3/21 Fishermans Ralley Report
 

Matt and I attended the "Keep The Fisherman Fishing" ralley in Wash DC along with many others from Maine to Fla and NJ to Alaska.

The crowd was only about 1/3 of what we had 2 years ago, very disapointing. Many of us make a good living from our Oceans and Bays and many enjoy the recreation, where were they?

The Politicians who spoke ...claimed to be on our side, voices from both sides of the isle touting Bi-partisan support, what we heard 2 years ago. To date NO ACTION!

With 22 states bordering the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf and all having a Fishing industry, both Commercial and Recreational, that would give more than enough support in the Senate and House of Representitives to take the needed action. I don't know what the answer is but I am tired of banging my head on the wall.

Thank you Tony for putting the buses together and all the work that went into it, thank you Capt Ron for keeping heard on our Atlantic Highlands group. Big thank you to Pete from Atlantic Tackle for all his support, refreshments and support in his shop for those that attended.

I would like to thank the Belford Commercial Fisherman (where I have my roots) for a large turnout and filling our bus.

A high thank you for all that attended, taking time away from your jobs, business and families.

I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but I can't see it. As Pogo said "we have met the enemy, and he is us!

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Pics

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Nice seeing you there today Capt Bob !!

Headed out on the Bogans basin bus after meeting Capt Rich and Captain Joe for the long bus ride to Washington. as we got to the rally station we could see there were many less than had been standing there 2 years previous. Probably about 1300 total , with about 200 being from NJ .
sad to say we didnt even have 1/10 of 1% of the registered NJ fisherman there.
I can only hope the people who spoke there today just figured in todays economy it was tough for people to get there, and Not that 99.9% of the fisherman just dont care enough to fight anymore.
after the first 2 hours there were only about 300 fisherman still there listening to the remaining speakers.

These people came from much further than NJ ,, and should have been given a little more respect by the crowd at least hearing what they came there to say.

I think the ball to push for reform was definetly dropped today and can only hope the senators who spoke continue to keep it in play



Was nice seeing some of the local tackle shops once again represented, as well as Reps, from Avet , Shimano, and Bimini Bay.

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We attended today and as reported the attendance was light. Not sure where most with any interest in fishing could possibly be. If you can take a day off to go fishing why not take a day off to listen to attend and protect your sportfish investment? If not for you maybe your kids? For $10 what a deal. Very sad on the attendance.

Don’t worry when NOAA / NMFS shut down the east coast like they have done in the state of California then it will be too late, you’re not getting it back. Trust us its coming and booze cruises and rafting excurses in the back bay on your high powered sportfish's are not going to cut it. Wake up this crap is real and this situation sucks!

Thank you to the RFA, Bogans and Dave at The Reel Seat for organizing all this. Sometimes only 1% can get it done.

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I cut my steelhead fishing trip short and drove direct from Pulaski to DC to attend the rally. As stated, the crowd or lack thereof was somewhat disappointing but on the positive side, there were far more politicians speaking in our favor than last time. All gave spirited speaches. I kind of liken the fishemen there to that saying about the dog. Remember it is not the size of the crowd in the fight, it is the size of fight in the crowd. Thank you to all who were involved and keep up the good work.

Paul Haertel
2nd VP JCAA

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This is the only part of your post I will disagree with, the rest was spot on. In the 2 years since the first rally qwe have been able to get additional legislation introduced and additional sponsors to the legislation that exists.

The idea for this rally was to help push that legislation to the floor so it can be voted on.

The fact that even with a smaller turnout than last time we were able to significantly increase the number of legislators on our side (or at least claiming to be on our side...that's why we always watch the sponsor list on bills!) is a big deal.

Thanks to all who attended or tried to.

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I thought the rally was a success. We all would have liked to have seen a larger crowd but that's life. I was amazed at how many more Congressmen and Senators signed on to the 2 bills since the last rally. We all need to understand this is a process and unfortunately a slow one. We just need to keep fighting because we are right. On a negative note, I can't fully explain my disappointment in our own Congressmen and Senators. Neither Senator supports Sen Schumer's bill and only 2 of our Congressmen support Frank Pallone's bill. My own Congressman Chris Smith does not support it and won't even respond why. I WON'T be voting for him again. Thanks to all that found the rally important enough to take the time and go.

