If you want the "POTS OFF THE REEFS" (can I get a Sticky?)

[ped579]

Too late for letter writing everyone.  Hit those keys and fire off an e-mail it takes just a few minutes and could mean better fishing for all.

But you have to act now; to procrastinate means we loose big time.  Besides it feels good to make things happen and to say "I helped".

Paul

[njdiver]

Our legislation was passed over in the Senate yesterday with no action taken.  We also have a problem in that the Assembly Bill has yet to be posted.  According to the Legislative Calendar there are only three more Senate and one more Assembly voting sessions after this Thursday’s Assembly session.  We need to push harder!

 
MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2007

SENATE SESSION 2:00 PM Senate Chambers

Committees at the call of the President.

Voting Session: Board list to be announced.

 
 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2008

SENATE SESSION 2:00 PM Senate Chambers

Voting Session: Board list to be announced.

 
ASSEMBLY QUORUM Assembly Chambers

Committees at the Call of the Speaker.

 


MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2008
 
SENATE SESSION 2:00 PM Senate Chambers

Voting Session: Board list to be announced.


ASSEMBLY SESSION Assembly Chambers

Voting Session: Time and board list to be announced.

[njdiver]

Here is a "short list" of the present Legislative leadership. They all need to hear from us!

Senator

Richard J. Codey (D)

(Senate President)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
449 Mount Pleasant Ave.
West Orange, NJ 07052

PHONE NUMBER:
(973) 731-6770



Senator

Bernard F. Kenny Jr. (D)

(Majority Leader)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
235 Hudson St.
Suite 1
Hoboken, NJ 07030

PHONE NUMBER:
(201) 653-1466



Senator

Shirley K. Turner (D)

(President Pro Tempore)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
1440 Pennington Rd.
Trenton, NJ 08618

PHONE NUMBER:
(609) 530-3277


Senator

Wayne R. Bryant (Esq.) (D)
(Deputy Majority Leader)


DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
501 Cooper St.
Camden, NJ 08102-1240

PHONE NUMBER:
(856) 757-0552



Senator

John A. Girgenti (D)

(Majority Whip)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
507 Lafayette Ave.
Hawthorne, NJ 07506

PHONE NUMBER:
(973) 427-1229






Assemblyman

Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D)

(General Assembly Speaker)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
Brooklawn Shopping Plaza
Route 130 & Browning Rd.
Brooklawn, NJ 08030

PHONE NUMBER:
(856) 742-7600




Assemblywoman

Bonnie Watson Coleman (D)

(Majority Leader)


DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
226 West State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608

PHONE NUMBER:
(609) 292-0500


Assemblyman

Wilfredo Caraballo (D)

(Speaker Pro Tempore)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
371 Bloomfield Ave.
2nd Floor
Newark, NJ 07107

PHONE NUMBER:
(973) 350-0048

FAX NUMBER:
(973) 350-0951



Assemblywoman

Joan M. Quigley (D)

(Majority Conference Leader)


DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
The Hamilton Park Foundry
242 Tenth St.
Suite 101
Jersey City, NJ 07302

PHONE NUMBER:
(201) 217-4614


Assemblyman
Joseph Cryan (D)

(Deputy Majority Leader)

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
985 Stuyvesant Ave.
Union, NJ 07083

PHONE NUMBER:
(908) 624-0880

[IrishAyes]

Thanks for the update NJDiver.  Let's contact the appropriate senator and assemblyman.  Let them know that we can and will affect their future in government.   

[njdiver]

RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN & DIVERS ARE LOSING THE BATTLE!

Monday the NJ Senate was scheduled to vote on our “Pots Off the Reef” Bill S2635. It was supposed to pass easily. Instead, once again we were “blind sided” by commercial fishing industry and the Bill was put aside. NO VOTE WAS TAKEN! THE BILL WASN’T EVEN MENTIONED!

Tuesday we found out why. A well known, very influential lobbying firm, contracted by the commercial sector, flooded the Senate floor with faxes proclaiming that Senate Bill S2635 would be devastating to (a handful of) commercial fishermen. If passed, most potters would go out of business and there would be a major shortage of lobster and reef fish for the general public to consume. The faxes must have had clout and obviously coerced Senate Speaker Codey to abandon the vote.

It was also rumored that this lobbying firm contributes substantial amounts to political campaign funds and that might be the real reason Bill S2635 was passed over.

Is this the way the democratic system is supposed work? Why isn’t the majority being heard? Aren’t they listening to New Jersey’s 1.3 million saltwater anglers? I THINK NOT!

The Senate has (3) more voting sessions before the legislative year end: December 17, January 3 and January 7. If Bill S2635 is not voted on, we go back to square one in 2008. IT IS TIME TO MAKE A CALL! Or, WE LOSE!

