# GMFMC Council Member Appointments



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=smalltxt vAlign=top><SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl19_lblFullMessage>Gov Crist's appointments office has come up with a list of four candidates for Florida's At-Large representative to the GMFMC Gulf Council, for consideration by the Secretary of Commerce and Director of NMFS. This list is on its way to the Sec Commerce as we speak. 

*Martin Fisher* - a commercial guy who owns three boats. I did some checking around and I hear that he's a west coast version of Tony Iarocci. Tony is a commercial fisherman who is on the South Atlantic Council. If you look at his voting pattern, he has consistently voted no on regs that will hurt recreational fishermen. I've known Tony since 2001 and he's a good guy. If Martin Fisher is anything like Tony Iarocci, we can work with this guy to curtail the non-stop outpouring of harmful regs from the Gulf Council that are based on fiction. *He is the #1 choice of the 100 Fathom Fishing Club.*

*Larry Abele* - a scientist/ professor at FSU. He is the #1 choice of Bob Zales, a fellow PFF member that many of us know and respect. Some would say that as a scientist, Abelecoulddemolish the fictional "science" coming fromthe Gummint scientist careeristsworking forthe Gulf Council. *He is the # 2 choice of the 100 Fathom Fishing Club.*

Jerry Smalley -he admits he is an Enviro.100FFC doesn'twant him, period.

Colecchio - Folks, don't forget for one minute that this guy is desperate. He will say anything and do anything to get appointed by Gov Crist to the Gulf Council so that he can lord it over us peasants. 

Let me ask you this - do you wantsomeone who is out of touch with offshore recreational fishermen's concernsto represent you on the Council? Do you want someone who is a meatpuppet dancing to the tune of the Florida Guides Association and the CCA to represent you? Both FGA and CCA do a great job with backbay inshore issues but both are out of touch with offshore issues. The RFA is the nationwide leader for offshore recreational fishermen's rights.Every time CCA gets involved with offshore issues, they invariably come out in favor of the Council amendment that will do the most harm to recreational fishermen. Do you want an out-of-touchguy who is a backbay, flyfishing, catch & release, flatsboat tarpon guide to represent your offshore bottomfishing & pelagic interests? . Not only that, butColecchio has adecade-long pattern of abusive, personal attacks against anyone who disagrees with him. We need someone on the Council who can work well with others andbe effective.Even if Colecchio was omniscient and all-knowing (which he is <U>not</U>), his toxic, abrasive personality guarantees that the other Council members will turn a deaf ear to him. 100FFC doesn't want him, period.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to see the right person selected for the Gulf Council, it's vital to contact the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of NMFS, the NMFSAssistant Administrator for Fisheries and the Florida Governor's Appointments Office. Here is the contact info you need to make your voice heard.

*US Dept Commerce, Secretary Gary Locke, 1401 Consitution Ave NW, Washington DC 20230 fax 202-482-5685*

*cc:NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Director Jane Lubchenco, 1315 E. West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910*

*cc: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Asst Administrator for Fisheries Eric Schwaab, 1315 E. West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910*

*cc: Florida Governor's Appointments Office, Mavis Knight, Capitol Building, Room 705, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 **[email protected]*

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for getting involved. I hope I've given you enough information that you can make an informed decision and voice your opinion to the federal & state people I've listed above.

Thanks,

Mark, Catch-All - Pres., 100 Fathom Fishing Club </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

btt


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">You seem to enjoy hearing yourself talk.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">For those of you who can make up your own minds, and think that a recreational fisherman would be a better representative than a commercial fisherman I would ask you to check out my references, history of advocacy and even google my name.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Better yet, ask me what I think about the issues like catch shares, unjustified closures, data collection and sector separation. I'll be happy to honestly answer you. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I like to measure my effectiveness and worth by the caliber of my adversaries. Unfortunately the above poster does little to bolster my ego. <P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">He is right. I'm sharp, trese,to the point and am not well known for pulling my punches or being politically correct.I shoot straight and true. So this sort of criticism does not bother me.As Chuck Yeager said, "You know you are over your target when you start taking flack."<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I don't "want " this job. Just like you, I just want to fish. This is the third time though that I've been asked to fill a councilseat. So here I am.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This one was held for many yearsby Julie Morris. Julie is an academic and acted as more of a rubber stamp and advocate of NMFS staff positions and brought little to noindependent critical thinking to the seat. She did not vote often in our favor.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We have a chance to change the voting structure of the Council and bring fairness and science back to the process. I can't promise that you will get that with another academic like Abele, or a commercial guy like Martin Fisher. But I can assure you you'll get it with me.<o></o>

You are all very knowledgeable guys. You don't need to be told who to support. If you have met me or like what I have to say, send an email to your congressman.If you don't, well that only means that I've failed to get our collective recreational fishing message accross.

At the very least I've but myself out thereto try to make a difference. Seated or not, I'll call that a success.


----------



## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

> *Gary S. Colecchio (3/17/2010)*You seem to enjoy hearing yourself talk.


Do you like to see yourself POST?

at least defend yourself.............


----------



## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

opcorn Welcome to the forum.... I think?


----------



## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

> *Realtor (3/17/2010)*opcorn Welcome to the forum.... I think?


Jim you know i dont start Sh!& .....but dont i have a point?


----------



## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

sure do, this Gary dude joined in november and comes off with a comment like above..... This ought to be a good one. 

come on gary, defend yourself, tell us what you are about?????


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

What would you like to know?


----------



## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

I read the post above,

Let us know where you stand on SOS and Catch Shares and all those items?

