Snapper grouper advisory panel just voted to recommend a VMS, vessel monitoring system, and federal permit mandatory for ALL boats fishing for snapper grouper species in the south atlantic. The full council, SAFMC, will have this on their agenda at their June meeting.
YOU MUST SHOW UP TO PROTEST unless you want the govt to know your position at all times and also likely is a cockpit video feed.
They are using the recent failed enviro petitions to put kitty mitchells and warsaws on the endangered species list to push for more expansive ocean closures to fishing and of course the enforcement problem is what necessitates the mandatory VMS for ALL boats.
Have a c bass or b liner in your boat but no VMS, you will go to jail.
Did I mention that the head of NOAA has close friends who own the company that makes the VMS equipment that YOU WILL HAVE PURCHASE? My bad. I forgot to mention that until now.
High five NiKKi HAley when you see her. So glad she recommended David Cupka to go back onto the SAFMC so that he could have 18 total years on a federal council where you aren’t supposed to get but two terms. He is now chairman and is pushing every bit of these unwarranted management measures to crown his illustrious career as a public servant for us.
(sarcasm)
Oh yeah… We told you so.
Time for you to get off your BUTT and fight however you can.
VMS on recreational boats? Are you sure it isn’t just commercial boats? Definitely don’t want one on my boat.
I am absolutely SURE.
This came out of the snapper grouper AP meeting this morning.
Good news is Haley’s office is trying to help us. Not sure what she can do now that Cupka, et al are already on the council, but they are trying. We were late on getting word into her last time about what Cupka’s agenda on the council is. More than just him to blame, of course, but he was the only one we could have had an effect on as Haley resubmitted his name for nomination on the council. He and Boyles both changed their votes on the 9500 square mile bottom closure to protect red snapper because they were worried about political backlash. It is a shame when politics has to outweigh the pressure of environmentalists who are constantly on the inside and threatening or coercing these guys somehow (you would really think that’s what’s going on from the good cop bad cop explanation from SAFMC staff, who actually want these closures any way and any how if you want my opinion on what’s going on here)
I’m going to resort to getting the news crew and Congressional staffers at these SAFMC scoping meetings. Seems that’s the only thing that will make them give a rat’s ____ about us dumb fishermen or us dumb South Carolinians who want tourism and outdoor recreation as well as ACTUAL MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES instead of some draconian, socialist, power grabbing, ideological agenda pushing, whatever you want to call it.
VMS on recreational boats? Are you sure it isn’t just commercial boats? Definitely don’t want one on my boat.
I am absolutely SURE.
This came out of the snapper grouper AP meeting this morning.
Good news is Haley’s office is trying to help us. Not sure what she can do now that Cupka, et al are already on the council, but they are trying. We were late on getting word into her last time about what Cupka’s agenda on the council is. More than just him to blame, of course, but he was the only one we could have had an effect on as Haley resubmitted his name for nomination on the council. He and Boyles both changed their votes on the 9500 square mile bottom closure to protect red snapper because they were worried about political backlash. It is a shame when politics has to outweigh the pressure of environmentalists who are constantly on the inside and threatening or coercing these guys somehow (you would really think that’s what’s going on from the good cop bad cop explanation from SAFMC staff, who actually want these closures any way and any how if you want my opinion on what’s going on here)
I’m going to resort to getting the news crew and Congressional staffers at these SAFMC scoping meetings. Seems that’s the only thing that will make them give a rat’s ____ about us dumb fishermen or us dumb South Carolinians who want tourism and outdoor recreation as well as ACTUAL MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES instead of some draconian, socialist, power grabbing, ideological agenda pushing, whatever you want to call it.
Dealt with having a VMS on scallop boats for many years.Before we left we had to declare our trip.Area ,targeted species etc.Then wait for permission to leave.Units are NOT cheap,plus a monthly monitoring fee.I’ve dealt with these idiots for years.(NOAA and NMF)Politically motivated(see Pew,Oceana,etc.)We DO NOT want this on recreational vessels.
Does the newspaper and local tea party know about this?
Even if you did spring for the VMS, they will know the exact location of your favorite honey hole. There will be no more secret fishing spots after that!
What exactly did they say? I can’t find anything in the agenda that refers to VMS. Would like to see something on paper before I start raising hell. Thanks.
I will post the minutes from the meeting when they are available.
Mark Brown walked out of the meeting (to avoid losing control I suspect), and apparently there was a motion at the very end of the meeting to make VMS only apply to commercials. We know what was said and what was voted on. Them backing out of it partially doesn’t mean anything. These are recommendations to the SAFMC that they will take up at their June meeting. The Chairman of SAFMC is for both the VMS and new federal permit for everyone.
If you sit around and think this doesn’t matter, then the SAFMC very easily has the vote makeup to make VMS apply to recreational boats as well as to make ALL boats have a federal permit.
I am trying to let you guys know ahead of time instead of last minute as most complain about. If there is enough stir from the public and from political leaders, these guys on the council will do what’s best for us and our resources rather than listening to special interest groups who aren’t even from here.
The fact also still remains that they want to close down more areas (another 98-seaward closure has been suggested) in order to protect speckled hind and warsaws. They tried this with red snapper, and we had to stop them. This time, they’ve got even less data- no data actually. They are using these two species’ and the endangered species act’s use by the enviro’s to act like there’s a crisis they’ve got to address immediately.
If nobody “raises hell” about any of this simply because the recommendation changed at the last minute to not make us all have VMS, then I think you all are making a huge mistake.
I am warning you all once again, and this is relatively early notice on this one.
They are threatening major stuff, and even if they get half of what they want it will be devastating to us.
This push for expanded MPA’s or closures is the biggest problem we’re facing along with catch shares.
We have told you OVER AND OVER AND OVER that this has got nothing to do with the fish. Not a particular