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Written by Peggy Page
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Tuesday, 09 March 2010 19:54 |
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Culled out
By Robert Montgomery
ESPNOutdoors.com
The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.
This announcement comes at the time when the situation supposedly still is "fluid" and the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force still hasn't issued its final report on zoning uses of these waters.
That's a disappointment, but not really a surprise for fishing industry insiders who have negotiated for months with officials at the Council on Environmental Quality and bureaucrats on the task force. These angling advocates have come to suspect that public input into the process was a charade from the beginning.
"When the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) completed their successful campaign to convince the Ontario government to end one of the best scientifically managed big game hunts in North America (spring bear), the results of their agenda had severe economic impacts on small family businesses and the tourism economy of communities across northern and central Ontario," said Phil Morlock, director of environmental affairs for Shimano.
"Now we see NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the administration planning the future of recreational fishing access in America based on a similar agenda of these same groups and other Big Green anti-use organizations, through an Executive Order by the President. The current U.S. direction with fishing is a direct parallel to what happened in Canada with hunting: The negative economic impacts on hard working American families and small businesses are being ignored.
"In spite of what we hear daily in the press about the President's concern for jobs and the economy and contrary to what he stated in the June order creating this process, we have seen no evidence from NOAA or the task force that recreational fishing and related jobs are receiving any priority."
Consequently, unless anglers speak up and convince their Congressional representatives to stop this bureaucratic freight train, it appears that the task force will issue a final report for "marine spatial planning" by late March, with President Barack Obama then issuing an Executive Order to implement its recommendations — whatever they may be.
Led by NOAA's Jane Lubchenco, the task force has shown no overt dislike of recreational angling, but its indifference to the economic, social and biological value of the sport has been deafening.
Additionally, Lubchenco and others in the administration have close ties to environmental groups who would like nothing better than to ban recreational angling. And evidence suggests that these organizations have been the engine behind the task force since before Obama issued a memo creating it last June.
As ESPN previously reported, WWF, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Pew Environment Group and others produced a document entitled "Transition Green" shortly after Obama was elected in 2008. What has happened since suggests that the task force has been in lockstep with that position paper.
Then in late summer, just after he created the task force, these groups produced "Recommendations for the Adoption and Implementation of an Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes National Policy." This document makes repeated references to "overfishing," but doesn't once reference recreational angling, its importance, and its benefits, both to participants and the resource.
Additionally, some of these same organizations have revealed their anti-fishing bias by playing fast and loose with "facts," in attempts to ban tackle containing lead in the United States and Canada.
That same tunnel vision, in which recreational angling and commercial fishing are indiscriminately lumped together as harmful to the resource, has persisted with the task force, despite protests by the angling industry.
As more evidence of collusion, the green groups began clamoring for an Executive Order to implement the task force's recommendations even before the public comment period ended in February. Fishing advocates had no idea that this was coming.
Perhaps not so coincidentally, the New York Times reported on Feb. 12 that "President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities."
Morlock fears that "what we're seeing coming at us is an attempted dismantling of the science-based fish and wildlife model that has served us so well. There's no basis in science for the agendas of these groups who are trying to push the public out of being able to fish and recreate.
"Conflicts (user) are overstated and problems are manufactured. It's all just an excuse to put us off the water."
In the wake of the task force's framework document, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) and its partners in the U.S. Recreational Fishing & Boating Coalition against voiced their concerns to the administration.
"Some of the potential policy implications of this interim framework have the potential to be a real threat to recreational anglers who not only contribute billions of dollars to the economy and millions of dollars in tax revenues to support fisheries conservation, but who are also the backbone of the American fish and wildlife conservation ethic," said CSF President Jeff Crane.
Morlock, a member of the CSF board, added, "There are over one million jobs in America supported coast to coast by recreational fishing. The task force has not included any accountability requirements in their reports for evaluating or mitigating how the new policies they are drafting will impact the fishing industry or related economies.
