# Hope For Our Gulf Fisheries?



## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

We _*ALL*_ need to give our full support to this;

http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2015/03/louisiana_red-snapper_limits_m.html

"Pausina hopes the dichotomy between the state and federal seasons will all be moot before very long. He and his four equals from Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have finally agreed on a framework to shift control of Gulf of Mexico red snapper from the federal government to the five Gulf states.

He wouldn't divulge details, but said the public will know them soon enough.


"It's coming out this week, and we're going to push it up to Congress," he said. "There are bills popping up all the time, but the five Gulf states could never agree on one, so we got together, locked ourselves in a room and came up with a framework.


"Right now, we're reaching out to our congressional delegations. We want complete control of red snapper, for starters, and we want the money, too."


Pausina said Sen. David Vitter has filed a bill that's serving as a placeholder for the final bill that will include the parameters of the agreement.


The move is necessary because federal management of red snapper is broken, according to Pausina.


"We've been trying to push it through the appropriate channels, and that's through the Gulf Council. It's bureaucracy at its finest," he said. "*My personal opinion is the Gulf Council has been corrupted. Special-interest groups have gotten in, and they control the votes now.*


"It's no longer you dictating how you want your fisheries managed, but some special-interest group somewhere around the country (EDF) that's decided they want to implement catch-shares or do these other things that we're all against."


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## submariner (Oct 2, 2007)

and how do we support this effectively ??


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## Yakin_it_up (Jun 16, 2013)

submariner said:


> and how do we support this effectively ??



There is only one option. 







We need to form a special interest group to ban all the special interest groups. Like most problems in the world this was solved years ago by Hank Williams Jr


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## Candy (Jan 6, 2008)

I can't wait to see the plan, Tom. Thanks for sharing this teaser with us.

Support from the masses will be necessary unless all 5 of the Gulf State Governors on the same day re-called the representatives from their respective states.

Immediately, the GC no longer has any credibility because none of the Gulf States have representation anymore. Now, they (GC) are nothing but the big bully on the block without a cover (the States involvement), that makes them appear legitimate.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm hoping when they say "complete control of snapper" that it includes the commercial side of the equation to be controlled by the states as well.


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## T-total (Jan 14, 2015)

Tom Hilton said:


> I'm hoping when they say "complete control of snapper" that it includes the commercial side of the equation to be controlled by the states as well.


Hope and Change. Where have we heard this before?


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

T-total said:


> Hope and Change. Where have we heard this before?


Yeah, the Sector Separation crowd....enviro-funded conservative ******* charter and commercial captains lining up at the polls to vote for Obama so they can get their entitlements called Catch Shares.

That's it.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Tom Hilton said:


> I'm hoping when they say "complete control of snapper" that it includes the commercial side of the equation to be controlled by the states as well.



That would be fantastic.


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## RedLeg (Mar 15, 2014)

Seems like a states rights case to begin with!


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Just read that the proposed change will include control of the whole fishery, including commercial. Outstanding!


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## Berry (Mar 8, 2011)

based on history I am guessing things will work out better for the commercial and charter guys and the regular joe weekend fishermen will lose more access to our natural resource to groups of people making a profit.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

http://www.louisianasportsman.com/details.php?id=7843

“In a nutshell, it removes red snapper from the federal government completely - commercially and recreationally,” Pausina said. “And it removes it from the Fisheries Management Plan and from the Gulf Council’s authority and puts it over into this new group that we’re going to form.
“We would then put a management plan together through this authority, which would be the five state directors, and give stock assessments, set up our management scheme, set up our monitoring and our season framework. Then bless it, get it out there and start managing red snapper. That’s really it.”


:thumbup:


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## Joerob5 (Feb 5, 2010)

Thanks for the info Adam! We can only hope that it goes through.


