Tell the SAFMC NO to catch shares today!

Saltwater Offshore Discussion
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I wanted you to know that the first step toward full privatization of our snapper-grouper fishery is underway.

Last week, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Vice-Chair Charlie Phillips, SAFMC member Chris Conklin and former SAFMC member Jack Cox filed their Exempted Fishing Permit application for a pilot commercial snapper-grouper catch share program.

Here is a link to the application, which only became public on Friday:
http://www.sustainablefishing.org/

Note that the phrase “catch shares” does not appear in the application purpose – instead code-speak for catch shares like “allocation-based system” and “individual transferable quota” is used.

As promised, this EFP gives Phillips, Conklin and Cox, all commercial snapper-grouper fleet owners and dealers, exclusive snapper-grouper shares and would exempt them from any trip limits and seasonal or quota closures.

EFPs are usually for research purposes and are approved by just one person – NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator Dr. Roy Crabtree, who is seeking the advice of the SAFMC at their March meeting in Jekyll Island, GA as to whether the EFP application should move forward or not.

Unless the SAFMC takes a strong stand against the EFP, I believe there is a very good chance Dr. Crabtree will ultimately approve the pilot catch share program. Once in place, count on efforts to impose catch shares on all fishermen.

This back-door “pilot” catch share scheme is exactly what the radical Environmental Defense Fund has used as a tactic in the Gulf of Mexico, where, according to a recent WVUE-TV investigative report “50 businesses and fishermen control 81 percent” of the commercial red snapper catch shares, worth $23 million a year, making these ‘snapper barons’ millionaires.

Guess who’s pushing this back-door effort along with these SAFMC ringleaders? According to the Post & Courier, it’s EDF front group Seafood Harvesters of America, which according to

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This just takes less than 90 seconds to complete following the comment link.

Thank you sincerely Tom for all that you do.

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I’m not one to write or speak well concerning issues.
Maybe someone here can give others like myself a basic note to include along with their own additions.

Anytime I send comments to those making decisions I include artificial reef building. Never know when someone high enough in the loop had just gone fishing and enjoyed it - then maybe look to find some funds…

My comments to the SAFMC:

Among other issues:

I am opposed to the pilot catch share program permit and any form of catch shares.

How your “programs” and closures are worded mean the same to us. Hopefully greed will not control our resource along the coast we (recreational) grew up enjoying. Business will always have the coin to influence, it’s our representatives who sell out to them so please help influence the decisions away from the greed.

Please consider creating additional near and offshore artificial reefs.

thank you, dg

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Tom, can you elaborate on

“Exempted Fishing Permit application for a pilot commercial snapper-grouper catch share program”

What does this mean for Conklin as far as special privileges, etc?

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The pilot catch share participants would be exempted from all trip limits and quota closures for Blueline Tilefish, Gag Grouper, Gray Triggerfish, Greater Amberjack, the Jacks Complex and Vermillion Snapper and the seasonal closure for Gag, plus “Any other necessary or appropriate regulations as determined by NMFS to carry out the pilot program.”

As dealers, they would be exempted from the ban on the sales of fish during quota or seasonal closures.

Interestingly, they are also seeking exemption from 50 CFR §622.183(b)(5), which is the Red Snapper closure, but don’t list it as a target fishery in the application.

I encourage you to go our website and review the application:
http://www.sustainablefishing.org/

Tom Swatzel
Executive Director
Council for Sustainable Fishing
www.Sustainablefishing.org

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Like a pig at the head of the line waiting for the trough to be filled up… That’s pretty ballsy for a COUNCIL MEMBER who is also a commercial fisherman to be the first in line to get this type of exemption… Unbelievable actually…

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From an on target opinion piece entitled “Gulf Scandal Looms for South Atlantic” about this “back-door” pilot catch share program:

SPORT FISHING – “The alarming investigative series ‘Hooked Up’ (Fox8/New Orleans) dug deep into the muck of the controversial giveaway of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Now the stage is being set to export this swamp to the South Atlantic for at least six species – blueline tilefish, gag grouper, gray triggerfish, greater amberjack, the jacks complex and vermilion snapper.

A group calling itself the South Atlantic Commercial Fishing Collaborative is using the oft-abused federal Exempted Fishing Permit process to request a two-year pilot program to assign private ownership privileges [catch shares] for those six species to up to 25 commercial vessels.