"Given that the scope of this process appears to include a new set of policies for all coastal and inland waters of the United States, the omission of economic considerations is inexcusable."
This is not the only access issue threatening the public's right to fish, but it definitely is the most serious, according to Chris Horton, national conservation director for BASS.
"With what's being created, the same principles could apply inland as apply to the oceans," he said. "Under the guise of 'marine spatial planning' entire watersheds could be shut down, even 2,000 miles up a river drainage from the ocean.
"Every angler needs to be aware because if it's not happening in your backyard today or tomorrow, it will be eventually.
"We have one of the largest voting blocks in the country and we need to use it. We must not sit idly by."
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 March 2010 19:56 |
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Jones and McIntyre call for the Head of NOAA law enforcement to step down |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Friday, 05 March 2010 21:28 |
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The attached release went out this afternoon. And as an FYI, today Senator Kerry and Congressmen Frank, Tierney and Delahunt also called for Dale Jones to step down.
Jones and McIntyre call for the Head of NOAA law enforcement to step down
Washington, D.C. – Today North Carolina Congressmen Walter B. Jones (NC-3) and Mike McIntyre (NC-7) called for Mr. Dale Jones – the Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Fisheries Law Enforcement – to resign his position. Their call comes after the Inspector General (IG) of the U.S. Department of Commerce recently released the findings of its 7-month investigation which found “systemic nationwide” problems with the way NOAA enforces U.S. fisheries laws. The need for change was further underlined yesterday at a House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife hearing when Inspector General Todd Zinser revealed that after his investigation of NOAA law enforcement had begun, and his staff had met with Dale Jones to discuss the nature of the review and the processes that would be followed, Dale Jones initiated an office-wide effort to shred documents and records. After yesterday’s revelation, Congressmen Jones and McIntyre also reiterated their call for NOAA to put a hold on all active prosecutions of fishermen until the many problems with NOAA Law Enforcement identified in the IG report are resolved.
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Read more...
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Head of Law Enforcement shredded documents |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Thursday, 04 March 2010 15:30 |
Law Enforcement head shredded documents while under investigation; Congresswoman calls for him to step aside.
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| The inspector general for the U.S. Department of Commerce has testified that Dale Jones, head of the NMFS Office of Law Enforcemen, destroyed documents while his office was being investigated.
Inspector General Todd Zinser told the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife that Jones ordered his staff to shred documents after inspectors from his office met with Jones in the course of the investigation.
Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo (D-Guam), chairwoman of the subcommittee, said Jones should step aside until the inspector general's office completes their investigation.
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Weekly Update for February 26, 2010 |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Monday, 01 March 2010 13:48 |
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WEEKLY UPDATE: 02/26/2010)
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina”
Phone: (252) 633-2288
United We Fish Rally in DC; HUGE SUCCESS! Everyone who came to the rally, supported the rally, organized the rally should be proud of the effort. About 5 thousand people attended the rally and heard a litany of speeches agreeing that Magnuson needs to be fixed. Senators Burr and Hagan from NC, Representatives McIntyre and Jones from NC joined colleagues from other states in support of the goal of the rally; fix Magnuson’s arbitrary rebuilding schedules so jobs will be saved and people can go to work. My personal and heartfelt thank you to all who came to the rally from home and made the day such a huge success; thank you. Now the work begins to pass a bill fixing the problem. The rally was the trumpet call, the fight has just begun. NCFA will keep you all updated as to what you can do to stay in the fight and make sure we prevail with this effort. Congratulations, you made history in Washington DC on Wednesday, February 24, 2010.
NCFA announces with sadness that W. E. “Topper” Bateman
died Monday February 22 at Pitt memorial Hospital in Greenville. Topper was a great friend to our industry and will be missed. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the East Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of America to support the mission of Camp Boddie (formerly Camp Bonner). Post Office Box 1698, Kinston, NC 28503 Please keep the family and friends of Topper Bateman in your prayers.