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## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

I find it funny to hear all the commotion over the Endangered Red Snapper. In my opinion, it's not the tastiest fish in the ocean. Yes you will find me fishing for them when the season opens up, but I'm not going out of my way just for this fish. What's the big deal about the Red Snapper. Is it that the Head Boats can make a Ton of Money when the season opens up? I bet that's the main issue. A boat load of people a short run to your honey hole....load up on the red snapper...short run back in='s a ton of money in a season.
To me it's a money thing. 
Whyme
Mako My Dayo


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

WhyMe said:


> I find it funny to hear all the commotion over the Endangered Red Snapper. In my opinion, it's not the tastiest fish in the ocean. Yes you will find me fishing for them when the season opens up, but I'm not going out of my way just for this fish. What's the big deal about the Red Snapper. Is it that the Head Boats can make a Ton of Money when the season opens up? I bet that's the main issue. A boat load of people a short run to your honey hole....load up on the red snapper...short run back in='s a ton of money in a season.
> To me it's a money thing.
> Whyme
> Mako My Dayo


It's important to understand that this whole fiasco has NEVER really been about RED SNAPPER - it is about creating revenue streams from each and every federally-managed fish that swims out there. Red Snapper is just the gateway fish.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

WhyMe said:


> I find it funny to hear all the commotion over the Endangered Red Snapper. In my opinion, it's not the tastiest fish in the ocean. Yes you will find me fishing for them when the season opens up, but I'm not going out of my way just for this fish. What's the big deal about the Red Snapper. Is it that the Head Boats can make a Ton of Money when the season opens up? I bet that's the main issue. A boat load of people a short run to your honey hole....load up on the red snapper...short run back in='s a ton of money in a season.
> To me it's a money thing.
> Whyme
> Mako My Dayo


Just because you don't like to fish for them doesn't mean others don't. The feds have been steadily chipping away at the recreational anglers fishing rights for years, and now the states are going to stand up and take some back. Right now it is just snapper but hopefully in the coming years the states will manage all of the fisheries and take the Feds out of it. Also, in this area, Red Snapper is the prevalent salt water game fish. It is a fish that is easily found and caught. It's a popular fish to target by the majority or recreational salt water anglers in the Northern Gulf, whether you choose to or not. People charter boats, buy boats, and ride on friends boats just to catch these fish. Just as you don't care to fish for them, there are some folks who only go offshore to catch them when they are in season and do no other offshore fishing. Someone in a 17' skiff can get out and catch them just as soon as someone in a 72' Viking.

Ultimately, this is about our rights to a public resource. A resource that we have been restricted access to for no reason for years. This is a step to change that and provide equal access to everyone rather than give access to the vast majority of the fishery to a select few.


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

Best decisions are generally made at the lowest level that is feasible. It only makes sense that the states that actually border the waters are responsible for maintaining its fishery. I'm for it!


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Thanks Tom, for bringing this to light. 

I believe this is something that we can all get behind. People in the Gulf region are getting tired of being bulldozed by the commercial fish and restaurant lobby.


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Something else to consider is the fact that, like Adam and Tom have both mentioned, ARS is just the start. Look at how suddenly AJ, Triggerfish, Red Grouper, Gag Grouper, and so on, are all "overfished and experiencing overfishing". No factual data to support any of this, and then it's on to Cobia, Kings, Flounder, and more. None of this has ever been about properly managing our fisheries, just about greed...


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## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

To the members that replied to my comments. I understand that the Red Snapper is the Gateway for the Gulf. Also, I never said I don't like fishing for them. I said it's not the tastiest fish in the ocean. Lastly, I also mentioned that you'll find me fishing for them as well, but not going out of my way.

I think I'll start putting down.
Ask me ...............!
Whyme
Mako My Dayo


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

It's easy to complain about the Federal gov for taking our resources. However, their actions don't occur in a vacuum. The commercial fishing interests are the most responsible party in this whole affair. Having the states control the fisheries may sound good today, but do you honestly believe the same commercial interests can't more easily influence state politicians? The answer is definitely and they most likely already have.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

MaxP said:


> It's easy to complain about the Federal gov for taking our resources. However, their actions don't occur in a vacuum. The commercial fishing interests are the most responsible party in this whole affair. Having the states control the fisheries may sound good today, but do you honestly believe the same commercial interests can't more easily influence state politicians? The answer is definitely and they most likely already have.


But it's a lot easier for a Texan to influence his state congressman than it is for him to influence one from Utah.


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

So I guess you dont think they've influenced the Utah, Tennessee, Montana, Michigan, etc reps already? Are you inferring that the states are more corrupt than the feds? Why should the senator from Wisconsin have a say in what goes on offshore of Alabama? Why should the senator from Mississippi say what goes on offshore in lake erie?


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

Lyin Too said:


> So I guess you dont think they've influenced the Utah, Tennessee, Montana, Michigan, etc reps already? Are you inferring that the states are more corrupt than the feds?


