RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

RFA National Headquarters and the RFA New Jersey Chapter have been working hard to put the sanctuary proposal to a well deserved death.

We have had high level meetings with elected officials and have not found one who supports the sanctuary proposal. We are rolling out a process to obtain resolutions in opposition to the sanctuary designation from the 17 municipalities affected, as well as Monmouth County.

The RFA is working with local environmental groups to partner with them on water quality issues. After all, we do want clean water.

The NJ Chapter board members are volunteers. But National HQ has full-time paid employees. The RFA needs your financial support. If you are not an RFA member, please go to the RFA website and join - JoinRFA.org. If you are already a member, get your buddies to join. And member or not, sign up for the cod trip April 30th. You can find that on this board.

The individual proposing the sanctuary has an October target date for filing with the Federal Government. We need to stop it before then.

Jim Krauss
RFA NJ Chapter Chair
jkrfanj@gmail.com

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

That is a great effort and can you advise what is being done to bring back winter flounder, fluke, weaks, and whiting? Whats the point of chasing after water treatment plants if there are no fish in the bay?

Specifically, what is being done to get the commercial draggers to stop decimating these stocks?

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

I wont speak for Jim who you touted for doing a great effort which he did. While your constant message on this is admirable because I believe (but could be wrong) you care about fish stocks and have no agenda against any fisherman making a living ask yourself if YOU personally advocate kicking ANY fisherman off the water? Next answer for yourself what your post would be if the Commercials lobbied to kick recreational fishermen off the water? RFA respects ALL fishermen within the quotas by law we are all forced to accept. Fight the data, Fight the Sanctuary, Fight the regulations but no reason to fight the fisherman if they abide by the regs. JMHO

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Well said Dales and not to single you out No Limit but there are lots of people talking and asking questions but fewer getting involved to change what is at the root of the issue, which are the laws.

There are a lot of people in the RFA, SSFFF and JCAA who volunteer their time and don't get paid a dime.... IMHO they deserve any support we can muster, be it financially, volunteering our time or at a minimum, some moral support and words of encouragement.

We're all fed up but people need to choose to get involved and be part of the solution, or they are part of problem.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Thanks and you confirmed my concerns.

Yes I would have no problem stopping all commercial fishing that decimates juvenile stocks and makes them extinct. In fact, I am trying to find a group that shares this goal. We brought stripers back from extinction by stopping the slaughter of juvenile stocks and the same has to be done with other species. Let Shoprite sell Tilapia and farmed salmon for a while. There is no excuse for suffering gladly the continued decimation of flounder, ling, whiting, weaks, etc.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Over the years in my travels I have eaten lunch at some very good "Fish joints" like Jody's in Neptune and the little place in Keyport, The Lobsta' house in Cape May, the old Coop in Point Pleasant and all the fish lunches and dinners they put out are good and caught by commercial fishermen. Sport fishermen are not allowed to sell fish so how would these establishment fare if the only thing they sold was a TALAPIA sandwich or dinner? Their demise would be swift and many many jobs would be lost. Eliminating a whole industry, as well as all those good eating establishments just might be a little extreme on your part.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Would you support hook and line commercial fishing? I'm all for banning the draggers.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

I would like hook and line comm. fishing and maybe even traps. If they could release alive any by catch or undersized fish. I don't want to put any restaurants or fish markets out of business so we need some comm. fishing. But I think dragging has got too efficient at making money while at the same time destroying fish stocks. So it should be greatly reduced or stopped...Charlie

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

It appears statements are now answers to questions but such is todays world.
I know of no Fishing group that advocates the "decimation" of any species by any fishing interest and RFA amongst other groups have fought hard against commercial oversight when required and will continue to do so when its outside of the regulations (which we are always fighting for better).

The original Thread was about the Sanctuary update and while all opinions on commercial fishing are respected lets get back to the point of the OP (original poster).

Either you support the opposition of the Sanctuary and if so should be thankful of the efforts to stop it or you are FOR the Sanctuary and its your right to say so or not but would love to know your reasons.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Yep - Stay on topic and one fight at a time....

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

I cant remember the last time I saw local whiting, ling or winter flounder or weakfish on the menu at any local fish house.

