"Boy do we need to clean house!"

[harbison]

"Boy do we need to clean house!"
Our fishermen, those who fish on the water, not from behind the desk write:
"Got out yesterday and today. First time in over 6 weekends when the weather was decent enough to get out in my 20 Ft Open Fish. The Grouper bite is hot . Caught my fish in 40-60Ft. This closure is ridiculous! Now we have to wait until July and we have 3 very hot months in a row which usually means the Grouper are in deep water. too far out to get in my boat. Plus Gas prices appear to heading up! October is usually just the start for the hot inshore bite with November being my favorite month. December can be great if we have a mild winter. We really need to get together and stop this nonsense. These people are changing a way of life. I have lived in Florida almost 50 years and I cannot believe what is happening. They have cut us down to 2 fish and now open during the slowest time for inshore fisherman. How can we get these idiots to make decent decisions! I am disgusted
Once the feds get involved, things go down hill!"


"It all started when the Dept of commerce got their hands on OUR FISH!!!
It just gets worse year after year."
"Only we can change it, and BOY DO WE NEED TO CLEAN HOUSE!"
My response:   
"It all started when the Dept of commerce got their hands on OUR FISH!!!"
The Department of Commerce is all about money, big money. How can big money be squeezed out of fish, our of fisherman? The Department of Commerce has an answer...Catch Shares! Force the American people to buy back what was once theirs to begin with...their, or more accurately, NOAA's fish. This, fellow anglers, is fishing under the Department of Commerce. The situation will not change until we, the vast majority, absolutely Demand that our fisheries be placed under the Department of the Interior...Where it belongs!
The United States Department of Interior: The Department of Interior is charged with the responsibility of managing our national resources and cultural heritage. Our fish, or what was once our fish, are part of our, "National resources, and cultural heritage. Obviously money, really big money, is more important than our heritage, our fishing.
Last November we sent a shock wave across the entire Nation. That was just the beginning. November, 2012, we have a chance to take back what has been stolen from us.
My representatives are Congressman Bilirakis, Senator Nelson, and President Obama. I intend to let them know that, to secure my vote, there must be changes, really big changes. I strongly suggest that each & everyone of us does the exact same thing.
Properly used we, the American people, can change whatever it is we feel strongly enough about to fight for. Are we willing to fight for our sport, our heritage, our fishing?
"Boy do we need to clean house!"
Bob Harbison    Native Florida life-long Recreational Fisherman
 

[IrishAyes]

One of the big arguments we had up this way last year and earlier this year was for a saltwater fishing license. There are some who are very adamant about having one thinking it is a do-all end-all solution for the recreational fishing community. I only hope and pray that these closed-minded people read the posts you put up here so they can see that there are severe problems even with a saltwater fishing license.

As you pointed out, we absolutely need to clean house, and starting from the top. 

[Offshore Madness]

 

[harbison]

We, in Florida, have had to buy a saltwater fishing license for years. At first we heard the,  "Oh no all is lost," to "the savior of the sport."   It is now almost a mute point. We, as the rest of the saltwater community, have far greater concerns. We need to concentrate on the most important aspect of our sport, things such as catch shares, and not be distracted by everything that comes along. In no way am I saying that concerns over such things as a fishing license are not important; however, many more things are much more critical to the survival of fishing as we know it.

Our great sport is worth fighting for. Encourage everyone to get involved. Write your representatives, they represent, or should represent, we the American peoples. Let them know what you expect out of them.
Join the NJ based RFA, I am a member.  The RFA is fighting for us; the stronger the RFA...the stronger we are.
Recreational Fishing Alliance - Join the RFA
Grassroots political action organization with a mission to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers and protect the future of U.S. saltwater fisheries.

www.joinrfa.org/

Subscribe to the NJ based Big Game Fishing Journal. President/senior editor, Captain Len Belcaro is fighting for, not only the people of NJ, but all of us. His editorial in the November/December issue, The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's push for Sector Separation, Catch Shares, and a Recreational Fishing Shutdown, should be required reading for every saltwater fisherman/woman. The, "Shutdown" is not just Florida, not just NJ, but the entire saltwater community. Our heritage, our way of life, our very economy is under siege. It is time for the voices of the silent majority to be heard. Together we, not only can, but must take back our sport!
Bob Harbison  Native life long Florida Recreational Fisherman