Big Bend CCA Banquet May 20

[kneeknocker]

The Big Bend Chapter of CCA Florida will be holding their 22nd annual banquet on May 20th at the National Guard Armory. Hope to see you there!
For more information please visit: http://www.ccaflorida.org/chapters/bigbend.html

[Limitless]

Nope. Not as long as they continue to promote and support dumba$$ concepts like Snapper "tags" and auctions for fishing rights.
Why give money to a group that betrays you.

FRA and RFA!

[kneeknocker]

Nothing about CCA backing those statements.


News Release
Coastal Conservation Association
6919 Portwest, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77024
Email: twvenker@joincca.org Website: www.joincca.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2009 CONTACT: Ted Venker, 1-800-201-FISH

Anglers call for exit strategy on red snapper disaster
CCA seeks guidelines for opening areas, disaster relief for impacted businesses

HOUSTON, TX – CCA is calling for a number of measures to reduce the impact of management action to address a disastrous red snapper situation in the South Atlantic.
“If the federal government is going to impose significant closures that will negatively impact recreational anglers and related businesses in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, then it is vital for the government to develop a real exit strategy from this terrible situation,” said Richen Brame, CCA South Atlantic fisheries director. “CCA is calling for specific, measurable criteria to determine when the objective of this plan will be met and recreational fishermen will be allowed to resume catching bottom fish.”
CCA has also requested that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council conduct further review of the existing science to confirm the status of red snapper.
“All the extensive remedies being discussed are the result of a single stock assessment, the first full assessment ever conducted on South Atlantic red snapper. The federal government is asking anglers to swallow a very bitter pill with these unprecedented management proposals to close such a huge area to bottom fishing,” said Russell Kent, CCA National vice president. “With the Freedom to Fish language that CCA developed in the Magnuson Stevens Act, the federal government should at least develop guidelines to monitor and reopen those areas as soon as possible.”
Among the Freedom to Fish requirements are specific, measurable criteria to determine the conservation benefits of the closed area on the affected stocks of fish, a timetable for periodic review of the continued need for the closed area at least once every three years, and provisions for reopening the closed area to recreational fishing whenever the targeted conservation problem no longer exists.
In addition to requesting firm guidelines for terminating the closures, CCA will explore the feasibility of seeking a federal declaration of “resource disaster” to allow businesses impacted by the closures, such as charter boats and tackle shops, to receive financial relief.
“The inescapable fact is that the federal government has done a terrible job of managing this fishery and there is no silver bullet at this point to fix decades of neglect,” said Kent. “But the government should take responsibility for fixing what they can now, and helping the people who are bearing the greatest financial burden as a result of the closure is a good first step.”

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[kneeknocker]

News Release
Coastal Conservation Association
6919 Portwest, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77024
Email: twvenker@joincca.org Website: www.joincca.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 10, 2010 CONTACT: Ted Venker, 1-800-201-FISH

Council action on Gulf red snapper signals need for reallocation
Shortened recreational season brings allocation issue to the forefront

Recreational anglers were cheered earlier this year by news that after decades of federal management, culminating with a two-fish bag limit and a 74-day season in 2009, scientists suddenly announced that the Gulf red snapper stock is no longer undergoing overfishing, which is a significant step on the road to recovery.
However, the reward for decades of sacrifice announced at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting this week is a good news/bad news scenario for recreational anglers who will see their quota increase to about 3.4 million pounds in 2010, from 2.5 million pounds in 2009, but will also see their season shrink by at least two weeks.
“Thanks to a combination of factors, including significant bycatch reduction measures for the shrimp fleet, the stock is improving,” said Dr. Russell Nelson, CCA Gulf Fisheries consultant. “But clearly the Council now needs to take into account the problems caused by the increasing average size of the fish being caught and take a long overdue look at reallocation.”
Even with a recovering stock, the hundreds of thousands of anglers pursuing red snapper in the Gulf are still left with just 49 percent of the total allowable catch, while about 400 commercial fishermen are currently entitled to 51 percent of the harvest through a catch share system. A rebounding stock means recreational anglers are finding it easier to catch red snapper, and the fish they catch are bigger. With a quota set in total pounds, the only way the government is capable of controlling recreational harvest is to shorten the season.
“Based on current data and from reports by recreational fisherman themselves, it appears that we have a strongly recovering red snapper fishery with larger fish being taken by recreational anglers which tend to skew the data on the pounds of fish being caught by recreational fisherman,” said Tim Strickland, chairman of CCA’s Gulf Fisheries Committee. “The inequitable result being proposed is the shortest season ever for recreational fisherman in 2010.”
CCA has long called for reallocation of fisheries where appropriate based on an economic analysis to provide the greatest economic benefit to the country.

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[kneeknocker]

But to each his own, I have nothing against RFA or FRA they are doing a great job, we are all fighting for the same thing.

[Limitless]

Too little, too late. They got slapped by members and the recreational community for their proposal to create the Tag auction plan and had to backstroke.

[Tidedancer]

Too little, too late. They got slapped by members and the recreational community for their proposal to create the Tag auction plan and had to backstroke.

X2

[kneeknocker]

There was never a official position by CCA that said this. One consultant mentioned it and next thing you know people think it is gospel. CCA has never stood behind a tag program.