Feds Kill Funding to NJ Reef Program!

[NJ Reef Rescue]

Feds Kill Funding to NJ Reef Program!

Press Release
April 13, 2011
Belmar, NJ

A letter (email) sent to DEP Commissioner Martin from John Organ, Ph.D., Chief, Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), ends funding for New Jersey's artificial reef program. Dr. Organ substantiated his actions by referencing gear conflicts on artificial reefs that violate the Sport Fish Restoration Act (SFR).

An excerpt of the letter includes the following statement, "Because of the aforementioned conflicts that clearly violate provisions of the SFR Act and its implementing regulations, I am terminating all further SFR funding for the artificial reef program in New Jersey, effective the date of this letter [April 12, 2011]. Funding can be restored when appropriate action is taken to eliminate the conflicts that currently interfere with recreational fishing on these reefs."

Anthony P. Mauro, Sr., Chairman, of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance said of the news, "Clearly, the trappers and potters with fixed gear on the artificial reefs are responsible for the termination of funding. For years Reef Rescue, the NJOA, and other outdoor organizations, have warned legislators and policy makers that New Jersey has not conformed to the grant objectives of the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program. We've remained idle as states along the Atlantic seaboard brought their reef programs into compliance with federal regulations, including; Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and New York. Now, Delaware has begun the process."

Mauro continued, "Apparently, the USFWS believes that New Jersey's violations of the SFR Act are so egregious that it is necessary to interrupt funding until gear conflicts are resolved. According to the letter, our legislators and policy makers have the opportunity to quickly correct the situation and ensure that we continue to receive federal funding for the artificial reefs. We are researching whether New Jersey can continue using monies already obligated to the reefs. If so, perhaps a quick resolution to the gear conflict will leave the reef program intact."

Captain Pete Grimbilas, Co-founder of Reef Rescue and President of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Conservation Foundation said, "For five years we've made every effort to ensure that New Jersey conformed to the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program. This all could have been prevented and is especially unfair to the 800,000 recreational anglers and divers because not only have they paid for the reefs, they've also been restricted from accessing the reefs and they will now suffer because of the loss of funding for the reefs - through no fault of their own. Resolution and the reinstatement of funding are now, and have been, squarely in the hands of those in Trenton."

Grimbilas emphasized, "We can only imagine the negative impact a prolonged disruption of funding will have on the tourism industry, and businesses such as charter boats, party boats, and tackle shops. This situation needs to be corrected immediately so that funding can be restored to the reef program and the public can finally have unrestricted access to New Jersey's artificial reefs."

According to the Sport Fish Restoration Act, artificial reefs were designed for use by the general public and built with Federal Sport Fish Restoration funds; the appropriate gear for use on ocean reefs is inefficient gear; hook and line, and spear. Hook and line, and spear can be used by recreational or commercial fishermen. This is also true for reefs built in other states.

Dr. Organ's letter states that action was taken due to his being, "... contacted by phone, mail, and personal visits by a variety of New Jersey recreational anglers who have claimed that proliferation of lobster pots and fish traps for commercial purposes interferes with hook and line and spear recreational fishing." He writes, "My staff has investigated the allegations and confirmed that the use of pots and traps is interfering with the purposes for which the reefs were constructed."

Additionally, it was reported that during a recent Reef Committee meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a USFWS representative warned New Jersey and Delaware that they risk losing federal funding if they did not resolve access problems on reefs. Since then, Delaware has passed a regulation that prohibits traps on their bay reefs. Delaware also plans to petition the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council for Special Management Zone status for its offshore reefs.

People can go to the link that follows and send a prewritten letter to state legislators asking that they pass Bill A1152, which will resolve gear conflicts and likely restore funding to New Jersey's artificial reef program:

http://capwiz.com/njoutdooralliance/...SS=Take+Action


More details are forthcoming.


