Weakfish meeting

[Kensdock]

As many of you know the weakfish population is at an all time low. The weakfish need a chance to rebuild! The best way and the fastest way is to close commercial fishing for weakfish for two years and close recreational fishing during the spawning season. For years commercial fishing was allowed without a limit on the amount of weakfish that could be killed. Commercial and recreational fishing is still allowed in the spawning area of the entire east coast. The winter yard of the weakfish is still open to commercial fishing, Can you believe the ASMFC has the audacity to claim it is not their fault that the weakfish is heading for the endangered list! The ASMFC will meet on August 19, 2009 to find a way to rebuild the weakfish. All comments must be received 3 weeks before the meeting or they will not be heard. Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufactures and that is were their allegiance lies. Please let them know the condition of the weakfish as you see it. http://www.asmfc.org/

Best,

Ken



kensdock.com



nmeserve@asmfc.org> SEND COMMENTS TO NICOLA

[captadamnj]

Weakfish populations are certainly not high right now, overfishing surely contributed in the past. Understand that the population appears to be inversely cyclical (that is, when one is higher, the other is typically lower) with croakers, which have been very abundant in recent years. Getting involved and submitting comments is certainly a positive.

HOWEVER

Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufactures and that is were their allegiance lies.

Let me think about this for 1/1000th of a second. Take away the marine manufacturers and you take away all the boats and all the tackle, where does that leave the fishermen? Take away the fishermen who buy the boats and the tackle, and where does that leave the marine manufacturers? You can't have one without the other.

You've got an axe to grind, go grind it, but don't try to somehow link weakfish decline with the RFA or suggest the existence of the RFA hasn't been to the benefit of the recreational angler. What a crock.

[Kensdock]

They are getting our messages


From: nmeserve@asmfc.org [mailto:nmeserve@asmfc.org]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 2:17 PM
To: Harford, John
Subject: Re: Fw: Weakfish Meeting Aug 9th


Good Afternoon,

I will include your email in the public comment section of the Weakfish Management Board's briefing materials for its August 19 meeting. The agenda and briefing materials will be made available on our website (at: http://www.asmfc.org/summer09Mtg.htm) within a few weeks.

Also, FYI, the summary report for the very recently completed weakfish stock assessment is available now through the Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop's website (http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/saw/, scroll all the way to the bottom). The Management Board will be reviewing this assessment in August and may consider management action in response.

Regards,
Nichola

Nichola Meserve
Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
ph: (202) 289-6400 f: (202) 289-6051

[duranautic al]

well said capt. adam ...it's the equivilent of trying to put inner city shootings blame on the NRA

[Kensdock]

Originally Posted by captadamnj

Weakfish populations are certainly not high right now, overfishing surely contributed in the past. Understand that the population appears to be inversely cyclical (that is, when one is higher, the other is typically lower) with croakers, which have been very abundant in recent years. Getting involved and submitting comments is certainly a positive.

HOWEVER



Let me think about this for 1/1000th of a second. Take away the marine manufacturers and you take away all the boats and all the tackle, where does that leave the fishermen? Take away the fishermen who buy the boats and the tackle, and where does that leave the marine manufacturers? You can't have one without the other.

You've got an axe to grind, go grind it, but don't try to somehow link weakfish decline with the RFA or suggest the existence of the RFA hasn't been to the benefit of the recreational angler. What a crock.

In a nut shell. If money continues to be put before the condition of the fish stocks all fishing will continue to decline. If our waters are teeming with fish there will always be fishermen.

[Kensdock]

ASMFC Weakfish Board Adopts Addendum IV in Response to
Depleted Stock Status
Newport, Rhode Island – The Commission’s Weakfish Management Board approved measures to
reduce exploitation by over 50 percent in both the recreational and commercial sectors. Addendum IV
requires states to implement a one fish recreational creel limit, 100 pound commercial trip limit, 100
pound commercial bycatch limit during closed seasons, and 100 undersized fish per trip allowance for
the finfish trawl fishery. All other management measures previously adopted to conserve the stock and
reduce bycatch remain in effect.
The Board’s action comes in response to the stock status of weakfish. A recent peer-reviewed
assessment found the weakfish stock to be depleted, with spawning stock biomass estimated to be three
percent of an unfished stock, well below the 20 percent threshold and 30 percent target reference points
also approved by the Board as part of Addendum IV. The decline in biomass reflects a sustained rise in
natural mortality after 1995, rather than fishing mortality which has been modest and stable over the
same time period.
“The Board received a significant amount of public comment supporting a coastwide moratorium. In
recognition of this, it chose to implement measures that would discourage directed fishing, limit bycatch
mortality, and ensure that critical sampling programs remain on track,” stated Board Chair Roy Miller.
While the decline appears to have resulted from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent
years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by commercial and recreational fisheries.
However, given the high mortality levels, the stock is also unlikely to recover rapidly. The Addendum’s
measures are intended to reduce the level of harvest without creating a large amount of discards.
Addendum IV will be available via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News
by November 15. For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, Fishery Management Plan
Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org.
###
PR09-46