No, you guessed wrong. I'm sure they have paid off whomever they could at the national level. State governments and politicians are much more easily corrupted in my opinion. I'm not arguing that one is more corrupt than the other, just that one is cheaper. I don't see how the states will be able to manage a resource that is not in their jurisdiction either. I guess my main point is that I don't have faith in the states to manage the fishery any better.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

MaxP said:


> No, you guessed wrong. I'm sure they have paid off whomever they could at the national level. State governments and politicians are much more easily corrupted in my opinion. I'm not arguing that one is more corrupt than the other, just that one is cheaper. I don't see how the states will be able to manage a resource that is not in their jurisdiction either. I guess my main point is that I don't have faith in the states to manage the fishery any better.



So who exactly would you have manage the fishery then?


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

sniperpeeps said:


> So who exactly would you have manage the fishery then?


I don't see how the federal government couldn't be incuded, but I don't have a good answer. Another major problem with the proposal is it is for one species of fish. Should be all encompassing.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

MaxP said:


> I don't see how the federal government couldn't be incuded, but I don't have a good answer. Another major problem with the proposal is it is for one species of fish. Should be all encompassing.


I agree that is should be all encompassing, but we have to start somewhere. I also feel like the federal government should have absolutely nothing to do with recreational fishing.


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

sniperpeeps said:


> I agree that is should be all encompassing, but we have to start somewhere. I also feel like the federal government should have absolutely nothing to do with recreational fishing.


If it wasn't for the federal gov, red drum would be wiped out in Louisiana and Florida. Better management, accountability, and honest assessments are what we need.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

MaxP said:


> If it wasn't for the federal gov, red drum would be wiped out in Louisiana and Florida. Better management, accountability, and honest assessments are we need.



Yet who manages the red drum now? The states.


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

sniperpeeps said:


> Yet who manages the red drum now? The states.


Because the feds made them a game fish is the answer And protects the breading aged fish. The proposal looks like our best hope for reasonable management and I hope it passes. I just don't see the states being able to do anything past their own waters.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

MaxP said:


> Because the feds made them a game fish is the answer And protects the breading aged fish. The proposal looks like our best hope for reasonable management and I hope it passes. I just don't see the states being able to do anything past their own waters.



The wording in the proposal says out to 200nm.It also says that it will take precedence over the MS act as I quoted below. If that's the case then it would be awesome. I would 100% support game fish status to the snapper but that would be very unlikely to ever happen. I'm going to put my faith in our state and hope it works out. There should be equal access to everyone.


"Additionally, this Act and any provisions of this Act regarding management and 
enforcement of any regulations and management provisions to the extent that there is 
any conflict will take precedence over the MSA and any portions of the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council's Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan."


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## T-total (Jan 14, 2015)

sniperpeeps said:


> Yet who manages the red drum now? The states.


Feds closed down all harvest of Red Drum years ago in federal waters. Thats why your states have Red Fish to catch.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

T-total said:


> Feds closed down all harvest of Red Drum years ago in federal waters. Thats why your states have Red Fish to catch.



No one is going outside 9 miles to catch redfish recreationally. The only thing that endangered the red drum was commercial fishing, imagine that.


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## T-total (Jan 14, 2015)

sniperpeeps said:


> No one is going outside 9 miles to catch redfish recreationally. The only thing that endangered the red drum was commercial fishing, imagine that.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I know you have limited knowledge of the gulf and thats ok, but yes Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas can Recreationally fish for Red Fish in Federal waters they have been catching them off rigs for many years, way before you retired. Pretty simple really if you think about it, if it can be commercially fished it can be Recreationally fished.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

T-total said:


> I know you have limited knowledge of the gulf and thats ok, but yes Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas can Recreationally fish for Red Fish in Federal waters they have been catching them off rigs for many years, way before you retired. Pretty simple really if you think about it, if it can be commercially fished it can be Recreationally fished.



I was speaking only of Florida. The overfishing of redfish was due to commercial harvest. You can try to spin it how you want. Unchecked commercial fishing was the culprit. Commercial harvest was halted and the fish rebounded. 


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

T-total said:


> I know you have limited knowledge of the gulf and thats ok, but yes Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas can Recreationally fish for Red Fish in Federal waters they have been catching them off rigs for many years, way before you retired. Pretty simple really if you think about it, if it can be commercially fished it can be Recreationally fished.


So, are you saying that those states can posses red drum in federal waters?


