Is anyone interested in helping with a postcard campaign opposing VMS? What about attending the public scoping meetings? We need to discuss options for fighting this attack on our Constitutional Rights and freedom to fish including getting things on record that can be used in court just in case the SAFMC passes their VMS law.
Here’s how and why mandatory vessel monitoring systems will come to recreationals if we don’t fight it coming for commercials who fish the same areas and with the same tackle as we do.
If it comes to commercial boats to aid tracking and enforcement for MPA’s, but not recreational boats, then the commercial guys can sue the federal government (and likely win, in my opinion) for discriminating between classes of fishermen.
The MPA’s are closed to bottom fishing for commercial and recreational guys. We both use hook and line. It is not the same as the long line boats who use an entirely dif. tackle system and who are prohibited from longlining in shallower than 100 fathoms. Recreationals never do that, so it is fair, constitutionally (and per MSA national standard 4) to force those boats to have VMS while recreational sword and tuna guys don’t have to have it since they don’t long line.
They want to close MPA’s to trolling also, btw, even more argument for recreationals and commercials to be using the same tackle for the same fish, all under the same fishery management plan.
VMS used for hook and line or divers is entirely different. We are literally in the same boats with one another. Literally, the same boat and tackle can be used to commercial fish as to recreationally fish.
They want trolling prohibited in existing, expanded, and new MPA’s to protect white marlin, so that when the EGO’s keep petitioning the feds to put white marlin on the endangered species list (like they have been doing for speckled hinds and warsaws), then NMFS can show the courts they have tried to protect these fish and NMFS doesn’t need to get their wrists slapped in a lawsuit from the EGO’s. That’s the entire excuse and “crisis” justifying the increased MPA’s and therefore VMS for commercials and recreationals. The next step, with VMS showing the government where the fishing activity is occuring, is to create more MPA’s or restrictions using geographical rules. The government will see where the most pressure is, a
I’ll be glad to help. Let me know what I need to do and I’ll do my best.
I rarely fish offshore but I will do what I can as well… Since this will eventually effect all of us as fisherman.
2007 Scout 221 150 Yamaha 4 stroke
Everything Phin wrote is exactly right!
scdiver, I plan on having the first postcards ready by 4/7/13. Any help with funding to have them made is appreciated, but I will do it all out of my pocket and send them to anyone interested if need be. Donations can be made through paypal at this link. http://www.freefish7.com/membership-and-contact.html PM me you mailing address and I mail them out as soon as they are ready. The first ones will be addressed to the Amendment 30 Public Comment address. The second round will go to several different people in key positions including the acting Sec. of Commerce.
xxmadfirexx, you are exactly right about it impacting all of us eventually. NOAA and NMFS can decide to create MPAs in state waters to protect sturgeon. Stopping VMS and new MPAs will help to keep them from spreading into other areas.
Thanks freefish7 for doing this! How much do the post cards cost? I will send you some money to pay for a few. Glad to send money to someone who supports recreational fisherman and not just the charter and head boat captains. I would encourage everyone to take note of who they are sending their money to and if they are using it to support them or just their special interest groups. 
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
As if Drones watching us isn’t enough…Now video cameras on our boats. This constant overreach of the Fed’s is sickening!
Ditto what Scoutin said. What is the cost? I will help out.
Thanks Madfire for jumping in on this.
NN
07 23 Key West Twin 115 Yammys
Will your post cards have a “pre-written” message?
Could you just put the info on here and we could copy and paste the information onto a word document and print it here at the house on card stock? I could print enough for all my family and friends and then send them in.
Either way, I’ll help any way that I can.
