ASMFC Weakfish Board Solicits Public Comment on Draft Addendum III to the Weakfi

[Hotrod]

ASMFC Weakfish Board Solicits Public Comment on Draft Addendum III to the Weakfish Plan
Addendum Proposes Revision to BRD Requirements

The Commission's Weakfish Management Board has approved sending forward for public comment Draft Addendum III to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Weakfish. The Draft Addendum seeks to resolve an inconsistency in bycatch reduction device (BRD) requirements between the Commission's Amendment 4 and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Shrimp Amendment 6.

Throughout its history, the weakfish management program has included management measures to reduce the bycatch mortality of weakfish in Southeast shrimp trawl fisheries. These requirements have been implemented to aid in the protection of weakfish stocks and complement bycatch reduction requirements as specified in the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council's Shrimp FMP. In 2004, the Council altered its BRD certification standards, requiring devices to reduce finfish bycatch by a minimum of 30 percent. The Weakfish Management Board supports this action for two reasons. The new protocols will facilitate the certification of new devices to reduce finfish bycatch and retain shrimp catch. Further, weakfish generally react favorably to BRDs and escape from the net as
compared to many other finfish species. As such, the 30 percent reduction requirements will likely result in equal or greater protection to weakfish.

The Board is scheduled to meet in May to review public comment on the Draft Addendum and consider its final approval. Copies of the Draft Addendum can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on March 31, 2007 and should be forwarded to Nichola Meserve, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Weakfish).  For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve at (202) 289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.

[CapBob]

Rod

Good info post, any and all who are concerned should call, email or mail their comments in. At times you feel that your voice is not heard but collectively we are.

If anybody has heard some of the hearings on the weakfish, the most interesting point they state is that it is unknown why there is a lack of 1-2 year old fish. That they do not know if it is predation, commercial fishing, rec fishing or some type of disease which really helps me feel the powers that be know what they are talking about.

Any one who has followed the history of fish will tell you that fish run in cycles with high and low points. The cycle could be anywhare from 2-6 years depending upon the species...............also when you have some top preditors on the upside (Stripers/Blues) something has to be eaten.............