Making Waves - Fall 2014

Making Waves |

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Fall 2014

Red Snapper Debacle: The Poster Child for MSA Reform DONOFRIO REPORTS

Is it time for term limits?

AN INDUSTRY NOW DIVIDED

Despite major angler opposition, sector separation schemes progress in the Gulf.

CHAPTER NEWS

NMFS: New England Codfish Collapse!

MIDTERM REVIEW

RFA sees good news for anglers in 2014 elections.

And much more in inside.

STRIPED BASS

ASMFC Offers Management Options That Become Strictly Optional

Fall 2014 Issue Spring 2014/Volume 3, Issue 1

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Making Waves |

Fall 2014

Fall, 2014 Volume 3, Issue 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

By Gary Caputi MIDTERMS, COD COLLAPSE, SECTOR SEPARATION, STRIPED BASS AND MORE! There is an awful lot happening in politics and fisheries management since our last issue, some good, some bad and some very ugly! On the upside the midterm elections put a new face on Congress. As a political action organization the RFA endorsed, and in some cases, supported candidates willing to work with us to fix the MSA and protect your right to fish . The results were strong indeed. Check it out in Jim Donofrio’s Midterm Wrap Up on page 6.

Other good news comes from ICCAT where the latest assessment on bluefin tuna shows solid improvements in the stock. This should result in an easing of quotas for the recreational and for-hire sectors for next year.

The situation with Atlantic Striped Bass is finally being addressed. Hopefully, with proper action, it will reverse the decline in the coastwide spawning stock biomass before it gets any worse. There has been much debate about the shape of new management measures, but a 25% reduction in harvest is slated for 2015 and is supported by an overwhelming majority of recreational fishermen. They also agree that the ASMFC waited far too long before taking action when a few years ago far less Draconian measures would have sufficed.

The really ugly comes in the form of the Gulf Council, which is totally out of control! It recently passed a controversial “sector separation” plan opposed by an overwhelming major in an effort to privatize the fishery. Also on the list is NMFS declaration that the New England cod fishery has collapsed, and this only a few years after making it an individual quota fishery, which was supposed to be its savior! Nice job NMFS. Read all about it in this issue of Making Waves. Be sure to pass along the link to your friends or have them sign up at the RFA website (www.joinrfa.com).

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Executive Director’s Report: The Creation of Political Dynasties

4

Breaking Political News: RFA Midtern Election Wrap Up

6

RFA Issues & News Important happenings in Fish Management

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Great News from ICCAT on Bluefin Tuna

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By Jim Donofrio

By Jim Donofrio

By Jim Hutchinson, Jr. Red Snapper Madness: Poster Child for Reform

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By Jim Hutchinson, Jr. Striped Bass: When Management Options Become Optional

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Breaking News: Gulf Council Approves Sector Separation

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What Does A Rebuilt Fishery Look Like

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By Jim Hutchinson, Jr.

By John DePersenaire Feds: New England Cod 34 Stock has Collapsed

By Capt. Barry Gibson

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Fall 2014

Executive Director’s Report The Creation of Political Dynasties: Federal Elections Without Term Limits

By Jim Donofrio

E

very election cycle I seem to become a little more cynical about Washington DC leadership. Yes, just like most of America.

under the very laws which they had enacted. Without term limits for members of Congress, the great John Adams warned “every man in

After working on Capitol Hill for close to 20 years on behalf of our membership, I am now convinced that the newer and more outspoken members of Congress have to work on getting term limits in place for both houses. The corrupt and self-serving culture on Capitol Hill has created this vast partisan gridlock which must be broken for this 238th year of the American “experiment” to continue.

Are all members of Congress scoundrels and ravenous beasts of prey?

Of course not! But for a group of 435 men and women elected to serve their constituents, what percentage do you think are actually working diligently, across party lines, to really make America a better place? Thirty percent? Twenty?

There is no greater nation on earth, no stronger democracy or better representation of the people than what we have in the United States of America.

But our republic has gotten off track in recent years, and the ‘loophole’ in our system that has caused the most troubles, in my opinion, is pretty easy to fix.

power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.”

the future.

This election, there were actually 77 uncontested races in this country – no matter what your party affiliation, I hope you can appreciate that a oneparty district is not good for democracy, and elections without choices are the finest examples of a broken system you’ll find. Those legislators beholden only to themselves, their own power and profit, and to the political party they serve, have little need to address the broader issues affecting this nation.

If the President of the United States is only allowed two terms in office, why not members of the House and Senate?

Our founding fathers held differing views on this concept of term limits.

There was actually significant debate on the idea of incorporating term limits for members of Congress into our Constitution, but it was not considered a priority because no one could envision career politicians. Not only was it something they couldn’t envision, the idea of career politician was something that was never intended of this great political system.

The framers of this great experiment saw these citizen representatives as serving constituents for a limited period of time, and then returning to their respective communities to live

Think about this year’s much-hyped, bloodlust of a midterm, which surpassed $4 billion in campaign spending. That amount of political fundraising and spending is rather hard to believe when you consider that the reelection rate for Congress is close to 95% as it stands. That means that any challenger to the political system, on any given day, as only a 5% chance of unseating a sitting congressional incumbent.

The advantage of money is one thing, but name recognition is even more important to the outcome of any race.

And the longer the member serves, the more races he/she can win, the better his/her chances in the future, and the more money can be spent in

True patriots follow the rule of law and believe in the foundations that our founders set down for us – to serve the greater good on behalf of a free and independent nation is a principle which constituents of either party duly support. The reauthorization of our federal fisheries law has been bogged down this year, yet again, because of midterm bickering, pandering and gamesmanship. I trust RFA members nationwide can see the direct link between this a broken political system and America’s right to fish.

With the elections done, let’s hope in 2015 we can begin to take America back – doing so will mean breaking the political dynasties which have brought this country to standstill of partisan gridlock.

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Breaking Political News PPS: POLITICAL POST SCRIPT The RFA Midterm Elections Wrap Up

By Jim Donofrio—RFA Executive Director and Chief Lobbyist

W

e were getting ready to finish up this edition of the RFA newsletter just before the allimportant mid-term election, when the staff opted to hold on final release until after the November 4th vote was wrapped up.