(Your words from above)

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Better yet, ask me what I think about the issues like catch shares, unjustified closures, data collection and sector separation. I'll be happy to honestly answer you. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sure thing.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">First as a matter of background, I do not subscribe to entitling a small few to the majority of a resource that belongs to all the people of the United States. Catch shares allocates the greatest percentage of a undefinable total quantity of fish to commercial fisherman, who have traditionally fought to diminish that of recreational fisherman. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Catch share works for a well regulated industry where fish are a commodity. Fortunately we as recreational fisherman do not sell fish and cannot be regulated on the water or at the dock, because we do not trade in fish.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The problem is that Magnuson-Steven was never intended to regulate guys like you and me. We were dragged into this by commercial interests who were concerned that we were affecting their profits. It is the fault of our previous representatives that this was allowed to go on to the point where we are now; inextricably involved in it.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We need a mechanism to opt out and not be treated like or compared to commercial fishermen.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Applying catch share regulations and methodology to us even in the guise of better data collection places us in a worse position than we are. It is fundamentally inappropriate and must be opposed at all costs. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">And that is our challenge. Ms. Lubchenco served as vice chair of the board of trustees of Environmental Defense Fund prior to her appointment to NOAA, where she was a key architect of the catch share philosophy. She is literally invested in it as we have seen in her diverting her agencies cooperative research funds to her catch share program. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">So we are faced with a regulatory agency lead by a true believer in socially re-engineering our behavior by restructuring fisheries into a marketable commodity, a fishy equivalent of cap and trade and we are caught in the middle of it. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Be certain, we will have no friends in the commercial sector when it comes to divesting ourselves of it. <o></o>


----------



## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

Gary....1 question

could you please not copy and paste....... and share your true feelings EVERY time you post???


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

> *bluffman2 (3/17/2010)*
> 
> Do you like to see yourself POST?


 _oh, SNAP! _



Hey Stephen - "good shot, Red 2!" :clap

Catch


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Save Our Sector initiative is just an extension of the above. It is lead by Charter-for-hire (CFH) guys who hold dual licensure.That is to say they fish under commercial and recreational licensure. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This co-mingling of incompatible business methods by a comparatively very small group of operators is being directly fundedby EnvironmentalDefense Fund to attack and redistribute the minority held recreational allocation.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">All this with the goal of market domination by a few commercial fishermen. Again with us being marginalized and at our expense. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">There is no benefit by sector separation to recreational fishermen or charter boat operators at all. Florida GuidesAssociation does not support it nor does NACO.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We already have sector separation; commercial and recreational.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">My view of sector separation expands upon what we currently have in place. Businesses would be prohibited from holding both recreational and commercial permits. Either you are a commercial fisherman and make a living selling fish , or you are a recreational guide and sell fishing. <o></o>


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

here's a Colecchio quote that Telum Pisces dug up from the FS Conservation forum: 

*"I say again, as I said on the thread about grouper. I am a fly fisherman. I have no first hand knowledge about the state of the grouper fishery. But I have confidence in the guys I know who do to accurately present it to the Gulf Council. "* (hat tip to Telum Pisces)

Guys, do you really want an unknowledgable, out of touch backbay catch & release guy to represent us <U>offshore</U> pelagic & bottomfishing rec fishermen? 

I can just imagine Colecchio foaming at the mouth and bitching if a hardcore deepdropper who never touched a fly rod in his life tried to join some FWC committee thatoversaw inshore/backbay snook, redfish, tarpon, whatever. It's the same thing.

Catch


----------



## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

> *Gary S. Colecchio (3/17/2010)*<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The Save Our Sector initiative is just an extension of the above. It is lead by Charter-for-hire (CFH) guys who hold dual licensure.That is to say they fish under commercial and recreational licensure. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This co-mingling of incompatible business methods by a comparatively very small group of operators is being directly fundedby EnvironmentalDefense Fund to attack and redistribute the minority held recreational allocation.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">All this with the goal of market domination by a few commercial fishermen. Again with us being marginalized and at our expense. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">There is no benefit by sector separation to recreational fishermen or charter boat operators at all. Florida GuidesAssociation does not support it nor does NACO.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We already have sector separation; commercial and recreational.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">My view of sector separation expands upon what we currently have in place. Businesses would be prohibited from holding both recreational and commercial permits. Either you are a commercial fisherman and make a living selling fish , or you are a recreational guide and sell fishing. <o></o>


<P style="BACKGROUND: white">Gary...honestly....did you copy and paste that ????<P style="BACKGROUND: white">tell the truth!


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

No, I just wrote that. It took me about twenty minutes. Although I've said various versions of itall before.



> Guys, do you really want an unknowledgable, out of touch backbay catch & release guy to represent us <U>offshore</U> pelagic & bottomfishing rec fishermen?


----------



## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

nice BOBO and AJ


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

Thanks.

Bonita on fly is the catsass. That was behind a shrimp boatin about 10 fathoms. 

That AJ was on a wreck and kickedmyass. That was on a20# Biscayne "Billy Baroo". 

I have some photos of me with sometiny red grouperswhich Florida sportsman thought was funny enough to embarass me by putting on the front page.I also did a FSTV show on grouper fishing out of Homosassa, which was so pitiful it never aired. I was the only one who caught fish. and I'm not well known for my bottom fishingprowess.


----------



## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Gary,

Please tell us what you think of spearfishing. And I mean any species that is legal to shoot. Do you feel that spearfishing should be treated different than hook and line? What is your take on the selective nature of spearfishing? (no bycatch) Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your eyes?


----------



## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Forone I appreciateCapt Colecchio making himself available here for questions. Great opportunity to read and understand the views of a potential council member.

- Far as I knowLarry Abele doesn't understand anything about the complex regulatory rubric that has resulted in the current state of affairs in the gulf fishery. Bobb Shipp is a well known professor / biologist. One academic type on the council is more than enough in my opinion. 


- Jerry Smalley= Enviro.

- MartinFisher= a commercial guy 

I like Capt Colecchio's position on recreational sector separation a lot - so for me choice on who to support is easy as a recreational fisherman. 

Mark W


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> *Telum Pisces (3/18/2010)*Gary, <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Please tell us what you think of spearfishing. And I mean any species that is legal to shoot. Do you feel that spearfishing should be treated different than hook and line? What is your take on the selective nature of spearfishing? (no bycatch) Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your eyes?