[CaptTB]

Originally Posted by Kensdock

ASMFC Weakfish Board Adopts Addendum IV in Response to
Depleted Stock Status
Newport, Rhode Island – The Commission’s Weakfish Management Board approved measures to reduce exploitation by over 50 percent in both the recreational and commercial sectors. Addendum IV requires states to implement a one fish recreational creel limit, 100 pound commercial trip limit, 100 pound commercial bycatch limit during closed seasons, and 100 undersized fish per trip allowance for the finfish trawl fishery. All other management measures previously adopted to conserve the stock and
reduce bycatch remain in effect.
The Board’s action comes in response to the stock status of weakfish. A recent peer-reviewed assessment found the weakfish stock to be depleted, with spawning stock biomass estimated to be three percent of an unfished stock, well below the 20 percent threshold and 30 percent target reference points also approved by the Board as part of Addendum IV. The decline in biomass reflects a sustained rise in natural mortality after 1995, rather than fishing mortality which has been modest and stable over the
same time period.
“The Board received a significant amount of public comment supporting a coastwide moratorium. In recognition of this, it chose to implement measures that would discourage directed fishing, limit bycatch mortality, and ensure that critical sampling programs remain on track,” stated Board Chair Roy Miller. While the decline appears to have resulted from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by commercial and recreational fisheries.
However, given the high mortality levels, the stock is also unlikely to recover rapidly. The Addendum’s measures are intended to reduce the level of harvest without creating a large amount of discards. Addendum IV will be available via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News by November 15. For more information, please contact Nichola Meserve, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or nmeserve@asmfc.org. ### PR09-46

This was already covered HERE almost 2 weeks ago, but thanks for re-posting it anyway. Keeps it up in people's view.

Any reason you continue to re-post information that already has its own thread and was posted a couple weeks ago? (other than to pull back up your bull$h!t anti-RFA nonsense)

You sir are a day late and a dollar short with this one, but thanks for posting it twice in two different threads on the same day...I guess

[Kensdock]

Originally Posted by CaptTB

This was already covered HERE almost 2 weeks ago, but thanks for re-posting it anyway. Keeps it up in people's view.

Any reason you continue to re-post information that already has its own thread and was posted a couple weeks ago? (other than to pull back up your bull$h!t anti-RFA nonsense)

You sir are a day late and a dollar short with this one, but thanks for posting it twice in two different threads on the same day...I guess

I posted the release in this thread as a follow up. Capt.TB as you can see, I was correct when I made this statement in July: " Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufacturers and that is where their allegiance lies. I was at the weakfish hearing in September where the RFA lost supporters due to their unpopular position on weakfish management. As you know they supported a commercial bycatch and continued recreational fishing in the spawning grounds.

CaptainTB, The days of only a few voices being heard during fish management hearings are over! Get used to it!

[CaptTB]

Originally Posted by Kensdock

I posted the release in this thread as a follow up. Capt.TB as you can see, I was correct when I made this statement in July: " Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufacturers and that is where their allegiance lies. I was at the weakfish hearing in September where the RFA lost supporters due to their unpopular position on weakfish management. As you know they supported a commercial bycatch and continued recreational fishing in the spawning grounds.

Perhaps they did not speak for YOU, but no group can possibly represent everyone, and only a fool would think otherwise. When you find a group that you agree with 100% of the time on 100% of the issues you let me know.

As I said before, thank you for re-posting this information.

CaptainTB, The days of only a few voices being heard during fish management hearings are over! Get used to it!

Something I have been pushing for since the 90's. I have been a vocal voice for more people coming to meetings and speaking their minds for over 15 years, hopefully more people will start getting involved. To tell me to "get used to it" implies I would want otherwise, and you could not be more incorrect in that assumption if you tried. If you go back and look at over a decade and a half of public record you would know I have been hoping to "get used to it" for quite some time.

[dales529]

Originally Posted by Kensdock

I posted the release in this thread as a follow up. Capt.TB as you can see, I was correct when I made this statement in July: " Do not expect any fishing group like the RFA to make a case for you or me. This group was started by marine manufacturers and that is where their allegiance lies. I was at the weakfish hearing in September where the RFA lost supporters due to their unpopular position on weakfish management. As you know they supported a commercial bycatch and continued recreational fishing in the spawning grounds.

CaptainTB, The days of only a few voices being heard during fish management hearings are over! Get used to it!

Strictly as an angler, I am not sure at all what you are trying to say here to fishermen. Its apparantly CLEAR what you are saying to "other" fishery support groups. I can NOT understand the thinking that suggests that ONLY one group has my best interests at stake whether its weakfish or any of the multitude of species being regulated and discussed. Therefore its very hard to accept your posts with any validity, it reads as just a ploy to exploit your groups view vs another and at the end of the day does nothing for me "the fishermen"
JMHO