As our members saw via email blast on October 30th (or possibly in our news area or at BoatingIndustry.com), RFA publicly supported 24 candidates in the 2014 federal election, getting actively involved in six U.S. Senate elections and another 18 House races. Through the RFA political action committee (RFAPAC), supported exclusively through the generous donations made by active members, we spent over $30,000 in the elections themselves! But as your full-time political watchdog for the recreational fishing sector, I can assure you we we’re engaged 110% in an effort to see those politicians we determined were most concerned with helping us protect your right to fish get elected. That’s why our staff was thrilled to look over the election results on November 5th.

First and foremost, saltwater anglers did very well in terms of the U.S. Senate. We picked five of the six U.S. Senate winners straight up, while in Louisiana the race has gone to a run-off since none of the candidates scored better than 50%. Keep an eye out for future bulletins on this particular race.

folks we believe will be friends in the future. RFA is not a partisan organization; but over the past few years, we’ve watched as our nation's hardcore saltwater sportsmen have been continually denied access by radical preservationism – a federal agenda which has led to a broken and fatally flawed fisheries management system, most of On the House side, I strongly which is not perpetuated by scibelieve that saltwater anglers ence but by ideology. fared very well. The RFA nailed it with 17 of 18 key races (see all Eight years ago, our nation’s results on the following page). federal fisheries law was up for Sadly, the one big loss was Rep. reauthorization in the 109th Steve Southerland, a two-term Congress. Hard to believe but in representative from Florida’s sec- 2006 when the Magnuson Steond congressional district and vens Act was being debated in an active ‘fishing champion’ on Washington DC, it was a similar the House Natural Resources political climate on Capitol Hill to Committee. Hopefully, the addi- what we have now in the 113th tional pickups we worked hard Congress, with the insanity of on, including congressmen-elect mid-term elections and plenty of Tom MacArthur and Lee Zeldin, behind the scenes horse-trading. can balance out the anti-fishing interests of environmental We’ve been here before; which groups that spent many millions is why I believe that the balance of power needed in the U.S. on the 2014 election.

Congress to start 2015 must No, we didn’t get involved in be equal to or greater than every single race in the nation – the anti-angler sentiment but instead, we endorsed candi- now coming from inside the dates who we felt were either current administration. Too current friends of the RFA, or many of the Environmental

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Fall 2014

Defense Fund and Pew Environment Group extremists have taken up shop in the White House over the past 61/2 years, that the only way to truly help protect angler interests within the Magnuson Stevens Act is by

electing the right people.

With that said, we’re hoping the winning congressmenand senators-elect can help us tackle the important fisheries issues moving forward.

Whether Magnuson Stevens

gets reformed on your behalf before the year is out, or if it becomes more politically prudent to wait for the 114th Congress to pick up the torch for anglers rights, that’s something we’re working on now.

WINNING CANDIDATES ENDORSED BY THE RECREATIONAL FISHING ALLIANCE SENATE

Dan Sullivan of Alaska David Perdue of Georgia Cory Booker of New Jersey Thom Tillis of North Carolina Tim Scott of South Carolina HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Alaska, At-Large, Don Young Florida, 7 th District, John Mica Florida, 26 th District, Carlos Curbelo California, 50 th District, Duncan Hunter Louisiana, 4 th District, John Fleming New Jersey, 2 nd District, Frank LoBiondo New Jersey, 3rd District, Tom MacArthur New Jersey, 4 th District, Chris Smith New Jersey, 6 th District, Frank Pallone New York, 1 st District, Lee Zeldin New York, 11 th District, Michael Grimm North Carolina, 3 rd District, Walter Jones North Carolina, 7 th District, David Rouzer South Carolina, 1 st District, Mark Sanford South Carolina, 3 rd District, Jeff Duncan South Carolina, 4 th District, Trey Gowdy Utah, 1 st District, Rob Bishop**

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Fall 2014

RFA Issues & News

By Jim Hutchinson, RFA Managing Director

Each news item includes corresponding hyperlinks. For more information, simply click on the link to read the release in its entirety.

VISIT RFA’S NEW YOU TUBE CHANNEL In an effort to better explain to prospective RFA members the reasons for joining, executive director Jim Donofrio and managing director Jim Hutchinson sat down in front of the team from Wahoo Marketing. Posted at YouTube and on the JOINRFA.com website, the lead-in video features a short message from blues legend Taj Mahal shot by Mike Laptew in Costa Rica, and features video segments on why RFA was founded.

“After some successful years of fishing, both privately and then working for private individuals, I was getting disgruntled with our federal government,” Donofrio explains as the genesis of the political action organization, adding “the federal regulations were coming down on us and we never had a chance in the future.”

FISHING REPORT: RFA FAVORS ONE-FISH LIMIT ON STRIPERS In late September, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) sent notification to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) that the organization was supporting an option for one striped bass as 28 inches for the 2015 season.

RFA members along the striper coast were notified of the decision, and also given postcards to respond to ASMFC with their own recommendations.

As reported by Dave Monti in the Providence Journal, ASMFC put forth a suite of potential new striped bass regulatory options for public comment, which led to a great deal of input.

“According to the science, there’s a better than 85 -percent chance that striped bass will be considDonofrio’s conclusion 18 years ago was that we ered an overfished species within the next three needed “an NRA of sportfishing,” which is what years, and that’s not an option for RFA or our the RFA hopes to be for hardcore anglers unwill- members,” RFA’s executive director, Jim Donofrio, ing to give up their collective right to fish. He said. “We’ve talked to a lot of individuals and busigoes on to explain the RFA’s unique political acness owners up and down the coast, and it would tion committee or PAC, which provides RFA mem- seem one option in particular, one fish at 28 inchbers with the ability to participate personally with es, is perhaps the fairest, most efficient, and most the political process. productive option of all in terms of sustaining this fishery through to the next stock assessment.”

“That PAC is a checkbook and the funds are dediRead more at the Providence Journal. cated for people that are running for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate or even the president of the RFA SUPPORTS FISHERIES MANAGEMENT United States,” Donofrio explains in the 3-1/2minute segment, adding “these people have to be ACT CHANGES IN HOUSE BoatingIndustry.com reported this past summer fishing friendly.” on how the House of Representatives was set to The video segments also detail how to get more take final action on passage of the “Strengthening involved in a local chapter, and why it’s so imFishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in portant from a grassroots level. Learn more and Fisheries Management Act.” Voted out of the share the videos with friends by going to House Natural Resources Committee on May www.youtube.com/user/JoinTheRFA. 29th, HR 4742 was introduced by committee

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Chair Doc Hastings (R-WA) in an effort to improve top prize. Adam Littlefield of North Kingstown and strengthen many of the provisions of the cur- caught the fish while aboard the Striker captained rent Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and by Russ Rand.

