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Keep Fishermen Fishing!
Saltwater Anglers, Charter & Party Boat Captains, Marine
Business Owners, Commercial Fishermen and Related Industry
Workers
Let Your Voice Be Heard! March 21st, 2012!!
U.S. Coastal Fishermen to Rally in DC
March 21, 2012!
Details Will be up on this site as they become available!!!!
Keep checking back often!
“Keep Fishermen Fishing” Organizers Unite to Fix Federal
Fisheries Law
In another historic show of solidarity, U.S. recreational and
commercial fishermen will gather beside the U.S. Capitol on
March 21, 2012 in an organized demonstration supporting the
amendment of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson Act). Signed into law in 1976, in
recent years the Act has been transformed from its original
intent, to conserve our nation’s fish and support our nation’s
fishermen, into a weapon employed by a handful of
megafoundations and the anti-fishing ENGOs they support to drive
fishermen off the water.
A rally on February 24, 2010, under a United We Fish™ banner,
brought some 5,000 recreational, commercial and party/charter
vessel owners and folks in associated businesses from all over
the country to Washington. More than two dozen members of the
Senate and the House of Representatives took time out from their
busy schedules to address the crowd.
The March 21 rally is being billed as Keep Fishermen Fishing,
and once again will unite the commercial, and recreational
sectors under one common message: fair access to the seas.
The initial Washington rally was a monumental success that
helped put the plight of America’s coastal fisherman and those
in related businesses in the public eye. However, a continuous
stream of regulatory requirements are leading to unnecessary and
unacceptable restrictions in demonstrably sustainable fisheries.
As a consequence, the American public is being denied access to
the food and fun of this tremendous natural resource. Most U.S.
fisheries are in better shape biologically than they’ve been for
a generation or more. In fact, last year NOAA Fisheries
scientists announced that 84% of U.S. fish stocks studied for
fishing activity were not experiencing overfishing as of 2010.
However, despite the heavy sacrifices on the part of coastal
fishermen, the same federal agency in charge of managing the
resource has been using a broken law to mete out broken promises
upon these constituents to ratchet down regulations as fisheries
continue to rebuild.
In December 2011, the House Natural Resources Committee held a
hearing in which several pieces of legislation to reform
Magnuson were heard and debated, providing ample evidence that
coastal communities are suffering from the weight of over
burdensome regulation due to the rigid statutory definitions
written into the federal fisheries law.
As was the case in 2010, we are anticipating foundation-funded
ENGO lobbying disguised as a grass-roots fishermen’s effort
aimed at marginalizing our Keep Fishermen Fishing rally. The
message that they will be relaying to Congress is that truly
conservation-minded recreational, commercial and party/charter
fishermen fully support the Magnuson Act as it is today and
oppose any efforts to amendment it. The truly
conservation-minded fishermen won’t be those walking the halls
of Congress trying to sell their anti-fishing message because of
foundation/ENGO funding, they’ll be the people who are there on
their own
dime and who are committed to returning to a federal fisheries
management system that recognizes that they and the fishing
communities they support are as important as the fish are.
Final details of the 2012 Keep Fishermen Fishing rally are being
put in place, including transportation from coastal communities
across the country.
For information on how you can get involved in the national
rally to help Keep Fishermen Fishing, call 888-564-6732. For
more information on the rally as it becomes available, including
bus sign-up information and details from the 2010 rally, visit
www.keepfishermenfishing.com. You can also stay up to date
with developments via “Keep Fishermen Fishing” on Facebook and
we will soon have a Twitter feed as well.
Details Will be up on this site as they become available!!!!
Keep checking back often!
Keep Fishermen Fishing 2012 organizers thus far include the
Recreational Fishing Alliance, Southeastern Fisheries
Association, East Coast Fisheries Section of Southeastern
Fisheries Association, Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s
Association, Hull Seafood, Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's
Association, Garden State Seafood Association, United Boatmen,
National Association of Charterboat Operators, New York Fishing
Tackle Trades Association, Save the Summer Flounder Fishery
Fund, Monkfish Defense Fund, Viking Village, Lund's Seafood,
Atlantic Capes Seafood, North Carolina Watermen United, and Long
Island Commercial Fishermen's Association.
http://www.keepfishermenfishing.comd
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The Walton Family Foundation, Wal-Mart,
is expecting profits in the billions from selling us back our
fish.