Anthony P. Mauro, Sr

Chair
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Conservation Foundation
New Jersey Outdoor Alliance Environmental Projects


"Preservation through conservation"


JOIN NJOA: http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/support/njoa.html

Officers: Ed Markowski, Captain Pete Grimbilas, Jerry Natale, Len Wolgast, PhD., Anthony Mauro

[njdiver]

Feds ends funding for New Jersey's artificial reefs

Written by

DAN RADEL
STAFF WRITER

4:52 PM, Apr. 13, 2011

Dr. John Organ, of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), announced the end of funding for New Jersey's artificial reef program due to gear conflicts on the reefs. He announced his decision in a letter to New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin.

The conflicts on the reefs violate the Sport Fish Restoration Act (SFR), which provides federal funding for the artificial reef program.

In his letter to Commissioner Martin, Organ said, "I am terminating all further SFR funding for the artificial reef program in New Jersey, effective the date of this letter (April 12, 2011). Funding can be restored when appropriate action is taken to eliminate the conflicts that currently interfere with recreational fishing on these reefs.''

"The state has to comply with the policy of the Sport Fish Restoration Act's intended use, and that is for sport fishing, not commercial fixed gear, such as pots,'' Peter Grimbilas, chairman of Reef Rescue, said. "The state was warned that this could happen and it did.''

Grimbilas, who has been involved with Reef Rescue for years, has already been spearheading protests outside the office of Assemblyman Nelson T. Albano in Cape May Courthouse.

Albano has become the focal point in the fight to get the pots off the reefs because he is the chairman of the Assembly's Agricultural and Natural Resource Committee.

Assembly Bill A-1152, which makes removal of commercial gear on the reefs mandatory, has been stalled in that committee and it must be put up for a vote and passed before it can be voted on by the full Assembly. The companion bill, S-221, has already been passed by the full senate.

Grimbilas led a demonstration last Saturday and has two more planned for April.

"We're demonstrating the democratic process in hopes of gathering more momentum and attention to the issue,'' Grimbilas said.

Grimbilas said Reef Rescue will intensify their efforts to get word out to the public on this issue and he hopes to get the bill through before legislature breaks for the summer.

"Clearly, the trappers and potters with fixed gear on the artificial reefs are responsible for the termination of funding. For years, Reef Rescue, the NJOA, and other outdoor organizations, have warned legislators and policy makers that New Jersey has not conformed to the grant objectives of the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program,'' Anthony P. Mauro, Sr., chairman, of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance said in a statement.

Angler Lou Falcone, who made the trip down from Piscataway, was among last week's protesters. He fishes out of Waretown on private boats and uses the Barnegat Light, Garden State North and South reefs most often.

"We lose lot's of rigs on the reefs because of commercial gear. Recreational fishermen who regularly use the reefs are going to want this bill to go through,'' Falcone said.

Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose, R-Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon, is a co-sponsor A-1152 which would limit commercial fishing on New Jersey’s artificial reefs. “The loss of this funding is going to have a tremendous negative impact on a lot of people,” explained McHose. “Not only will it hurt our state’s tourism industry and businesses such as tackle shops and charter and party boats, but it’s unfair to the 800,000 recreational anglers and divers who will suffer because state lawmakers failed to take appropriate action to protect the reefs and much needed federal dollars for the program."

Five states along the Atlantic coastline have brought their reef programs into compliance with federal regulations including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and New York. Delaware is in the process.

Reef Rescue will hold two more protests at the District 1 Legislative Offices at 21 North Main St., Cape May Court House. They are scheduled for April 23 and 30 at 10 a.m. The April 30 demonstration will be followed by a rally.


http://www.app.com/article/20110413/NJSPORTS06/110413057/1017/Feds-ends-funding-New-Jersey-s-artificial-reefs

[Tacklebox Joe]

 

[Hunter 2]

Not Good.

[Fishin Dude]

Sucks. I hope this does not effect the Eternal Reef thing where I want my ashes entombed in  a concrete fish ball as my final resting place. I think that is probably all private, that's why it's 5 grand.  <'((((><

[Bucktail]

5 grand?!

