Web Alert RE Amberjack - please read
Posted: October 17th, 2007, 1:16 pm
WEB ALERT
RECREATIONAL FISHERY HIJACKED
RECREATIONAL FISHERY HIJACKED!
GULF FEDERAL COUNCIL PROPOSES MAJOR SHIFT IN AMBERJACK ALLOCATION TO COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY
EMAILS / LETTERS NEEDED TO GET THE COUNCIL TO KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990.
THE ALLOCATION DOES NOT NEED TO BE CHANGED,
IT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED!
WHAT TO DO: All CCA Florida Chapters and Grassroots Network Contacts should activate their networks to get emails and letters to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and urge them to:
KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990 WHICH SET RECREATIONAL HARVEST AT 84% OF TOTAL AND COMMERCIAL AT 16%.
SEND YOUR STRONG COMMENTS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 24 TO:
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council
2203 N. Lois Avenue
Suite 1100
Tampa, FL 33607
(Use the take action button to send your comments via our system)
(Correspondence should include reference to Amberjack - Amendment 30A)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
· In September, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted unanimously to support keeping the amberjack allocation approved in 1990. In addition to the FWC and CCA Florida, the National Association of Charter Boat Operators, Florida Guides Association, Fishing Rights Alliance, Destin Charter Boat Association, and the Panama City Boatman's Association support keeping the current allocation.
· In the mid 1980's, a new market for amberjack developed and the commercial industry began a concentrated effort specifically targeting then unregulated amberjack when they gathered in large spawning aggregations. CCA Florida, charter boat associations and other recreational groups pleaded with state and federal agencies to control the slaughter of amberjack by commercial hook and line boats in an effort to avoid a stock collapse.
· In 1990, when the original amberjack management plan and regulations were adopted, the Gulf Council established an allocation of 84 percent recreational and 16 percent commercial based on landings prior to any regulations.
· The original management measures in Amendment 1 were a 28 inch minimum size and a 3 fish bag limit for recreational fishers. The commercial interests opposed any quotas or total catch limits and instead obtained only a 36 inch minimum size. These actions were supposed to produce a 45% reduction in harvest for both sectors. There was no 45% reduction in commercial harvest. In the four years prior to 1990 annual recreational landings averaged 4.45 million pounds, commercial landings 1.65 million pounds. In the four years from 1990 to 1993 annual commercial landings averaged 1.29 million pounds - or only a 22% reduction. In the same years recreational landings were reduced by 42%.
· In 1997, Amendment 12 changed the regulations to a one fish recreational bag limit. One year later, Amendment 15 closed March, April, and May to commercial take.
· The end result of all regulations resulted in more impact on recreational fishers than commercial fishers. The impact of regulations over time have resulted in shifting the percent allocation based on landings in favor of the commercial fishery.
· Amberjack are now overfished and the Gulf Council has to enact regulations reducing amberjack fishing mortality. The Gulf Council economic analysis of the fishery states that "The original allocation criteria are now 20 years old and the fishery has been allowed to naturally adjust within the constraints of the above management measures since that time." CCA Florida asserts that there has been absolutely no natural adjustment! The change in catch level is a direct result of the failure to enact adequate measures to control commercial take and failure to enforce the adopted allocation.
· At the August 2007, Gulf Council meeting several alternatives were offered to change the allocation. The one which was adopted as the "preferred alternative" reduced the recreational share from 86 to 71 percent. That will be the largest recreational allocation reduction ever enacted by the Gulf Council!
ANGLERS HAVE DONE THEIR PART AND ARE WILLING TO DO MORE. HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL COUNCIL'S ACTION IS PUNISHING THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY FOR SUPPORTING CONSERVATION MEASURES. KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990 WHICH SET RECREATIONAL HARVEST AT 84% OF TOTAL AND COMMERCIAL AT 16% BECAUSE THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY MUST NOT BE REWARDED FOR EXCEEDING THEIR ALLOCATION.
ACT NOW! SEND YOUR COMMENTS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 24!