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Jay I understand working people with families have to do that. There were Party Boats out fishing yesterday!!
I was disappointed with the turn out, Mass had more speakers(4) then they had fisherman(0) from their state.

I like to thank everyone who showed up, all the speakers and everyone involved with getting this set up.

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My hat goes off to all those that showed up in DC Yesterday !!!

Capt Ron,Mate Robbie & Chris you guys are nuts :D

A Big thanks to Capt Tony Bogan !!!!

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retired military 67-08 ... met some vets at the rally including our florida supporter ... what i saw yesturday was an eye opener ... spent the night looking for who could help ... made a letter which i have e-mailed and mailed this morning to all of concern and especially those i will see on my voting ballet come election time ... no fishing today ... can use some shuteye ... we need all support .... everyone doing their part ... and we defintely need to ... KEEP FISHERMEN FISHING ... :cool:

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K:eek: UDOS TO EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP .... INCLUDING THE SPY DRESSED UP AS A MERMAID ...

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Just really feeling down about the whole situation.

While on the bus to DC, I received a text from a friend that I fish with quite a bit, "Good luck at your rally." Sent one back, "Not my rally, OUR rally, unless you have quit fishing and didn't tell me." That kind of sums up the apathy I sense when it comes to many attending these rallies or even the meetings in Toms River.

Still very concerned about the lack of support from most Major industry manufacturers. Are they concerned that if they show support the government will impose higher tariffs on the products they import? If they are not concerned what do they know that we don't?

As for the politicians, I felt that some were just mouthing the same speech they gave 2 years ago. Others did seem like they really care. They tell us we need to push their fellow Senators and Representatives to get on board. Hey you know what, this is why I voted for you to represent me, not the other way around! I feel like the system has turned upside down. At what point do we say "If you can't get the job done , we can't support you in your bid for reelection?" I think this is one point we should make clear to all of them especially the ones running for their first term. But do they really care? How many terms do you have to serve before you can leave with a pension & a nice health plan for you and your family?

Winter Flounder season opens tomorrow, hope all enjoy fishing for those two fish we are allowed to keep.

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Those 2 Gals accomplished what they wanted !!

Now why would anyone take a pic with those 2 gals :confused:

PS don't be surprised when they photoshop that pic and post it on there site !

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Pete wake up !!!

Can't wait to see your reply :D

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I understand your concern, but as relates to the congressmen and women you have to realize that even if every single one of them is 100% behind us they still cannot actually do anything on their own.

There are 435 members of the House and 100 members of the senate.

Both houses must vote and pass any legislation, and the couple guys from NJ cannot do that on their own. If you took every coastal state's congressmen and senators you could not pass a bill without additional state reps/senators.

That is the way our system works and that is why continually gaining support is the only way to get legislation passed.

That was the whole point of the second rally. The first one was to get the legislation going, which it did and then some. The second rally was to garner more support to help get the legislation passed. We certainly gained more supporters (read: sponsors of the bills) but it does not end there.

Until we can get a MAJORITY of congress to support us we go nowhere. It starts at home with your U.S. congressman/woman and our U.S. senators from NJ, but then it must grow from there.

Don't tell the ones supporting us you won't support them if they "can't get it done," tell the ones that WERE NOT EVEN THERE like Cong. Chris Smith and Rush Holt and Sen. Menendez and Sen. Lautenjerk that we won't vote for them unless they DO support us.

Kinda tough for NJ to ask other states to support them when you do not even have a majority of your own reps supporting you!

Go to www.keepfishermenfishing.com and check out the bills (MSA Amendments link) right there is all the information you need, including an up to date list of sponsors of each and every bill.
Don't see your reps name on the list? Call their asses up and tell them support the bill or lose my vote.

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I like a lot of other participants was disappointed in the attrndendance by our peers! However having attended both my saving grace was the fact that there were many more congressmen on the stage!
After TB explained toward end of program this was a positive sign I have to agree!
This lackluster attendance by our local fisherman, charter guys & the like does not sit well with me but as a tackle rep ,a person that makes a living off this business I'm personally compelled to do my part!
It was a good day & wish to thank all the guys on the AH bus & Pete from AH bait & tackle for feeding me!
Were getting there!!!

