.





This is certainly not a time to be increasing the harvest of striped bass, by any sector. Fishing mortality needs to be cut back and not expanded, and when you consider that the average recreational angler on the East Coast was responsible for harvesting less than a single fish for the entire season, it is the commercial sector that should be decreased and not increased.





Sincerely; XXXXXXX






These letters are vitally important. We need to eliminate the terrible effects that commercial striped bass fishing have on this resource by making it a game fish everywhere – this proposed increase as an example of the negative effects that commercial fishing has on striped bass management – but in the meantime we need to do everything possible to stop further expansion of commercial striped bass fishing. Please send your letter today.





Brad Burns ,


President of Stripers Forever





Public hearings were held in all coastal states during the summer. Only Maine and New Hampshire remain. The times and locations of these hearings are below. We urge our members to go to these hearings and let your voices be heard:





Maine Department of Marine Resources


September 14, 2010; 6:00 PM


Town of Yarmouth Log Cabin


196 Main Street


Yarmouth, Maine


Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553





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