Management Act. Al Conti of Sung Harbor said, “57 boats and 200 The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) said if anglers participated in the tournament, and 43 passed in both the House and Senate as written fish were tagged and released with only eight fish the bill would ensure good access to rebuilt captured. This is a great use of the resource when stocks while maintaining conservation and access you start to think about the economic impact of to rebuilding fish stocks. “Simply put, it’s a good such a tournament.” bill,” said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio.

Proceeds from the tournament were donated to While RFA continues to support the Hastings ver- the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association sion of the Magnuson reauthorization bill, as of (RISAA) and the Recreational Fishing Alliance the mid-term election no such action has been (RFA) taken by the full House, nor the Senate committee Check out more at East Bay Rhode Island online. responsible for fisheris.

Click here to learn why RFA supports the Hastings bill.

ON THE SAME PAGE IN OPPOSING SECTOR SEPARATION Last June, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Reef Fish Committee reaffirmed its support of reallocating a greater share of the combined quota to the recreational sector above a set benchmark as part of the process toward final passage of the management plan changes to Amendment 28 - Red Snapper Allocation.

The council also had a lengthy discussion on Amendment 40 -Sector Separation, but made no motions to choose preferred alternatives, leaving the controversial subject of possibly splitting the red snapper for-hire sector from private recreational anglers and creating a third sector. That vote is expected this fall.

The concept has slowly gained wide support among charter captains, particularly those with dual permits who are both recreational and commercial. RFA continues to oppose the sector separation idea of reducing recreational fishing opportunity by taking fish from private anglers.

Read more from the Alabama Media Group.

NEW SHARK TOURNAMENT IN RHODE ISLAND SUPPORTS RFA Snug Harbor Marina of South Kingstown, RI ended their very first two-day shark tournament with a 295-pound thresher taking the tournament’s

RFA HAT AVAILABLE IN CLASSIC MOSSY OAK PATTERN Back by popular demand the RFA is reissuing its official Mossy Oak hat . A lot of our members are hunters or just love the look of this great hat emblazoned with RFA so you can wear your support for the organization that is fighting for your right to fish. You can order them for the ridiculously low prive of $20 apiece by calling 888-564-6732.

Be sure to tell your friends and fellow anglers about this stylish bonnet and rest assured that the

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ANGLERS IN THE BLACK ON BLUEFIN GREAT NEWS FROM ICCAT

By Jim Hutchinson, Jr.

T

he International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) convenes its annual meeting in Genoa, Italy on November 10, 2014. The most important item on the meeting's agenda will be the establishment of Atlantic bluefin quota.

According to a press release from the American Bluefin Tuna Association (ABTA), this meeting is expected to be quite different from other meetings in the past several years because the best available science now indicates a stunning increase in abundance of this iconic fish on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Standing Committee for Research and Statistics (SCRS), the scientific arm of ICCAT, performed separate stock assessments on west and east AtlanticMediterranean bluefin stocks at their science meetings, held September 22 to October 3.

The findings, detailed in the SCRS report, state conclusively and unambiguously that both west and east bluefin stocks have shown a dra-

matic increase in their general populations and, in particular, in their spawning stock biomass.

The West Atlantic stock is fished primarily by the United States, Canada and Japan. This year's stock assessment indicates that spawning stock biomass has seen a very strong and significant increase from prior stock assessments. The SCRS also reported that West Atlantic bluefin biomass has increased significantly each year since 2009 and stated that present data on the West Atlantic stock validates that it is not "overfished" and "overfishing" is not occurring.

All this good news on West Atlantic bluefin stock was achieved by restrictive low quotas since 1982 and by better science leading to a more precise understanding of bluefin population dynamics and biology. Consequently, the SCRS report stated that an increase in quota, up to 2,250 metric tons (mt) from its presently level of 1,750 mt, is consistent

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with ongoing ICCAT management objectives.

The report states that spawning stock biomass is presently 2-1/4 times greater than necessary to sustain a quota of 3,050 mt each year, going forward.

According to the stock assessment, 3,050 mt is the new estimated maximum sustainable yield for the west Atlantic bluefin stock and it is up from the prior level of 2,582 mt in the 2010 stock assessment.

“Since U.S. fishermen get their angling quota percentage based on the overall western Atlantic quota, going up in tonnage is good news for East Coast anglers and the tackle stores that have been enjoying the very restrictive, yet vibrant coastal fishery for bluefin,” said Jim Donofrio of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA).

Having long-participated in the tuna management process through ICCAT and the National Marine Fisheries Service, Donofrio praised the newly released information as terrific news for all coastal fishermen. “The inshore school bluefin fishery is one of our coast’s most historic fisheries, one that allows anglers in center consoles a good opportunity to catch a prized big game species for reasonable cost and effort.”

ABTA president Ralph Pratt added, "U.S. bluefin fishermen are thrilled and relieved to hear from our scientists of the healthy abundance of the Western Atlantic bluefin biomass. The spectacular recovery of the east stock from what has been sometimes called 'the edge of fishery collapse' is also excellent news for US bluefin fishermen.

Bluefin are trans-Atlantic migrants, so any increase in eastern biomass will bring more eastern bluefin into our fishery."

According to the ABTA press release, bluefin science is improving at a dramatic rate as a result of global interest in the health of the Atlantic stocks.

Numerous scientific papers are authored each year on Atlantic bluefin and it is the responsibility of the SCRS to review all recent contributions to the science prior to conducting a new stock assessment. The spectacular results of the current

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stock assessment are attributable to improved methodology as well as a better understanding of bluefin population dynamics and biology.

The most controversial aspect of West Atlantic bluefin biology for several years has been the issue of "recruitment," the number of young fish to be added each year to overall bluefin biomass. At the SCRS meeting, evidence emerged identifying that the effects of changes in the marine environment are more important than the size of spawning stock size in influencing the level of recruitment in any given time period.

This new evidence does not support prior objectives suggested by the National Marine Fisheries Service and environmental groups in using high recruitment targets that were estimated for the early 1970's. According to ABTA executive director Rich Ruais, "The very good news for western bluefin fishermen is that the SCRS states that with their more reasonable expectations for recruitment, the spawning population is already 2-1/4 times greater than necessary to maintain a maximum sustainable yield of 3,050 mt."