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Don't tell the ones supporting us you won't support them if they "can't get it done," tell the ones that WERE NOT EVEN THERE like Cong. Chris Smith and Rush Holt and Sen. Menendez and Sen. Lautenjerk that we won't vote for them unless they DO support us.

Kinda tough for NJ to ask other states to support them when you do not even have a majority of your own reps supporting you!

Go to www.keepfishermenfishing.com and check out the bills (MSA Amendments link) right there is all the information you need, including an up to date list of sponsors of each and every bill.
Don't see your reps name on the list? Call their asses up and tell them support the bill or lose my vote.

THat should be a 1 page no reply sticky here, as that is definetly the best thing that can be said about the whole situation

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For around 266.5 million you can donate 500k to everyone house and senate member. Seems only way anything will get done is with money greasing pockets. Crooked state, crooked country. Maybe work on chris Christie. May e he can put a foot forward,

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Sportie , enough talking . What are you going to do beside sitting on the sidelines and making your comments ?

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Well ol pedro, it seems that by sitting on the sidelines and making my comments is getting just about as much done as closing down business and taking a 4 hour ride to washington.. I can sit here and send emails threatening each member of congress, house, and my local reps about my vote, but frankly, they dont give a hoot, it is they either care or they dont, there is no in between my friend.

I dont want to see shut downs, i dont want to see the industry hurt, i have a ton of friends in the industry, but unfortunately there is really nothing that this rally is doing. The areas are still being closed, the west coast still took a beating, florida still lost grouper and reds and it is just on and on and on.. The government is more powerful than every single fisherman in the world, and unless they are on our side from the start, my thoughts are we continue to pee pee in the 50kt winds!!!!

like i said, i will send emails and i sign petitions as needed, but i see no need to go listen to a bunch of politically driven POS talk on a stage that want nothing but to see their numbers increase in the national or local level poll numbers. Unfortunately, thats all they are doing.

Everyone is entitiled to their opions on this situation, i stress mine a lot because im sick of the bullshit about all these guys giving me crap about not going, not being helpful, how your not a good person if you dont do your part... Well sorry to say, whoever went and did their so=called "part" did nothing but take a vacation day, close down shop, and walk around in washington HOPING FOR CHANGE.. People hoped for change with obama, all you got was a damn waste of time and downward spiral of the country.

I hope things can start to go in favor one day, but i also have my reservations on "bad science" so ill keep that to myself as well.

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Sportie , sorry I didn't get back sooner . I was just Emailing Governer Christie . We had this discussion last time . I feel that us being there helped our cause . More Politicians were there and peta even showed . I would think that the second time will also show dividends . We will see .

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pete .... did u get the mermaids # :rolleyes:

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You keep telling yourself that. Excuses to not get involved are like *******s. Everbody's got one and they all stink.

Whatever lets you sleep at night.

Not getting involved allows someone like you to claim that getting involved does nothing. You get out exactly what you give, and you give nothing.

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Good day Sir!!

I just love that attitude, if we where all like _______, than nothing would get done. Me myself and I have been involved and find that progress is being made. To have members of Congress take the time to help move us forward, and for them to realize what this is all about is more progress than ______ would have accomplished>

Jakesdad

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The reasons areas are being CLOSED and all the losses going on in the fishing communities is to many are taking YOUR example and sitting on their ass doing nothing until its too late..

If people got more involved there might be something for the children of tomorrow to fish for, the way its going the only fishing they will see will be paintings on the wall from years gone by.

Very simple, we all know that the only way polititions really take a stand is either money or votes.
sitting home did nothing for either of them.

Visual stimulas def goes way further than sending emails that will probably not be read or answered , or if answered are from an aid of the rep you sent it to.

Show up with 10000 people or more draws media attention , and the attention of other states senators about what is going on outside their state.

Think about it unless someone puts it in front of them , do you think guys in Ohio , Iowa or Montana give a hoot about the ocean fishery we have here. No but put it front page and they may actually help a senatore here in favor of something they need out there.

each person who could have gone( and I understand some couldnt) that didnt just put another nail in the fishermans coffin instead of helping keep them alive.
So dont sit back now and make exuses and say oh I have friends in the business and dont want to see them hurt,
If thats what you consider a friend im glad mine our different as they try to help you out instead of watching you go down.

and you know why hope and change hasnt worked in the USA,
because guys sat at home letting an INCOMPETANT president run us into the ground after putting thier faith in the wrong person.

