Fishermans Rally; Wash DC March 21, 2012

[HutchJr]

>> its not just or rights about fishing but all our right as free men in a free country

And that's why I'm going Dunker - this is not just about my right to fish, but my right as an American to be free!!!

I Fish, I Vote - I MARCH!!!

[CaptTB]

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

i have an answer tony but not one that is filled with more political bs.its not just or rights about fishing but all our right as free men in a free country.

I agree, as I believe most others would. However, you did not even attempt to answer the question.

How can we do the "much more" that is needed, better yet, how can ANYONE do the "much more that is needed if people will not even take the first step.

I know, you have served this country (thank you for that, honestly) but the fact remains that we must all do whatever we can as often as we can and forever if necessary.

I am taking this step. Many others are as well. Do not take this step if you feel that way, I do not begrudge anyone doing what they think is right, even if that means doing nothing.

However, please do not belittle my efforts because you (mistakenly IMO) do not believe they are worthwhile or will be fruitful.

Easy to talk about what "else" needs to be done when doing nothing is the course you choose.

(PS.... this has NOTHING to do with your service to this country, I am talking about THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE)

[VdubFishinJC]

Originally Posted by HutchJr

>> its not just or rights about fishing but all our right as free men in a free country

And that's why I'm going Dunker - this is not just about my right to fish, but my right as an American to be free!!!

I Fish, I Vote - I MARCH!!!

Nothing is free.. in one way or another.. we pay!!!

[bunker dunker]

like i said "i thank all that have marched and are doing what they can".i'm simply saying imo that its not enough.i agree tony that no one wants to be the person to throw the first stone.we can't beat them with money and we can't trust them to do the right thing,even after they build a platform around it.you can sit there and say i haven't answerd the question or maybe the answer that i'm giving isn't what anyone wants to here but math dosen't lie so add up all the things they have taken or changed in the last ten years.i
respect all opinions and i respect all the hard working peeps on this site.when
over half of the population of this country dosen't think the president is doing his job maybe it time for a big change.

[1captainron]

Nils,

Once again we are called to March to save what little we have left. I am a 3rd generation fishermen, I love what I do, I've respected and appreciated all that has been tossed my way so that the future could enjoy. Yet, here we are once again fighting just to survive.
I haven't made a pimple on a ducks ass taking fish from the bio-mass of the species I've targeted for 34 years, but I feel I'm being made to be a criminal and labeled as a non-important.

Catch Shares, Closed Area's!! Why, as the little guy in this picture should I and future generations have to suffer for an adjenda?
To loose a way of life because someone says they can do it to me is a slap in the face to every hard working American on the sea.

Who knows better than us what we need to survive and keep the industry growing? Not the politicians, not the Scientiest....the guys who live it and see it every day, US.
When the habitat is constantly being destroyed by dumping of mud for miles over beautifull rock bottom..were do the fish go? Salmon for centuries have gone back to the same streams to spawn only to find a Dam, Bridge or slough for them to manuever....Do you think OCEAN fish do the same?
Never got any PHD'S or documents on biology, but I was raised in an area and taught by a local clammer and fishermen who knew all about habitat, food chain and every thing else that made this work....yet, because I don't have THOSE documents, I don't matter.
The folks that do have these documents have been corrupted and forced to choose a side, unfortunatly they have gone for the money and lost everything that they beleaved in, in the first place. They have lost thier passion for saving the Habitat, keeping an equal balance on mother nature and have sold out at the cost of my livelyhood.
Sad to think my son will never see and enjoy what has been a beautifull way to live life..........Capt.Ron
__________________
"I Fish, I Vote, I Marched"

[hartattack]

RFA Helps Organize Efforts To "Keep Fishermen Fishing"

In another historic show of solidarity, U.S. recreational and commercial fishermen will gather near the U.S. Capitol on March 21, 2012 in an organized demonstration supporting sensible reform of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Stevens Act). According to the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) which is helping organize this year's event, permitting efforts have been underway for weeks and official details about the organized protest will be made public in the coming days.

A rally on February 24, 2010, under a United We Fish™ banner, brought some 5,000 recreational, commercial and party/charter vessel owners and folks in associated businesses from all over the country to Washington. More than two dozen members of the Senate and the House of Representatives took time out from their busy schedules to address the crowd. The March 21 rally is being billed as Keep Fishermen Fishing, and once again will unite the commercial and recreational sectors under one common message, "reform Magnuson now."

"Those who didn't attend or perhaps chose not to support the original rally are mostly unaware of the great things which were accomplished in between those two winter storms of 2010," said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio. "Of the two dozen members of Congress who addressed our troops at the rally, several top legislators pushed to have Magnuson reform initiatives prioritized in Congress which is why the House Natural Resources Committee is now reviewing eight different pieces of fisheries reform legislation."

"Our coastal fisheries have been getting national headlines in the past two years, and our Keep Fishermen Fishing organizers are hoping to keep that momentum going forward in order to reform Magnuson now," Donofrio said.

Signed into law in 1976, NOAA Fisheries describes the 36-year-old federal fisheries law this way, "most notably, the Magnuson-Stevens Act aided in the development of the domestic fishing industry by phasing out foreign fishing." In recent years however, rally organizers claim the Magnuson Stevens Act has been transformed from its original intent into a weapon employed by a handful of mega-foundations and the anti-fishing ENGOs they support to drive fishermen off the water.

