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 →]

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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 →]

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We hope the comments are made in jest but considering the number of out of season deer, deer taken at night, and other wildlife violations** we hear about at the hands of the “sportsmen” of Florida, we don’t doubt that these guys would happily butcher this loggerhead they torment for no real reason other than he “pulls hard”.  Yeah, that’s some real sport, folks. [Read more →]

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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 →]

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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.”

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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 →]

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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 →]

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The Coastal Conservation Association has a fairly lofty “Mission Statement” posted on their own front page.  There seems to be nothing in their real agenda, however, that corresponds to that self-satisfied description of themselves.

Their latest effort revolves around the use of unsupported (and unsupportable) assumptions made in the guise of exact science that “shows” that the State of Florida and her people would benefit economically from giving the full grouper allocation to the recreational sector and taking it away from the commercial sector completely.  Interesting position.  Totally unfounded and ridiculous, but interesting. [Read more →]

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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 →]

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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 →]

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