(Per Captain James Wisner...Thank you captain)
"In a August 16th news release from Wal-Mart corporate
headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, the Walton Family
Foundation announced investments totaling more than $71.8
million awarded to various environmental initiatives in 2010.
The Walton Family Foundation is also working "to create economic
incentives for ocean conservation," while candidly pledging
their support for "projects that reverse the incentives to fish
unsustainably that exist in 'open access fisheries' by creating
catch share programs," according to the official news release.
A broad coalition of commercial and recreational fishing,
consumer and environmental groups is opposing the catch shares
programs being pushed by NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, a
former vice-chair of the Board of Directors of Environmental
Defense, because these programs amount to the privatization of
public trust resources by concentrating fisheries in the hands
of a few corporate hands. Wherever catch shares have been
introduced, local fishing communities, fish populations and the
environment have been devastated.
"A catch share, also known as an individual fishing quota, is a
transferable voucher that gives individuals or businesses the
ability to access a fixed percentage of the total authorized
catch of a particular species," according to Food and Water
Watch. "Fishery management systems based on catch shares turn a
public resource into private property and have lead to
socioeconomic and environmental problems. Contrary to arguments
by catch share proponents
This says it all! Bob Harbison Native Florida Fisherman |
DEAR GULF OF
MEXICO NACO MEMBER,
2011 RED SNAPPER TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH INCREASE:
At the request of the Council, NOAA Fisheries Service is
currently reviewing an emergency rule that would increase the
recreational red snapper quota by 345,000 lb, and temporarily
suspend the October 1, 2011 end of the recreational fishing
season. Should NOAA Fisheries Service determine the recreational
quota was not met by the July 19, 2011, closure date, this
action would allow for a fall re-opening that would be
determined by the Council.
FISHERY OPENINGS, CLOSINGS, AND LANDINGS SUMMARY
Recreational: recreational landings, catch limits, fishing
seasons, and closures can be tracked on the
SERO Web site at
Because the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey
program is currently transitioning to a new process under the
Marine Recreational Information Program, no landings data for
2011 are currently publicly available.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESTORATION OF SEAGRASS
IMPACTS FROM THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESPONSE
The purpose of this project is to address injuries to seagrass
beds that resulted from Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill
response activities. The injuries were caused by motorized
boats, and included propeller scars, blowholes from response
vessels, and scouring from boom curtains and anchor tethers. The
proposed action will restore damaged seagrass beds and decrease
risk of secondary injury to nearby seagrass communities. The
environmental review process led NOAA to conclude that this
action will not have a significant effect on the human
environment, therefore an environmental impact statement will
not be prepared.
Section 990.26(d) of OPA requires the Trustees to provide notice
to the public, to the extent practicable, of any planned
emergency restoration actions. Trustees must also provide public
notice of the justification for, nature and extent of, and
results of emergency restoration actions within a reasonable
time frame. NOAA is expediting regulatory clearance of this
action due to the emergency nature of it. The Trustees believe
the best method to address this requirement is to post a copy of
the FONSI and EA on NOAA's Deepwater Horizon Web site at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/.
The documents will be available there on August 1, 2011.
NOAA believes it is important to undertake the restoration
immediately in order to minimize the possibility of further
adverse sea grass impacts that may occur in the absence of
immediate action, such as secondary damage that may result from
storms or other events. NOAA will accept public comments on this
EA and FONSI until August 16, 2011. All comments will be fully
considered and included in the administrative record for this
action.
Officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
of the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA); U.S. Department of
Interior; and the five states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas are all designated, pursuant to section
1006(b) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), as trustees
(Trustees) for natural resources harmed by this Incident. NOAA
is serving as the Lead Administrative Trustee (LAT) for this
emergency seagrass restoration. Under the National Environmental
Policy Act, an Environmental Assessment for Emergency
Restoration of Seagrass Impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill Response (EA) was completed by NOAA, and a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed on July 8, 2011.