"Real-time biological overfishing is not occurring in most U.S. fisheries today, as fishermen know it," Donofrio said. "We're being held to a statutory overfishing definition which has nothing to do with science, and that needs to be changed in the law."

Citing a continuous stream of regulatory requirements which have led to unnecessary and unacceptable restrictions in demonstrably sustainable fisheries, organizers say the American public is being denied access to the food and fun of this tremendous natural resource. "We've watched access to vital coastal fisheries like cod, summer flounder, black sea bass, red snapper, amberjack, gag grouper and others virtually destroyed during the past 5 years, this is clearly a huge jobs issue which has already been recognized by House Speaker John Boehner," he said referencing the speaker's blog site at www.speaker.gov/Blog/Default.aspx?postid=266385.

"We are seeking bipartisan congressional support to fix our law, to put folks to work and specifically to keep our fishermen fishing," Donofrio said.

Most U.S. fisheries are in better shape biologically than they've been for a generation or more. In fact, last year NOAA Fisheries scientists announced that 84% of U.S. fish stocks studied for fishing activity were not experiencing overfishing as of 2010. However, despite the heavy sacrifices on the part of coastal fishermen, the same federal agency in charge of managing the resource has been using a broken law to mete out broken promises upon these constituents to ratchet down regulations as fisheries continue to rebuild.

As was the case in 2010, organizers are anticipating foundation-funded ENGO lobbying disguised as a grassroots fishermen's effort aimed at marginalizing the Keep Fishermen Fishing rally. The message that anti-fishing groups will be relaying to Congress is that truly conservation-minded recreational, commercial and party/charter fishermen fully support the Magnuson Stevens Act as it is today and oppose any efforts to amendment it.

Keep Fishermen Fishing organizers however say that the truly conservation-minded fishermen won't be those walking the halls of Congress trying to sell their anti-fishing message because of foundation/ENGO funding, they'll be the people who are there on their own dime and who are committed to returning to a federal fisheries management system that recognizes that they and the fishing communities they support are as important as the fish are.

While final details of the 2012 Keep Fishermen Fishing rally are still being put in place, state organizers from the New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic and Gulf regions have already begun coordinated efforts to schedule buses into Washington DC on March 20th and 21st. Those interesting in organizing a bus effort or getting travel information for joining the rally in DC should bookmark www.keepfishermenfishing.com.

You can also call the RFA headquarters at 888-564-6732 for additional information or to learn how to lend your support for the 3-21-12 rally for fishermen's rights. Follow the rally efforts by typing Keep Fishermen Fishing or Recreational Fishing Alliance into the search bar at Facebook.com (the RFA Facebook group page currently stands at more than 2,300 members and growing!)

Click here to donate exclusively towards national rally efforts on March 21, 2012.

About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

[jakesdad]

For all of you naysayers, what would it take or what would have to happen for all of you to join in on March 21st.

Why not take this opportunity, to come be seen and heard, and hear from the HORSES MOUTH, as to what the problems are, how they are being addressed, and what are the short and long term prospects. Learn how each and everyone of us can make a difference. See who in Congress is with us, and who is against us. ( I learned my representative is being funded by PEW) Not what I wanted to hear, but at least I now know how to vote.

This is not just for us, but for generations too come,
COME MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

[1captainron]

Henry,
I will never forget that day as long as I live!!!
Tony Bogan still firing questions as we were being shoved out the door

As much disdain I have for politicians, on this one I gave in and said "Maybe this guy will make a difference" Christ was I wrong. He didn't want to hear any truths but gave us 15 minutes of his valuable time because he had too.

Thank you Rush Holt, you may be a genius and all that other crap I read about but you are no more than another "SELL OUT" to your constituents.

[Capt. Lou]

I was a participant in the first march , and I'll go to this one as well.
I sincerely hope we have a huge showing , at this point that's all we can hope for to get somerequired attention of politicians that are indifferent to our cause!
If we fail to show in numbers then we can only blame ourselves for fisheries
policies that will surely not go our way!!
Mark that day & attend !!!

[sportfishingusa]

Originally Posted by jakesdad

For all of you naysayers, what would it take or what would have to happen for all of you to join in on March 21st.

Why not take this opportunity, to come be seen and heard, and hear from the HORSES MOUTH, as to what the problems are, how they are being addressed, and what are the short and long term prospects. Learn how each and everyone of us can make a difference. See who in Congress is with us, and who is against us. ( I learned my representative is being funded by PEW) Not what I wanted to hear, but at least I now know how to vote.

This is not just for us, but for generations too come,
COME MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

It would take some change, who the heck is going to see you marching around? you think obamalama is going to come outside and be like, "shit, look at all those people, we need to change this and change it right now"... no, it is nothing more then a educational seminar to let people know that fishermen are done, they are fed up, they want change, but unfortunately, other then the local bum sitting on pennsylvania ave drinking and 40 of mad dog and stealing half smoked cigs, no one is really getting anything from it, who is listening? it is televised? spending all this time and efforts and money, why not pay someone to televise the entire thing and broadcast it all over the 7 oclock news!?!...

I think we should all go and throw money to the gay rights activists, they seem to be getting the job done on a higher level, every state is starting to let them marry, im sure they could find the right people and raise enough money to get someone to actually do something.


NOW HAVE AT IT LADIES, GET ONE ME! LOL