“US bluefin fishermen have earned a quota increase for giving up quota over the last 25 years for the sake of chasing unreasonably high targets," Pratt noted, while praising the patience and conservation ethic of all US bluefin fishermen in raising awareness of how the east and west stocks are linked together for sustainable fisheries.

Even with restrictive bag limits anglers enjoy pursuing bluefin tuna of all sizes. This stock assessment could bring expanded opportunities to the sector in the future.

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Red Snapper Madness: THE POSTER-CHILD FOR MAGNUSON REFORM

By Jim Hutchinson, Jr.

B

ously, the red snapper stock conetween 2000 and 2007, tinued growing, eventually eclipsthe recreational fishing ing the 30 million fish mark as of community enjoyed a healthy and 2014 thereby doubling the prosperous 180-day red snapper amount of red snapper in the Gulf season, with a two-fish bag limit. in roughly a decade.

During the same time, the federal The obvious question of course is government says the abunAnglers are being stripped of their right dance of red to fish for red snapper at a time when snapper in the stocks are at historically high levels of Gulf of Mexico abundance. increased from 15 million age 2 year or older fish to nearly 25 million fish.

After the 2007 season however, recreational anglers were forced to give up their 180 day open red snapper season, despite the positive rebuilding trajectory of the stock. Starting in 2008, the recreational season plummeted 65% to just 65 days, falling again incrementally from 53 days in 2010 to a paltry 9 days in 2014. Simultane-

Management Act, was drastically altered by an Act of Congress, forcing new arbitrary deadlines and restrictions to completely upset the balance of commerce and conservation of important American fisheries like red snapper.

Named after Warren G. Magnuson, a Democratic senator from Washington and Ted Stevens, Republican senator from Alaska, the federal law was first implemented to ensure fishery resources are managed for the greatest overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect to providing food production and recreational opportunities. According to NOAA Fisheries, “most notably, the Magnuson-

‘what happened in 2007’ to force anglers off the water while red snapper stocks continued getting more abundant? The answer is rather simple – in 2007, the federal fisheries law, the Magnuson Ste- Stevens Act aided in the developvens Fisheries Conservation and ment of the domestic fishing in-

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dustry by phasing out foreign fish- requirements set forth by a broken problem which they created. The ing.” law, without any accountability of commercial fishermen they supWhen the law was reauthorized in 2006/2007, it was modified in order to adjust seasonal fishing quotas by requiring fishery management plans to “establish a mecha-

nism for specifying annual catch limits in the plan, implementing regulations, or annual specifications, at a level such that overfishing does not occur in the fishery, including measures to ensure accountability.” An annual catch limit (ACL) is not just a quota, but a rigid numerical limit; if that limit is surpassed as per the recreational data collection methods administered by NOAA Fisheries, the sector gets punished (that’s the accountability part of the equation).

In other words, the law created to help foster the domestic fishing industry has been altered to be a punishing tool to be used against coastal businesses that thrive on healthy fish stocks.

Thanks to the Magnuson Stevens Act, strict rebuilding deadlines for fisheries like Gulf of Maine cod (10 years), Pacific Coast yelloweye rockfish (71 years) and red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico (32 years) are key factors in the setting of annual catch limits for saltwater anglers, with periodic stock assessments ultimately determining whether these deadlines will be met or not. Combined with random sampling estimates using coastal phonebooks, the entire red snapper fishery is dependent upon government bureaucracy meeting

their own.

While commercial fishermen in theory have nearly exact accounting of every pound of fish that’s brought back to dock and sold, saltwater anglers are monitored using random phone calls and a dockside sampling efforts. Established in the 70’s as a tool to monitor angler trends, the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS or MRIP) methodology is still used today to gather ‘effort and participation’ data by calling numbers from coastal phone books and interviewing a small sample of anglers at a handful of dockside locations.

port have their ‘pound for pound’ annual harvest of red snapper monitored by tallying a limited number of fish tags used each year to sell to market; these ‘catch shares’ meet annual catch limits by ‘capping’ the amount of fishermen allowed to fish while offering participants the ability to ‘trade’ the tags amongst various users.

If the catch share scheme were to be implemented in the recreational fishing community - either separately amongst private anglers and members of the recreational fishing industry, or together as one unit - it would mean the end of open access fisheries in America.

The concept of ‘sector separation’ in the Gulf is the environmentalist response to the rapidly diminishing number of available fishing days for the recreational fishing community, and the very concept that having equity in ownership of the red snapper stock could lead to increased financial rewards in the years ahead (as the rebuilding timeline for red snapper continues) has made it an attractive position for a few early investors and shareholders.

In a nutshell, if the government’s random sampling shows anglers overharvested more of the seasonal quota than was limited, we’ll have to pay that overage back in future quota, a ‘pound-for-pound’ penalty before a new season can even start. The 32-year rebuilding trajectory for red snapper must ultimately be met to the day, and because of that strict adherence to timeline, any NOAA ‘sampling’ that shows anglers are over ACL will result in greater accountability measures (loss of allowable days.) Instead of embracing ‘sector separation’ or a concept of recreational Environmental organizations like fish tags, the real solution to red Environmental Defense Fund – snapper management can be those who helped manipulate the found precisely where the probdraconian changes into the 2007 lem first began – with Congress reauthorization of the Magnusonand the Magnuson Stevens FisherStevens Act in the first place – ies Conservation and Management have their own solution to the Act. A new version of the federal

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fisheries law was passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee in Washington earlier this spring which would improve and strengthen many provisions in the law. Specifically, the Strengthening

Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act (HR4742) would provide

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As passed by the House Natural Resources Committee, this particular federal reform would also restrict intersector trading of ‘catch shares’ as the weapon being used to build support for sector separation, while implementing a grant program to allow states to improve recreational data collection at the state level; it would also incorporate a National Research Council review of the current angler harvest methodologies used by NOAA Fisheries to determine the accuracy of this data in meeting management goals.

greater deadline flexibility in rebuilding fish stocks, modify annual catch limit and accountability measures to allow anglers access while fish stocks improve, better distinguish between overfished and depleted fisheries, while providing improved transparency The answer to the problem with and public participation in the red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico? management process.

It’s fairly simple – pass HR4742 and

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get the U.S. Senate to follow the lead set forth by the U.S. House of Representatives.