 <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Sure. I'm a spear fisherman. Or was until I moved to the west coast where the lack of visibility concerns mewhen shooting. To me it's the top of the game in fishing. It takes a lot more skill and balls to get into the water with afish and become the apex predator when there are other bigger things around trying to take it away from you, than standing around blindly on a boat waiting for something to happen. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Nothing against the guys who like doing that, but it's a bit too boring for me. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Having done it poisoned me to bottom fishing. I've always said that If I wanted a fish badly enough, I'd get in the water and shoot it.That's why I like sight fishing, there is the added excitement of hunting. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I'm an FRA member, which is largely populated with spearfishermen.You may want to post on spearboard and ask about me. You may get some mixed reviews there , but those who know me and heard me speak at council meetings will give you a good accounting of my positions. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Recently I spoke in defense of spearfishing during Bonefish and Tarpon Trust's assault on recreational permit fishing, along with Ed Walker,bothas an FRA and FGA member.I'd like to think that our testimony prevented unnecessary restrictions on the species being imposed on us. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">You are right. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">With spearfishing there is no bycatch or guesswork. What you shoot is what you get. You can't get more species specific than that.Maybe If I can overcome my fear of dirty water I'll try it again. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Oh and I will say this. If I get the seat I will not refuse any offer totake me out and get in the water and see first hand what you see so I can bring that experience back to the council. <o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">That will be my challenge to you. I don't pretend to know as much as a lot of you guys, so I need the your participation in the process. <o></o>


----------



## Stillinscrubs (Mar 18, 2010)

Hello,



This is my first post. I joined because I will soon be moving to Florida and because a forum member asked me to provide my input on Gary.



Quick background: I am an outdoors guy, I live to hunt and fish. You name it, I do it, or want to try it if it involves fish or game animals. Offshore is my number one interest in saltwater. My screen name comes from the fact I couldn't wait to change my clothes when going deer or turkey hunting back when I worked as a nurse's aid. I would pull the camo on over my scrubs and get to the woods as quickly as possible when my shift was over. Now I wear the scrubs when I fish for tuna and other things.



Anyway, I am moving to Florida because of my passion for fishing. I am concerned about the outlook for both recreational access to fisheries and the health of those fisheries. I want people to be able to fish, I don't want commercial interests or animal rights activists limiting our access to any fish species unless it makes sense for the population of that specific species.



That being said, I have read what Gary has written for the better part of the last 7 years and interacted with him on a couple of forums. I think that he will have the interests of recreational anglers (I include spearfishing and free diving in this) at the top of his list of priorities and is the only reason I post here today.



I am concerned when people have an environmental, development, or commercial interest and come to a fisheries board, they may not have the interest of recreational anglers or the health and access to fisheries at the top of their list. I think that hunters and anglers are the best stewards of our wild resources. Ducks Unlimited, NWTF, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation are groups started by recreational hunters who had the best interests of wildlife at heart and wanted access for conservation reasons. 



Thanks,

Scrubs


----------



## snapperfan (Aug 30, 2009)

I have issues when a single forum member seems to have a personal grudge against Gary Colecchio and would make all this effort to denounce him when he is obviously by far the best choice the recreational fisherman has to fill the open Gulf Council seat.



I have followed Colecchio's posts from the old newsgroup days since before any of these forums existed. Yes, he can be an abrasive pit bull when it comes to something he believes in. Exactly what we need to fight the politicos for our fishing rights.



I sent an email and snail mail to the man in charge of the selection. If you care about your grouper and snapper fishing so will you.





snail mail

Dr. James W. Balsiger

National Marine Fisheries Service

1315 East-West Highway

Room 14636

Silver Spring, MD 20910



reference the "at-large seat on the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council"



Email: [email protected]


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

*Cornholio was seated next to a little girl on an airplane when he turned to her and said, 'Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.' 

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the total stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?' 

'Oh, I don't know,' said Cornholio. 'How about offshore pelagic fishing or bottomfishing?', and he smiles smugly. 

OK, ' she said. 'Those could be interesting topics. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?' 

Cornholio, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.' 

To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss offshore pelagic fishing or bottomfishing when you don't know shit?"*

*Catch-All*


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

See what I mean?

I've had more meaningful dialoge with a cat.


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

*"I say again, as I said on the thread about grouper. I am a fly fisherman. I have no first hand knowledge about the state of the grouper fishery. ":doh* - from a Colecchio post on FS

See what I mean? The guy himself admits that he's unqualified.:looser

Catch


----------



## Stillinscrubs (Mar 18, 2010)

> *CATCH-ALL (3/21/2010)**"I say again, as I said on the thread about grouper. I am a fly fisherman. I have no first hand knowledge about the state of the grouper fishery. ":doh* - from a Colecchio post on FS
> 
> 
> 
> ...




By your logic unless a person fishes for every species in the Gulf of Mexico and has personal experience/expertise with each of those species they are unqualified to be on the council. I think your efforts would be better spent on the green scientists on the council who have likely fished for none of the species in the gulf. Wouldn't it be wise to focus on the low hanging fruit?



I still prefer someone who will take the side of the recreational anglers. Since we have little to none now. What say you on that measure?



Your #1 man. A man who owns commercial boats. I can hardly imagine will be thinking first about securing the access to deep water for recreational anglers. Maybe he would like to bring the 240' rule from the Atlantic? Clearly it was an over exploited recreational fishery there, wouldn't you agree. When is he to speak with us commoners? 



Your #2 man. How many species does Abele fish for on a regular basis?



Regards,

Scrubs


----------



## Jack Hexter (Oct 2, 2007)

I've met Gary on several occasions and he IS the best candidate on the list submitted by Gov Crist. The other three candidates are either commercial or scientific guys who do not support the recreational interests.



