Thanks to NOAA this is becoming the norm for the industry:
"I decided to cancel my trip due to all of the closures. The FWC and NOAA must be trying to drive Hubbard's out of business. Best of luck to them."
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NOAA does not care who, or how bad, they hurt the entire fishing industry. NOAA is now completely controlled by the likes of EDF & PEW. Controlled by big $$$; not the needs of the fisherman, or, the betterment of the species. One needs to look no further than catch shares to see the influence of these special interest groups. NOAA tells us they, under MSA, have no choice but to close down the industry. Wonder what the founders of MSA would says about PEW bought & paid for science, science from behind the desk, not from on the water?
Unfortunately, in NOAA's quest for complete control, NOAA now has the upper hand over our own FWC. NOAA controls the cash flow; therefor, NOAA controls the FWC. This point became very obvious when the State of Florida bowed to King NOAA's closure, to recreational fishermen only, of gag grouper for ten months out of then year.
Those of us who actually fish, on the water-not from behind the desk- know that our gag & American red stocks are in fantastic shape. Gags are being caught, in record numbers, from the bays clear out to hundreds of feet of water. NOAA knows this! Next month NOAA is considering:
(1) A commercial gag and shallow-water grouper quota adjustment to account for dead discards.
(2) Reduce the commercial gag size limit.
Hard to explain with a species that is, per NOAA, so over-fished!
And how about the very abundant American red snapper? More often than not, from 100 feet on out, it is next to impossible to get away from ARS. Virtually every ledge and wreck is loaded with them. A 48 day red snapper season defies the imagination. Only in NOAA land!
NOAA, through the use of PEW science, refuses to recognize the obvious. WHY? The answer is really very simple. Healthy fish stocks do not justify the need for catch shares, catch shares, Lubchenco's legacy to her birth-right, PEW & EDF. Even Walmart has jumped in on the catch shares band wagon. Walmart has donated over $30,000,000 to the EDF to be used in the promotion catch shares. WHY? Once again, the answer is really very simple...Walmart's profits, from selling us shares for the privilege of catching king NOAA's fish, is predicted to be in the billions. Welcome to the new Law of the land...NOAA law!
"The FWC and NOAA must be trying to drive Hubbard's out of business. Best of luck to them," and to the entire industry. For the sake of our sport, our heritage, and our very economy, NOAA must, before any more damage is done, be brought under control.
Bob Harbison Native Florida Recreational Fisherman
