I have written a letter of support for Mr.John Pappalardo of the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association. This association was successful in suing the giant NMFS over essential fishing habitat, has partnered with Conservation Law foundation, American Oceans campaign and other conservation groups through John's understanding of complex fishing managment issues.
The next big issue with the NEFMC will be ITQ's or Individual transferable Quotas. If these are inplemented you will see the small commercial fleets replaced by huge conglomerates like Tyson Foods etc. as they buy up what small peices they can from the individualists on our coasts.
This is a very complex issue, better left to an individual that understands the commercial fisheries and believes in them. I realize there is a long history of mismanagment in this dragger vessel managed council. I feel the new representative to this council should be there to promote a sustainability to stock managment. it should represent all the user groups, not just the draggers. I feel that John Pappalardo has been successful in this when the RFA and many other recreational groups have not. I have yet to see the magazine Rip publishes to offer any disclaimer or sidebar to the articles that promote chunking techniques for effective ways to kill striped bass. Is it just about 'selling" magazines ? Commercial" takes many forms.
I am very involved in trying to bring the commercial and recreational groups together to manage fishery stocks in a sustainable manner. I believe habitat preservation and bycatch monitoring to be absolutly paramount to this goal. I know that John is committed to this goal. I realize that trying to promote the commercial fishing case is pretty tough on a flyfishing site, but I have seen both sides of this issue and still feel that there is a need for the non fishing public to be able to go buy their "share" of the fishing resource. Hence there still is a reason for "commercial" fishing.
The next big issue with the NEFMC will be ITQ's or Individual transferable Quotas. If these are inplemented you will see the small commercial fleets replaced by huge conglomerates like Tyson Foods etc. as they buy up what small peices they can from the individualists on our coasts.
This is a very complex issue, better left to an individual that understands the commercial fisheries and believes in them. I realize there is a long history of mismanagment in this dragger vessel managed council. I feel the new representative to this council should be there to promote a sustainability to stock managment. it should represent all the user groups, not just the draggers. I feel that John Pappalardo has been successful in this when the RFA and many other recreational groups have not. I have yet to see the magazine Rip publishes to offer any disclaimer or sidebar to the articles that promote chunking techniques for effective ways to kill striped bass. Is it just about 'selling" magazines ? Commercial" takes many forms.
I am very involved in trying to bring the commercial and recreational groups together to manage fishery stocks in a sustainable manner. I believe habitat preservation and bycatch monitoring to be absolutly paramount to this goal. I know that John is committed to this goal. I realize that trying to promote the commercial fishing case is pretty tough on a flyfishing site, but I have seen both sides of this issue and still feel that there is a need for the non fishing public to be able to go buy their "share" of the fishing resource. Hence there still is a reason for "commercial" fishing.