Gary is a member of the FRA and Florida Guides Assoc.



I don't see any RFA or 100FFC members on the list and cannot find anything about Mark, other than his first name and a location of a fictional "location" alluded to by Seinfeld.


----------



## 1bandit (Jul 17, 2009)

> *Jack Hexter (3/22/2010)*I've met Gary on several occasions and he IS the best candidate on the list submitted by Gov Crist. The other three candidates are either commercial or scientific guys who do not support the recreational interests.
> 
> Gary is a member of the FRA and Florida Guides Assoc.
> 
> I don't see any RFA or 100FFC members on the list and cannot find anything about Mark, other than his first name and a location of a fictional "location" alluded to by Seinfeld.


I have never met Gary but have concerns about CCA affiliation and the fact thatother CCA representatives have sided with theEnviros andthrown Recreational fishermen under the buson all recent offshore issues. I would like to see in writing an explanation as to where his loyalties lie and how he feels about and will vote when issues with marine parks and reserves (the no fishing zones popping up all down the west coast) that the enviros want to bring here along with the deep dropping bans they brought to the east coast.

The other concern I have is his anger management issues that are on public record. I have never seen him respond or explain them.


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: small" mce_style="font-size: small;"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri" mce_style="font-family: Calibri;"><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I'm right here. You can ask me directly.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Here's how I responded to an RFA member,which by the way is supporting a commercial longliner for the position :<o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I don't pretend to know everything about everything. I've been privileged to work around qualified scientists to know thatI will never know everything about something. That's the thing about science and why it frustrates me at times. Unlike engineering, the more you know, the more you need to know. It never has an ending point. There are no hard and true answers. This is particularly observable in environmental sciences.I also am smart enough to understand whenI don't understand something, and am fortunate enough to have a large circle of guys who do as a resource. Kind of like my own think tank.Dr. Ray is one of those guys. You guys are another.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">My professional observationswere developed whileworking in the Environmental Management and Assessment division at SFWMD which involved a world class defensible database (DBHYDRO) and complying with reporting obligations in legal mandates and compliance issues. The most qualified and conscientiousscientists I worked with always approached their work with innocence and humility without pre-conceptions or agenda. None would call themselves an "expert" and always were the first to point out that there was much they didn?t know as they did.So when a guy, (that's all they are, after all) says otherwise, a red flag should rise and you need to start asking him serious questions, not only about his work, but where he is coming from and where he is going with it. There is always a back story.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Today , whenso many careers are made by funding by special interests, we must learn to parse and discriminate between pure science and science for hire. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Introducing money into the equation prostitutes the system and the science. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">For those of you who have read me over the years, you will know that I cannot be silent whenI see it, especially here on Con Fron. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">That's just me.  <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">As far as Dr. Abele, it surprises me that no one knows the guy at all. His endorsers have not even met him. No one knows what his positions are or has any experience with him.So unlike me, he's an unknown. So are you going to roll the dice with this guy?<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">You may not have met me personally yet, but I think everyone has a very clear idea about where I come from and where I am going.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Like any 'candidate' for office, it is clearly appropriate for us to understand your position on the issues. In order to dispell all these nasty rumors by those that clearly have it in for you, would you mind enlightening us as to your position on the following issues? Can you step up and go 'on the record' here?:<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">1) Red snapper assessment and Amendment 16- though I refer here to theSouth Atlantic, NMFS will use theexact same laws and methodsin the Gulf. Have you reviewed the models,assumptions, and margin of errorthat are leading to the closure?<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Sure . I am happy that you as an author of nasty rumors has allowed me the opportunity to talk about me. But you will not hear me say anything "on the record" now that I have not been on the record with before.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I do not believe that there was adequate data collected, assumptions used to base a model (which is being challenged) upon which has developed results compelling enough to establish the current closures. The current closures are more the result ofa system of political crisis management by NMFS staff.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">2) Recreational catch shares.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I do not subscribe to concept of exclusive entitlement of public resources (wildlife in particular) to any user group by permit. I do notbelieve that fish populations havebeen accuratelydetermined and thatrecreational impact to those fisheries can be estimated.Magnusen-Stevens was never intended to regulate recreational fishermen. Howeverwe find ourselves entangled in a fisheries management system where fish are reduced to a commodity. They have much more value to us than that.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Commercialfishing is a well regulated industry. They do need oversight if this is going to continue to be allowed. The Catch Share system in place in the gulf is not objected to within that industry. If they are happy being regulated that way, it's fine with me. But applying those same industrial level regulatory standards to weekend Joe recreational fishermenis unjustifiable in concept, impractical to allocate, and impossible to enforce.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> 3) Separation of the recreational for-hire sector from the recreational sector.


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">There are two sectors, recreational and commercial. They are fundamentally different. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Commercial fishermen sell _fish_. Their customer base is seafood consumers.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Recreational charter boat operators sell _fishing._The business model and licensure they operate within and customer base is recreational fishermen._They are all about public access._Allocationa are just another way of limiting access.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The Save Our Sector (SOS) initiative involvesa group ofCharter For Hire(CFH) operators who's leadership co-mingles both business models.Theyare receiving Environmental Defense Fund(ing) to further separate out and reduce recreational allotments (which should not even exist), because of their ability to hold dual recreational and commercial licenses. However they describe themselves in no uncertain terms as not being recreational fishermen. And that's OK with me.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">My solution to this "problem" is to make the licensure mutually exclusive. Business owners would have to choose the business they wish to participate in and would only be able to participate in one or the other. Too many conflicts and opportunities for misuse of the licensure exist with the current situation. Either you sell fish, or you don't.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Both professional organizations I am a member of support recreational fishing and therefore access. When that changes to support a mixed model as SOS and EDF is advancing , I will re-consider my affiliation with them. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> 4) Establishment of MPA's in lieu of use of TAC via trip tickets, bag limits, etc.