PROCAMATIONS:
RE: BLACK SEA BASS – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN
Effective at 12:01 A.M., Monday, March 15, 2010, the following restrictions shall apply to the commercial black sea bass fishery north of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.3’N. Latitude):
SIZE LIMIT it is unlawful to possess black sea bass less than 11 inches total length north of Cape Hatteras. Total length shall be measured along the lateral midline from the tip of the nose to the tip tail, excluding the caudal fin filament. HARVEST LIMITS A. During the period beginning at 12:01 A.M., Monday, March 15, 2010 and ending at 6:00 P.M., Thursday, April 15, 2010, no commercial trawl, fish pot or hook and line fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, may have total landings of more than 2,000 pounds of black sea bass taken from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras. The Atlantic Ocean black sea bass fishery will close immediately after the Director issues a public notice that the quota of black sea bass has been landed from the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Hatteras, or at 6:00 P.M., April 15, 2010, whichever occurs first. B. During any closed season, vessels may land up to 100 pounds of black sea bass per trip taken from the Atlantic Ocean. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k10/FF-30-2010.html
RE: LARGE MESH GILL NET MAXIMUM SIZE
Effective at 8:00 A.M. Monday, March 1, 2010, the following restrictions will apply to gill nets: I. AREA DESCRIPTION – CENTRAL SOUTHERN MANAGEMENT AREA
Internal Fishing Waters south of a line in Pamlico Sound beginning at a point on Roanoke Marshes Point 35° 48.3693’N- 75° 43.7232’ W, running southeasterly to the north point of Eagle Nest Bay 35° 44.1710’N – 75° 31.0520' W [southern boundary of the Albemarle Sound Management Area (ASMA)]. II. MAXIMUM MESH SIZE
A. It is unlawful to use gill nets with a mesh size of more than 6 1/2 inches (stretched mesh) in the area described above. It is unlawful to possess striped bass onboard a vessel when a gill net with a mesh length greater than 6 ½ inches (stretched mesh) is onboard the vessel in the area described above. http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k10/M-4-2010.html
RE: GILL NETS – MONKFISH IN ATLANTIC OCEAN
Effective at 12:01 A.M., Tuesday, March 16, 2010 the following provisions shall apply to the use of commercial large mesh gill nets in the Atlantic Ocean monkfish fishery: AREA DESCRIPTION: The Atlantic Ocean in a one mile wide area extending from two miles seaward of the coastline to three miles seaward of the coastline from the North Carolina/Virginia state line southward to Wimble Shoal (Latitude 35° 30’N). In the area of Oregon Inlet, the COLREGS line shall be considered the coastline. COMMERCIAL NET AND SEASON CLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: A. the Atlantic Ocean is closed to the use of gill nets greater than seven (7) inches stretched mesh by Proclamation M-1-2009, dated January 5, 2009 from January through April 14, with the exception of the monkfish and striped bass fisheries. B. Only individuals that possess a 2010 Monkfish Large Mesh Gill Net Permit required by Proclamation FF-26-2010, dated February 16, 2010 are authorized to fish gill nets with a stretched mesh size greater than seven (7) inches in the area described above. C. Large mesh gill nets set shall be fished at least once every 48 hours, weather permitting. D. The monkfish gill net fishery closes by this proclamation at 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 14, 2010 unless modified or closed earlier due to conditions http://www.ncfisheries.net/procs/procs2k10/M-2-2010.html
MEETINGS:
March 9, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
MFC Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Advisory Committee Meeting
Craven County Agricultural Extension Building - 300 Industrial Drive - New Bern, NC
Contact Chris Batsavage at 252-808-8088 or MFC Office at 800-682-2632 or 252-808-8023
March 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
Commercial License Eligibility Board Committee Meeting
NCDMF Conference Room - 3441 Arendell Street - Morehead City, NC
Contact Christy Giddens at 910-796-7215 or the MFC Office at 800-682-2632 or 252-808-8023
March 16-18
Mid Atlantic Council “Catch Share” Workshop
Kingsmill Conference Center
1010 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, VA (800) 832-5665
For more information on any item in this update, please contact the NCFA office (252) 633-2288.
