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Gag Grouper
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Read
about the pending regulations for your region.
Check out the various pages of the
website. There is much information to be found.
We hope you will join the FRA at the
very least as an electronic member, which is free.
Simply sign up for F'ISSUES, the FRA
electronic newsletter, at right.
Below is some information about the Goliath Grouper.
"Thanks for coming to the website"- Denny O'Hern,
Executive Director
THE TRUTH ABOUT
GOLIATH GROUPER
Very
little is known about adult Goliath Grouper. The truth is that our
knowledge of Goliath Grouper comes from very limited data, leaving
scientists and managers with no solid information on which to base
assessments and decisions. To find the truth about the Goliath Grouper,
scientists need size, weight and life history information (reproduction,
age, growth, etc.) for a reliable assessment of the stock. The ONLY way to
get this information is to take biological samples. This very issue was
presented and discussed at a meeting of scientists, researchers and some
anti-fishing activists held recently in St. Petersburg, FL1. In
the room were some very knowledgeable scientists and by the end of the day,
no one was able to provide any valid alternatives for answering the Goliath
Grouper life history questions without taking biological samples. The Gulf
Council and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have
agreed and authorized the taking of a limited number of fish for biological
sampling.
"…
no one was able to provide any valid alternatives for answering the Goliath
Grouper life history questions without taking biological samples."
Jewfish (as the re-named
Goliath Grouper was known by in 1990 when the fishery was declared
overfished), was a species exploited by a few for pennies per pound. The
designation of ‘overfished’ was driven by an unreliable, incomplete analysis
which depended heavily on one person’s memories of their commercial
exploitation of only FOUR sites in the Gulf. Many scientists now agree
that the fish population is strongly recovering and in some areas has
possibly gone above historic levels. This is only based on anecdotal
evidence and is a perfect example of why scientists need more biological
information.
FRA members are good
stewards of our fisheries. We believe that good management is based on good
data and sound science. FRA members expect our managers and their
scientists to provide us with the truth and we stand ready to help them find
it. We expect and demand fairness in fisheries management.
1.
Goliath Grouper Research Planning Meeting, August 6, 2007, FWRI-FWC, St.
Petersburg, FL
Click here for this document in printer
friendly ADOBE or
WORD
What is The FRA Shark Tank?
SPECIAL THANKS to the FRA
Sharks!
Colin, Scott, Frank, Craig, Luke and the other Sharks in the Shark Tank are
the reason that we have the opportunity to seek justice.
 Our
Mission
The Fishing Rights
Alliance, FRA, advocates the sustainable use of and access to marine fisheries.
The FRA promotes reasonable and effective fisheries management policies
primarily through community and political activism and user group interaction
with the scientific community and the various regulatory agencies.
The FRA also endeavors to
inform and educate the membership and general public about issues concerning
access to marine resources. The FRA will actively defend the right to
access.
The FRA acts to assure
that fishery regulation is based on sound scientific methods using valid data
and an accurate picture of the fishery.
The FRA will stand up and
fight to protect your fishing rights.
Click here to JOIN THE FRA!
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Thank you
February GULF
COUNCIL MEETING REPORT
F’ISSUES
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HOT LINKS
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council
www.gulfcouncil.org
South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council
www.safmc.net
National Marine Fisheries Service
www.nmfs.noaa.gov
Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission
www.myfwc.com
FISHING RIGHTS ALLIANCE
www.joinFRA.org
Contact
your Senators, Congressmen and President.
ORDER THE
FRA ANGELS 2008 WALL CALENDAR NOW (click here)
This
is how the FRA protects your fishing rights.
-
Attend
fisheries management meetings
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Maintain
a full time watch on fishing regulations
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Support
active research in marine fisheries
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Keep
members informed and active
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Defend
your right to fish where you want (Resource Access).
-
Alert
members to write/call/attend when needed
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Maintain
contact with fisheries management agencies
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Question
bad science
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Defend
your rights using good science
-
Protect
the resource so you can still catch fish (Sustainable harvest).
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When
reason, logic and facts are not enough…..Legal action may be required.
And our sharks don't lose.
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