As soon as President Obama signs the Strengthening Fishing Commu-

nities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, the recreational season for red snapper will come around, probably about as quickly as it was lost the last time this federal law was reauthorized in 2007!

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ATLANTIC COASTAL STRIPED BASS: WHEN MANAGEMENT OPTIONS BECOME OPTIONAL

By Jim Hutchinson, Jr.

F

ollowing their August meeting in Alexandria, VA, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) voted to put forth of suite of management options specific to Addendum IV to Amendment 6 of the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan.

Pardon the jargon, but essentially the ASMFC’s striped bass management board approved language to be included in a public comment document for striped bass, with the full commission agreeing to put new management options out for public comment.

The period for public comment ended on September 30, 2014.

actly what will happen in the next few years unless some-

place along the Atlantic Coast to present a full set of management options which hopefully would ensure that the striped bass stock does not fall into the overfished and overfishing category.

While the range of striper opinions is typically qu it e v a r i ed amon g re creat i on al fishermen, m e et i ng participants in each state kept focused on the actual options presented for review by the ASMFC which are meant to reduce the overall mortality.

Included were specific timeframes to cut back on the harvest, including options for a 25% reduction beginning in 2015, as well as options to stagger the overall cutback with a 17% reduction in year one and a 7% reduction starting in 2015.

LET THE DISCUSSION BEGIN According to the 2013 These three percentAtlantic striped bass ages had correspondstock assessment, the Striped bass are a top target for saltwater anglers ing options, with a set female spawning stock along the Atlantic Coast, so much so that stakeof ‘B’ options assigned biomass (SSB) has been holders and fishery managers alike are cautiously to the 25% or better in steady decline for watching the regulatory process. reduction starting in the past seven years. year one, a set of ‘C’ While the striped bass stock thing is done starting in options to cut back just 17% itself is not considered over- 2015. starting in 2015, and a set of fished in statutory terms, it Throughout August and Sep- ‘D’ options representing a 7% appears 85% likely that’s ex- tember, public hearings took reduction starting in 2015. In

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other words, the ‘B’ set of options would require more restrictive measures starting immediately in 2015, whereas options ‘C’ and ‘D’ would be more like a mortgage payment, spreading out the pain over a few years.

Now, I can’t claim to accurately state exactly what every saltwater angler and recreational fishing business owner wants in terms of specific options, but I can say with certainty that the majority of folks I’ve interacted with support options in the ‘B’ division, meaning they believe it’s important to take our lumps quicker with a full 25% reduction or better starting in

2015. Sure, a few friends and associates believe that the reduction efforts can be spread out over time - if even implemented at all - but easily 90% of the folks I’ve spoken with would like to pay up front instead of extending the credit on striped bass.

With that said, let’s start by taking a look at the options presented

by ASMFC which claim to offer at least a 25% reduction on overall striped bass harvest beginning in 2015, and specifically those measures addressing the recreational sector.

GENERALLY CONSENTING The various ‘B’ proposals for the

Coastal Recreational Fishery ranged from B1, a one fish at 28inch size limit representing a 31% reduction, on up to B9 which was one fish between 28 and 37 inches and one fish over 40 inches which would accommodate a 26% reduction.

There were also the options for one fish at 30 inches (B2), one fish at 32 inches (B3) and one fish at 28 to 40 inches (B4) which theoretically would account for a better than 31% reduction; there will still other options like two at 33 inches (B5) and two at 28 to 34 inches (B6) which represented less than 30% overall reduction.

The Coastwide Recreational Fishery options and Chesapeake Bay Management area options notwithstanding, some Atlantic Coastal states may still be making a regulatory push for equivalency in striped bass reduction efforts.

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At the end of the public hearing schedule, the most popular choices for options presented included one fish at 28 inches, one fish at 30 or 32 inches, two fish at 33 inches, with some asking for one fish at 28 to 36 inches and a trophy fish of 38 inches or better (option B8). In terms of those specific options, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) sent official comments in support of B1, one fish at28 inches, for the very specific reasons listed below.

1) Reducing the individual bag limit by one fish offers a 31% reduction in harvest (according to ASMFC), but would also effectively cut the number of broodstock fish harvested during the spring migration when pre- and postspawn fish are congregated in key areas.

2) Keeping the size limit at 28 inches will reduce bycatch mortality resulting from any increase in size limit (proposed in options B2, B3 or B5); the ‘one at 28’ option allows anglers fishing specifically for harvest to catch their ‘table’ fish more efficiently without undue harm caused to undersized fish.

3) While a traditional ‘slot’ option to preserve and protect smaller fish and breeding fish alike is a sensible management option, RFA is concerned about the current recruitment classes; with the 2010 and 2011 recruitment years being the most robust of recent record, it’s important to protect those females until better than 90% can spawn (age 5-8) at

least once before harvest.

4) ASFMC has previously stated that reducing fishing mortality on fish aged 8-12 (32- to 40-inch fish) by half would result in “much greater egg production in the stock and an age distribution in which older fish are much more dominant”; as such, any slot option (proposed in options B4, B6, B7, B8, or B9) which focuses undue harvest pressure on more ‘fertile’ age/size fish in the stock could be counterproductive to conservation efforts.

5) RFA continues to place little faith in the NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) and their ability to effectively account for recreational fishing effort and harvest. Specifically, options B2, B3, B4, B7, B8 and B9 are footnoted to indicate that “data available to estimate the percent reduction is limited because the combination of a bag limit and size limit changes simultaneously means only measured fish from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) were included in the analysis which is a small subsample of the MRIP dataset for striped bass.” Since NMFS has limited data to make such calculations, there is far less confidence in calculating overall impact of such options.

6) Keep in mind that the actual ASMFC document where the various options are listed actually states that these are measures which “all jurisdictions would implement,” which of course would lead the casual observer to believe that the ‘consensus’ view of

www.FLOSCAN.com

Fall 2014

the public and the final vote

by ASMFC members in October would result in all jurisdictional states from Maine to South Carolina along the Atlantic seaboard to implement the same bag and size limit corresponding with the alphanumeric option listed in the table.

But there’s a caveat – there’s always a caveat. There is very specific wording in Section 3.0 found on page 10 of Addendum IV stating that “ conservation equivalency is

allowed under Amendment 6 and that states wishing to implement conservation equivalency would need to submit their programs for Board approval .”

What is implied by this sentence is that management options may be presented to the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board and approved that were not included in draft addendum that was released to the public and which underwent a sometimes contentious public comment period.

