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

[vpass]

I might not agree on everything the RFA supports. I do understand the points that Monty brought up about the party boat and agree a lot with him, but at this moment the RFA might be best game in town to Lobby against the Gov/Com. I have / will be reading a lot about the other Organizations and what are there missions.

I’m just curious is it better to have many groups that are interested in the same goals, or is it better to unite them as one. What I’m talking about is the SSFFF, JCAA, Striperforever, RFA, and Others? (I’m not sure if there are others at the moment.) Could our voices be stronger if all groups where united?

[finchaser]

IMO except for JCAA the other are all pretty much talking and the RFA does the Lobbing in Washington the march on Washington in February was started by RFA and SSFFF to show unity of the recreational sector. Buses have been set up in 4 locations to bring anglers to Washington for $32.00 round trip.

Main concern now is fisheries being shut down by Ms. Lubchenco the PEW appointed Obama puppet. These closures are putting extreme pressure on Striped Bass and fluke which if they become over fished will shut them down next.

Over fished is different from over quota.

Over quota means you surpassed the government assigned quota
Over fished means a species is harvested faster then nature can supply it.

All the activists groups always used the term over fished when they lobby in Washington important to remember. Pew is now paying charter boat captains to convey this to the public.

Inaccurate over fished information caused seabass to be closed even though it was 103% rebuilt 3 years ahead of schedule.
Weakfish are truly over fished
Winter flounder will probably have no 2010 recreational season

So at any time Ms. Lubchenco deems bass or fluke over fished it's all over this is why it's so important to protect them now.

Plus she is not in favor of all coastal states having there own rules( like NJ has 2 bass @28"), she wants coastal NOAA size and bag limits giving her total control of all recreational fisheries.

The editorial in Sport Fishing magazine "To Late to Stop the Train Wreck" is down right sickening if you are a recreational fisherman.

[DarkSkies]

Here it is:

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/

[Monty]

It seems like Lubchenco is very conservative. Is she shutting down commercial fishing also? Why is a set size and limit for all states not the best way (if it was set at a consevative #)? These questions are relative to the stance that the RFA takes. Does the RFA have a stance on the current striper regulations in NJ/NY which I feel are terrible and should be changed (1 fish per person is plenty and raise the size to 36")? If the RFA is "looking out for charters, surf/boat fisheman", they more than likely do not want to reduce the current regs.

[finchaser]

It seems like Lubchenco is very conservative. Is she shutting down commercial fishing also? Why is a set size and limit for all states not the best way (if it was set at a consevative #)? These questions are relative to the stance that the RFA takes. Does the RFA have a stance on the current striper regulations in NJ/NY which I feel are terrible and should be changed (1 fish per person is plenty and raise the size to 36")? If the RFA is "looking out for charters, surf/boat fisheman", they more than likely do not want to reduce the current regs.

No most commercial fishing goes on as normal or with increases, she just goes after the recreational guys which she has no use for.
As stated without us things would be easier to manage and lets not forget renaming fish to sea kittens to teach children not to kill fish that's the side Ms. L sides with.
This is what the RFA fights for our right to catch and bring home a fish to eat when you want to. Forget about the bass it's way beyond that now.

I agree with a 1 fish at 28 to 32" was great when we had that stocks built fast and way less people fished for them. Most importantly it would spare the most prolific breeders in the 32 to 36 inch range. Even a true trophy tag of 1 fish over 50" per year per angler.But it's not just about bass anymore.

The coastal size was first suggested for 2010 for fluke 2 fish at 19 1/2 inches which would wipe out most breeding females. No science was even considered on this one. SSFFF and RFA played a major role in it's defeat.

Once the states have no say our congressman and senators become almost totally useless.The RFA works in conjunction with the good ones like Pallone to help get bills passed. Like the beloved bunker bill which in some instance people care more about than the bass because without bunker they couldn't catch a bass. The mind set if there are bunker there will be bass. Yep there like Dorrito's will just make more bass

But this is about recreational rights to catch and keep fish any kind not just bass. IMO they are testing the waters.

The new registry is going in place so they can call fisherman instead of people out of the phone book which led to some of the inaccurate info which caused allot of this mess.

Another problem is Obama is not a sportsman like Bush and others were, his appointment of Lubchenco in 2/09 from PEW some think was a political payback.

So as stated by editorial,conservation columns this is about our rights, forget about bass, 5 fisheries have been closed in less than a year and others are being targeted..

Everyone needs to start looking at the BIG PICTURE or bass will fall by the wayside and I personally don't want that twice in my lifetime

The End

[Monty]

Thanks Dark and Finchaser for the info and opinions. I'll be supporting the RFA, it makes lots of sense.

[vpass]

The same as Monty said. Thanks Guys. I'm jumping aboard with RFA. I'm joining.

[Jackbass]

It seems like Lubchenco is very conservative. Is she shutting down commercial fishing also?

Lubchenco is Conservative so long as it pertains to the people buttering her Bread. Some of the things she and her cronies are proposing make me toss in my mouth a bit.

I agree with DSkies Stripers Forever is truly focused on Striped bass conservation and trying like hell to open ears and minds to what is really going on with fisheries management.

Other reasons you should join Stripers Forever

1. The group is 100 percent volunteer based and runs it self strictly on donations. Not a single dime of money that comes into that group, does not go to Conservation efforts

2. Many of the Founding members of Stripers forever have lived through the Striper wars and the moratorium and have seen the Ebb and Flow of Striper Populations.

3. They propose sound management of stocks while eliminating commercial fishing.

Un Like the NJ bonus tag system the current Gamefish Bill in MA proposes the entire MA quota be earmarked for conservation not returned to the national quota or slated for rec. take.

In fact they actually propose eliminating a keeper per outing per rec angler. Reducing the take to one per day.


I understand people think comm fisherman and recreational fisherman each have a place on the water but from where I stand any time a fish has a dollar sign attached to its head the dollar sign becomes more important than the fish.

The more members SF has the bigger voice it has with law makers.

[finchaser]

Florida-no Grouper
just got off the phone with an old friend.he charters in the keys.as of jan. 1 no grouper for 4 months.they already took away the red snapper,now grouper.what is next for them.he is from n.j. and i told him about our situation with the winter flounder and weakfish.it was always my plan to semi retire in the keys and charter part time.i guess i should make new plans.wish i could here some good news for a change.if they mess with the stripers i quit!!
__________________
Captain Sal Cursi