Report: MA gamefish bill meeting

[DarkSkies]

I got back late last night, after being at the meeting from 11am-4pm yesterday. It was interesting to see how everyone interacted and observe the political process first-hand.

I'll try to have the complete report up by 12 noon today as I go through my notes and get a chance to post up with the pics I took.

Here's a tip:
Most of it will be boring. To those who were speaking however, it was their shot to be heard. Everyone who wanted to speak got a chance.

The posting will be here for a historical record, and may be more lengthy than you're used to seeing me post.

If you want to understand just the basic points of the outline, skip to the end.

Remember, people...you heard it here first. I'll also post up the same thing on www.stripercoastsurfcasters.com in their public forums for anyone who isn't a member here and can't view the pics here at www.stripersandanglers.com.

Pics of the MA Assembly, the Great Hall:

[DarkSkies]

The room was packed beyond belief, SRO crowd. There were 4 bench areas that each seated approx 20 people, accounting for about 80. There were another 60-80 people ringing the perimeter, and stacked up on the sides.


[The pics are poor due to the bad indoor lighting. I took them without flash. ]












In all, I estimated 130-160 spectators/participants in the 40x20' room. Of that amount, some were before the Assembly on other matters. It would be fair to say that around 100-120 people were there on the striped bass matter. I could be off a little on my estimates.

If you ran into such a concentration of bass in the outside world, ya might say they were "stacked like cordwood".

They summarized the language of the bill HB796, An Act Relative to the Conservation of Atlantic Striped Bass. This was originally presented to the Assembly for the first time in Jan 2009.


The first part of the day's sessions consisted of the Representatives and Senators speaking about this Bill, either For or Against.

It became apparent from the very start that there were a lot of strong viewpoints on each side. There was definitely some hostile tension and bad feelings. To the credit of each side, both opposing groups managed to maintain a civil manner, and only had to be admonished by the Chairman once when things got a little loud.

[DarkSkies]

The panel:
Rep William Strauss (chair)
Sen Anthony Petrucelli (co-chair)
Rep Carolyn C Dykema
Rep Timothy R Madden
Rep Ann Margaret Ferrante
Sen Bruce E Tarr

















Since I don't live in Mass, I tried to be as impartial as possible. Many know I have strong opinions and might wonder if thats possible. Notice I said "as impartial as possible". I originally went there to speak out in support of the bill. After I heard the implications, I had some reservations.

Actually, I have some real questions about the testimony presented on both sides. It bugs me that so many only wanted to see their side of things, and refused to consider the position of the other side.

In the end, I realized that's what our representatives, fishing organizations, and lobbyists are for. It seems like dirty politics, but that's how things are run in this world.

They listen to our opinions, and then decide among themselves behind closed doors. Our job as voters is to decide who best represents our interests, and then lobby that politician with letters, campaign donations, or donations to a group that can represent us en masse. Otherwise, gov't politely listens, but they are mostly listening to their Constituents.

Constituents as a bloc have the most power in getting politicians' attention because they are the key group that, when mad enough, can vote a politician IN, or OUT OF, office.

I'll be trying to present a fair and balanced paraphrasal of peoples' statements here. I hope my biases don't show through too much. I understand each politician has a self-preservation interest to represent the voters in their district. They're just doing the best to maintain job security, like everyone else.

I will try to point out which politicians seemed more favorable to recreational fishermen, without seeming to endorse a certain politician. You guys and girls in MA have to keep yourselves informed and make your own decisions.

[DarkSkies]

As mentioned, all these came from my notes, paraphrased as accurately as I could. With these and the Spectator summaries, if anyone at any time has any corrections that need to be made in spelling of names or accuracy of testimony, feel free to contact me and I'll be glad to edit.

*************************



1. Rep Peaks: (Spearfishermen might be interested in this)
She first got up to support several spearfishermen in her district who are inconvenienced by the restrictions MA has placed on spearfishermen. They're going to Rhode Island to spearfish. They want the language changed so they don't have to do that. I think the bill was HB799.

Spectator supporters:




Face Winston and the Mass Freedivers club got up to speak.
"Spearfishing is sensible, respectable, and has very little bycatch. It's allowed in other states, but not MA. Please consider allowing it here."

