The Way You See It

You decide which it is.

NMFS served this notice on the auction that the Gloucester fishing fleet relies on to market their fish and return the best market value for their catch to the boats.  You know, that economic consideration thing again.

National Marine Fisheries Service vs. Gloucester Seafood Auction

Action: Notice of “violations” on the part of the Gloucester Seafood Auction; notice issued by National Marine Fisheries Service.

Notification: Letter to Auction, dated Friday, Feb 13.

Penalty: Notice of fines totaling $355,200, plus a 120-day shutdown.

Number of Allegation Counts: 59, dating to 2004.

Hearings Prior to Order: None.

120 day closure to the market that the entire fishing fleet uses?  For what, you might ask?  [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation by blog admin
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There is an article on the front page of the S.O.F.A. site headed “Finally a Breath of Air” the tells how a federal judge in New England kicked proposed regulation back to the NMFS with the comment that the Magnuson Stevens act was not intended to put fishermen out of business and wrote a scathing opinion detailing that.  Typically, the NMFS reaction was to entirely shut the door on the fishery, claiming that they now had to step back and re-evaluate the whole regualatory structure and that while they did that, the boats would have to stay tied up.

Not so, said Federal District Court Judge Edward Harrington. [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation by Fishing Fool
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Where is the accountability for these guys?

We’ve long suspected that Roy Crabtree’s agenda was simply to shut down as many commercial fisheries as possible,  whatever his personal reasons may be (we have our own thoughts on this but will refrain from speculation.).  Now, the Vice Chairman of the Gulf Council, Bob Shipp, has put forth an idea that goes against the intent of the Magnuson Stevens Act while toeing the line with the CCA. [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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Jerry Fraser of National Fisherman recently called attention to a documentary being filmed by a Rhode Island draggerman, Brian Loftes.  The very promising 2 minute trailer available on YouTube make me really look forward to  a chance to see the whole thing.  Looks like he is doing a great job.  As Mr. Fraser says,  it could be “immensely valuable to this fish-consuming nation, and the fishing industry, as well.”

Tags: Fishing general, Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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IFQ’s, after being approved by a huge majority of the fishermen eligible to vote in the referendum, have now been approved by the Gulf Council and sent along to the Mother Ship for approval and implementation. However. all other business proceeds as usual with the goal of the Council and the Mother Ship appearing to be more to shut down our fisheries than anything else and they are willing to do this using any sort of inexusably bad science they can get their hands on. [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation, IFQs, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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The State of Florida, by way of the FWC, had a small chance to take a small stand against foolish over-regulation by the feds, specifically the red snapper over-regulation.  So how did they respond, in the face of overwhelming anecdotal evidence that the figures showing red snapper as overfished are nothing short of ridiculous?  [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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Yesterday, Feb.3, 2009, President Obama appointed the Republican Senator from New Hampshire, Judd Gregg, as the new Secretary of Commerce.  [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation by Fishing Fool
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It it weren’t so damned infuriating and downright scary, the antics of the NMFS would be hilarious.  They are like the Three Stooges starring in “Let’s Go To Washington Where We Can F*#CK Up Your Life”. [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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I never thought I’d find myself in agreement with anything that a Pew spokesman had to say about Gulf of Mexico fishery issues and the Gulf Council, but I find myself tucked snugly between the sheets with the author of this statement:

“Rushing to allow open ocean aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico is an accident waiting to happen. If the council is going to create a series of fish farms in federal waters, a national system with uniform guidelines should first be in place.

“Environmental concerns must play a critical role if and when we create national standards for offshore fish farming. For too long, untreated waste, escapes and disease have plagued the aquaculture industry. We cannot ignore their impacts on our fragile ocean ecosystems.”

– Andrea Kavanagh, Pew Environmental Group

At least it was spoken by an “Andrea” not an “Andrew”.  I can only handle so much “strange” in my bedfellows.

Statement quoted from this release.

(Editor: The poster of the preceding is a commercial fisherman, a boat owner and a reef fish permit holder who is expressing his own opinion.)

Tags: Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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The Gulf Council, in an apparent bid to completely seal the fate of the Gulf Of Mexico fishing industry, has given approval for large scale offshore fish farming to proceed.  They do this in the face of objections from seemingly every single involved group and person with the exception of those who stand to personally profit from this plan and in the face of a very real question of whether they have any authority to rule on this issue at all. [Read more →]

Tags: Government Regulation, Ranting general by Fishing Fool
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