DATES: Comments on this EA and FONSI must be received by August
16, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to: Kay McGraw, NOAA Restoration
Center, Rm 15862, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910; or electronically to Kay.McGraw@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia A. Montanio,
301-427-8600.
PERMITS STATUS
The following represents permits issued or renewed within the
last 12 months, which can be used to fish in the appropriate
fishery (expired but renewable limited access permits in
parentheses). It does not represent activity in the fishery.
Permits as of July 25, 2011, are:
• 1,289 (81) for-hire coastal pelagic moratorium permits; 40 (3)
historical captain permits
• 1,268 (77) for-hire reef fish moratorium permits; 42 (3)
historical captain permits
Keeping You Informed,
National Association of Charterboat Operators |
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Legacy to the American people:
This is getting deep, and dangerous:
In 1954. the US Congress passed the
Saltonstall-Kennedy Act, a multi-million dollar superfund
created to promote and market domestic seafood. In 2010, the
Department of Commerce, (NOAA is now under the Dept. of
Commerce,) received $113,400,000 from the Department of
Agriculture. As mandated by law Commerce was obliged to spend at
least 60% of this sum, $68,000,000 on "fishing industry
projects." Ever wonder where monies for the promotion,
implementation, of shares/separation comes from? In addition to
organizations such as EDF, PEW, PACKARD FOUNDATION, etc. NOAA
shifted $104,600,000 into operations. It takes a great deal of
money to push (buy) shares/separation on the American peoples.
Only $8,000,000 was distributed through competitive grants to
congressionally mandated fishing projects. NOAA has been
reallocating funds from research into administration of the
catch shares programs, this means
less
money for stock assessments. NOAA, Lubchenco at work.
Dr, Jane (catch shares) Lubchenco is now head of NOAA. Dear Jane
has a long history of interactions, money received, from the so
called, "Environmental" groups.
PEW FELLOW: $150,000
MOORE FOUNDATION: (and PEW Oceans Commission member) $5,500,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE FOUNDATION (EDF) Vice-chair: $10,400,000
GORDON & BETTY MOORE FOUNDATION: $13,700,000
The list goes on & on. Lubchenco took many of her associates,
backers, with her. To name just a few:
Monica Medina, former Senior Officer, PEW Environmental Group
Justin Kennedy, former Senior Public Affairs Officer at PEW
Trust and Director of Communications for the PEW Commission
Lois Schiffer, former Vice President for Public Policy at the
national Audubon Society
Clearly, Lubchenco has surrounded herself with so called,
"Environmentalist."
Catch shares, the Government sponsored privatization of a
National Resource, a billion dollar take-over of what was once
our fishery, our heritage, is Lubchenco's legacy to PEW, EDF,
etc. Her legacy to the American people, buy a share to catch &
keep a fish. Simply put...No share, No fish! Catch
Shares...fishing for only the rich.
(Thanks to Steven L. Rebuck & Captain James Wisner for
contributing information used in this report) We need more men
like them. Like them and our own Captain Buddy, MotherOcean
Charters: "A good place to learn about what is really going on
is check out the Gloucester Times. They have a writer that stays
on top of what is going on and writes articles almost daily on
these issues. What is very interesting is how the towns of
Gloucester and New Bedford are the leaders in a law suit to stop
catch shares. Wonder why two cities would back stopping catch
shares if they did not know what a bad impact it will have on
them?" Captain Buddy
Bob Harbison, Florida Native
Life-long Recreational Fisherman |
Below you will
find the press release on the attached bill that was dropped by
Congressmen Runyan (NJ) and Jones (NC) and Congresswoman
Ros-Lehtinen from the Keys. This bill is gaining a lot of
support from fishermen and the pro catch share enviros have
started their attack. More will be coming about this bill
and the support it is gaining. As with all bills there may be
amendments to alter some provisions but there are several key
provisions. The bill establishes the definition of “eligible
fishermen” as one who holds permits issued under a fishery
management plan, will allow a catch share program to be
developed if more than 50% of eligible fishermen petition the
nmfs to create a program, if a program is developed then 2/3rds
of the eligible fishermen would have to ratify the program, in
any year after a new catch share program is established and more
than 15% of eligible fishermen who were in the fishery prior to
the new program are removed then the program shall be
terminated, and the cost of administering the program plus the
cost of observers shall be paid for by the eligible fishermen.
