The traffic was horrible around town today and it did not make getting to Hilton on International Blvd easy. I was very sad to be the only person show up other than freefish7, Chris MCaffity. He drove from NC to be there and I came from Awendaw (changed my whole day around so I could be there). We spoke on record in front of the council on several topics. We had good discussion with the board members and had we had another 10 people or better yet, 50, we would have accomplished a whole lot. Our voices go a long way with these people and it is pathetic how much time people spend on this website but don’t do anything real about protecting their fishery. They asked alot of questions and it was a very open minded and positive discussion. There are a handful of people on this website I really expected to see at the meeting and you CharlestonFishing Allstars let down the fish today. We really need to make a presence at these meetings to have a say in what happens and how our future fishery will be decided. I know people have work, family, friends, obligations, etc etc. The meeting went from 4-7 which is 3 hrs of time to make it work. The next meeting will be Sept 16. I will be out of town but please take the time to go and voice your thoughts and be productive getting something done for our fishery. All the time spent typing and reading on this forum doesn’t mean JACK $$%% if you can’t stand up for it in real life. Please visit the SAFMC website and write a letter if you don’t have time to attend a meeting. 2 people attending a meeting held in charleston is pathetic people!!! There was only 3 of us representing all of SC in columbia for the seabass meeting as well!! This is terrible guys. freefish7 is a great guy and wants to help in any way. We need more guys like him. Contact yellabird as well for any ways to help and upcoming dates. We need to build a stronger team of players, not typers!!!
Thanks for going.
I didn’t even know there was a meeting today. What was the topic?
Reg Amendment 14 regarding snapper/grouper, Amendment 5, regarding wahoo/dolphin, Amendment 8 regarding coral habitat, and Amendments 19/20 regarding coastal migratory pelagics
I would have been very happy to hear your educated arguments Jason- we additionally spoke a good bit about lion fish and diving related sightings and knowledge
I arrived around 4pmish and hung around for a bit. The amendments that they received comment on were “good news” amendments, hence the lack of participation.
Sea Hunt 207CC,Yam 150
www.abfishcharters.com
Glad you went. I was told no one else showed up? Participation should still be expected when we are constantly at war with the management and their rules. Allowing 500,000 lbs of dead discards into our snapper quota does not really sound like good news to me. There is always alot that can be improved and discussed, so the lack of participation was still piss poor but thanks for going Beaufort Boy
Glad you went Charles. Thanks. I began to realize the frustration you’re feeling now when I started the BSB battle last year in Columbia. Lots of big talk about hundreds of boats circling the Statehouse. Three people showed. I realize we all have to work, but most of us will break our backs to get out of work to go fishing. Most of us will not break our backs to protect that fishery that we love so much. It’s just not fun. We need immediate gratification. We should start providing door prizes at the SAFMC/Columbia Subcommittee Meetings. Anybody at CCA/RFA listening?
Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”
FishnBarrels, I didn’t think any of the amendments dealt with red snapper. Discard mortality for black sea bass and gag grouper was dealt with to some extent, at least for the commercial guys.
Sea Hunt 207CC,Yam 150
www.abfishcharters.com
Been going to these meetings since the early 90’s…most of the time there were five or six of us there. Why don’t you call out the tackle shop owners, charter captains, headboat owners, marina operators, boat manufacturers, that have been missing from all these meetings. I am sorry, but as long as Cupka is on the board, nothing will change. How many times do I have get get my blood pressure up by talking to that non caring, agenda driven POS! It is time for new blood on the council. I won’t waste my breath again talking to Cupka!
.
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
I know you have been going Paul…long before I even fished or knew about any of this. It is a complicated issue and was my first time meeting Cupka. Regardless of whos on the council, if our voice isn’t continuously heard, we can’t complain when changes are made. Paul you have given much more of your time and voice than any of us on here, but there are many that post and wanna talk fishing but don’t make attempts to do something about it. All the people you mentioned deserve to be called out, but the bottom line for them and everyone else is they don’t see the big picture of the problems and what will happen down the road so they are ignorant to the effect that these problems will have on their life and/or business. There are more boat manufacturers in SC than there were people at the meeting yesterday. Its crazy!
This is exactly why we have to pick our battles and focus our efforts on the things that make the most impact. Right or wrong, we can’t get 100 people to show up at every meeting. We need to have a strategy and determine which meetings really need the public involved.
It is obvious we are not going to get big turnouts at most of these meetings. We can have just as much impact if we coordinated our message and a couple of people spoke at the meetings while everyone else submitted written comments. Please read the written comments I submitted for Regulatory Amendment 14 regarding solutions that would almost eliminate a MILLION+ pounds of wasted seafood that is being deducted from our quotas every year. Please send a copy of the comments along with a statement of support to SGRegAm14Comments@safmc.net or submit your own.
SAFMC Regulatory Amendment 14 Public Comments
I am Chris McCaffity, a commercial fisherman who has been offering simple solutions that would almost eliminate the MILLION+ pounds of dead regulatory discards currently being deducted from our quotas every year. This waste has gone on for years as the council drags its collective feet on solving the problem while rushing unnecessary amendments. This waste helps EDF advance their catch share agenda as they lobby to stack the council deck with supporters of their scheme to privative our public resources. Fishermen should have final approval of who represents us on the council and any new regulations with a 2/3 majority vote of participating permit holders in the affected fishery. Here is how most fishermen want our fishery managed.
A multi-species fishery needs to be managed so everything is legal at the same time as we target fish with higher limits. Since May 1 is the end of a four month closure for shallow-water grouper, that should be the opening date for bottom fish. Most fish like those in RA 14 should have their annual quotas split into two seasons. Most possession limits should start at 1,000 pounds until 75% of a quota is landed, then step down to 100 or 200 pounds so the quota is filled without a long closure. Fish with lower quotas should have lower limits. Red Snapper could have a 1 fish per person by-catch allowance during the shallow-water grouper season instead of allocating half a MILLION p
Does this lack of response mean nobody on here is interested in coordinating our message to more effectively defend our freedom to fish and eat them? Does anyone have a better plan for eliminating the MILLION+ pounds of dead discards being deducted from our quotas every year?
Thanks Charles and Chris for going to bat for our rights.
I wanted to go but could not get away from work. Would like to help out.
Where is the meeting on the 16th?
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
DoubleN, Here is a link for the September SAFMC meeting. http://www.safmc.net/Meetings/CouncilMeetings/September2013CouncilMeeting/tabid/795/Default.aspx
Everyone, PLEASE consider submitting a RA14 comment supporting aligning opening dates of co-occurring species and managing quotas to avoid extended closures that result in excessive regulatory discards. Here is the email address to submit comments before 5pm today. SGRegAm14Comments@safmc.net