Stirring the Pot. Play Nice Fellas!

[Spot77]

Since this is a Rex fishing site mostly I don't want to start any crap, but I came upon this letter and thought I would share it.


Edit: crap......I can't upload it from my phone. I will upload it fromy laptop shortly.

[Spot77]

Let's see if this works......

[Spot77]

In case you can't view it or download it, the DNR has decided to reduce the allowable catch by 5% to offset the amount of illegal fish they assume are being caught.

Basically they're punishing the legal commercial guys to compensate for the crimes committed by illegal netters.

[B-Faithful]

very few signatures... there are 141 delegates in the general assembly and they only could get 8 signatures... I am sure it went into the round file.

They are lucky it is only 5% given the history of poaching in the bay and the current problems. The Dec gillnet hold back was 12680lbs... That equated to less than one of the net finds in the spring. Without the hold back, MD would be even more under the gun come the winter ASMFC meetings. Especuially since DNR doesnt even have all the new management/enforcement measures in place when they opened the gillnet fishery.

[Spot77]

I think the letter is a bit of "chest thumping" by a few Delegates on the shore and in the rural areas who have been promoting their anti-Omalley campaign, "War on Rural Md."

Otherwise....as you noted, they would have taken the time to get more people onboard.

With legislation, the more cosponsors a bill has, typically the more serious it's taken. And in this state, any bill being proposed by a Republican is rarely given a second glance. Same applies to this letter I'm afraid.

[B-Faithful]

I should note that I am not sure I support the "hold back". To me it seems that DNR is basically stating that they know they cannot manage or control the commercial net fisheries so this gives them a cushion, per se. However the hold back is based on "unknowns" as they dont know the degree of the poaching problems or have a handle on them. Here again, DNR is acting on "unknowns" to reduce fisheries just as they did with the preseason catch and release restrictions.

[Skip]

I always heard there was 10% built into the management plan for poaching ( rec / comm ). Most figured that was more then enough to cover illegally taked Rockfish.

When the Potomac river bust happened a few years ago - it shed some light on how much really was being poached and suddenly that 10% figure looked low.

I'd almost bet recs could see a three fish limit if all poaching could be stopped.

[Southerly]

i'm not sure it's intended as a punishment. with evidence of substantial amount of illegal fish being taken, i assume there's pressure from asmfc (the other concerned parties) for MD to more accurately account for the fish taken in MD.

last winter, large amounts of fish were found in illegal nets. as i understand it, if MD had not reduced harvest somewhere, asmfc could have shut down all fishing in the state until acceptable accounting was agreed to. and i guess MD could have taken that from rec side; but i think that would have back-fired on commercial in the press/public view.

if i understand, the rec 2 fish limit is effectively set by asmfc. but if that's true, and MD was not harvesting its share, it seems like lenghthening the rec season would be possible.

here's asmfc link; click managed species link on contents list, then choose striped bass, scroll down to amdt 6.

http://www.asmfc.org/

i was out new year's day and C/R'd some nice fish. from past experience, i think there will be netting in that same area any time. when they do, i'll be able to buy those same fish at the store, assuming they're not exported to some other state or country.

[Spot77]

Like Greg, I'm torn on this.

The DNR can't enforce the regulations against people who are breaking the laws, so they're clamping down on those that comply, thus further affecting their livelihoods.


Of course, the selfish side of me says...."Woot! More fish for me!!"

(Kidding of course.....I am completely satisfied with the 2 fish that i occasionally keep.)

Regardless, I can't wait to see what this year holds with regards to illegal nets like last year.....