[DarkSkies]

2. Rep Karyn E Polito: (Representing Recs)






She spoke in support of recreational fishermen in her district, saying that the bill would be a win for the Commonwealth. She stated that approx $90MM was brought into MA revenues each year by recreational fishing and related activities.


Here's a copy of her supporting argument letter below.

[DarkSkies]

3. Rep Clive Turner: (Representing Comms)
" Bass fishing is the backbone of commerce in my district. Many of my constituents will be negatively impacted if you pass this bill. I do not support it."

[BassBuddah]

Actually, I have some real questions about the testimony presented on both sides. It bugs me that so many only wanted to see their side of things, and refused to consider the position of the other side.

In the end, I realized that's what our representatives, fishing organizations, and lobbyists are for. It seems like dirty politics, but that's how things are run in this world.

They listen to our opinions, and then decide among themselves behind closed doors. Our job as voters is to decide who best represents our interests, and then lobby that politician with letters, campaign donations, or donations to a group that can represent us en masse. Otherwise, gov't politely listens, but they are mostly listening to their Constituents.

Constituents as a bloc have the most power in getting politicians' attention because they are the key group that, when mad enough, can vote a politician IN, or OUT OF, office.

I'll be trying to present a fair and balanced paraphrasal of peoples' statements here. I hope my biases don't show through too much. I understand each politician has a self-preservation interest to represent the voters in their district. They are just doing the best to maintain job security, like everyone else.

I will try to point out which politicians seemed more favorable to recreational fishermen, without seeming to endorse a certain politician. You guys and girls in MA have to keep yourselves informed and make your own decisions.

The political landscape is harsh and confusing for lots of folks. That may be why many don't get involved. I think your presentation was very fair and accurate. Thanks for breaking it up with the pictures Dark.

[dogfish]

The posting will be here for a historical record, and may be more lengthy than you're used to seeing me post.

I didn't think that was possible until I scanned this thread. how many cups of coffee today, Dark?
I couldn't make it to that meeting but heard stripers forever got crushed. You took the tail end of a losing situation and turned it into a good story. Ya done good.

[vpass]

Amazing job Dark, Thanks for your efforts. You got some good reporting skills.

[DarkSkies]

. You took the tail end of a losing situation and turned it into a good story. Ya done good.

Stripers Forever isn't down for the count. They still have support and recognition among groups of Rec anglers. They're not going away. They won't be forced out of business. And they remain committed to getting their positions known throughout the angling world.

I felt a lot more guys could have given them support that day. Maybe this will bring awareness of how much more advance work needs to be done for next time. In the end, I think all sides will have to work out some of the most contentious issues for a compromise that will be passed by both groups in the Legislature. That will take some time.

Meanwhile, for anyone who wants to see some of the media reports, this came from StripersForever:

Stripers Forever members - now is time for all members everywhere to support our efforts in MA by writing letters to the editor of papers that have written recently about striped bass. Our press consultant worked with Associated Press to get a good national story that was picked up by news outlets throughout the US. Locally, the story ran in the Boston Herald online, Brockton Enterprise, WBZ-TV online, Worcester Telegram and Gazette online, ABC News online, and the Gloucester Daily News. Additionally, tons and tons of news outlets nationally also ran the story.

Today, the Gloucester Daily News ran a thoughtful piece by Richard Gaines, a veteran Boston-area newsman who writes fulltime on fishery issues.


See the story here: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_019230624.html?keyword=topstory

We also know that the Cape Cod Times will soon release a story on the bill. Given the very hard-line commercial stance of this paper we can't expect it to be fair, but it still provides a forum for our comments.

[DarkSkies]

Here's the one from the Gloucester times:

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_019230624.html?keyword=topstory


Published: January 20, 2010 05:52 am
13

Commercial fishing for striped bass under fire Group asks lawmakers to end commercial landings.
By Richard Gaines
Staff Writer


A recreational fishing organization is pressing the Massachusetts Legislature to end commercial fishing for striped bass — the great inshore migratory prize whose stocks have yo-yoed over time, and now show signs of declining again.

Stripers Forever, a Maine-based group and the author of the bill to make stripers strictly a game fish, couches the argument in economic as well as conservation terms.

"Fundamentally," said Jeffrey Krasner, spokesman for Stripers Forever, "our argument is economic. What we're saying is that striped bass are worth a lot more as a game fish than as a commercial fishery."