The bill is attached for your review. The pro catch share
enviros such as EDF are already coming after this bill. Stayed
tuned for more.
Bob
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Brabant (202) 225-4765
Runyan.house.gov
8/04/2011
Runyan, Jones, Ros-Lehtinen Introduce Legislation to Hold
Federal Agency Accountable For Lost Fishing Jobs
Washington, D.C. – This week Representatives Jon Runyan (NJ-3),
Walter Jones (NC-3), and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) introduced
the “Saving Fishing Jobs Act of 2011.” This legislation seeks to
hold the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
accountable for fisheries management programs called catch
shares that have been detrimental to fishermen throughout the
Eastern and Gulf Coasts. The bill would require the Secretary of
Commerce to terminate a catch share program if it reduces the
total number of fishermen in the program by 15 percent or more.
It also would prevent the government from imposing new catch
share programs on fishing communities that oppose them. It would
do so by requiring consideration of new programs to be initiated
only via a petition signed by at least 50 percent of fishermen
in the fishery, and by requiring a two-thirds vote of fishermen
for approval of new programs. Finally, the bill includes
language to protect taxpayers from shouldering the extra costs
associated with implementing and managing new catch share
programs.
The non-partisan consumer watchdog, Food & Water Watch has noted
that if more catch share programs are implemented, “…many
traditional fishermen will be forced out of work, economies of
their communities will crumble, there will be increased risk of
harm to our oceans, and consumers will probably end up with
lower-quality seafood (http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/fish/fair-fish).”
Catch share programs have been controversial because many have
resulted in the consolidation of fishing fleets, costing
fishermen their jobs. According to NOAA, one of the largest
fisheries in the northeastern U.S. lost almost 20 percent of its
boats in the first year (2009-2010) after a major catch shares
program was implemented across the entire region.
The Saving Fishing Jobs Act of 2011 is limited to the New
England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico
fishery management councils. Below you can find quotes from
Reps. Jon Runyan (NJ), Walter Jones (NC), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
(FL), Wenonah Hauter of Food & Water Watch, and Greg DiDomenico
of Garden State Seafood Association.
Rep. Jon Runyan (NJ)
“NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco has a previously stated goal
of seeing ‘a sizable fraction of the (fishing) fleet eliminated.
Catch share programs, her signature initiative, have done just
that by forcing small fishermen out. This bill will ensure that
catch share programs are shut down if they are forcing people
out of work. This is a jobs bill and has the potential to save
fishing jobs.”
Rep. Walter Jones (NC)
“Fishermen need a say in the programs that determine their
economic futures. If they really want a catch share program,
this bill would give them the opportunity to make that choice
rather than have it forced upon them as is currently the case.
Meanwhile, at a time when federal budgets are shrinking
significantly, it is important that taxpayers not be forced to
pick up the tab for the extra cost of administering new catch
share programs. This bill would provide that protection for
taxpayers, which is essential.”
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
“I have met with many local fishermen from my Congressional
District and they all complain about the adverse affects of
these catch share programs. They are adamantly opposed to the
privatization of one of our greatest natural resources which is
a primary component of catch shares. I urge my colleagues to
support this measure because during these tough economic times
the federal government should be helping small fishermen, and
not creating obstacles for them to make a decent living.”
Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch
“Fish are a public resource. Unfortunately, private investment
groups and even some public interest groups have openly compared
access to fish to the stock market and are treating it like an
investment that can be bought and sold for personal profit,"
said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter.
"Congressman Runyan is concerned with the welfare of fishermen.
We commend him for pushing back against those that would destroy
the fishing business by modeling it after big agribusiness on
land, with giant commercial operations controlling the market."
Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director, Garden State Seafood
Association
“We thank Congressman Runyan for his efforts to protect the
fishing industry and coastal communities.” |
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