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I do not support the establishment of any Marine Protection Area which exclude recreation fishing. That said I believe there could be arguments to seasonally limit take in areas of spawning aggregations, but a very compelling case for that needs to be made. And todate we have not seen any. In any case the burden of proof needs to be on NMFS staff to justify it, rather than us to defend against.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Trip tickets, tags, stamps and take allowances really have little do with the concepts behind establishing MPAs. They are presented as geographic areas(Tortugas for example) to prohibit all take because the fish need a refuge from our exploitation.So what you are talking about is the fundamental difference between preservation and conservation, with MPAs representing the former. They are very different things designed to accomplish differing goals.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> 5) Implications of the re-authorized Magnuson Stevens Act as regards minimum quality requirements of the 'best available science', requirements for use of all such available data from all sources, and determination of appropriate timelines for stock rebuilding.


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">National Standard 2 uses the term<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">best available science[/I].Coupling that term "available" with the time certain deadlines imposed by re-authorization creates the perfectconditions for staff to act on what they consider to qualify as "best ". So, in that sense<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> best[/I] and <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">available [/I]are really two conflicting terms.I have heard no one agree that this best this THE best.What theproposed policy change in language of National Standard 2 allows for the things you mention; more input from broader sources and peer review. That'smovementin the right direction.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Timelines are important to establish to give the act meaning. If those timelines mandate the use of inadequate justification, then we need to know when we can have reasonable assurance defensible data can be in place toimplement them. Because they cannot, the dates certain are premature. I believe that NMFS had plenty of time to develop the best science to make the currentdate certain work.That is what we are suffering from.Staffis playing catch-up to meet their obligations to perform at the expense of recreational fishermen.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> 6) Conflicts of interest in NMFS using paid-for science from environmental organizations such as Pew in developing fisheries regulations.


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Conflict of interest means that a public employee is taking advantage of his position to inure to himself monetary or in-kind personal gain by his position in office. That is not what is happening here. It's very easy to assume malum preasumiturin NMFS staff, but that would mean that there was a conspiracy of silence between 12,000 NOAA employees. If you've been around government employees,you would know that there are many who have not very nice things to say about their employers, and it is very curious to me that none of them have come forward to acknowledge that sort of thing happening. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I already spoke about the value of science for hire and it?s bias at worse and the smell factor at best.I cannot prevent it that happening , but I can look at it with the critical eye necessary to act upon it. And as you have seen, I?m not shy in doing so. <SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Pew has every right as do EDF, Oceana , Ocean Conservancy, Pegasus, SOS, FS, CCA, ASA,RFA, FRA, NACO,FGA,CFOA, 100 Fathom, WPBFC, and my Tarpon Hunters Club to fund and perform any study, access and influence policy makers andpolicyto accomplishwhatever it is they want whenever they want to.That's the politics of our system. Ibelieve that they believe that they are just as right about what they believe in as I do.And that's just great. It's also necessary to believe that to talk to these guys and develop consensus.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I'm not going to argue the merits of that system ordebate it'sethics. Either you play at it to win or you should stay home. I enjoy making my living analyzing environmental policy and regulations and advocating for state and local governments. And I hate losing more than I like winning.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">


> 7) Piggy-backing of closures, as implemented in the Speckled Hind/Warsaw Grouper assessment being used to shut down all waters deeper than 240' in the Atlantic.


<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Unjustified.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Prohibiting all recreational fishing for fear of incidental take of regulated species is the worst example of precautionary policy making I can think of.<SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 170%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">What I?m going to do about all this is not very clear to me right now. I don?t even know if I will have the opportunity to make some of theseissues, issues at all. At the least I promise you that the conversation will be highly charged and a lot more interesting, if not less boring. You will get to more than vicariously participate in the debates here in Con Fron. Because I will still be here. <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">I?m just going to be one vote in 17. I will tell you that that one vote will reflect the things I told you about above. <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">If there is anything else you want to know, please ask.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">About the memo Wisner is posting, he carefully omits the other memos.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Understand that the IT guy was accused by one of my female employees of inappropriate remarks and actionswhich were "creeping her out". My reaction was to separate him from her and diffuse the situation. Accusing someone of something like that is always defended strongly.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">All this was an admonition for not playing nice in the sandbox.I don't know anyone effective in a supervisory positionat the District who didn?t' have one at one time in their careers.It's sort of like a right of passage. <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Bottom line is I did what I felt was necessary at the time. And I'd do it again. The District is very "process oriented", which means it is more important to play nice with everyone more than produce something. Unfortunately my division was responsible for producing products on deadlines;the Everglades Consolidated Report <SPAN style="COLOR: blue">http://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/pg_grp_sfwmd_sfer/portlet_prevreport/consolidated_01/index.htmlwhich my team won an awardfor at the same time, was held up by Jeb Bush at the first day of the 2002 legislative session as a model for all state agencies to follow, ( which happened) as well as other legally mandated documents from lawsuits, which if missed, would result in the District being found incontempt of court or default. Considering this, I had no time to suffer from administrative delays andsetbacks.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">For confirmation of my "exploits"at the South Florida Water Management District, I invite you to contact my colleagues and employees there:<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">SusanBennet <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Violeta Ciuca<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Steve Hill<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Garth Redfield, Phd<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Nenad Iricanin , Phd<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Cheol Mo, Phd.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Larry Fink, Sr. Scientist<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Tommy Strowd, P.E.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Christopher King<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">You can get theircontact information here: <SPAN style="COLOR: blue">http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/levelthree/contact%20us<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">So no, I am not known for playing "nice".I am known for vehemently defending what I think is right as anyone who has heard me speak can attest to. Sometimes I am a bit dramatic, but it gets my point across.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o><P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri">Iconsider that an asset and qualification for the position.<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o></o>

<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal mce_style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: small" mce_style="font-size: small;"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri" mce_style="font-family: Calibri;">


----------



## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

I haven't see anything about the other candidates that indicates that they would be a better choice for the open council seat. CAPT Colecchio is a known quantity with the right qualifications in my opinion.