I'll do it for 4!

[Fishin Dude]

Will you put a bucktail into the mix? I'll notify the Next of Kin.    <'((((><

[njdiver]

Nothing can be legally placed on the ocean floor without a permit from the Army Corp of Engineers.  They will only issue artificial reef permits to government entities due to liability concerns.  Without SFRP funding NJ will not be able to maintain nor monitor, as mandated by the permits, its artificial reef system. 

[njdiver]

McHOSE: FEDERAL FUNDING LOSS  FOR ARTIFICIAL REEF PROGRAM A WAKE-UP CALL FOR ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS

            Following notification that the federal government is terminating funding for New Jersey’s artificial reef program because the state has failed to comply with fishing regulations near the reefs, Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose today called for an immediate hearing on bipartisan legislation she has sponsored that would bring New Jersey into compliance with the federal rules.

            “The loss of this funding is going to have a tremendous negative impact on a lot of people,” explained McHose, R-Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon. “Not only will it hurt our state’s tourism industry and businesses such as tackle shops and charter and party boats, but it’s unfair to the 800,000 recreational anglers and divers who will suffer because state lawmakers failed to take appropriate action to protect the reefs and much needed federal dollars for the program.

            “For years, various outdoor organizations have appealed to legislators to bring New Jersey into compliance with the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act (SFR),” she continued. “Unfortunately, those pleas have fallen on deaf ears. As a result, our recreational fishermen, who paid to have these reefs constructed, are the ones who will have to endure the consequences.”

            McHose is a co-sponsor of A-1152 which would limit commercial fishing on New Jersey’s artificial reefs that are located in federal waters. Specifically, the measure would prohibit any person from using, leaving unattended, setting or deploying fishing gear, other than rod-and-reel, hand line spear or recreational gig, within 100 feet of artificial reefs created under the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s artificial reef program.

            According to SFR regulations, the artificial reefs are meant for hook and line, and spear fishing only. Commercial fishermen however, have been using fixed gear on the reefs in violation of federal rules. Since the state has failed to rectify the situation, it is in violation of SFR rules which has resulted in the loss of federal funding.

            Five states along the Atlantic coastline have brought their reef programs into compliance with federal regulations including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and New York. Delaware is in the process.

            McHose said Assembly Democrat leaders should post the bill for an immediate hearing and move it quickly through the legislative process to minimize the effects of the funding loss. The Senate last month approved an identical bipartisan measure, S-221.

http://www.politickernj.com/46825/mchose-federal-funding-loss-artificial-reef-program-wake-call-assembly-democrats

[Fishin Dude]

Nothing can be legally placed on the ocean floor without a permit from the Army Corp of Engineers.  They will only issue artificial reef permits to government entities due to liability concerns.  Without SFRP funding NJ will not be able to maintain nor monitor, as mandated by the permits, its artificial reef system. 

Does this mean that this company ( http://www.eternalreefs.com/index.html )is a fraud, and does not actually place the reef balls containing cremated remains because they are not a government agency? Or, are they acting in violation of the law, and at some time in the future, the illegally placed reef balls could be removed and sent to a landfill with me still inside?  <'((((><

[njdiver]

They normally work with the local State Reef Coordinator.  The State is responsible for inspecting the materials used in the construction of the reef balls and their placement.

[Fishin Dude]

So we need the bill passed to regain the funding,to continue to maintain,monitor,and construct our reef system, and still have some money left so the State Reef Coordinator can afford to check my balls when I'm dead.

All kidding aside, I do support the bill to remove commercial gear from the reefs and have sent hard copy letters in an attempt to help get the bill passed, and I might even be able to attend one of the up comming rallies. I love our reef system and hate to see the program altered in any way. <'((((>< 

[The dropoff]

If I want to make a donation to help our program out who do I make the Check out too...