WHY should I care? WHY should I get involved? Why ME?

[DarkSkies]

No judgement here, but I'm seeing this enough in the fishing world that I think it merits discussion. I'd like to use this thread as an ongoing dialogue as to what's happening to our fishing resources, laws and legislation, and why we should give an eff about it.



"Well Dark I only fish a few times a year, why should I care?"

"Well, I have a family to take care of, and small kids at home. They take up all my time."

"Ya know how bad this economy is!@!! The best I can do is hold on to my job. I don't have time to do anything else!!"

"Well why should I get involved in something if most everyone doesn't care about it anyway? Why should it be only on the shoulders of me and a few other guys?"

"What's the use? They're only going to shut down our fisheries anyway. Ya know what they say, you can't fight city hall!"


"Get involved? You sound like Chicken Little, dude!! There's plenty of bass and other fish to go around for everyone. You make too much out of nothing, dude, you're delusional!"


"Besides, even if we do get involved, what's the use? How can one person make a difference?"

"I'd rather leave it up to the other guys. I just don't have the time"

[DarkSkies]

As I said, all of the above are valid comments made by us as fishermen who need to balance fishing with family, maintaining a job, and being involved with all the responsibilities we face every day.

Maybe asking people to participate is asking too much? There's a small group of people who will always do what they can and become big supporters of any issues fishermen face.

Historically, there's a much larger % that can't be bothered. (the 90/10 rule which accounts for fishing success as well as political involvement)

We all know that, I don't expect to change that with my words alone. However, if I can grab the attention of a few of ya, and attract then interest of a few others to go and do some research, then I'll consider my long-winded posts to be worth the time and effort.

[DarkSkies]

(I'll fill in later)

[DarkSkies]

I wondered if all the guys out there were aware of the comprehensive nature of these changes. A brief overview:

Winter flounder:

Summer flounder/fluke:

Weakfish:


Grouper:

Red snapper:

Sea bass:

[DarkSkies]

So why should I give an eff about all the rest of those?

[DarkSkies]

Finchaser posted up some good reasons to get involved. I wanted to highlight them here:


[For all recreational fisherman which encompasses people who fish on party boats,charter boats and the beach. Plus most tackle shop owners fish.

I do all three, as many saltwater fisherman do. Surf is dead so we fish boats for cod,pollack,hake and ling.
Always fish boats for fluke,blackfish( fish that are good eating)
We no longer can fish for seabass, which is part of the fight the RFA and SSFFF are undertaking.

1.The commercial guys pay lobbyists to get there way from government ( large fish quota's) they want ours.

2.The RFA (Recreational Fishing Alliance) lobbies for us from the donations and memberships, thats where all the money goes.

Remember the money which goes to the economy is what government looks at. The money spent by beach fisherman is like a pimple on an elephants *** compared to boat sector. With out the boat sector we would have no quota's it would all be commercial,which government (DR. Lubchenco) wants.
The more fisheries they shut down the worse it's gonna be.

Just this year 2009 since Ms Lubchenco took over NOAA thanks to Obama (she came from PEW)
For 2009
1. Seabass shut down here
2. Red Snapper,Amberjack in florida shut down
3. Weakfish here

For 2010
a. seabass 2 months instead of 12 months
b. weakfish 1 fish instead of 6
c. new fluke regulations
d. possible new striper regulations


These are all fights the RFA is involved in to over turn,hence the seabass lawsuit against government,fighting to keep fluke and Striped bass regulations and quota the same. They fight to keep recreational fish quotas from going to the commercials and other fisheries from being shut down. There are 2 groups Recreational and Commercial period thats how fish are split up.

If we fish for them from land or sea really has no bearing we are recreational fisherman it's our quota we want to save. Remember with out bass and blues beach guy's disappear and no one would care especially beach front home owners who also support government against us with political contributions. ]

[DarkSkies]

Guys, kudos to all who are concerned enough to ask questions. There are no stupid questions. Learning is a process, and I commend anyone who wants to learn more.

The motive behind this thread is to educate people more so they will have the incentive to make conscious choices to keep learning, and possibly getting involved.

I may seem like I'm preaching here guys and girls, but this is our fishing future.

The Bill of Rights gives citizens the right to bear arms.
However it doesn't give us an automatic right to hunt or fish. As I see these rights trampled on, I can't help but become more and more involved.

I'm inviting some of you here to do that as well. I realize the decision is entirely up to you. I just want to be able to present some things which I hope will help you in your research.

[nitestrikes]

Historically, there's a much larger % that can't be bothered. (the 90/10 rule which accounts for fishing success as well as political involvement)

I think that holds true for a lot of things. People don't get involved unless the issue is right in their backyard. Good thread, I'm joining Stripersforever this week.

[dogfish]

I got a better peta one for ya Steve. Ducks unlimited.

[DarkSkies]

Here's a little more about Bob and the things he was involved in:

Stripers Forever members - some of you may have read about the recent passing of Bob Pond of Attleboro, MA, the creator of the Atom plug. We can quickly count at least half of Stripers Forever's board who were members of the now defunct Stripers Unlimited organization which Bob Pond founded. **** Russell, author of Striper Wars, was an old friend of Bob's and consulted him while he wrote that book. **** sent us these words about Bob Pond to share with our membership.

"The passing of Bob Pond at 92 is a great loss, for he was the true pioneer of striped bass conservation. Without Bob's sounding the alarm about the striper population in the mid-1960s, long before anyone else thought there was a problem, this magnificent fish would likely have disappeared from Atlantic coastal waters. After creating the legendary Atom plug used with success by so many anglers, Bob devoted his life to preserving striped bass for future generations. It is our job now to carry his legacy forward. Thank you, Bob Pond, and may you rest in peace. - **** Russell."

We at Stripers Forever share those sentiments

Picture below of Bob Pond from Attleboro, MA newspaper

[stripercrazy]

I think I read here that when Bob Pond started talking about conservation, people didn't want to listen back then either. They finally listened when the fishing was shut down for the moratorium.

[Jackbass]

People Still don't want to listen. People still believe what ever their own agenda tells them is right. The people that do believe in conservation like me do take it on the chin from certain sectors of the fishing world. But the idea is gaining ground.