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## goheel (Feb 3, 2011)

I think the solution is to make red snappers a game fish. If the population is as endangered as the Fed says it is, then it shouldn't be a problem making ARS a game fish only.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

T-Total=Fairwaterfishing=Tom Ard


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Lyin Too said:


> So I guess you dont think they've influenced the Utah, Tennessee, Montana, Michigan, etc reps already? Are you inferring that the states are more corrupt than the feds? Why should the senator from Wisconsin have a say in what goes on offshore of Alabama? Why should the senator from Mississippi say what goes on offshore in lake erie?


No, What I'm inferring is that a fisherman in Texas, Florida or anywhere else has little to know influence on another state. By changing control to the state you have a better chance to influence their decisions. I have contacted my state reps here in Arkansas about it, but we can't seriously believe the number of people who live in non-gulf states and would actually contact their representatives and senators is significant enough to make a difference. 

How much do you guys there care about the deer harvest in Arkansas enough to contact our reps? 

I just think state control will level the playing field between the public and the special interest. How much, I don't know, but at least you will be able to walk into an office of your local rep and bend their ear.

Your Lake Erie question is my whole point. I don't know if the fed is controlling their harvest and don't think they should. I think that should be left up to the states. If the gulf states could come up with a program that worked for all of them, I think they should be able to manage all the waters off their coast.


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## Waste-N-Away (May 20, 2009)

WhyMe said:


> I find it funny to hear all the commotion over the Endangered Red Snapper. In my opinion, it's not the tastiest fish in the ocean. Yes you will find me fishing for them when the season opens up, but I'm not going out of my way just for this fish. What's the big deal about the Red Snapper. Is it that the Head Boats can make a Ton of Money when the season opens up? I bet that's the main issue. A boat load of people a short run to your honey hole....load up on the red snapper...short run back in='s a ton of money in a season.
> To me it's a money thing.
> Whyme
> Mako My Dayo


its not that they are the best fish in the Gulf its that they are the most plentiful, since this fiasco started the snapper population has exploded to the point that its hard to get through the snapper to get to the other fish. The snapper have eaten everything else...except for the lion fish.. maybe this is a step in the right direction, it will take a few years of snapper harvesting to get the fish populations to balance out again around here


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## billin (Oct 14, 2007)

*haha*

yeah ok redfish in federal waters peeps having no knowledge of the gulf and La and texas fishing federal waters for them.....
hey azz hat federal waters start 9 miles offshore in fl not 3
why would a angler west of here leave the pass to catch drum their river systems are packed with them
red drum were overfished due to the blackened redfish recipe craze in the early 90s it became the thing to eat and they were overharvested on the commercial side mainly due to the fact they spawn off the beach in the winter in clear water and you can kill millions of them per trip with a gill net. how do I know you may ask because back in the day I did it worked the deck lived through it and suffered when it was closed it was a real money maker in NC back in the day that and the BFT were the only game in town during the cold months


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*We are not going to take it anymore!*

:thumbsup: Hopefully all five gulf states can work together for the benefit of ALL. The only thing working under the fed system is greed. Like it or not, admit it or not, EDF controls NOAA. EDF is hell bent on shoving catch shares (limited access paid fishing) down the throats of the American salt water angler. It's time, in fact way past time, that the states stood up for themselves and tell the feds, 'we are not going to take it anymore!'


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## RMS (Dec 9, 2008)

Tom Hilton said:


> T-Total=Fairwaterfishing=Tom Ard




http://www.facebook.com/Fairwaterfishing/posts/10154498523035204


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Shares/Separation is NOAA controlled by EDF's attempt to divide & conquer. The more divided we are the easier it is to controll us. EDF is strong, very strong. However, EDF, Pew, & Walton combined are no match for the UNITED American anglers, and they know it. Their solution...Pit recreational against commercial; recreational against recreational (as in Shares/Separation). And it's working; working for them not the American fishermen. 
Rest assured EDF's NOAA will not give up without a fight. Like a 9 day ARS season? Welcome to EDF control!


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

johnf said:


> No, What I'm inferring is that a fisherman in Texas, Florida or anywhere else has little to know influence on another state. By changing control to the state you have a better chance to influence their decisions. I have contacted my state reps here in Arkansas about it, but we can't seriously believe the number of people who live in non-gulf states and would actually contact their representatives and senators is significant enough to make a difference.
> 
> How much do you guys there care about the deer harvest in Arkansas enough to contact our reps?
> 
> ...