This Alert Prepared by: Ted Forsgren
CCA Florida Executive Director
(850) 224-3474
RECREATIONAL FISHERY HIJACKED
RECREATIONAL FISHERY HIJACKED!
GULF FEDERAL COUNCIL PROPOSES MAJOR SHIFT IN AMBERJACK ALLOCATION TO COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY
EMAILS / LETTERS NEEDED TO GET THE COUNCIL TO KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990.
THE ALLOCATION DOES NOT NEED TO BE CHANGED,
IT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED!
WHAT TO DO: All CCA Florida Chapters and Grassroots Network Contacts should activate their networks to get emails and letters to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and urge them to:
KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990 WHICH SET RECREATIONAL HARVEST AT 84% OF TOTAL AND COMMERCIAL AT 16%.
SEND YOUR STRONG COMMENTS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 24 TO:
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council
2203 N. Lois Avenue
Suite 1100
Tampa, FL 33607
(Use the take action button to send your comments via our system)
(Correspondence should include reference to Amberjack - Amendment 30A)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
· In September, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted unanimously to support keeping the amberjack allocation approved in 1990. In addition to the FWC and CCA Florida, the National Association of Charter Boat Operators, Florida Guides Association, Fishing Rights Alliance, Destin Charter Boat Association, and the Panama City Boatman's Association support keeping the current allocation.
· In the mid 1980's, a new market for amberjack developed and the commercial industry began a concentrated effort specifically targeting then unregulated amberjack when they gathered in large spawning aggregations. CCA Florida, charter boat associations and other recreational groups pleaded with state and federal agencies to control the slaughter of amberjack by commercial hook and line boats in an effort to avoid a stock collapse.
· In 1990, when the original amberjack management plan and regulations were adopted, the Gulf Council established an allocation of 84 percent recreational and 16 percent commercial based on landings prior to any regulations.
· The original management measures in Amendment 1 were a 28 inch minimum size and a 3 fish bag limit for recreational fishers. The commercial interests opposed any quotas or total catch limits and instead obtained only a 36 inch minimum size. These actions were supposed to produce a 45% reduction in harvest for both sectors. There was no 45% reduction in commercial harvest. In the four years prior to 1990 annual recreational landings averaged 4.45 million pounds, commercial landings 1.65 million pounds. In the four years from 1990 to 1993 annual commercial landings averaged 1.29 million pounds - or only a 22% reduction. In the same years recreational landings were reduced by 42%.
· In 1997, Amendment 12 changed the regulations to a one fish recreational bag limit. One year later, Amendment 15 closed March, April, and May to commercial take.
· The end result of all regulations resulted in more impact on recreational fishers than commercial fishers. The impact of regulations over time have resulted in shifting the percent allocation based on landings in favor of the commercial fishery.
· Amberjack are now overfished and the Gulf Council has to enact regulations reducing amberjack fishing mortality. The Gulf Council economic analysis of the fishery states that "The original allocation criteria are now 20 years old and the fishery has been allowed to naturally adjust within the constraints of the above management measures since that time." CCA Florida asserts that there has been absolutely no natural adjustment! The change in catch level is a direct result of the failure to enact adequate measures to control commercial take and failure to enforce the adopted allocation.
· At the August 2007, Gulf Council meeting several alternatives were offered to change the allocation. The one which was adopted as the "preferred alternative" reduced the recreational share from 86 to 71 percent. That will be the largest recreational allocation reduction ever enacted by the Gulf Council!
ANGLERS HAVE DONE THEIR PART AND ARE WILLING TO DO MORE. HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL COUNCIL'S ACTION IS PUNISHING THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY FOR SUPPORTING CONSERVATION MEASURES. KEEP THE ALLOCATION APPROVED IN 1990 WHICH SET RECREATIONAL HARVEST AT 84% OF TOTAL AND COMMERCIAL AT 16% BECAUSE THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY MUST NOT BE REWARDED FOR EXCEEDING THEIR ALLOCATION.
ACT NOW! SEND YOUR COMMENTS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 24!
This Alert Prepared by: Ted Forsgren
CCA Florida Executive Director
(850) 224-3474