The same thing holds true for the General Assembly. They have only a few voting sessions left. Assembly Bill A3986, which is identical to S2635, has not been posted for a vote. WE NEED BOTH BILLS POSTED NOW, VOTED ON AND APPROVED! Or, WE LOSE!

MAKE A CALL NOW! Below is the list of Senators and Assemblymen. The main targets are Senate President Richard Codey, General Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and especially Assistant Majority Leader Jeff Van Drew. They have the ability to push the bills to a vote. When you call, an administrative assistant will answer. Just mention the bill number and ask why it’s not being voted on, what is the hold up, do they realize how many fishermen and divers want to see these bills passed, that sportspeople paid for the reefs while a few commercial potters are allowed to dominate them and blanket them with gear! Make sure you mention your club affiliation and how many people you represent. Ask that the Assemblyman or Senator call you back.

MAKE THAT CALL TODAY! BEFORE IT”S TOO LATE!

Thanks & good luck to all,
Captain Pete Grimbilas
REEF RESCUE
www.njreefrescue.com

Senator Richard J. Codey, (D) 449 Mount Pleasant Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052 (973)-731-6770

Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., (D) Brooklawn Shopping Plaza, Rt. 130 South & Browning Rd., Brooklawn, NJ 08030 (856)-742-7600

Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, (D) 21 North Main Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 (609)-465-0700
District Office: 223 East Main Street, Millville, NJ 08332 (856)-293-8353 District Office: 1028 East Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360 (856)-696-7109

Senator John H. Adler, (D) 1916 Route 70 East, Suite 3, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 (856)-489-3442

Senator Diane B. Allen, (R) 11 West Broad St., Burlington, NJ 08016 (609)-239-2800

[ped579]

Does anyone have their fax numbers.  If their fax is constantly busy with messages from us it might be something they will listen to.  The reason, it will cost them money for the paper, and ink to print out all those faxes.  My .02

Paul

[apmaurosr]

It is imperative that all anglers interested in POT REEF Bills A3986 and S2635 contact Senator Codey, Speaker Roberts and Asm Van Drew immediately and demand that these bills be posted for a vote.

Apparently those with interests contrary to recreational anglers are influencing these legislators with last minute efforts to derail the bills. If these bills are not posted to a vote prior to Januray 7, 2008 we will end up back at square-one. The delay will cripple our ability to be successful.

Bills A3986 and S2635 have the support of the RFA, JCAA, NJSFSC and NJOA and we are making every effort to have the bills posted. We need your support in contacting the legislators below and insisting that A3986 and S2635 be posted for a vote. The links below will provide fax and email information. Phone numbers have been provided below.

Thank you.
Ant
Anthony P. Mauro. Sr
Chairman, NJOA

Sen. Codey
(973) 731-6770
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/codey.asp

Speaker Roberts
(856) 742-7600
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/Roberts.asp

Asm Van Drew
(609) 465-0700
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/vandrew.asp

[njdiver]

The NJ Senate has S2635 posted for a vote on January 3, 2008!

Keep those calls into Assembly Speaker Roberts going!

[njdiver]

Just got off the phone with the NJ Legislature's Bill room.



S2635 PASSED!




Now let's call Assm. Roberts and your own Assembly rep!



Post A3986 for Monday!

Assemblyman
Joseph J. Roberts Jr.
(General Assembly Speaker)


DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS:
Brooklawn Shopping Plaza
Route 130 & Browning Rd.
Brooklawn, NJ 08030

PHONE NUMBER:
(856) 742-7600
(FAX: 856-742-1831)

[IrishAyes]

Outstanding!!!   

[ped579]

Fantastic, now comes the problem, the Assembly, the Senate want to be's. 

I just finished sending e-mails off again, this time I used stronger language.  Don't worry I kept my cool but still managed to show my disgust and what we, the fisherman of NJ could do to their careers.

This is so frustrating.  Sometimes you just want to take these politicians and shake the daylights out of them.

[CapBob]

 

[IrishAyes]

This is so frustrating.  Sometimes you just want to take these politicians and shake the daylights out of them.

That's not what I want to shake out of them!!!   