In other words, while the general public, business owners and individual anglers were focused on building support for one of nine options presented for the coastwide recreational fishery, the ASMFC’s draft addendum did not actually include all the possible management alternatives that could be implemented by the Board.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Language that is written into the ASMFC charter is very clear with regard to requirements allowing for public participation in the preparation of

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fishery management plans, amendments and addendums.

Specifically, the ASMFC management boards are required to solicit public participation during the process of proposing, developing, or amending any fishery management plan; such plans should also be readily available to the public, concise, and easily understandable.

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public information document.

In the situation with striped bass, after nearly two dozen p ub l i c hea ri n gs , c o u nt l es s newspaper and magazine articles, letters generated by fishing clubs and organizations, and the typical web chatter and debate, the official comment period for Addendum IV to Amendment 6 of the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan has officially ended, although there now exists the very real possibility that states may be submitting conservation equivalency options to the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board and that this board may approve those regulations without any input from the stakeholders who have already expressed their opinion based on what was in the original public information document.

Such rules are written into the charter in order properly inform the ASMFC as a whole, and to allow the public to have effective participation in the management planning process, and to help commissioners to make decisions on fishery management plans.

Additionally, each management board is tasked with utilizing each state’s established public review process to ensure that the public has an opportunity to review and comment upon the problems and alternative solutions addressed through any By allowing states to submit

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conservation equivalency programs after the official comments period has closed, the public is essentially being denied the opportunity to effectively participate in the management planning process and helping the Commissioners to make decisions on fishery management plans consistent with the ASMFC charter. Or, as RFA points out in a letter to the ASFMC, “the public is denied the opportunity to review and comment on all the alternative solutions that maybe adopted by the Board resultant of Addendum IV.” “It is unfortunately that now with the comment period closed, a near infinite number conservation equivalency management measures could potentially be submitted and approved Board without any public comment at the ASMFC level,” said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio in his letter, going on to add “RFA believes that this is wrong.”

GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT No one should really have an issue with the use of conservation equivalency; it is a management concept much like the 10 th Amendment giving states certain autonomy – in this case, it gives individual states the ability to set their own season, size and bag limit based on a statistical formula for keeping under a set harvest.

Regrettably, the statistical formula for determining such management options remains “fatally flawed.”

After 9 months babying the measures along, and another 2 months crawling along for public comment, is there any time left to discuss new options before new striped bass regulations are set to take effect?

The Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) and Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) are the data collection tools used by NOAA

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Fisheries to monitor the annual harvest of striped bass by recreational anglers. At this point in the process, there are very few anglers, business owners, legislators or even bureaucrats who have any faith whatsoever in the MRFSS/MRIP data, which means coming up with a “conservation equivalency” approach to meeting certain striped bass reductions is about as practical as using “dead reckoning” to find an offshore reef site that you’ve never fished before.

great deal of time and effort was made by state agencies, the fishing industry and fishing organizations to deliberate and vet the management measures included in the public information document.

As a result, Donofrio and the RFA are asking ASMFC to require all states that that might consider submitting conservation equivalency programs must submit those proposals to the ASMFC who in turn can make them available to the public. “States should not be permitted to put forward conservation equivalency programs that have not been reviewed and vetted by the public during a public comment period,” Donofrio wrote, adding “RFA believes this approach is only fair considering the coastal striped fishery is managed as one management unit.”

“While RFA understands that conservation equivalency by definition will require states to propose programs that result in the same harvest reductions as the measures adopted by the Board, it must be noted that the most contentious issue during the Addendum IV comment period was not the percent harvest reduction but the actual management measures,” From both a business and recreaDonofrio said, explaining how a tional fishing opportunity stand-

point, striped bass management measures in one state have an impact on other neighboring states; just look at the ongoing situation with summer flounder (fluke).

More importantly as it relates to striped bass, it is critically important that reductions in harvest are fully understood by the public and equally shared by the fishing community; changing the game after the public comment period has closed, while theoretically legal in ASFMC legalese theory, is not exactly what one would call transparent public policy.

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Breaking News: GULF COUNCIL APPROVES SECTOR SEPARATION RFA Calls for End to Radical Agenda!

P

resident Obama has made it very clear that his "policies are on the ballot" in Tuesday's election - coastal fishermen should understand by now that those policies include blanket marine reserves, privatized fish stock, recreational catch shares, and sector separation.

separation" measure approved by the Gulf Council will take the entire recreational quota of red snapper and split it into pieces, with the for-hire sector getting their own share of the quota and private individual anglers getting the rest.

Strangely of course, the recreational for-hire sector caters to individual anglers who book charters or climb aboard head boats to fish for red snapper, making the entire sector separation debate more about divisiveness and less about fixing the problems with federal fisheries management. The new proposal essentially privatizes more of the red snapper stock by stealing open public access away from anglers.

Despite heavy opposition from individual saltwater anglers, local tackle shops, marinas, most of the for-hire sector captains in the United States, tackle shops, the governors of the coastal states and nearly every standing member of the U.S. Congress, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) voted to divide the recreational fishing community into pieces over the next three years.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has been rallying In a 10-7 vote, the appointed opposition to splitting the recreafisheries managers, led by NO- tional fishing sector into pieces AA Fisheries' regional adminis- for the past 5 years while simultrator Dr. Roy Crabtree, ap- taneously lobbying for Congresproved a proposal to split the sional action on behalf of Gulf recreational red snapper coastal anglers who have seen fishery between charter/for hire diminished access to rebuilding anglers and private recreational fish stocks. According to RFA anglers. The so-called "sector executive director Jim Donofrio,

while members of the U.S. House of Representatives have pushed to fix the problems leading to this sector separation effort, the Senate has done nothing in response.

"Members of the House Natural Resources Committee have held multiple hearings over the past several years and they've moved a good piece of legislation out of committee to help fix the problem with red snapper, but nothing's happening on the Senate side until after the election which is why this terrible vote has taken place now," Donofrio said. "It's disgusting to see all of these letters of opposition floating around by members of various congressional caucuses and from legislators themselves, when it's quite apparent the appointees have been given the green light by the agency and the administration to go against the will of the people."

Of the 10 Gulf Council members to vote in favor of sector separation, four are either current or former bureaucrats and government officials, four are representatives of the commercial

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sector, and just two, Capt. John Greene of Alabama and Capt.

