Isnt it sad.

[Dixiewreckd]

That there are no posts here?

[Carlabear]

[mjsigns]

Just realized the same thing and edited my previous opinion as I was wrong. It is indeed sad, especially when they are blowing up abandoned oil rigs and killing tons and tons of snapper grouper AJ's (none of which are being harvested) ...

[Carlabear]

Hope you sent a letter to the federal agency that's allowing the destruction of oil rigs in the gulf killing thousands of red snapper and other fish.

[Gumbo]

Listen to WWL870 out of New Orleans on Saturday mornings, Don does a great sportsman show that sheds a lot of light on these issues. Has a ton of local guides call in and give their input. This past Saturday he had a diver on who gave frightening first-hand details about the destruction of the wells and the impact on fish.

[Dixiewreckd]

Yeah, When I originally posted I was just commenting on the abundants of fish that are out there and the fact that we are not aloud to touch them. And I have sent emails. I am getting the run around from both the gulf marine counsel and the FWC. They both keep pointing me back at each other. No one knows who is in charge. And frankly I dont think the Gov gives a S#*t. As long as money keeps pouring in they are happy.

[Ranaman]

Funny the only post we get is from Ole BBBrian now a East coaster and the report is from Key West!

Couple things...First: about the Idle iron program that may helpsome of you who are email agencies (asI have been) I was in contact with Charlene Ponce of the Gulf Council and this is a responce I got from her and what THEY are trying to do about it in a linked document that follows this quote...

I said, the Council is not responsible for the removal of rigs, and rig removal falls under the purview of BOEM – The Bureau of Energy Management. BOEM requires the removal of these rigs (per the “Idle Iron Policy”). In September of 2010 the Department of the Interior issued The Decommissioning Guidance for Wells & Platforms (“Idle Iron Policy”). This policy requires all wells that have not been used during the past five years for exploration and production be plugged and associated production platforms and pipelines be decommissioned if no longer involved with exploration or production activities. That process generally includes a requirement that the rigs be physically removed — including the sub-sea structures.

The Council, on the other hand, makes management recommendations on fishing activity. Platform removal does not fall under “fishing activity”, so there is no mechanism through which the Council can halt this activity. As I mentioned in my first email – the Council is concerned about this issue and is pursuing an amendment to classify these platforms as Essential Fish Habitat in the hopes of effecting change in the number of removals and the manner in which the platforms are removed. http://gulfcouncil.org/docs/amendments/ ... 3-2012.pdf

Second...If you look at the offshore section you will see a variety of posts from Cobia fishermen to Econfina Grouper, Gag mania and quite a few by me and my crew on the Celestial crab but we only fish offshore when the seasons allow fish to be taken. I don't have tiem or the income; especially with the Celestial one in Grad school, to make a trip to Carrabelle every weekend or every other weekend to target Black Sea bass, grunts and AJ. We simply don't fish for offshore species make one or two redfish/trout trips with friends and call it for the winter. Previously years when gag and red grouper were in season JANUARY was a fantastic time to fish for us now we are stuck waiting for April 1st.

Joe

[MarkM]

Sucks, don't it? Haven't been down in 3 months.