[ped579]

I hear ya,,,

[njdiver]

The Bill was NOT posted! Assemblyman Sean T. Kean motioned for a roll call vote on the Bill and the Majority Leader Assm. Watson Coleman motioned to table it. Here are the results:

Asm. 1/7/2008 - MOTION TAB MOTION - Yes {41} No {32} Not Voting {7} Abstains {0}

Albano, Nelson T. - No Barnes, Peter J., III - Yes Baroni, Bill - No Bateman, Christopher - NoBeck, Jennifer - No Biondi, Peter J. - Not Voting Blee, Francis J. - No Bodine, Francis L. - Yes Bramnick, Jon M. - No Burzichelli, John J. - Not Voting Caraballo, Wilfredo - Yes Carroll, Michael Patrick - Not Voting Chatzidakis, Larry - Not Voting Chivukula, Upendra J. - No Cohen, Neil M. - Yes Conaway, Herb, M.D. - Not Voting Conners, Jack - Yes Connors, Christopher J. - No Corodemus, Steve - No Cruz-Perez, Nilsa - Yes Cryan, Joseph - Yes Dancer, Ronald S. - No DeCroce, Alex - No Diegnan, Patrick J., Jr. - No Doherty, Michael J. - No Egan, Joseph V. - Yes Epps, Charles T., Jr. - Yes Evans, Elease - Yes Fisher, Douglas H. - Not Voting Giblin, Thomas P. - Yes Gordon, Robert M. - Yes Green, Jerry - Yes Greenstein, Linda R. - No Greenwald, Louis D. - Yes Gregg, Guy R. - No Gusciora, Reed - Yes Handlin, Amy H. - No Holzapfel, James W. - No Jasey, Mila M. - Yes Johnson, Gordon M. - YesKarrow, Marcia A. - No Kean, Sean T. - No Lampitt, Pamela R. - Yes Malone, Joseph R., III - NoManzo, Louis M. - Yes Mayer, David R. - Yes McHose, Alison Littell - No McKeon, John F. - YesMerkt, Richard A. - NoMoriarty, Paul D. - YesMunoz, Eric - NoO'Toole, Kevin J. - NoOliver, Sheila Y. - Not VotingPanter, Michael J. - Yes Payne, William D. - Yes Pennacchio, Joseph - No Pou, Nellie - Yes Prieto, Vincent - Yes Quigley, Joan M. - Yes Roberts, Joseph J., Jr. - Yes Rooney, John E. - No Rumpf, Brian E. - No Russo, David C. - NoScalera, Frederick - Yes Schaer, Gary S. - Yes Stack, Brian P. - Yes Stanley, Craig A. - Yes Stender, Linda - Yes Thompson, Samuel D. - No Truitt, Oadline D. - Yes Vainieri Huttle, Valerie - Yes Van Drew, Jeff - No Vandervalk, Charlotte - N oVas, Joseph - Yes Vega, Silverio A. - Yes Voss, Joan M. - Yes Watson Coleman, Bonnie - Yes Whelan, Jim - Yes Wisniewski, John S. - Yes Wolfe, David W. - No


The "No" votes were on our side!

[njdiver]

APP

January 8, 2008

Lobster trap ban dies in Legislature

By KIRK MOORE

Legislation to ban lobster traps and other commercial fishing gear from New Jersey's artificial reefs died in the final hours of the 2007 Legislature, after supporters could not get enough votes in the state Assembly to bring the measure up for a final vote.
The bill's prime sponsor, Assemblyman Sean T. Kean, R-Monmouth, sought a vote on Monday only to see the lower house vote to table the measure 42 to 31. The legislation had passed the state Senate unanimously last Thursday and backers among the state's recreational fishing groups had hoped the Assembly version would pull through and go on to Gov. Corzine's desk for his signature.

"Sean Kean wanted a vote,'' said James Donofrio, executive director of the
Recreational Fishing Alliance and an advocate of the reef bill. But the Garden State
Seafood Association was successful in persuading Assembly leadership not to hold a vote, Donofrio said.

With the end of the 2006-2007 legislative year, the bill has now died and supporters need to decide whether to seek re-introduction in the new Legislature, Donofrio said.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Protection has proposed seasonal reef exclusion rules that would keep lobster and fish traps off the reefs from May to October. That measure is proceeding through the DEP administrative process and could take effect this year, state Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Chanda said at last Thursday's meeting of the state marine Fisheries Council.

As planned by DEP officials, the rule would first apply to reefs within the state's
three-mile territorial limit. But the agency also plans to ask the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, a quasi-government board with authority in federal waters, to apply the same rule to artificial reefs outside three miles.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...D=200880108042

[IrishAyes]

More than one way to skin a cat! 

Let's hope the DEP uses their brain for the benefit of most instead of a select few. 

[ped579]

I am holding my breath on this one.

[njdiver]

Both Bills have been reintroduced for the 2008-2009 NJ Legislature.  The new Bill numbers are S336 and A1519. The Senate bill has retained the old Assembly sponsors as they have won their seats in the Senate. The new Assembly Bill has a new primary sponsor and five co-sponsors.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp

[IrishAyes]

Let's hope the new regime is smarter than the last.