In a brazen display, the South Atlantic Commercial Fishing Collaborative currently consists of four individuals, including two sitting South Atlantic Fishery Management Council members and one former member. The very people charged with managing these public marine resources for all Americans are using the system to position themselves to own those resources.”

http://www.sportfishingmag.com/recreational-fishing-scandal-south-atlantic

Tom Swatzel
Executive Director
Council for Sustainable Fishing
www.Sustainablefishing.org

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Tom,
Thank you for sharing this information as you always do. This is unbelievable yet right on track with the scumbagery that is so prevalent in America today.

Anyone that needs a ride to the March 8 meeting, shoot me a PM. I will be driving down to speak out.

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Absolute garbage. Unbelievable this can be even considered legal yet alone the “solution”

“mr keys”

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Thanks for the info. I was recommended to go to a certain seafood mrkt in MI… Now, I have changed my mind.

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What do Mark Brown and Mel Bell ( both of whom I’ve held in high esteem ) have to say about all this?

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this is crazy business here.

Pioneer 197sf

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Skint, I don’t know Tom Swatzel personally, but I can see how he could be offended by your remark. But he should not be.
We have all been asked for money by various organizations that would espouse our cause, and some of them appear not to exist any more, so we are naturally suspicious. Fishermen are not joiners of groups of any kind; we are individualists. Our opposition is very organized, and they are driven by money - lots of it. We just want to be left alone. Our situation has been taken advantage by greedy people for ions.
I’ll put my money on Swatzel rather than do nothing, just so I can hope for the best. He can look for my check in a few days, and I hope to shake his hand one day.

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Thanks Realfin!

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of letting the SAFMC know today you oppose this pilot catch share program permit.

Use this link to provide your comments to the SAFMC:
https://safmc.wufoo.com/forms/safmc-march-2017-meeting-public-comment-form/

Just a sentence or two will do.

Use this link to see the comments that have already been made:
https://safmc.wufoo.com/reports/safmc-march-2017-meeting-public-comment-summary/

The privatization of our fishery resources will hurt recreational and commercial fishermen and benefit a select few. Please take the time to comment to the SAFMC.

Tom Swatzel
Executive Director
Council for Sustainable Fishing
www.Sustainablefishing.org

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SkintBack,
You are a very recent member to this site. You have contributed no information or solutions to anything. A fish trapping program to target lionfish is a FAR better request than the corrupt BS that your boy Chris Conklin is proposing. Having an unlimited season and quota for the the most valuable South Atlantic bottom fish on the market is way different than targeting an invasive species.

It is total BS that the govt hasn’t already stepped up with an approved trap for lionfish. It is a major problem out of control and any solution to it is better than the none that we currently have. There is by catch everywhere and something small enough to fit in a specially designed lionfish trap is a very low impact situation. Again, the EFP for the bottom fish that this thread is discussing is completely different.

There is corruption and politics on all sides of the table. Your posts all seem to defend Conklin and the council vs CFSF. Tom and CFSF does a great job at keeping this site updated with whats going on with fisheries management. We clearly all don’t agree on the same thing but you should contribute something from inside that complex mind of yours instead of bickering and wasting forum space.

For clarification. I am a recreational fisherman and diver that cares very much for the ocean and its health. Its health and longevity translates to a healthy and enjoyable life for me and millions of people. At the end of the day, all this drama and BS revolves around Food. If you control the food then you control the people. No side should be buying out another or etc. There is a place for commercial and recreational fishing to coexist AND have a healthy fishery. We need to work together to share our natural resource. All this corruption, politics, and greed is pathetic and these situations define the decline of the human race. We are not evolving because EGO continues to push in the wrong directions. This is about Food and our right to harvest and enjoy our own.

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catch shares will violate all the seasonal spawning closures that the council told us were required to protect spawning aggregations

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I am opposed to the pilot catch or “allocation-based system” share program permit and any form of catch shares.

Done

“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad

Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 21 boy that won’t move out)
1 - 17 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)

ECFC

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quote:
Originally posted by natureboy

catch shares will violate all the seasonal spawning closures that the council told us were required to protect spawning aggregations

BAM!

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LETS ASK CONKLIN IF THAT MEANS NO CLOSED GROUPER SEASONS FOR THE REC. GUYS.

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Were some posts deleted? Who is SkintBack?