caloosa
Guest
Re: Amendment 30 Scoping Meeting...Naples...Report
I was a little concerned initially with the turnout...although it seems we did end up with a good audience for the hearing. People need to show up for these opportunities we get to express our opinions, because there aren't that many opportunities.
I was glad to hear that they (Gulf Council) would consider to split the amendment. Separating grouper from AJs and Gray Triggerfish. For those of you who may be interested, the Gulf Council is also looking at their own results and questioning the mortality rates which had been credited towards recreational fishermen...and early signs are indicative that the numbers they had were not just so. By a large means!
A recreational fisherman, Barry Nichols, spoke first disputing the Gulf Councils facts..he commented that the fact that the recreational fisherman was responsible for such a high mortality rate is just not so.
Dan Biggs told the council members to get under the sea, like we do and actually see what we see, lots of red and gag grouper, triggers, and AJs...he told them to be an eyewitness, like he was--testifying that as an eyewitness, he disputes the Gulf Councils' findings. He told them to actually get down there and see what is down there.
John Biggs was adamant about reinstating the red grouper limits to what they were before we were limited to one per day--because, as the Gulf Council has now gone on record as saying--the fish stock has recovered. He also was glad to see that Amendment 30 would possibly be split, and that he was open to the Gulf Council obtaining more information on spawning documents.
Comments were also made by Lisa Rollins questioning whether or not considerations were taken into consideration over diseases and red tide effects on the fisheries.
My comments were addressed to the inane lack of science in the gathering of evidence...doing surveys, and checking catches by recreational fishermen,...and not actually seeing the masses of killing of undersize fish that goes on by shrimpers and longliners...these are not scientific objective observations, just subjective and understandably very non scientfic.
Most people who spoke addressed their concerns mainly over the grouper issues, not dealing too much with the AJ's, although Adam Wilson did mention to them that there are more and bigger AJs out in the Gulf now than before.
The next step for the Gulf Council is to finish these scoping meetings, gathering info...and meet at the end of the month to discuss their strategies, whether to amend this amendment or whatever...hopefully our voices were heard. Stay tuned!
__________________
I was a little concerned initially with the turnout...although it seems we did end up with a good audience for the hearing. People need to show up for these opportunities we get to express our opinions, because there aren't that many opportunities.
I was glad to hear that they (Gulf Council) would consider to split the amendment. Separating grouper from AJs and Gray Triggerfish. For those of you who may be interested, the Gulf Council is also looking at their own results and questioning the mortality rates which had been credited towards recreational fishermen...and early signs are indicative that the numbers they had were not just so. By a large means!
A recreational fisherman, Barry Nichols, spoke first disputing the Gulf Councils facts..he commented that the fact that the recreational fisherman was responsible for such a high mortality rate is just not so.
Dan Biggs told the council members to get under the sea, like we do and actually see what we see, lots of red and gag grouper, triggers, and AJs...he told them to be an eyewitness, like he was--testifying that as an eyewitness, he disputes the Gulf Councils' findings. He told them to actually get down there and see what is down there.
John Biggs was adamant about reinstating the red grouper limits to what they were before we were limited to one per day--because, as the Gulf Council has now gone on record as saying--the fish stock has recovered. He also was glad to see that Amendment 30 would possibly be split, and that he was open to the Gulf Council obtaining more information on spawning documents.
Comments were also made by Lisa Rollins questioning whether or not considerations were taken into consideration over diseases and red tide effects on the fisheries.
My comments were addressed to the inane lack of science in the gathering of evidence...doing surveys, and checking catches by recreational fishermen,...and not actually seeing the masses of killing of undersize fish that goes on by shrimpers and longliners...these are not scientific objective observations, just subjective and understandably very non scientfic.
Most people who spoke addressed their concerns mainly over the grouper issues, not dealing too much with the AJ's, although Adam Wilson did mention to them that there are more and bigger AJs out in the Gulf now than before.
The next step for the Gulf Council is to finish these scoping meetings, gathering info...and meet at the end of the month to discuss their strategies, whether to amend this amendment or whatever...hopefully our voices were heard. Stay tuned!
__________________