Wish the naysayers would post specific and detailed information including their first hand knowledge of the other 3 candidate's positions on gulf fishery issues for consideration if they have it available.

Mark W


----------



## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

> *markw4321 (3/24/2010)*I haven't see anything about the other candidates that indicates that they would be a better choice for the open council seat. CAPT Colecchio is a known quantity with the right qualifications in my opinion.
> 
> Wish the naysayers would post specific and detailed information including their first hand knowledge of the other 3 candidate's positions on gulf fishery issues for consideration if they have it available.
> 
> Mark W


I am going to agree with you Mark. After further research, at least I can find info on Gary and I like most of his views on the issues. He may be a little over the top sometimes. But at least it's over the top on my side of the issue most of the time.


----------



## 1bandit (Jul 17, 2009)

Gary, thanks for making your positions clear and putting them on public record. The other concern I have (not only about you, but all the candidates) is your position on TAC shares commercial vs recreational. As you know the economy is down and getting worse. Every pound of ARS sold by commercial boats brings $2 or $3 dollars into our local economy. Every pound of ARS caught on charter boats brings in $100+ per pound not counting the money spent on hotels, condos, gas, restaurants and souvenirs our visitors spend. I know the issue of reducing the TAC for commercials is going to come up over and over in the next few years. Can You tell us What side you will be standing on?

Thanks,

Joe


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

http://forums.capmel.com/post?id=4637591

I read the thread. All I can say is holy sh*t! James Wisner posted the actual documents from South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) that documented several reprimands for Colecchio's outrageous behavior. Anyone familiar with Government HR procedures knows darn well that for every written reprimand there have been at least ten verbal reprimands.

I don't think it's any coincidence that Colecchio resigned his cushy Gummint Cheese job just weeks after his last reprimand. EvenColecchio was able to realize the next reprimand would bethe last straw and he'd be fired. 

Catch


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

> *Gary S. Colecchio (3/17/2010)*No, I just wrote that. It took me about twenty minutes. Although I've said various versions of itall before.
> 
> 
> 
> > Guys, do you really want an unknowledgable, out of touch backbay catch & release guy to represent us <U>offshore</U> pelagic & bottomfishing rec fishermen?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gee Colecchio, I seem to remember seeing those pics YEARS AGO. Don't have any more recent OFFSHORE pics to post, do ya? ANYTHING from this decade? Got ANY pictures of you doing <U>offshore</U> pelagic fishing or bottomfishing - bluefin, yellowfin, dolphin, wahoo, snowy grouper, warsaw grouper, tilefish (even a blueline tilefish)? No? I didn't think so. *If ya ain't fishing in the waters that you're gonna govern thenya ain't qualified.*

*Catch*


----------



## Daveh (Mar 14, 2010)

Ler's see inshore flyfishing guide, backed by CCA that wants a council seat. Who else has those exact same credentials?

Answer: George Geiger


----------



## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

> *Daveh (3/25/2010)*Ler's see inshore flyfishing guide, backed by CCA that wants a council seat. Who else has those exact same credentials?
> 
> Answer: George Geiger


So the commercial guy woulddothe best guy to support recreational fishing interests on the council? Don't think so myself.

Let's not let the "CCA hate" cause us to "cut off our own nose to spite our faces"!

mark.


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I don't look anything like Geiger.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">


> *1bandit (3/24/2010)*Gary, thanks for making your positions clear and putting them on public record. The other concern I have (not only about you, but all the candidates) is your position on TAC shares commercial vs recreational. As you know the economy is down and getting worse. Every pound of ARS sold by commercial boats brings $2 or $3 dollars into our local economy. Every pound of ARS caught on charter boats brings in $100+ per pound not counting the money spent on hotels, condos, gas, restaurants and souvenirs our visitors spend. I know the issue of reducing the TAC for commercials is going to come up over and over in the next few years. Can You tell us What side you will be standing on?<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Thanks,<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Joe


 <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">You are welcome. TAC (now Annual Catch Limits) allocations are a grossly misdistributed between Commercials (80%) and us (20%) not only is this an inequity, the way it's determined is purely political and due to the lobbying efforts of the commercial industry.Not only do we not have any real idea about what the stateof the populations of fish are but we are held to the sameallocation criteria base on weight. <o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Recreation fishing should bemeasured by number of fish. The catch shares policy that is now open for public comment http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/catchshare/comments/allows for flexibility by individual councils to opt out of a recreational catch share component while applying it to the commercial sector. That means that we can use another more appropriate management vehicle, one that regulates commercials by weight and us by number of fish caught.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I don't know how to change the allotment, but the system certainly does not supportour recreational fishing interests.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Appointing a commercial longliner as Mr. _All and his RFA member clubas well as Hr. Heil's RFA who's "United We Fish" March waspopulated mostly commercial guys certainly will not help bring any allocations equity for recreational fishermen.<o></o><P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f5080; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The bottom line is that equity is mandated by MSA in the economic impact portion of the act. It needs to be implemented.<o></o>


----------



## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Gary we don't know each other but I 'll throw in my two cents worth anyway. Yours is a political appointment basically and as such the rules of politics come into play. Fancy rhetoric, stance on issues and promises really won't tell us what you are going to do if and when you get there. Your past in fishing is CFH and as such is more commercial than recreational. So my question is this, just tell me one specific thing that you will get through the council that will actually benefit recreational anglers. This would have to be something that excludes commercial and charter for hire interests.


----------



## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

Gary

Thanks for coming on and letting us know your stand!! Where are the other guys? For those of you who oppose Gary could you get them to come on the forum and explain thier views like Gary has? I do not know any of them. I do like the way Gary has come on to defned himself and share his views and beliefs. The only arguments against Gary seem to be that he is a "inshore guy" and fights agressively against those that oppose him. I am liking what I see Gary write here. He seems to have the recreational fishermen/ladies in his best interest. So he's tempermental and admits it. I am too. To me it means he is like me and passionate about his beliefs. 