Currently I believe there are 4 members of the council that are against this and will vote no:
Anna Barrios Beckwith
(At-Large Seat)
1907 Paulette Road
Morehead City, NC 28557
252/671-3474
AnnaBarriosBeckwith@gmail.com
Tom Burgess
(N.C. Obligatory Seat)
P.O. Box 33
Sneads Ferry, NC 28460
910/327-3528 (ph)
tbburgess@embarqmail.com
Dr. Michelle Duval
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
P.O. Box 769
Morehead City, NC 28557
252/726-7021 (ext. 105) (ph)
252/726-0254 (f)
michelle.duval@ncdenr.gov
Tom Swatzel
(S.C. Obligatory Seat)
P.O. Box 1311
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
843/222-7456 (office)
tom@swatzel.com
This means we need three of the below listed to vote No.
South Carolina
Mel Bell
S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources
Marine Resources Division
P.O. Box 12559
Charleston, SC 29422-2559
843/953-9007 (ph)
843/953-9159 (f)
bellm@dnr.sc.gov
Georgia
Steve Amick
(GA Obligatory Seat)
6902 Sandnettles Drive
Savannah, GA 31410
912/429-3537 (ph)
SteveAmicks@aol.com
Doug Haymans
GA Dept. of Natural Resources
Coastal Resources Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
One Conservation Way, Suite 300
Brunswick, GA 31523-8600
912/264-7218 (ph)
912/262-2318 (f)
doughaymans@gmail.com
Charles Phillips
Phillips Seafood/Sapelo Sea Farms
1418 Sapelo Avenue, N.E.
Townsend, GA 31331
912/832-3149 (ph)
912/832-6228 (f)
ga_capt@yahoo.com
Florida
John W. Jolley
4925 Pine Tree Drive
Boynton Beach, FL 33436
561/732-4530 (ph)
jolleyjw@yahoo.com
Jessica R. McCawley
Director, FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
2590 Executive Center Circle E., Suite 201
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850/487-0554 (ph)
850/487-4847 (f)
jessica.mccawley@myfwc.com
Chairman
David M. Cupka
(At-Large Seat)
P.O. Box 12753
Charleston, SC 29422
843/795-8591 (hm)
843/870-5495 (cell)
palmettobooks@bellsouth.net
Vice-Chairman
Ben C. Hartig
9277 Sharon Street
Hobe Sound, FL 33455
These postcards will be professionally made with a picture and message on the front. There will be a place for people to include their name, address, and additional comment on the back. They will be addressed to the Amendment 30 comment mailing address. Anyone wishing to donate can do so through paypal at this link. http://www.freefish7.com/membership-and-contact.html There is also a comment box on that page. You can provide your mailing address there or PM here. Anyone is welcome to print their own postcards if they wish. My main goal is to get as many people involved as possible. We have POWER in numbers.
Here is what the postcards will say.
I OPPOSE any regulation/law including the Vessel Monitoring System mandate in Amendment 30 requiring American citizens to install tracking devices on private property.
I SUPPORT monitoring all vessels approaching Marine Protected Areas with video cameras on data buoys or platforms that would also provide visual markers for closed areas.
Here is the mailing address.
Amendment 30 Public Comment
Bob Mahood, Executive Director
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201
N. Charleston, SC 29405
Quickfix - I think you can count on Steve Amick for a “no” vote - he owns a headboat operation in Savannah:
http://www.amicksdeepseafishing.com/
Commisar Cupka, however can be counted on for the wrong vote every time…
Is there a process to remove a council member?
Squid Row 2
22 Shamrock WA
Flounder Pounder 2
16 Sandpiper Skiff
we need to take him on an "extended " fishing trip
I do not know about removing a council member BUT we have a chance to influence who is about to be appointed to replace Tom Burgess. There are three people being considered with two front runners. One of them will listen and keep an open mind. We need to ask Governor McCrory to appoint Kenneth Fex, Jr… http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat Even if you are not from NC, this appointment will impact you.
Is anyone else who has not contacted me interested in getting some postcards opposing Vessel Monitoring Systems? I will be placing the order on Friday and need to know how many to get.
Please send my a few 100rd. I’ll take care of the postage.
Mahalo-Kai, PM me your mailing address.
PM sent.