On the frigging way

[awthacker]

Lubchenco is a PEW Fellow Member - a very prominent one! -- appointed as head of NOAA! It's disgusting, what's going.

They've created the perfect domino effect:
1) Close grouper for one-third of the year (pre-Lubchenco)
2) Close snapper because the stock is low compared to stock estimates based on reported catches from the 1950's and 1960's.
3) Close sea bass because of shifting pressures due to closures of above mentioned
4) Close all bottom fishing because you'll be unable to get a bait to the bottom without catching and harming one of the above mentioned species

And the public doesn't even know what's going on.

[Parrot_Head]

We catch more Snapper than anything.You would not believe how big.You can't even catch Amberjack now because of it. :(

Scott

[awthacker]

That's because properly administered regulations and limits work. What is it in the gulf these days? 2 per person with a 16" minimum, I think.

That same policy worked well here, too -- 2 per person, 20" minimum. The stock has rebounded like never before. Then out of left field, a leftist administration came in and took snapper completely off the table. The libs love to point out that GW Bush was the one who signed the Magnusson Stevens Act -- but he's not the one who appointed a tree-hugger to oversee all the nation's oceans and atmospheres.

Aren't they talking about closing AJ in the gulf? What's the limit these days, 1 per?

[bradford]

Absolute control over the population is the end game.

[tsubaki]

I'm just having a hard time with the data compiled by the SAFMC on the Blackfish.
These cannibalistic hermaphrodites (for CTT, they eat themselves and have the ability to change sex as the need arises) are so prolific in every environment it's almost impossible for them to be this endangered.
A 12" Blackfish is now a very nice prize which was the last regulations on keeper length and not more than 15 may be kept. For comparison, the world record is 9lbs.
Not too many years ago they were considered beneath most fisherman to even keep one.

I just can't understand if there is/was a problem why measures haven't been taken to to prevent it. Meaning improving their environment. Oh, I guess they are, just stop fishing and it will all be alright.

When we would bottom fish and have a problem with smaller Blackfish getting on the line and preventing the bait reaching the intended fish, we would simply put larger bait on the hook. Usually the smaller ones couldn't eat it before being eaten by bigger ones or the preferred game would find it first.

[THEFERMANATOR]

A LARGE part of the fisheries problem is simply those who manage it. They make DRASTIC changes to the regs for one species with absolutely NO thought as to the ripple effect on other species. Over here in the Gulf we are having problems with Red Snapper out deep. They keep lowering the limits and shortening the season on bad science and now they are getting so thick they are eating all the food that other fish would normally eat. Fisheries need to be managed as a whole, not as a segment here and there. And the IDIOTS in charge could care less as this is all part of there plan.

[tsubaki]

Couple of the biggest gripes have been the fact there has NEVER been a closed recreational season. The commercial division recently had seasons but were allowed to keep 10" fish, whereas the recreational sector was reduced to keeping 12" fish.
Now it's all closed till June 1.