Window of Opportunity to Change Regs?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Going to be interesting to see what happens with the feds on Seabass and Bluefin Tuna and how all that plays out, should be a good indication on where we got from here..

However it goes, I think we may have a window of opportunity to get things done even though things might unravel at the stage where at right now. Not sure what everyone's political views are but at the risk of pissing some people off, I'll give you my perspective.

As a result of this last federal election cycle, we have new people in place at the Sec of Commerce and at NOAA who oversee all the science and the committees we're dealing with and they seem to be more pro fishing and take a more common sense approach and question the science and the management systems currently in place.

We have a state governors election coming up and if that changes parties we'll have way more support from that office than we did in the past and they control the NJ DEP. If if push comes to shove and we don't get what we want now, I think they'd be more willing to stick their necks out and go out of compliance because they know it would be escalated to the new Sec Commerce and suffices to say they'd have a much better chance at getting support than the prior administration. Think Christie and the last time we went our of compliance with Fluke.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is if the governors office changes parties and we have 2 more years with people in place at the federal level that gives us 2 years of overlap and what I believe to be more favorable political conditions to make some noise and hopefully get things done.

Having said all this, many of the people sitting on the sidelines who have not taken action because :we tried in the past and nothing ever happens" or " we're going the get screwed again no matter what we do" To you I say lets all get together and give it another try.

We might just have a 2 year window to try and make some significant changes and I think it's time we all pulled together and I'll be counting on you to get involved.

Are you with me? If not, at least don't try and discourage others