Check out a
new FRA flyer. Print it, email it, spread it around.
Click here
11/6/2009
FRA files suit over Gulf AJ closure -
click here
South
Atlantic Council to take public input on Grouper Snapper closures and
rules.
click here
FRA to
file lawsuit over Gulf of Mexico closure of recreational Greater
Amberjack
THE FRA FIGHTS FOR YOUR FISHING RIGHTS
Don’t be fooled by imitators. The FRA TAKES ACTION.
The Fishing Rights
Alliance Shark Tank is BUSY.
To all of our brothers
and sisters in our fishing communities: The FRA will file a lawsuit
against National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) over the in-season
closure of Gulf of Mexico recreational Greater Amberjack. The effects
of this closure will cause further (and unnecessary) harm the
recreational sector. The suit will be filed in federal court in Tampa
next week.
The NMFS has
overstepped its bounds by using the fatally-flawed Marine Recreational
Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) as an in-season quota monitoring
tool, giving less than five days notice that they closed Gulf
Recreational Greater Amberjack for the remainder of 2009.
MRFSS has a specific
limitation on its data. It takes a long time to compile and correct the
data. MRFSS is unsuitable for use as an in-season quota monitoring
tool. MRFSS data is not even finalized until June of the YEAR
FOLLOWING THE DATA COLLECTION. So this year's data will not even be
final until June of NEXT YEAR.
Dr. Crabtree chose to
ignore the US Congress’ National Research Council report that stated
that MRFSS was never designed for, nor is it capable of being used as an
in-season quota monitoring tool. The MRFSS data is simply fatally
flawed. Yet we have an administrator that seems to know better than the
National Research Council. In what many see as punitive action,
recreational anglers were given less than 5 days notice of the closure.
If we were to let this go unchallenged, it would pave the way for NMFS
to close Gag, Red Snapper, sand perch.... you name it.
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GULF
RECREATIONAL GREATER AMBERJACK CLOSES ON OCT 24
In 2008, NOAA Fisheries Service implemented
a
recreational quota of 1.368 million pounds for greater
amberjack harvested in the Gulf of Mexico.
Recreational landings data indicate the
recreational
quota has been met. Therefore, in accordance with the
regulations, beginning at 12:01 a.m., local time, on
October 24, 2009, the recreational fishery for greater
amberjack in federal waters is closed. The
recreational harvest and possession of greater amberjack
in or from federal waters will be prohibited through the
end of the current fishing year, December 31, 2009. A
person aboard a vessel for which a federal charter
vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued
must also abide by this provision in state waters.
note :RECREATIONAL LANDINGS
DATA COMES FROM THE FATALLY FLAWED MRFSS (Marine Recreational Fishing
Statistical Survey). Watch for a call to action in the next few
days.
View the official
announcement in .pdf -
click here
Gulf
Council meets next week in Texas
October 19 - 22, 2009
Holiday Inn - Emerald Beach
1102 S. Shoreline
Boulevard
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Here is the
agenda with some comments on what to watch for. The meeting can be
viewed live at
www.thefra.org/fisheyewide.htm. The viewing page also has the full
agenda listed for your reference.
NOTE: ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL TIME,
WHICH IS ONE HOUR BEHIND EASTERN TIME.
Monday
at 3 PM they will start with the ecosystem issues, including working
with the new Allowable Biological Catch rule
(ABC). This rule will be used to lower the allowable catch due to
‘uncertainty’. Better pay attention, folks. This is something that
will frame management goals for years to come.
Tuesday
from 8:30 until 4, there will be discussions on the
red and gag grouper closures, finishing with
sector separation. NOTE- separate the recreational sector into
what- those who pay a pro guide and those who don’t?
See Roy
Crabtree in open discussion with an informal group at 5:30 PM
8:30 am – 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Reef Fish Management Committee (Tab B)
·
Gag/Red Grouper Amendment Scoping Document (RF Am 32)
o
Select Scoping Hearing Locations
·
Presentation on the New ESA Biological Opinion Analyzing
the Gulf Reef Fish Fishery and its Effects on Listed Species - Lee
·
Alternative Options for Red Snapper Recreational Season
·
Modifications to regulations in Amendment 29
·
Terms of Reference for Greater Amberjack, Yellowedge
Grouper, and Tilefish Assessments
·
Hook Limit Analyses for Amendment 31
·
Develop LAPP AP Charge
·
Discussion on Sector Separation
Informal Q&A session with Roy Crabtree – a must watch!
Wednesday
Start the
day with the Mackerel management committee. IFQ’s will be pushed for
the rec sector here.
The full
council meeting starts at 10:30. At 10:45, tune in to hear the latest
on catch shares (IFQ’s). Then we go to public testimony in the
afternoon.
Thursday
from 8:30 to 1, the full council will cover all of the agenda items, as
follows:
Committee Reports
a. Reef Fish Management
(Tab B) – Minton (8:30 am – 10:00 am)
b.
Administrative Policy (Tab E) – Morris (10:00 am – 10:30 am)
c. Data
Collection (Tab F) – Riechers (10:30 am – 10:45 am)
d. Spiny Lobster/Stone Crab Management (Tab H) – Teehan (10:45 am
– 11:00 am)
e. Sustainable
Fisheries/Ecosystem (Tab G) – Gill (11:00 am – 11:30 am)
f. Coastal Migratory Pelagics (Mackerel) Management – Teehan
(11:30 am –noon)
g. Shrimp Management (Tab D) – Perret
(12:00 noon – 12:15 pm)
h. AP Selection Committee (Tab J) –
Perret(12:15 pm – 12:30 pm)
i. SEDAR Selection Committee (Tab I) –
Shipp (12:30 pm – 12:45 pm)
Meeting ends at 1.
Item posted 10/16/09
BLACK AND RED GROUPER STOCK ASSESSMENTS LIVE
THIS WEEK!
Sit in on a stock assessment. This week in St.
Petersburg, FL, a pair of stock assessments is being conducted: Red
Grouper in the South Atlantic and Black Grouper in the Gulf and South
Atlantic.
Take an hour or two to stop by and sit in on the
week long discussion of modeling techniques and applications. At least
you will get a feel for the size and scope of the assessment workshops.
These are the SEDAR workshops (South East Data
Assessment and Review) that are typical of the stock assessment
workshops that brought us such wonders as the Red Tide model. It is
worth a couple of hours of your time.
The workshop is scheduled for Monday, starting at 1
PM through Friday at 1 PM.
That is this week, October 5 – 9, at the Hilton in
DOWNTOWN St. Pete.
Watch it on FRA’s webTV. Go to
www.thefra.org/fisheyewide.htm.
10/05/09
CLOSING PERMIT TO ALL REC TAKE?
The State of Florida is considering action on the
fish commonly called PERMIT.
Possible actions include the banning of take in
state and federal waters, prohibition of currently allowed spearfishing
gear for permit and a significant reduction in allowable take.
All of these actions are being considered even
though the STOCK IS IN GOOD SHAPE.
All because of the narrow minded view of some flats
anglers in the Keys who think it should all be caught and released,
throughout the whole state.
There are meetings tonight in St. Petersburg and
tomorrow night in Fort Myers.
A recording of the St. Pete presentation will be
available on the FRA.s website for later viewing, along with links for
submitting comments to the FWC Commissioners.
LEARN MORE....
www.thefra.org/FLpermitreg.htm
10/5/09