Quote:
Originally Posted by Billfish715
You and everyone else deserves answers. However, I’m not the one with the answers. I only have suggestions. The answers have to come from the fisheries’ management council. They need to explain why they won’t close the fishing during the spawn. They need to answer why not reduce the size limits in order to protect the larger spawners. They need to explain why their action plans have been changed so many times over the last thirty years especially if the plans are not working. They need to explain why they are ignoring the scientific data. Questions should be asked of each member of the council to answer if they believe the fluke stocks are declining and in danger from irreparable decimation. Then, ask them to explain the data they used to determine their decisions. They have to look at the “before” regulations numbers and the “after” regulation numbers and be able to explain why they think their actions are working.
Call “them” on the carpet and ask for answers. I can’t answer for them. If the RFA or other organizations can’t ask those questions, then demand that our legislators do the asking and demanding the answers. What was done is done. Where we go from here is what matters. Pissing off a council member won’t work. So chastising and blaming them will be counter productive. A simple acknowledgment of past failures should be sufficient. I doubt if any of the council members were even around thirty years ago when this all started. An answer to why they have continued those same failed techniques over so many years might give them and us a reason to reflect and change direction.
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Billfish715,
Well stated responses. As I said I enjoy your posts and not trying to break your balls here. To some of your points many groups some of which I am affiliated with have asked these questions for years with a lot of back breaking work as you stated. The responses vary from "why was recruitment UP in many years that commercial was able able to fish the spawn' to various other responses. I am sure are aware I collaborated with Tom Dakota during his research not so much on the research itself as that was ALL HIM but with who , when and how to deliver it. I am also sure you are aware that we didn't exactly get enough eyes / ears on it either due to procedural issues. Some believe recruitment is heading in an upward slope today.
I apologize if my statement came across as aggressive. Since you obviously care about and are knowledgeable in the fishery I would like to see more from you in the form of I emailed and /or phone called NOAA members, MAMFC members, NJMFC members with my questions and the response I got was "X". We always need new voices in the game that go that extra yard.
That was my reference to information that is available to anyone, emails, phone numbers etc and not all but some will respond. Dakota reached out to many and we all need to do the same. When / if you have those conversations you will realize other points of view and how hard it actually can be for us and them to effect change.
We agree on the issues and this years regs were not what a lot of us wanted but it was change and very experimental, hopefully it will be adjusted accordingly next year. Having said that we are still dealing with MRIP and it wouldnt suprise me if the landings and mortality numbers in OCT are insane compared to what we know is happening on the water.
Granted we are not seeing the volume of fluke in the "normal" areas and I agree its not like it was for our age group years ago but management will ask why are some boats (you probably know who I mean) are catching 30 to 50 combined slots/18" plus for 10 man plus charters everyday?
Management again will ask/ assess is it conditions, environmental where fluke have moved to new areas or lack of effort or stock related? As its far from an exact science opinions will vary and so will changes / reactions etc.
Your Fluke report post combines a lot of that.
Unfortunately Rec fishermen bear the brunt, are frustrated and mostly have given up on the process and the groups that are still trying so the cycle continues.
I really should have posted my response in your Fluke reports thread so as not to highjack JCAA Tournament thread. Sorry Paul. Maybe we can both copy and paste to a different thread and delete from this one?
Anyway much more to say here than I have time for but will send you a PM. keep up the fight.
