Bluefin Action Needed

tds8268 · Post by **tds8268** » Feb 24th, '09, 07:27

Guys,

If any of you fish for Bluefin Tuna PLEASE READ the current thread on Sport Fishermen.com under Big Game Fishing World Wide Discussion Forum titled "bad news for US tuna fishermen". You will find a link where you can tell NMFS what you think. This is by far the most assenine legislation I have heard of in a long time, giving our quota to other countries.

Capt. DQ · Post by **Capt. DQ** » Feb 24th, '09, 13:40

Same thing is going to happen with Swordfish if fishermen don't start reporting there catches, there are 800#'s to call for different area's to report catches. Bluefin are the same. We have to report catches so they can keep up with quota's for the USA. Swordfish stocks are back up and if fishermen don't report...we loose our stocks to other country's. This is very serious to do this so we don't loose.

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Feb 24th, '09, 16:44

The better argument would be to tell the other countries to f*** off when it comes to our fish.

People shouldn't have to call in about anything.

Get your elected officials to change the laws and stop selling or giving away America's resources.

Laziness is America's drug of choice.

tds8268 · Post by **tds8268** » Feb 24th, '09, 17:09

What chaps my ass the most is less than a week ago I read where the NMFS is likely going to cut our 2009 daily catch to ONE fish from 27" to 73". These knotheads continue to screw the American Angler & Captains year after year and now they are considering allowing other countries to use our unused quota, they must all be smokin crack! I know my summer charters would be thrilled to take an extra fish or two.

tds8268
finchasersportfishing.com

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Feb 24th, '09, 17:32

The big mistake was putting the NMFS under the the aegis of the Department of Commerce. Commerce means Commercial. Nothing to do with restoring the resources.

Capt. DQ · Post by **Capt. DQ** » Feb 24th, '09, 17:35

Like it or not...they're holden all the poker chips in this game so we're screwed until enough fishermen stand up and get together as a group and change this for the good.

Here's one rule I'll bet you didn't know is that at the beginning of each year on Billfish/Marlin kills in tournament or fun fishing or Commercial ...that once you reach 250 kills in all U.S. waters everything becomes catch/release after that until the end of the year.

So say your fishing a big tournament....and the kill quota has been met and you have a possible winning fish on in a tournament, your gonna be releasing that puppy, not killing it for the money because kill quota's have been met. Also it is against the LAW to remove a billfish from the water to take pictures or handle out of the water.

DQ

tds8268 · Post by **tds8268** » Feb 25th, '09, 06:53

DQ,

I have heard about this in small circles but have never been able to substantiate this, it all seems to be hearsay. Have you seen this in any MNFS rulings, if so where? Thanks much!

Dan

Craig Mac · Post by **Craig Mac** » Feb 25th, '09, 08:22

According to what I am reading --the only chance to save the Bluefin is a CITES listing. This was tried in 1994 and failed, but the international climate is more open to it now.

I hope it happens and it will close down legal trade worldwide--the illegal trade wills always circumvent--but there will be less outlets--it has worked with other species.

tds8268 · Post by **tds8268** » Feb 25th, '09, 08:42

Guys flood her & your congressmen with emails, here's mine:

sarah.mclaughlin@noaa.gov

Regarding: Docket NOAA-NMFS-2009-0034, 2009 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications, Rulemaking and Effort Controls, Docket ID: NOAA-NMFS-2009-0034-0001</SPAN>

Sarah,

This is the most ludicrous plan I have hear of. Every year the number of Bluefin Tuna that I can keep drops yet you are considering allowing other countries to have the quota that we have not harvested, did you ever consider allowing the AMERICAN ANGLER & CAPTAINS to have that unharvested quota. It's a SHAME when OUR government agency's seem more interested in keeping foreign countries happy than their own citizens. I will be contacting both of my senators from PA and MD and urging them to oppose this ruling as strongly as possible. SHAME ON THE NMFS for ever conceiving such a idiotic idea as this!

Sincerely,

T. Daniel Stauffer

Capt. DQ · Post by **Capt. DQ** » Feb 25th, '09, 10:08

Dan,

You can contact The Billfish Foundation or go to www.hmspermits.gov to find out all the info you want.

DQ

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Feb 25th, '09, 11:00

I have a general category permit and get three bluefin per day over 73''. The problem is 246 metric tons quota for the purse seine category. Three families have a NOAA-sponsorded monopoly on those fish. They are the problem because they control NMFS with $ to the guys incharge. You can yell and scream all you want, they control the hole thing. They catch more giants in three hours than all the bluefins caught on rod and reel on the whole east coast over the whole year! Think Im wrong, look into it.

In Memory Walter K · Post by **In Memory Walter K** » Feb 25th, '09, 11:09

And they're friends of the Kennedy Family of Massachusetts.

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Feb 25th, '09, 11:15

THe &*&*)& Europeans refused to cut their quota this year, despite the fact that the scientists they hired told them they had to, or face catastrophic collapse within 5 years.

The bastards won't rein themselves in on the western Atlantic or Meditteranean, so what do we do? Let them have free rein on our side of the Atlantic as well. Just brilliant.

bertram31.com

Bluefin Action Needed

Bluefin Action Needed

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