ARS: "We're doing something wrong!"

[harbison]

 


Mobile Alabama:  "We're doing something wrong."
The 2012 red snapper season will likely be the shortest ever, perhaps no more than 40 days long, federal officials said during a committee hearing today. The 2012 snapper season will be shorter than last year’s 48-day season because the Gulf’s recreational anglers exceeded their allowable catch by more than 630,000 pounds, according to officials at Tuesday’s Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, which is meeting in Mobile:
While in recent years the commercial fleet has remained within its quota, federal officials believe the recreational fleet has consistently exceeded its allowed take. In response, federal officials have required shorter and shorter seasons to try and keep the snapper harvest within limits.
Dauphin Island charter captain Skipper Thierry said that snapper season represents about 80 percent of the annual income for a lot of charter boats.  “The charter fleet is going to continue to shrink and decline. The tragedy is that it is for no reason,” Thierry said. “It’s a sad disgrace because snapper fishing has never been better. It’s a complete mismanagement of what is nothing short of a phenomenal resource. The fishery is getting bigger and bigger every year and our season is getting shorter and shorter.”

Lawrence Abele, a Florida marine biologist and member of the Gulf Council, said every indicator suggests that “the snapper population is recovering faster than we can keep up with.” The fact that the snapper quota has been exceeded each year despite shorter and shorter seasons shows that the fishery is in better shape than federal scientists believe, he said.  The (underwater video surveys) and everything else suggests we are moving in the right direction,” Abele said, arguing that the season should be getting longer each year, not shorter. “We’re doing something wrong.”
Crabtree's answer:
"Yeah, we’re doing something wrong,” said Roy Crabtree, the fisheries service official in charge of setting the annual catch limit. “We’re giving (recreational anglers) too many days." Roy Crabtree
GIVING too many days...A prelude to catch shares!  Catch shares, no closed season.
Crabtree continues:  “We’ve got to come to grips with the fact that we’re not going to get a longer season,” Crabtree said. He suggested the only way to reach a longer season might be “something radical” such as switching to a one fish per day limit or issuing tags to anglers that allow each person to catch a certain number of snapper per year."
"ISSUE TAGS" Much more appropriate, BUY TAGS!  When the unbelievable low, "certain number of snapper per year" runs out, march down to Walmart and BUY yes BUY more tags.  Left un-checked, the future of fishing is BUY TAGS. Buy tags, sometimes called catch shares.

 
Bob Harbison Yesterday a Native Florida Recreational Fisherman. Tomorrow
Roy, Catch Shares, Crabtree  

[harbison]

Both the recreational & commercial fishermen/women have very good reasons to be outraged with NOAA, outraged with Mister Roy Crabtree.
Two examples, among many, depict the frustration directed at those whom we pay to safeguard what should be the peoples treasure, the treasure of OUR heritage, our fishery.
EXAMPLE from the recreational segment:
Lawrence Abele, a Florida marine biologist and member of the Gulf Council, said every indicator suggests that “the snapper population is recovering faster than we can keep up with.” The fact that the snapper quota has been exceeded each year despite shorter and shorter seasons shows that the fishery is in better shape than federal scientists believe, he said. The (underwater video surveys) and everything else suggests we are moving in the right direction,” Abele said, arguing that the season should be getting longer each year, not shorter. “We’re doing something wrong.”                                                                               Crabtree's answer:
"Yeah, we’re doing something wrong,” said Roy Crabtree, the fisheries service official in charge of setting the annual catch limit. “We’re giving (recreational anglers) too many days." Roy Crabtree
"Yeah, we’re doing something wrong,” said Roy Crabtree, the fisheries service official in charge of setting the annual catch limit. “We’re giving (recreational anglers) too many days." Roy Crabtree
Mister Crabtree, sir, with all due respect, this shows complete disregard for, not only the people of Florida, but also the experts on the Gulf Council. The American way of government is safeguarded by systems of checks & balances, checks & balances to assure that no one entity is allowed to run amuck. Where is the checks & balances within NOAA? Where is the checks & balances with Roy Crabtree? "We are doing something wrong!"
EXAMPLE from the commercial segment:
In 2006 commercial fishermen presented to the Council a possible solution to the discard problem, the discard problem resulting in millions of pounds of fish being discarded, wasted. The suggestion centered around fish traps. The traps of yesteryear were outlawed because of the very real fear of lost traps. These traps could, theoretically, remain on the bottom for years, killing captured fish indefinitely.
The solutions as presented, by the commercial segment, to the Council:
(1) Traps to be fitted with a, 'magnesium time lock. This lock could be
pre-programmed to open within any time frame desired. Due to modern
technology, absolutely NO chance of traps killing for years.
(2) Each boat to carry & be responsible for up to 50 traps. Traps to be
counted by NOAA when NOAA is inspecting the catch.
(3) GPS to be used to mark position of each & every trap. If a trap is lost, the
boat involved to have 48 hours to retrieve the trap, or face a very
substantial fine.
The use of modern day technology, coupled with ingenuity, shows potential to all but completely eliminate the dead discard situation. Traps could be utilized to target only a certain species. In reality, these traps have never been allowed to reach the testing stage. Testing, even by the FWC, requires a permit. NOAA refuses to consider the idea, more-less issue permits for testing. NOAA an agency run amuck!
Crabtree's answer:
Mister Crabtree stated, in No uncertain terms,"No way in hell!"
Where is the checks & balances with Roy Crabtree? "We are doing something wrong," something wrong as in run amuck!
Bob Harbison a concerned Native Florida Recreational Fisherman

[IrishAyes]

I think the answer is in the quota system. A one a day quota. That quota shuoud be getting rid of all these political hacks who do not have a clue as to what is really happening on the water. Fire these people one at a time, one a day, and eventually the ones who are left will finally realize what the proper course of action should be. We need scientist who know fisheries and are willing to do the right thing.

[harbison]

 "The quota system!"  I love it.  Our Northern friends feel the exact same as us Crackers.  Proud to have you aboard.  Bob H.