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Special Alert - Turtle Meeting - Gill Net |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:18 |
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SPECIAL ALERT
February 17, 2010
Turtle Meeting to discuss proposals to close gill net fisheries in response to Endangered Species Act requirements.
February 18, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.
Special Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting
New Bern River Front Convention Center
Contact Nancy Fish at 800-682-2632 or 252-808-8021 or Kelly Mullen at 252-808-8022 |
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Weekly Update for February 15, 2007 |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Tuesday, 16 February 2010 17:45 |
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WEEKLY UPDATE: 02/15/07
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina”
Phone: (252) 633-2288
Reducing pilot whale bycatch in longline fisheries:
Monday February 22, 2010 Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park Office 615 Harbor Road Wanchese, NC 27981 Tel. 252-473-5867 (Chris)
Background Interactions between pilot whales and longline fisheries in the northwest Atlantic sometimes result in wounded or dead whales as well as loss of target catch. In the US, pilot whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and covered under NMFS’ Final Rule to implement the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan of May 19, 2009 (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/fr/fr74-23349.pdf).
Meeting Objective The purpose of this meeting is to review recent and on-going research into hook selectivity of target and non-target catch using variable hook strength. Among the ideas for reducing pilot whale bycatch is using of a hook that could be strong enough to retain target catch while weak enough to allow the escape of pilot whales. Agenda 2:00 – Welcome by Rich Ruais, Blue Water Fishermen’s Association
2:05 – Introduction to the Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction and meeting objectives by Tim Werner, Director
2:15 - Overview of bluefin tuna bycatch mitigation research in the Gulf of Mexico using “weak” circle hooks by Charlie Bergmann, NMFS, followed by Q&A
2:45 - Preliminary assessment of using hooks of variable strength for target and non-target catch in Western North Atlantic longline fisheries by Dave Kerstetter, NOVA Southeastern University, followed by Q&A
3:15 – Discussion of options for evaluating “whale-safe” hooks and other collaborative bycatch research in the CHSRA
3:45 – Announcements of current and up-coming research on pilot whales by Andy Read, Duke University Marine Lab
4:00 – Adjourn
Contact: Tim Werner, Senior Scientist and Director, Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction, New England Aquarium (Tel. 617-226-2137; Email:
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NCFA Alert - February 10, 2010 |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Wednesday, 10 February 2010 14:06 |
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NCFA Alert
February 10, 2010
Congressman Walter Jones secures hearings on Office of Inspector General Report condemning the enforcement practices and management at National Marine Fisheries.
A memo from The Honorable Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Chairwoman of the Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, spells out detail and purpose of meeting:
“On Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 2:00p.m., in 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife will hold an oversight hearing entitled, “Setting the Bar for Accountability: Improving NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement Programs and Operations,” that will explore the findings of a recent Department of Commerce Inspector General report. Witnesses will be by invitation only.”
Also, BUS TO DC HAS A COUPLE OF SEATS LEFT. Great response for rally in DC, if we get more folks we’ll get a second bus. Thank you all for your support for this rally.
Let’s shoot for a second bus!!!
Details: Bus will leave NCFA office in New Bern at 5 a.m. February 24th; please be here by 4:30 a.m. so we can get things organized. The bus will leave promptly at 5 a.m.
Bus will leave DC at 4 pm returning to New Bern; we are arranging to get together with some of our congressional delegation while in DC. Details to come.
NCFA will provide water, and coffee, and breakfast snacks for trip, please bring your own lunch or beverages for the trip.
Parking here behind office. Call Peggy with any questions. Peggy 252-633-2288
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- More details to come. |
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Weekly Update February 8, 2010 |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Monday, 08 February 2010 20:56 |
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WEEKLY UPDATE: 02/08/10
NORTH CAROLINA FISHERIES ASSOCIATION
“Serving the Commercial Fishing Families of North Carolina since 1952”
Phone: (252) 633-2288 www.ncfish.org
Special Marine Fisheries Commission meeting will be held on Thursday, February 18 beginning at 1 p.m.