Now this I agree with.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*The greed associated with federal control*

:thumbsup: " If the gulf states could come up with a program that worked for all of them, I think they should be able to manage all the waters off their coast."
Absolutely essential if we are ever to break away from the greed associated with federal control.


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## Candy (Jan 6, 2008)

MaxP said:


> It's easy to complain about the Federal gov for taking our resources. However, their actions don't occur in a vacuum. The commercial fishing interests are the most responsible party in this whole affair. Having the states control the fisheries may sound good today, but do you honestly believe the same commercial interests can't more easily influence state politicians? The answer is definitely and they most likely already have.


Don't be so sure. Sector Separation has put the State in the uncomfortable position of having to chose between ticking off several hundred charter and commercial boat owners or 1.3 MILLION licensed private recreational fishermen who VOTE. Yes, vote. 

Our Governor appoints the Commissioners of the FWC, and our State legislature provides funding to the FWC. Don't think for a minute that the masses of voters who fish don't count...we count a lot...at the ballot box.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Candy I didn't get to catch up with you at the FWC meeting in Destin but I just wanted to thank you for your comments. They were well spoken and I feel captured the feelings of the majority of Rec anglers.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Tom Hilton said:


> T-Total=Fairwaterfishing=Tom Ard



That would explain that then.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

RMS said:


> http://www.facebook.com/Fairwaterfishing/posts/10154498523035204


I wonder why Tom Ard would feel the need to create another alias on this forum (T-Total) - is fairwaterfishing banned? Hey, why not post under your real name Ard? Perhaps your EDF masters have told you to get off these forums because you keep sticking your feet in your mouth on the issues?

Here's a quote from the link above;

*Fairwater II Charters, Captain Tom Ard
*

August 11, 2014 · 

A response to the privatization accusations made by the private vessel lobby....... share with fellow Captains and the public.
‘Truthiness’ on Sector Separation abounds
It’s an age-old joke that fishermen stretch the truth. So, I thoroughly enjoyed the P.C. Herald’s August 4, 2014, “Our View: Truth and Truthiness in our world.” We’ve all heard the one that got away story where the fish was soooo big. Truthiness like this is funny. *Yet the spate of truthiness about how the much needed fishery regulation of sector separation is somehow privatizing a public natural resource is serious truthiness: a troubling falsehood that deserves clarifying."*

This is how these guys work - they say things and simply expect you to believe them at face value. The problem that they have is that, as Ard exhibited above by attempting to post using yet another false identity, is that sooner or later the TRUTH comes out.

You see, Ard, and his cronies have been accepting money from The Environmental Defense Fund (The Charter Fisherman's Association has received well over $1,000,000 to date from EDF in the past 5 years). Do you really think there are no strings attached to this 7 figure sum of money? Of course there are.

Here is a quote from the horse's mouth about 6 years ago that explains The Plan (from the EDF Progress Report);

"The work we are doing with a core group of for-hire recreational fishermen, _whose movement we helped develop and continue to support_, called SOS (Save Our Sector - *now called The Charter Fisherman's Association*), *will be important to continue to move catch shares forward in the for-hire sector of the recreational red snapper fishery.* SOS now has over 200 supporters across all five Gulf states. This membership, which includes boat owners and crew members, reflects a significant portion of the 1,100 licenses in the for-hire fleet. The group's work was a key factor in the Gulf Council's October decision to consider separation of the recreational sector into for-hire and private angler sectors in the generic Annual Catch Limit/Accountability Measures amendment (now Amendment 40), which will be subject to public hearings in either December or January and likely voted on next summer. *The amendment will form the foundation for a for-hire IFQ and harvest tags for private anglers."*

Well, there you have it. They have been promising the useful idiots at CFA that they too can get what the commercial red snapper fat cats got - FREE MONEY from the conversion of our Public Trust Resource (OUR fish) *via IFQS* into private commodities that they can sell, trade, or lease annually at enormous profits. Meanwhile, the majority of Gulf recreational fishermen are shut out of the fishery, the nation receives no resource rent from this harvest of our Public Trust Resources, and the future of fishing for our children has just been altered permanently.

Yet, here we are - the EDF-funded boys lying, saying that Sector Separation is 1) "much needed fishery regulation" and 2) "is really NOT about privatizing the resource". Both are bogus lies.

