# Comments needed on Sector Separation



## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

I know it's hard to attend the Gulf Council meetings, so I *STRONGLY* urge everyone who fishes bluewater to show their opposition to Sector Separation / Catch Shares here;

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/council_meetings/comment_forms/RF%20Amendment%2039%20-%20Sector%20Separation.php

To read what others are saying, click on the link below - you will see that the overwhelming majority of respondents *OPPOSE* this profit-grabbing scam masquerading as a conservation tool.

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishery_management_plans/Public%20Comment/RF_Amendment_39-Sector_Separation/Comments.pdf

It's important to realize that this issue is not just about Red Snapper - it's about *EVERY* fish out there managed by the federal fisheries managers. It's time to put a stop to this madness - please do your part by taking a couple of minutes to post your opposition *TODAY*. The Gulf Council is meeting on the issue later this month.

Thanks in advance,

Capt. Thomas J. Hilton


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Comment submitted


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## billin (Oct 14, 2007)

*done*

Against Sector Seperation to many unanswered questions and to little over sight these are the same folks who cant even manage there own budget.


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## Naby (Jan 18, 2009)

Thanks for the link, comments left.


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

I left my comments opposing Amendment 39. I've already been a victim of the IFQ commercial split up, and instead of having a permit that allowed me to keep 200 lb of snapper per trip until the season closure, they stole that permit and granted me the right to catch 160 lbs PER YEAR, but they graciously told me that I could buy snapper shares from those that got hundreds of thousands of shares. I can guarantee that when they split the pie, there will be plenty of us crying foul. THey just can't do this without screwing one group or the other. 

Gary Jarvis, you're going to wish you'd never started this... It's a "careful what you wish for".... Because, trust me... you'll get what you wanted, just not "how" you wanted it...


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

*Hope that web page is keeping count*

Message sent "Vote No!" and a few more comments that will have them kicking in someones door! 

Dogs are barking, think I hear them out at the gate!

Thanks for posting the thread.


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

Burnt Drag said:


> I left my comments opposing Amendment 39. I've already _*been a victim of the IFQ commercial split up,*_ and instead of having a permit that allowed me to keep 200 lb of snapper per trip until the season closure, they stole that permit and granted me the right to catch 160 lbs PER YEAR, but they graciously told me that I could buy snapper shares from those that got hundreds of thousands of shares. I can guarantee that when they split the pie, there will be plenty of us crying foul. THey just can't do this without screwing one group or the other.
> 
> Gary Jarvis, you're going to wish you'd never started this... It's a "careful what you wish for".... Because, trust me... you'll get what you wanted, just not "how" you wanted it...


*I hate to hear that. I know of many fellas with similar stories. Some Fish **Houses seemed to have fared well. In my comment, I used the word crooks in the fisheries management business.
*


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## Michael f sights (Jun 19, 2012)

Thanks for the link. Stand up to the Gov BS & leave a comment! Remember these are the same people who tell you that Red Snapper are almost endangered in the Gulf of Mexico.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

No other fisheries in the Gulf (either inshore or offshore) have experienced such dramatic increases in private rec “derby fishing” as the red snapper fishery since 2006. Strange, because it is precisely the red snapper fishery that has become so much more difficult and less attractive to fish due to the onerous regulations placed upon that fishery. But then again, most other recreational fisheries are not as commercially valuable as red snapper, nor are they being pushed for inclusion into Catch Shares/IFQ implementation which will provide windfall profits to a select few at the expense of access to the resource for the many. Certainly could be interpreted that there is a concerted effort by some people/entities to try to justify Catch Shares / Sector Separation using these fictitious, unverifiable figures, especially since Jane Lubchenco has made Catch Shares her number 1 priority.

There needs to be an indepth investigation into the smoke and mirrors data that the NMFS is using to justify the draconian reductions in our seasons/bag limits since the 2006 Hijack, I mean Reauthorization of Magnuson.

Capt. Thomas J. Hilton


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## Salty Daze (Sep 25, 2011)

What an idiot thing to do. Why can't a man take his family out fishing and not have to worry about where you are fishing according to some imaginary line out in the ocean. I am fine with having limits. They help from over fishing. But why not just say, in red snapper case because it seems to be the one everyone talks about mostly, is you get two at this size or more per day, season is open all year. Do the same for each species. Two at this size, done. Doesn't matter what boat your on, private, private for hire or head boat. Who cares, your fishing. Who is going to monitor where you are fishing out there? How many fights are going to happen over you crossed the line out there and caught a snapper from "our" side of the line. What happens if I am on my side of the line and the current drags my bait to "their" side of the line? So do I have to cross your sector to get to mine. It is like a bunch of freaking cry babies. When I get on my boat its an escape for me from the real world. Relax and go out and fish with family without cell phones and without a bunch of peckerheads bothering me. And now we want more government rules out there. What a moron for who ever suggested such stupidity! 