The meeting will be held at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center.
The commission will take public comments regarding a proposed May 15-Dec 15 closure of large-mesh gill net fishing in most inshore waters of the state south of Oregon Inlet. The division has proposed the closure to address a notification from the National Marine Fisheries Service of unauthorized takes of threatened and endangered sea turtles that have been observed in the large mesh gill net fishery in state waters. Go to http://www.ncdmf.net/Gill%20Net%20Closure/DMF%20to%20RoyCrabtree-Turtles.pdf to view the letter outlining these proposals.
This is a chance for the Commission to hear from fishermen and their families about the impacts of the proposal to close certain gill net fisheries.
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Jones Calls for Congresisonal Hearing |
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Written by Peggy Page
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Monday, 08 February 2010 20:54 |
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Jones CALLS FOR Congressional hearing on
“Systemic” problems with U.S. fisheries law enforcement exposed by Ig report
These issues “cry out for congressional oversight.”
Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (NC-3) called on the House Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on the fisheries enforcement programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The urgent need for congressional oversight of these programs was highlighted by a 27-page report released last month by the Inspector General (IG) of the U.S. Department of Commerce entitled “Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Programs and Operations.” The IG report found “systemic nationwide issues” with NOAA’s law enforcement programs, practices and personnel. The report came in response to requests made in mid-2009 by Congressman Jones and the majority of the North Carolina congressional delegation, as well as the Massachusetts congressional delegation, for an investigation into allegations of overzealous commercial fisheries enforcement by NOAA.
The full text of Congressman Jones’ hearing request letter to Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (WV-3) and Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-4) follows:
“I am writing to respectfully request that you schedule an oversight hearing on the fisheries enforcement programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The urgent need for this hearing was made clear by a 27-page report released last month by the Inspector General (IG) of the U.S. Department of Commerce entitled “Review of NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Programs and Operations.” The report confirmed what I have heard from fishermen for years – namely, that there are “systemic nationwide issues” with NOAA’s law enforcement programs, practices and personnel.
The Inspector General report is the product of months of work by a team of IG investigators who thoroughly examined the NOAA fisheries enforcement operation. As part of that effort, they interviewed over 225 individuals from across the country, including fishermen, conservation officials, Fishery Management Council members and NOAA personnel. Their findings reveal a number of problems that cry out for congressional oversight. Among other things, the report found:
· “. . . systemic nationwide issues adversely affecting NOAA’s ability to effectively carry out its mission of regulating the fishing industry. These issues have contributed significantly to a highly-charged regulatory climate and dysfunctional relationship between NOAA and the fishing industry”;
· NOAA’s “civil penalty assessment process is arbitrary and unfair”;
· NOAA’s workforce composition is dramatically misaligned to its mission – “only about 2 percent of its caseload has been criminal-investigative, yet over 90 percent of its enforcement personnel are criminal investigators – a clear imbalance”; and,
· NOAA’s Asset Forfeiture Fund – which contains proceeds from civil penalties it collects – has a balance of $8.4 million as of December 31, 2009, but Department officials “are not aware of the fund’s having ever been audited”, and “the account under which they are maintained has weak internal controls” leading the IG to launch a pending “forensic review of the fund”.
I strongly believe the “systemic” issues outlined in this report require further examination by the committee. I also believe NOAA’s fisheries enforcement programs need significant reform. To that end, I would appreciate your assistance in scheduling a hearing to receive testimony from the Inspector General, from personnel responsible for the NOAA enforcement programs and from fishermen so that Congress can better understand these issues and how to resolve them.”
The full text of the report can be found here: http://www.oig.doc.gov/oig/reports/2010/OIG-19887.pdf.
For additional information, please contact Catherine Fodor in Congressman Jones’ office at (202) 225-3415. |
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