Sitting home now leaving NOAA do the same thing with our fisheries is the same thing, as they are just as incompetant.

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In reality, Politicians (at least many of them...I won't assume it is every single one of them) will care most about whatever gets them in office and subsequently keeps them in office.

If a politician does not support something and believes the bulk of his/her constituency will agree (or at least a majority of those that vote will agree) then he or she has no reason to change their position. Once a politician realizes that their position is an unpopular one they either change their position or lose their seat of power.

There is most certainly an in-between. If there ever was an area of life that was NOT black and white it would be politics. I am surprised you did not know that.

Money is often the driving force in politics not because it is money, but because money gives the ability to gain votes. Not so much with buying votes (although I've no doubt that happens too) but with the ability to campaign and out do the other guy/girl. If group "A" gives money to a politician they will expect their policies/positions to be supported by that politician. In return group "A" will get their members/supporters to support that politician. If group "B" has more members/supporters and they make it known to the politician that he/she will lose those votes if they do not support group "B's" position that is about the only way you can override the money/votes/support of group "A."

This is basic politics, I am surprised you don't understand this.

Politicians will not likely support a position that does not have popular support. Again, we are back to "which position gets me the most support/votes?"

The first Rally was designed to get political support for certain positions and translate them into legislation. That happened, especially as evidenced by the expansion of legislation introduced AFTER the first rally aimed at specific issues in fisheries.

The second rally sought to increase the level of legislative support so as to move that legislation towards adoption. This also happened, at least to some degree, as evidenced by the increased legislators that came out publicly in favor of those pieces of legislation.

By having fewer people in attendance it hurts the ability to convince even more legislators that this is what the millions (or a large part of the millions) of anglers in the US wants. That is how poor attendance can subvert the goals of a rally such as the one that took place yesterday.

Of course, only a fool would think that everything will either go their way or it won't. Again with this black and white view of the world. Convenient, but hardly realistic. If you lose 50% of the time you still won the other 50%. If you win 90% of the time you will still lose the other 10% of the time. Does that mean it was better to not try and win at all because you did not get every single thing you wanted?

You ignore (or conveniently forgot to mention) the closures that were stopped, the fisheries that were kept open (but were threatened with further restrictions or closures) etc.

I have yet to meet the person or group that wins 100% of what they want 100% of the time. Let me know when you find that group or person.

The government is on the "side" that will get them re-elected. If you cannot prove you have the numbers then you will lose. Not showing up helps show a lack of interest (read: a lack of numbers)

It is not about listening to them, you obviously do not understand this very well. Let me try to explain. If they are going to come out publicly saying they support our position then it is likely because they realize that if they do not they may pay the consequences come election time. When they come to speak it is to affirm the fact that they know that we know where they stand.

You are not there to listen to them, you are there to make sure that they have been listening to us.

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Thank you Capt TB, Dave A and the others that made this possible. I too was disappointed with the fishermanturnout especially from our area but surprised as hell to see how many more of the politicians were there to support us compared to 2 years ago. I will continue to support our rights to the oceans, and do whats necessary to keep us, our children, and grandchildren doing something that we all love and our god given right. Thanks again to all that made this event happen and to those who made it to this event.

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Agree.....i'm sure there was some people took off from work today to go fishing, instead of taking off yesterday to support the cause..SAD...

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Did anyone think the crumbling us economy is the reason for the lack of support at the march .....I personally could not afford to close my business for a day and pay my mate and store workers to march in DC ...

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Most involved in the march lost a days pay yesterday. trying to stop the fishing community from crumbling even more than it already has.

very few that were there were getting paid/
I didnt see anyone say you needed to close your shop, but someone who has a great deal to lose if things get any worse can send 1 person to represent them.

If just 1 person from each boat and tackle shop had shown up , maybe we would not have to march again, as just gaining the press coverage by there being alot of people there could have made a difference.


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I couldn't afford to pay myself or my workers a days wages to go to DC, so we all paid for ourselves.

I cannot speak for anyone else, but one day of business loss hurts now more than ever but one day was not going to put me out of business but it could do a lot to help keep me in business.

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Crazy that I counted only 14 sponsors from this site...thanks for coming to help..Was pleasure to put faces with names

Capt Joe..