A little advice Gary: When 1st responding on a public form like this do not start of with a negative statement in your 1st line. When your opening statement to a known forum member was "you like to hear yourself talk" I was almost imediately turned off. I am glad now I kept reading your views. Try to defend yourself in a positave manner when possible. You will find many haters when you are trying for public office. Defend yourself to the hilt but try not to bash others because they are bashing you.

For those that oppose Gary please give me better opposition than the fact the he's an inshore guy and that he has been repremanded for being defensive. I'd rather have and inshore recreational guy represent me than a commercial guy!!!

Thanks again Gary for coming on and explaining your views!!!


----------



## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

CATCH-ALL

I read the entire link you posted from the other forum. I find it funny how 2 people read the same things and come up with different opinions. I like Gary more after reading it. There seems to be one guy there that does not like Gary and keeps posting letters from about his job and results of some arguments with some IT guys 10 years ago??? I like the way he has defended himself and his views. Please tell me what you dislike about his views reguarding fishing regulations? I am also very surprised from your comments that you are supporting a man that operates a commercial fishing industry?? Reading from the link you posted I found this:

*Martin Fisher: Owns and operates Rising Sun Fisheries!! He has 3 Gulf Commercial Fishing Vessels!! *

Help me out with this catch-all what are you throwing your support to a commercial guy?


----------



## CATCH-ALL (Oct 6, 2009)

> *Inn Deep (3/25/2010)*CATCH-ALL
> 
> I read the entire link you posted from the other forum. I find it funny how 2 people read the same things and come up with different opinions. I like Gary more after reading it. There seems to be one guy there that does not like Gary and keeps posting letters from about his job and results of some arguments with some IT guys 10 years ago??? I like the way he has defended himself and his views. Please tell me what you dislike about his views reguarding fishing regulations? I am also very surprised from your comments that you are supporting a man that operates a commercial fishing industry?? Reading from the link you posted I found this:
> 
> ...


I'm glad you asked why the 100 Fathom Fishing Club's first choice is Martin Fisher, a commercial guy and our close-second choice is Larry Abele, an academic guy.

I did some checking around and was told by several people that Martin Fisher would be the west coast Florida version of Tony Iarocci, an east coast/ Keys commercial fisherman. I have known Tonysince 2002 during the time he was on the SAFMC Council. In all the key votes on important offshore amendments affecting recreational fishermen, he consistently voted NO against these halfassed regs, including one which was proposed by a fellow commercial fisherman, Ben Hartig (who BTW is back on the SAFMC Council wreaking havoc). Tony stuck up for rec fishermen. Sadly,Tony is no longer on the Council. Also, Martin Fisherhimself told me he no longer longlines, so that argument of Colecchio's goes out the window.

In regards to Abele, I don't know much about him but I do know that two people I admire and respect have endorsed him - Karl Wickstrom/ FS Mag Publisher, and Bob Zales. I remember seeing Colecchio praising Bob Zales to the heavens recently. I find it interesting that someone like Karl Wickstrom who knows Colecchio very well personally does not endorse him. And if Colecchio admires Bob Zales so much, then why is he knocking the United We Fish rally in Washington? A rally where Bob Zales was one of the key speakers? Maybe it's payback for Zales endorsing Abele? 

BTW - Colecchio's allegation that the United We Fish rally was mostly commercial guys is flat-out WRONG. I know several people who were there as rank & file and some who were organizers. Some say it was 50/50 recs & commercials. Others say it was 70/30 recs & commercials. Maybe Colecchio said what he said because he takes his marching orders from CCA? Both CCA and ASA were invited to participate in the rally and share in the spotlight. Yet both not only turned down the offer and went even further by pissing on the United We Fish rally by putting out negative press releases about the rally a few days before the rally. Not nice.

Maybe CCA, TBF and ASA are taking their anti-rec fishing stances lately because they're taking millions of Enviro dollars in funding funneled to them via the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Coalition conduit? I'd say they've now passed beyond the threshold of conservation into the realm of Environmentalism.

I don't want aCCA stooge like Colecchio voting on GOM offshore fishing issues that directly affect my fishing. 

Let CCA and Colecchio stay in their inshore sandbox where they do a good job and leave offshore issues to the grownups.

Mark/ Catch-All


----------



## Gary S. Colecchio (Nov 5, 2009)

> *Kim (3/25/2010)*Gary we don't know each other but I 'll throw in my two cents worth anyway. Yours is a political appointment basically and as such the rules of politics come into play. Fancy rhetoric, stance on issues and promises really won't tell us what you are going to do if and when you get there. Your past in fishing is CFH and as such is more commercial than recreational. So my question is this, just tell me one specific thing that you will get through the council that will actually benefit recreational anglers. This would have to be something that excludes commercial and charter for hire interests.


The simple answer, Kim is that I'm going represent the positions I have talked about here. Those are the issues on the table andI'm going to vote consistantly with what I have told you here.

Let's talk about commercial fishing and excuse me but I will cut and paste from something I wrote this morning. 

There are only two sectors of fisherman by definition.These two things are differentunder state and federal law, which is the exclusivecriteria.And there is a bright line distinction between them.

Commercial fishermenoperate under state licensure which enables them to_ sell fish._

Guides operate under recreational licensure which allows their customers who do not hold state recreational licenses to fish to participate in sport_fishing_. The identical recreational regulatory restrictions apply. 

I hold the latter whichI don't need if my clients have their own. A fishing guide is an unregulated profession in the state ( it should be) the only requirement to obtain this license is a Coast Guard certificate of basic competence;the OUPV.

