Charter and headboats at risk

Saltwater Offshore Discussion
1

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will once again consider limiting the number of charter and headboats in the snapper-grouper fishery when it meets next week in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

This despite a plunge in for-hire fishing effort, no growth in for-hire permits and overwhelming opposition from fishermen.

To stop this effort to pick winners and losers in the for-hire fishery, one that will set up a “stock market” for permits and could be a first step toward for-hire catch shares, please send comments to the SAFMC today opposing limited entry by clicking here:
https://safmc.wufoo.com/forms/qh32oi91u5utom/

Since the 2007 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which mandated very conservative Annual Catch Limits for all fisheries, for-hire fishing effort in the South Atlantic has plunged by nearly 40 percent from a peak of 306,441 angler trips in 2007 to just 188,114 trips in 2016.

Most recently trips fell by 2.4 percent from 2015 to 2016.

Additionally, this year there are nine less snapper-grouper for-hire permits from North Carolina through east Florida to Key West, than in 2009.

When the SAFMC last seriously considered for-hire limited entry last December, there were 169 written comments against the proposal and just 3 for it, yet SAFMC members are still pushing it.

One of the comments was from the National Association of Charterboat Operators, which describes the for-hire limited entry disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and states that the program is “working to eliminate for hire vessel owners from the industry.”

Click here for the NACO comments:
https://goo.gl/eMAKlN

It would be one thing if for-hire limited entry was about fishery sustainability, but it’s not.

I urge you to use the SAFMC online comment form and tell them you’re opposed to for-hire limited entry:
https://safmc.wufoo.com/forms/qh32oi91u5utom/

These “on the record” comments are crucial. Please make

2

Thank you Tom for continuing the fight!!!

3

Done and thank you for your efforts Tom!

4

Catch shares are coming unless we stop it and it’s going to take everyone here to do it.

5

BUMP back to the top.

The Council needs a series of losses to understand that they are messing with our right to fish. This proposal will have very far reaching negative effects. The transfer of a charter ticket will go through the roof, then the cost to board or fish from a charter or head boat will rise out of reach for the average tourist. I cant see any good effects of this proposal

6

Done!!!

Thanks for spearheading this.

No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.

7

Done. Thanks for info and Link.

8

Done…

9

Thanks Tom! Done!

10

Done

Pioneer 222sf
250 Yamaha

11

done

12

does this have any impact on recreational fishermen or non-charter commercial boats?

2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau

13
quote:
Originally posted by bonecrusher

does this have any impact on recreational fishermen or non-charter commercial boats?

2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau

I believe that - down the road it could have a very bad effect on rec fishers. The proposal would limit charter licensing. But what’s to stop someone from getting 6 guys together and taking them offshore to fish if everyone had a fishing license? Splitting costs?? Well after the cost of a charter fishing license goes through the roof , the guys that paid high prices are not going to be pleased with a non charter license boat taking 6 guys out and competing against them . There could be some huge pressure to stop this. The LEO’s will be at the docks asking questions .

14

Bonecrusher,
Here are the original materials the OP is referring too. I wish he would post a link to the from the get go so people could read the “raw” info.

This is to the summary http://safmc.net/download/Briefing%20Book%20Jun%202017/10%20Snapper%20Grouper/A07b_SG_ForHireLimEntryWhitePaperPresentation.pdf

This is the long version http://safmc.net/download/Briefing%20Book%20Jun%202017/10%20Snapper%20Grouper/A07b_SG_ForHireLimEntryWhitePaperPresentation.pdf

Sea Hunt 207CC,Yam F150
Carolina Skiff (old school model)17’ Suz D50

15

Done, going to share on crack book. Thanks.

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bump back to the top

17

reducing new permits say 2017 year would make prices more stable and actually increase trips instead of reducing which people seeing now

18
quote:
Originally posted by natureboy

BUMP back to the top.

The Council needs a series of losses to understand that they are messing with our right to fish. This proposal will have very far reaching negative effects. The transfer of a charter ticket will go through the roof, then the cost to board or fish from a charter or head boat will rise out of reach for the average tourist. I cant see any good effects of this proposal

Quit honestly- ocean fishing of any sort is not within the financial means of the average tourist. Head boats, maybe.

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Headboats are practically extinct. Offshore Charters are still within reason with the price and tip spread out 6 ways. Look, this proposal is not designed to help the fish in any way, but to help a few charter owners. The one on the council thats pushing this is a for hire charter capt, trying to limit his competition. It has been mentioned that he was caught violating some major game laws. Hes not looking out for the fish, but his income

20
quote:
Originally posted by natureboy

Headboats are practically extinct. Offshore Charters are still within reason with the price and tip spread out 6 ways. Look, this proposal is not designed to help the fish in any way, but to help a few charter owners. The one on the council thats pushing this is a for hire charter capt, trying to limit his competition. It has been mentioned that he was caught violating some major game laws. Hes not looking out for the fish, but his income

On the council and has a history of violating major game laws? What’s the name and what did he do?

Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.

  • More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927

31’ Contender
“Touche”
250 HPDIs