The organization has also highlighted data showing a precipitous decline in recreational catches of stripers — harvested and released — from the National Marine Fishery Service.

According to NMFS, the catch along the Atlantic coast after peaking at 28.6 million fish in 2006 declined each of the next three years, to 19.1 million fish in 2007, 14 million a year later and 6.9 million last year.

The recreational striper catch in Massachusetts followed the same pattern: from 9 million in 2006, to 6.1 million, then 4 million and finally 2.6 million last year.

According to NMFS data, the 2009 catch in Massachusetts was lower than any dating to 1995, when the striper was rebounding from near wipeout status brought about by the industrial pollution of the great estuaries where the bass spawned, the Hudson, Delaware and Chesapeake Rivers, and indiscriminate fishing.

Striper catches bottomed out in the 1980s, then the bass was put under the protection of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which negotiated size minimums. Meanwhile, beginning in the 1970s, states and the federal government began to trace and prosecute polluters.

At its hearing on the bill last Thursday, opponents far outnumbered proponents before the Legislature's Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. The committee has not scheduled an executive session to vote on the bill which was filed for Stripers Forever by Rep. Matthew C. Patrick, D-Falmouth.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission considers the declining catch in recent years a return to more normal levels after optimal growth, and continues to believe stripers are "one of the healthier (stocks) along the Atlantic coast," said Nichola Meserve, the striper coordinator for the commission.

Gloucester's striped bass guru, Al Williams, who fishes recreationally and commercially, holds a similar view.
"My personal opinion is they are still in pretty good shape," said Williams. "We're fishing below the peak, but the peak ... four or five years ago ... was pretty phenomenal."

Williams said he believes the stocks have not declined so much as they have been drawn into deeper waters away from the fishermen following bait fish.

Migratory patterns have changed," said Williams "I've gotten similar observations from Montauk (Long Island, N.Y.) and Connecticut."

Chuck Cassella, a recreational charter boat captain, said he opposed the ban on commercial fishing for stripers.
"Fisheries shouldn't be managed through legislation," said Cassella, who charters out of Winthrop. "There is a dynamic aspect to reacting to stocks on a yearly basis. We have a regulatory process in place that responds to stocks."

The commercial catch in Massachusetts is limited to 1 million pounds, and is typically surpassed slightly.
The commercial season is in mid-season, until the catch limit is reached, and then closed.

Stripers typically return to Cape Ann waters around May 1 and the last laggard doesn't leave until the end of October. Some of the stock also stays over in the Essex River and other estuaries.

Stripers also winter in the south-facing rivers along Southern New England, but most of the stripers return to their spawning waters or aggregate into massive schools that live partially dormant lives off the Middle Atlantic Coast.

[albiealert]

Here's the one from the Gloucester times:

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_019230624.html?keyword=topstory


Published: January 20, 2010 05:52 am
13

Commercial fishing for striped bass under fire Group asks lawmakers to end commercial landings.
By Richard Gaines
Staff Writer


A recreational fishing organization is pressing the Massachusetts Legislature to end commercial fishing for striped bass — the great inshore migratory prize whose stocks have yo-yoed over time, and now show signs of declining again.

The organization has also highlighted data showing a precipitous decline in recreational catches of stripers — harvested and released — from the National Marine Fishery Service.

According to NMFS, the catch along the Atlantic coast after peaking at 28.6 million fish in 2006 declined each of the next three years, to 19.1 million fish in 2007, 14 million a year later and 6.9 million last year.

The recreational striper catch in Massachusetts followed the same pattern: from 9 million in 2006, to 6.1 million, then 4 million and finally 2.6 million last year.

According to NMFS data, the 2009 catch in Massachusetts was lower than any dating to 1995, when the striper was rebounding from near wipeout status brought about by the industrial pollution of the great estuaries where the bass spawned, the Hudson, Delaware and Chesapeake Rivers, and indiscriminate fishing.

I may not be a rocket scientist, but if you do simple math the catches have declined from 66-75% in the last 3 years, around 66% for Mass, 75% coastwide. I wish someone would explain how they figure the accuracy of these numbers. I don't understand that with figures like that they would be able to say it is still a sustainable fishery. Hocus pocus.

[jonthepain]

Amazing report, Rich. It'll take me time to digest it all, but I'm still for gamefish status and slot limits.

Thanks for all your time and effort.

And objectivity.