Pam Dana of Florida, were supposed to be representative of the recreational sector. Donofrio said the decision to change the way the recreational fishing community has managed fisheries for decades could represent the end of the recreational fishing industry as we know it.

"RFA has spent the past 7 years trying to unite the fishing community behind federal fisheries reform, warning about this impending implosion and fighting the environmental zealots who created this divide, but there's not much more we can do about it until after next week's election," Donofrio said.

"These are the president's policies, and they most certainly are on this Tuesday's ballot," he added.

Pam Anderson, operations manager at Capt. Anderson's Marina in Panama City Beach and an active member of the RFA's

Florida Panhandle chapter, attended the recent Gulf Council meeting and said she fears sector separation will lead to catchshare programs for recreational anglers in the future.

"We are concerned because we know the goal of sector separation is to further reduce the number of people that participate in the fishery," Anderson said.

"That is what has happened with every catch-share program in the United States. We are hoping and praying that doesn't happen in our area."

As Donofrio and the RFA have frequently pointed out catch shares in the form of individual fishing quota and limited fish tags are currently in place for the commercial red snapper fishermen, many of whom also have permits to take individual anglers fishing; he sees the concept of sector separation as quickly leading to a program of intersector trading opportunities where private ownership rights of the red snapper stock exists between the commercial sector

and this new and as yet unnamed 'commercial recreational' sector.

The RFA office has been deluged this week with phone calls and emails from frustrated Gulf constituents who are unhappy with the Gulf Council's vote and are asking for the removal of council members. Donofrio said only President Obama himself, who personally made most of these ideological selections to the Gulf Council through NOAA Fisheries, can do such a thing.

"Environmental Defense Fund has had a game plan in place that has worked quite well for them during the past 7 years, they own the entire national agenda on fisheries," Donofrio said. "The $85 million that they and their friends have spent on this year's election could ultimately destroy a lot more businesses in the next few years and may take away many more of America's freedoms, unless the fishing communities unite and fight back."

If you'd like to see who actually owns the red snapper stock in the Gulf of Mexico and could potentially reap an economic windfall under the intersector trading scheme click here.

To contact any of the Gulf Council members or to view their conflict of interest statements, click here.

If you'd like to go back to some of the national archives starting with 2009 to see whyJim Donofrio and the RFA have warned about 'catch shares' and 'sector separation' plans, click here.

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AFTER THE DEADLINE: What Does a Rebuilt Fishery Look Like

By John DePersenaire RFA Policy & Science Researcher

W

hether it’s a 10-year timeframe like summer flounder and cod, or over two decades to rebuild red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, rebuilding periods for U.S. coastal fisheries can make or break both fish and fishermen.

Rebuilding implies sacrifice, cutbacks, reduction in harvest; pain necessary for the longterm sustainability of any particular fishery. While rebuilding often is associated with negative socioeconomic impacts, the concept and need for a goal is understood.

Once a fishery is rebuilt however, things get a little fuzzier.

CAPACITY & YIELD To what level should a stock be rebuilt? It’s a source of endless discussion and constant revision; mostly subjective and hardly absolute.

There are three important milestones in stocks size: (1) carrying capacity, (2) maximum sustainable yield which is typically half the carrying capacity, and (3) optimum yield, which is a reduction from the maximum sustainable yield as mandated by federal law for social, econom-

ic or ecological factors or to aid in rebuilding an overfished stock.

ment objectives that are out of sync with the stock or marine environment.

Carrying capacity is not fixed and is directly correlated to the current conditions of the marine environment. Though it can be and often is refined; it is often a function of the amount and quality of data associated with that fishery. Maximum sustainable yield, or MSY, is a function of carrying capacity and represents the point at which the reproductive output of the overall stock is at its maximum. The Magnuson Stevens Act mandates a buffer from MSY to prevent overfishing, the result is optimum yield.

Also, revisions to these biological reference points become extremely difficult and expensive. MSY is a fundamental component in evaluating a stock’s current size relative to its size absence of fishing.

Carrying capacity is a theoretical value derived using assumptions about a species’ maximum potential length, age, fecundity. Defined loosely as the point at which the stock ceases to grow due to density dependant factors, carrying capacity is extremely complicated and has a great deal of variability; yet, it is treated as a firm, empirically proven value for fisheries management. The practical application of this approach can manifest in rebuilding and manage-

When stock size is low and management measures are implemented to reduce fishing mortality, growth can be aggressive at the beginning of the rebuilding period. However, as the stock size increases, stock growth begins to slow as the stock approaches the final rebuilding target. The target cannot be viewed as exact poundage where the stock size will remain once rebuilt, but instead as a ‘mean poundage’ with the actual stock size vacillating from year to year once above the target.

THE BEST LAID SCHEMES Some stock recruitment models, Ricker for example, illustrate how recruitment is not always linear with stock size and that in fact, recruitment is negatively correlated to stock size after a maximum is

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reached. In short, a stock can become less productive at high levels of abundance when resources are limited or competition inflates natural mortality.

This ecological theory can be acutely seen in closed, freshwater systems where gamefish population growth is limited by forage, habitat, water quality, and other environmental factors. When it is not possible to supplement these limiting factors, the stock will begin to decline.

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Lenny Small, the character from the Steinbeck classic Of Mice and Men, killed his beloved pet by loving it too much. So, why the excessive precaution or the promotion of catch and release over harvest? It’s an unnatural expectation that a rebuilt stock must be maintained at a theoretically high level of abundance without fluctuation, Moreover, too high a stock size results in a biological diminishing return.

In other words, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Fall 2014

So what can one expect for the future? Stocks will ebb and flo; they will continue to interact with each other, where the rebuilding of one will be to the rebuilding detriment of another. The goal of fisheries management should not be absolute abundance but achieving the biological and ecological sweetspot where each stock is producing the maximum benefit to the fishery without causing imbalance to its own productivity or productivity of other fisheries.

Magnuson reauthorization is hoping to address so of these issues.

From a management standpoint, the promotion of catch and release over harvest may not reduce the As it relates to management, there Forcing the square peg overall stock size to the of management into the is a sweet spot in terms of biomass round hole of the mapoint where it is most productive, and some- where removal keeps the stock at a rine environment is not times could actually be a long term solution, point where it is the most produccounterintuitive.

The and neither the federal tive in terms of yield per recruit.

Utah Division of Wildlife fisheries law nor the for example recently befishermen can expect all gan encouraging anglers there UNDER CONSTANT stocks to be turned out of a to keep more fish as opposed management assembly line.