There is an effort by a a group of guys calling themselves Save Our Sector to change that. The Save Our Sector (SOS) initiative involvesa group ofCharter For Hire(CFH) operators who's leadership co-mingles both business models.Theyare receiving Environmental Defense Fund(ing) to further separate out and reduce recreational allotments (which should not even exist), because of their ability to hold dual recreational and commercial licenses. However they describe themselves in no uncertain terms as not being recreational fishermen.

And that's OK with me.

My solution to this "problem" is to make the licensure mutually exclusive. Business owners would have to choose the business they wish to participate in and would only be able to participate in one or the other. Too many conflicts and opportunities for misuse of the licensure exist with the current situation. Either you sell fish, or you don't.

I have no conflicts of interest. I restrict my chartering to clients I had 10 years ago and corporate clients. I do not accept new clients . There is no money in any of this for me. I do it for completely altruistic reasons. Just like my volunteer workas a Rotarian,Freemason, Palm Beach County Land Use Advisory Board and Local Planning AuthorityBoard Member, Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committeeman, and Reserve Police Officer and City Councilman with the Great Village of Royal Palm Beach.

Both professional organizations I am a member of support recreational fishing and therefore access. When that changes to support a mixed model as SOS and EDF is advancing , I will re-consider my affiliation with them. 

Does that answer your question?

As far as me being a CCA "stooge", I would expect that if I was I would have their endorsement. If I did, my name would be the first on that list, instead of Dr. Abele. It's interesting that Mr.-Allis himselfin agreement with them.

Oh yeah, and here is what Karl Wickstrom reallyhas to say about me: "Dr. Larry Abele, an extremely well qualified candidate from FSU (despite his Seminolism) also would make an excellent appointment. It shouldn't be necessary to snipe at him while backing Gary. Both are excellent."


----------



## james wisner (Apr 12, 2010)

Here is an eye brow raiser and question raiser for you. Back in 2008 Gary Colecchio was nominated by Governor Crist for the Recreational seat on the Gulf Council. Martin Fisher was also nominated by Governor Crist for this same Recreational seat on the Gulf Council. In 2008 one of the recommenders for Martin Fisher was one of the original founders of the Florida Guides Association (FGA) who was also at one time President of the Florida Guides Association. Capt. Van Hubbard past founding member and past President of the FGA and current FGA member recommended Martin Fisher for the open Rec seat on the Gulf Council and Capt. Van Hubbard DID NOT RECOMMEND Gary Collecchio Southwest Director of the FGA for the open Rec seat on the Gulf Council in 2008. NOW WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. 



At that time in 2008 Capt. Mark Hubbard (not related to Capt.Van Hubbard) was one of the 4 recommenders that recommended Martin Fisher to the open Rec Seat on the Gulf Council and at that time Capt. Mark Hubbard DID NOT RECOMMEND Gary Colecchio for the open Rec seat on the Gulf Council. Capt. Mark Hubbard and family own and operate several charter boats all of which fish the Federal Zone under the perview of the Gulf Council. NOW WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. 



I am in the process of obtaining the Public Record to see who officially recommended who for the open "other" seat in 2010 on the Gulf Council. When I get the results I will let you know. Let's see just who recommended who for 2010.


----------



## captwesrozier (Sep 28, 2007)

this last post by mr james sold me i am going with gary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



tight lines and great fishing adventures!


----------



## james wisner (Apr 12, 2010)

"INSHORE FISHING WITH CAPT. WES."



IN CASE YOU MISSED IT CAPT. WES INSHORE FISHERMAN WITHOUT ANY FEDERAL CHARTER BOAT PERMITS. THE GULF COUNCIL REGULATES OFFSHORE WHERE IF YOU WANT TO RUN PAID CHARTERS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PROPER FEDERAL CHARTER BOAT PERMITS. YOU AND COLLECHIO ARE TWO PEAS IN A POD, BOTH INSHORE FISHERMEN WITHOUT THE REQUIRED FEDERAL PERMITS TO RUN PAID CHARTERS IN THE OFFSHORE FEDERAL ZONE.


----------



## captwesrozier (Sep 28, 2007)

mr james...i do not need to go to federal waters to catch my red snapper. i will say this every time you and your buddy who started this thread opens your mouths...you loose three or four more anglers. so why not just let it rest. if your man is sooooo good you should not be worried about capt gary!!!!!!



tight lines and great fishing adventures!


----------



## stringle (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes, I missed this thread because I was in Germany but I think Capt Colecchio is the person we (as recreational fishermen) need for this appointment. His stance is known. He answers questions; his opponents views are VERY hard to find; his biggest opponent on this thread has a commercial interest; actually, that last one is enough.Go ahead; try to jamb him up on one of his points!


----------



## james wisner (Apr 12, 2010)

First off like I said the Gulf council regulates Federal Waters not state waters. Secondly, no where in any of my posts do I endorse anyone for the seat. But I will not endorse AND WILL DISENDORSE an INSHORE GUIDE LIKE COLECCHIO WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPER FEDERAL PERMITS TO FISH THE VERY WATERS HE WANTS TO HAVE A SEAT TO REGULATE AND WHO CAN'T EVEN GET AN ENDORSEMENT IN 2008 FOR THE REC SEAT ON THE GULF COUNCIL FROM A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE FGA WHO WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE FGA AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT COLECCHIO IS THE SOUTHWEST DIRECTOR OF THE FGA. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE PAST ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBER PRESIDENT OF THE FGA KNOWS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW. 



Colecchio claims to be a fishing guide but never obtained the required Federal Permits to legally charter fish in the Federal zone in which he now wants to regulate.



An inshore guide without the proper Federal Permits to legally fish the Federal Zone has a conflict of interest with the offshore guides that actually took the time to fill out the Federal forms and get the proper Federal Permits to legally charter fish in the Federal Zone. No thank you we don't need that. This state has already got a dose of that BS from George Geiger inshore fishing guide on the east coast who was appointed to the SAFMC and proceeded to unfailry screw all of the offshore fishing guides on the east coast.


----------