Kinda seems like they are telling us it's raining when they are REALLY pissing on our legs ain't it?


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*All about control*

:thumbdown:It's a forgone conclusion that EDF will do any and everything in its power to stay in control, to stop the states from taking over the fishery including pitting not only recreational against commercial, but also recreational against recreational as in Sector Separation. The more divided we are, the more we fight among ourselves, the easier we are to control. The EDF gang is 'all about control!' They are experts. 
Would really be interesting to see how long NOAA and the Gulf Council gangs would last if they had to face the VOTE. Can't help but wonder how many votes Crabtree would get.


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## lbhuntley (Oct 6, 2007)

State Directors are permanent members of the Gulf Council. Sixteen of seventeen voting members are selected by state governors. How will the gulf states do a better job than they are doing now?


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*Take it out of their hands completely*

Take it out of their hands completely.
The voting members, with heavy influence from King Crabtree, are appointed by the Sect. of Commerce. The governors summit recommendations. Governor Scott's recommendation for the Recreational representative, Bo, was not chosen. Instead Pam Dana was appointed. She is now in her second term. 

Dr. Pam Dana is a charter boat owner. Amendment 40 could benefit some charter boats. The Gulf Council's own web sight recorded over a 90% public comment disapproval rate of Amendment 40. Pam Dana voted YES on Amendment 40.

Take it out of their hands completely. Crabtree & Co. have been complete disaster areas.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

lbhuntley said:


> State Directors are permanent members of the Gulf Council. Sixteen of seventeen voting members are selected by state governors. How will the gulf states do a better job than they are doing now?


Actually, Roy Crabtree makes the final selection, and he is certainly biased in favor of Catch Shares and makes his selections accordingly.

To ALL Gulf Recreational fishermen;

The GSRSMA is a big deal and it is our best hope. *One thing that we can all do ASAP is contact your governor and key elected officials to express support for state management. *We are hearing that the EDF/CFA crew is simply hammering those offices in opposition and they are the only ones officials are hearing from. Our state guys stuck their necks out on this one and so we need to do everything we can to stand behind them on it. If you can get your key people to begin reaching out to their reps, it would be the best thing we can do at this point.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

here is what I sent to Rubio, Nelson, Miller and Gov Scott, 
-------------------------------------------------

I am writing to request your support of the recently developed state based plan to manage Gulf Of Mexico Red Snapper under the "Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority". Florida and the other Gulf states have proven to be highly successful at fish and wildlife management in a way that conserves natural resources while allowing for reasonable public access. 

The states' plan is predicated on transferring management authority away from the Gulf Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Management by the states is the only solution to the current unaccountable and mismanaged federal system of fisheries management. The gulf states are among the nation's leaders in marine fisheries management. 

Under this new management structure, each state would have authority to manage red snapper out to 200 miles off its coastline. Each state would be responsible for developing and implementing a red snapper management plan for its waters, which would be approved by the rest of the states.

I am confident that the Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority management outcomes will align with the health of the resource and angler access to it. 

Thank You and All the Best,


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Very well said! Do we have your permission to pass it on? If so I would like to FAX it to as many pertinent individuals as I can get FAX numbers for. I have numerous numbers; however, if anyone has any more please pass them on & I will take it from there. What name should I use for credits? 
Bob H.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

feel free to pass it on


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Thank you sir! This is one we must win.

This is what I published on the Internet. Thought the pretty girls would help draw attention.
I suggest forwarding your excellent letter to as many of our representatives as possible. 




Mark W. sent the following to Rubio, Nelson, Miller, and Governor Scott. Please pass it on to as many of our representatives as you possibly can. It's time to take back OUR fishery! 

I am writing to request your support of the recently developed state based plan to manage Gulf Of Mexico Red Snapper under the "Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority". Florida and the other Gulf states have proven to be highly successful at fish and wildlife management in a way that conserves natural resources while allowing for reasonable public access. 
The states' plan is predicated on transferring management authority away from the Gulf Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Management by the states is the only solution to the current unaccountable and mismanaged federal system of fisheries management. The gulf states are among the nation's leaders in marine fisheries management. Under this new management structure, each state would have authority to manage red snapper out to 200 miles off its coastline. Each state would be responsible for developing and implementing a red snapper management plan for its waters, which would be approved by the rest of the states.
I am confident that the Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority management outcomes will align with the health of the resource and angler access to it. Mark W.


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