History repeats itself! If we continue down this road I bet it wont be long before as a fisherman, when you come back to the docks some agent will tax you on your fish. Well Mr. Fisherman you caught a lot of fish today and pot smoking lazy ass over here didn't do to well because he was lost in the sector all day trying to find which half or third of the sector he was even suppose to be in because his brain was fried/baked which also made him to lazy to really fish anyhow. Soooooo you need to give me 75% of your fish to distribute to these fine outstanding people over here who didn't do so well.

Reading between the lines, the amendment makes it seem as though there is a thought of making a limit on how many recreational fishing licenses will be handed out also. What a croc of crap if thats true too.

less government people, not more! Believe it or not, I am not even one of the radicals. I usually shoot straight down the middle.


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## Contender (Apr 4, 2012)

Thanks for bringing this, sent my comments and posted the link on another forum that I am on. Not much response over there. Of course on both forums a response to the Council does not require someone to say they have responded.

From what I can tell there is little support for sector separation outside of charter for hire/head boat folks. That said they are persistent and vocal which frequently trumps quiet numbers. It is interesting how many people on this and other forums will take the time time to vent, rant and lament the ARS situation but won't take the time to respond to the Council, or possibly join an organization that could speak for them, in short get involved. 

I know I have not been as active as I could be nor as active as I am going to be. I realized that for the price of one relatively short offshore trip I could join a number of organizations that are engaged with theses issues, CCA, Rigs to Reefs, RFA, etc. and for the time of one trip (8 hours) I could understand the issues better and advocate in a number of places.

Many on this forum are hunters / gun owners possibly members of the NRA, an organization that is respected and likely feared by politicians but has been effective in blunting efforts to curtail gun owners rights.

Imagine if offshore fishers had the same clout. 

My .02 for Monday


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## Frenchy (Oct 2, 2007)

Added my voice to the opposition.


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## Salty Daze (Sep 25, 2011)

great point contender. i sent my comments also and try to be vocal and support those groups that can lobby for what I think is fair too. more people should and like you said maybe can become as powerful as the nra.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

Andy Strelcheck told the council a while back in response to a question asked by Dr. Crabtree that even when the red snapper fishery is determined to be rebuilt, which currently is the year 2032 (20 years from now) that the abc will most likely be in the range of 14 to 15 million pounds meaning that the rec sector will be allocated 7 million or so and that the projections for the rec season will be *60 days + -. *

Now to be certain everyone understands, this means that in 20 years we will be looking at a 60 day season + -. 

How can they be so pompous as to predict what the season will be in 20 years, when they have already proven to be incapable of predicting what is happening TODAY by their actions 20 years ago? Couple that with the fact that the data is dismally incomplete TODAY, the idea of anyone, especially our Regional Administrator having the capability to see that far in the future is ludicrous. 

“We’ve got to come to grips with the fact that we’re not going to get a longer season,” Crabtree said. He suggested the only way to reach a longer season might be “something radical” such as switching to a one fish per day limit or issuing tags to anglers that allow each person to catch a certain number of snapper per year."

“Yeah, we’re doing something wrong,” said Roy Crabtree, the fisheries service official in charge of setting the annual catch limit. “We’re giving (recreational anglers) too many days... The only thing to do when we keep going over (the harvest limit) is to give them fewer days.” 

What an arrogant attitude for our Regional Administrator to have.

Remember, just 5 years ago we were fishing for red snapper with a *194 day season and 4 fish limits* in a 9.12 million pound TAC. Now are saying that even with 14-15 million pound TACs 20 years down the road we will facing *60 day seasons probably with 1 fish limits*?

WHAT has changed since 2006 that warrants such draconian reduction for the next 20 years or so? Oh yeah, EDF's Reauthorization of the Magnuson in 2006 - THAT'S the only thing that has changed. 

Capt. Thomas J. Hilton


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## younghooker (Oct 7, 2007)

2 fish limit on snapper, instead of 4.... we could be open all year... how about a slot limit.. say 18" to 25 ".. release the sows ???


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