Quote:
Originally Posted by B-Faithful
I am told that the issue of increasing the coastal commercial allocation is going to public comment. This will be an important test to the recreational fortitude. This will be an allocation issue as in order to increase the commercial allocation it MUST be taken from the recreational side. In other words, they will take fish away from recreational anglers to give to the commercial side. This is crazy given the growing need and desire for these fish on the recreational side and the far greater socio-economic benefits of recreational fishing over commercial fishing. I hope if this is the case that the hornets nest is beat and recreational anglers speak loudly and clearly!
This is what I have been told but I am waiting for confimation to see if this actually the case. Keep yer eyes pealed!
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I was there yesterday as a Commissioner to the Potomac River Fisheries Commission and agreed that we, PRFC, as a voting member SHOULD vote yes in favor of the plan to put this to public comment. And that is all this is.
The issue is more complex than meets the eye. In the end, it is a re-allocation issue to the coastal commercial harvest which is a very small component of the overall harvest. I believe the total coastal harvest is around 9%.
Reds is correct in his statment, recreational harvest has incresaed many times over. In fact, recreational discards account for more than commercial harvests in some fisheries. There is no parity in striped bass allocations, rec's win hands down.
Do I want to see more commercial harvest - not really. Would I prefer striped bass as gamefish? Absolutely. Did I support yesterdays "yes" vote. Absolutely.
Now the ball is in the court of recreational fisherman to GET OFF THEIR ASSSES and let their voices be heard. I think this is the same thought process taking place by MD DNR. Is this a political move - you bet it is, ASMFC is a political entity, hence the politics.
As a recreational fisherman and a fishing guide I take my VACATION time to attend these things for the betterment of recreational fisherman. My pay is $0. I will be the first to oppose the increased allocation but will do so through the democratic process and because of my greedy desire to catch more and bigger fish striped bass. What will my fellow anglers do, - pound their chest on the internet and talk about how unfair this whole thing is?
Even if this re-allocation does pass, it really is status quo for overall harvest. It just comes at the expense of recreational allocations being given to commercials.
As for poaching - ASMFC is working on this issue as well. But before we get holier than thou, who is doing the winter poaching off of Virginia and North Carolina? It is done by commercial fisherman, charter fisherman and recreational fisherman. All user groups. Just recently, NOAA has urged the USCG to suspend the USCG Captains License which requires license holders to obey US laws, and fishing for striped bass outside the 3 mile limit is against US law. No license - no business.
Once again, this whole thing is way more complex than meets the eye. Come join the process, get educated and be part of the solution.
So I am not hiding behind an internet screen name, my personal info is: Dennis Fleming - Mechanicsville, MD (240) 538-1260
Maryland Commissioner - Potomac River Fisheries Commission - Fishamajig Guide Service
"It is easy to find fault - much harder to find solution." - Henry Ford