FISHERMEN/COMMENT TO ASMF/STRIPED BASS

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by 1captainron

I also find it amazing that not ONE person has commented on this sight about this situation. Owners, Captains, Deck hands, recreational fishermen. Very sad.

Gerry put up a post at the top of the page talking about the meeting and what was going on, the only reply was his own. I guess it just falls on deaf ears.

All the crybabies will be posting after the fact when we are screwed again.

Capt. Ron

Couldn't agree with you more Capt. You know how many posts I've made and how much time I've spent over the years actually communicating with multiple regulatory bodies and when I looked in the rear view mirror to see how many people were supporting me there's was no one. Not even owners or people you'd consider leaders in the recreational angling community. We're our own worst enemies short of a handful of people who are willing to get involved as opposed to just bitch. We have the numbers and economic spend to have a voice and change this corrupt process but as a whole we're not close to being organized and lack the leadership needed to make our voice heard. ASA, fishing organizations, equipment manufacturers, owner operators, small businesses and recreational fishermen can't get out of their own way to fight Washington, ASMFC and MAFMC. Instead we suck up to them because nobody when push comes to shove wants to rock the boat, especially with NMFS. We keep accepting the scraps we get every year relative to the commercial sector, we won't have to worry about that much longer because soon there won't be a boat left to rock nor will there be fisheries left to access.

Until the recreational angling community grows a set of balls and gets off its ass to cause change as opposed to complaining about it, there's not one thing that will change because history shows nothing has over the last 20 to 25 years. As I said, we're our own worst enemy because we do nothing but whine every year about getting the short end of the stick. I know many will take offense to my post but it's the truth.

We want change, organize and file a lawsuit against the Department of Commerce, NOAA and NMFS and let the results of that litigation trickle down to ASMFC and MAFMC who also don't give a s*** about the stocks they manage nor the recreational community they're supposed to be representing. They're all too busy playing let's make a deal with public resources the recreational community has enjoyed for generations which have now been targeted by politicians and conglomerates for their own personal financial gains.