Guess why - its because there are none.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Sure. With hook and line, you dont get juveniles crushed in the net once the holes are clogged with legal fish.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

The original thread was about restoring the winter flounder, fluke, sea trout, and crab that used to spawn every year in the Sanctuary and they are now gone.

Of course none of the "fishing" organizations will admit to letting stock go extinct but that is what has happened in the last 20 years.

Remember Leroy's? "We Smoke Anything". That used to be whiting that were available by the sack full for years. But under the watch of our wonderful regulators, they are gone and so is Leroy's.

So dont cry about fish houses going out of business if we try to do something about draggers. It is already happening and local restaurants are having to serve pollack and cod and haddock imported from distant waters.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Way too much to talk about here so hopefully I'll catch up with you some day to continue our discussion...I am on my way to Neptune to get a fried WHITING sandwich at Jody's. :rolleyes:

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Getting back to the original question. I say support the RFA they seem to be the strongest voice we have fighting for us in this and all matters involving our rights to fish. I would guess many if not most of us already belong to the RFA but if your not we need all the support we can get. I know money can be tight but it does take money to fight for our rights. I believe supporting the RFA is money well spent. Now about the sanctuary look what happened in other sanctuaries. We don't want that and the RFA is against it. About the draggers the reason they get to take what they do is because they spend the money to lobby the govt. to get what they want. As I have said before I am not against all commercial fishing but certain gear is too efficient at making money by taking and killing all fish from the sea including by-catch and shorts. The regulations need to be changed. And it not just us as fisherman who suffer. The boat builders and dealers the tackle makers and dealers, bait and tackle shops, gas docks, marinas, the list goes on all have a stake in this. And we should all stick together. Support the RFA and other similar groups it's in our own best interest...Charlie

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

They used to be "Baseball Bats". Now, it probably takes two to fill a hot dog bun. Hurry up before they have to be served on a cracker.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

NoLimit
your post "The original thread was about restoring the winter flounder, fluke, sea trout, and crab that used to spawn every year in the Sanctuary and they are now gone."

What Sanctuary? Not to mention that the original post was about the efforts of RFA to stop the proposed Sanctuary for this area.

Its really OK you can just say you are FOR the sanctuary as that's obvious and yes you may possibly maybe get draggers off the area depending on the lobbying if the sanctuary were to go through but rest assured YOU (recreational) will be out of said sanctuary way before them and under regulations elsewhere you cant even begin to imagine to years to come.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Stop changing the subject.

The subject is the disappearance of fluke, flounder, weaks, and crab from the bays and rivers.

So far neither you or anyone else has provided an action plan to bring them back (along with whiting and ling) from extinction.

I want to know who will organize this effort. We did it with stripers and clams - now its time to finish the job.

PS - If you are not going to lead or follow, get out of the way.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

First of all summer flounder "fluke'' spawn off shore. When you say ''we'' did it with stripers. Who are you refering to? Who will organize this effort? We as recreational fishermen along with the entire for hire ''recreational'' industry and the tackle and bait companies financing it.The RFA is one of the main ones but local fishing clubs all up and down the East coast contibute to this effort. Money is needed so i hope you did your part there and donated some $$$ and maybe attended a few meetings.

Re: RFA Update on Sanctuary Proposal
 

Capt'n Sal, I have read your posts and I've got no quarrel with you because you have seen all the ups and downs like me.

However before money is to be raised, the problem has to be identified and the problem here is decimation of stocks by draggers which happens after the fish leave the bays and rivers.

I am doing all I can to raise awareness with those that do not realize the problem. You cant raise money to fix a problem if people do not realize that it is a problem.

We had people that were supposedly committed to restoring the bay and rivers and I presumed that included the former underwater marine residents but it fell on deaf ears. What they dont see doesnt bother them I guess - they seem to think the problem is inert plastic bags and kids having fun on jet skis.

Similarly, I said the same thing here to fishermen who should know better and what I heard was "Send more money" and "I wanna eat baby whiting that was crushed in a net for an hour and then cooked in a restaurant 4 months later".

I dont know about anyone else, but I go fishing to catch fresh fish and crab for the table and except for a couple months a year, pickings are slim. Livery marinas and party boats are hurting and I am not sure why people are seeing the obvious solution. The economic impact to shore businesses is huge compared to the few tons of fish that are getting dragged.