How successful was the national fisherman's rally? "United we control, divide we are controlled" Bob H.
Captain Len Belcaro, President / Senior Editor, Big Game Fishing Journal,
"On March 21, 2012, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), in a show of solidarity and bipartisanship with the nation's commercial fishermen, marched on Washington for the second time in two years." Captain Len tells us the commercial interest attended the rally to stress, "the need for better science to base sound fishery management decisions on, to protest the privatization of the marine resource, and to fix the rigid time limits in Magnuson."
"Both commercial and recreational fishermen, along with charter and head boat operators in the Gulf of Mexico have seen the light of day and understand how real this enviro threat to our unalienable right to fish truly is. Their fishery management council has been blatantly under the control of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) for years."
Captain Belcaro concludes:
"As I see it, we have three option.
(1) Continue to remain divided and fight the war on two fronts.
(2) Join together, pool our resources to defeat this common superior enemy, and while doing so, establish a rapport with the commercial fishermen that can be used to correct future conflict.
(3) Just sit back, refuse to do anything because of past difficulties or laziness, whine and complain, and wait until the end comes to our recreational fishing as we know it today then blame everyone else but ourselves. Captain Belcaro
How successful was the national fisherman's rally?
THE POLITAICAL ANGLER (Big Game Fishing Journal)
Mister Jim Hutchinson, Jr. RFA
Mister Hutchinson stresses the congressional line-up of speakers, both parties, and the commitments they made.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), one of the nation's most powerful senators.
Senator Schumer, "Today I am calling on Congress to begin hearings on Magnuson reform this year and I will be making a major push to see that happens, not next year, not two years from now, but this year. We need to have an open and HONEST debate on the flexibility bill." (Sen. Schumer is referring to Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) House Bill HR 3061. HR 3061, the Flexibility and Access in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act.) HR 3061 would require NOAA science and statistical committees to provide more transparent analysis of their findings. Additionally, per Mister Hutchinson,"HR 3061 also calls upon the National Research Council to perform a comprehensive review of NOAA's recreational data collection programs, deemed "fatally flawed" by the same council in 2006." A total of 19 bipartisan legislators have officially signed on to support HR 3061. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), another very powerful Senator, joined rally participants in saying:
"We're here to fight for jobs and for JUSTICE."
Senator Kerry, "I am sorry, and I am angry that you folks have to leave jobs, take time, spend money, come here to Washington to get people to understand how deeply WE feel about this issue."
Was the rally a success?
It must be remembered that NOAA, under the influence of EDF & Pew, preaches 'Divide & Conquer.' Divide the recreational & commercial, divide the recreational head and charter boats. Solidarity equals strength, united we control, divided we are controlled. Of Captain Len's three options, if our fishing, our heritage, is to continue, to prosper, we have only one choice...(2) Join together, pool our resources to defeat this COMMON superior enemy. The first, and second, 'March on Washington' accomplished just that. The 'show of solidarity' among recreational, commercial, head & charter boat, interst demonstrated a UNITED effort, a UNITED will, a UNITED determination to fight for our sport, our future, our heritage.
Was the rally a success? You had better believe it. 'United we control, divided we are controlled.
Bob Harbison Native Florida Recreational Fisherman