CHANGE to catching and releasing beWhat works for rebuilding may Management of stakeholder cause waters are getting overnot work once the stock is reexpectations can be the most crowded, resulting in less forbuilt. Conversely, what works challenging part of the equaage and smaller gamefish. for a rebuilt stock may not tion. History has proven that work once another stock is resome stocks are more resilient As it relates to management, built or as another is depleted. that previously assumed. there is a sweet spot in terms Moreover, we are learning that of biomass where removal Management of marine fish is the marine environment and keeps the stock at a point extremely complex, and laws all its ecological processes are a where it is the most productive and overall expectations may huge driving force on marine in terms of yield per recruit. not always be consistent with fish stocks and cannot be igExcessive precaution or non the reality of the marine envinored when rebuilding or extractive measures such as ronment. The Magnuson Stemaintaining a fish stock, percatch and release can allow vens Act needs amendments fectly evidenced by Atlantic the stock to surpass its optimal to bring management in-line striped bass and Gulf of Maine biomass where its yield per rewith our limitations in monitorcod. cruit begins to decline. ing and quantifying marine environment and marine fish.

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Fall 2014

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Fall 2014

RFA CHAPTER NEWS Reports & Updates from RFA Chapters and Regional Directors

New England Update Capt. Barry Gibson, NE Regional Director Capt. Mike Pierdinock, RFA-MA Chapter

Feds: Cod Stock Has Crashed, Haddock Up

lieve that rising water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine have simply pushed the cod into colder, more northern or offshore waters, yet others feel that the system of management called “catch shares” implemented several years back has allowed large commercial boats to decimate the

The apparent health of the Gulf of Maine cod population continues its downward spiral, worrying recreational fishermen and regulators alike.

Back in 2008, it appeared that the stock was rebuilding after stringent new restrictions were put into place to prevent continued overfishing.

There was even talk of relaxing the regulations, something New England’s thousands of groundfish anglers were really looking forward to.

However, a stock assessment conducted in 2012 indicated that the reverse was happening. The cod population, it seemed, had dropped to an estimated 18 percent of its sustainable yield. In response, the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) slashed both commercial and recreational cod quotas by 80 percent to try and prevent a further decline. As painful as that was, it looked like it might do the trick.

But apparently it didn’t. A stock assessment “update,” prepared quietly this summer by the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Science Center with virtually no public notice, indicated even worse news – the cod stock had fallen to just 3 to 4 percent of the target level, and that the population of spawning-age cod was at an all-time low.

The update, based on data from 2011 to 2013, was peer-reviewed earlier this fall, but there was little change in the conclusion. Some folks be-

The cod fishery is the backbone of New England’s commercial and for-hire recreational fleet and a popular species for private boat anglers. It’s loss will be devasting to all segments of the fishery, the economic impacts will be enormous.

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fish in near-shore waters.

ments as they unfold.

However, there are growing concerns about the legitimacy of the update. Many fishermen, both commercial and recreational, question the datagathering methodology. “If the cod have indeed simply moved to cooler water,” they ask, “did the sampling take this into account, or were the same stations used that have always been surveyed? If the nets come up empty, what does this really mean?” Others voiced concerns that the update was done “in secret,” and that there was no input at all solicited from fishermen.

Haddock Stock Improves

The NEFMC’s Science and Statistical Committee (SSC), using the update results, has suggested a catch limit of just 200 metric tons (mt) of cod for the recreational and commercial sectors combined for 2015, down from 1,550 mt in 2014, in order to try and rebuild the stock by 2024. This would end up essentially as a bycatch fishery at best, although questions still remain at to what would happen if the 200 tons of bycatch were exceeded. Would all the fisheries (haddock, pollock, redfish, flounder, etc.) in which cod are also caught, be shut down?

Nobody’s sure as of this writing. The NEFMC was unable to come up with emergency measures to recommend to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), so NMFS will develop measures on their own, likely to be announced and implemented by the end of November. The emergency regulations are expected to remain in place until the Council can craft more permanent measures in Groundfish Framework 53, which it hopes to have in place by this coming May 1, the start of the 2015 fishing year.

There is little question at this point that possession of recreationally-caught Gulf of Maine cod will be prohibited for quite some time to come, likely a number of years. This may be the most bitter pill that New England’s salt water recreational fishermen have ever been forced to swallow. Cod is the mainstay of the offshore party and charter fleet from Cape Cod through Maine, and is the target of choice for hundreds of private-boat anglers.

RFA-NE will be following this issue closely over the coming months and will report on develop-

As troubling as the current cod situation appears to be, an assessment of Gulf of Maine haddock

by NMFS this past summer brings good news – the haddock population is rapidly improving, and there are far more haddock out there than previously thought.

An assessment several years ago indicated that haddock were on the decline, yet recreational catches supposedly went through the roof in 2013, and the recreational haddock quota was exceeded. So, this past spring, regulators responded by raising the minimum size from 18” to 21”, dropping the bag limit from unlimited to three fish per person per day, and implementing a recreational prohibition on haddock possession starting September 1st.

As good as the news is, however, it’s unlikely that anglers will see a return to higher bag limits this coming season, let alone the “unlimited” bag they enjoyed through 2013. As of this writing, NMFS is concerned about the bycatch of cod (30% release mortality is assumed) by recreational fishermen targeting the abundant haddock, so a tight bag limit is likely, perhaps on the order of two or three fish per person per day. This will be very frustrating for anglers, who will likely boat lots of haddock on any given day, and a final nail in the coffin for New England’s party and charter groundfish fleet.

There’s still a lot to be sorted out, and RFA-NE will stay on top of the issues, testify at the meetings and hearings, and continue to fight for reasonable and appropriate access to our Gulf of Maine groundfish.

Watch These Pages for more RFA Chapter and Regional News!

The RFA Mission Safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers Protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs Ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s fisheries.

Anti-fishing groups and radical environmentalists are pushing their agenda on marine fisheries issues affecting you.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is in the trenches too, lobbying, educating decision makers and ensuring that the interests of America’s coastal fishermen are being heard loud and clear. Incorporated in 1996 as a 501c4 national, grassroots political action organization, RFA represents recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues on every coast, with state chapters established to spearhead the regional issues while building local support.

“The biggest challenge we face is the fight to reform and bring common sense and sound science into the fisheries management process, says James Donofrio, RFA founder and Executive Director. “Anti-fishing and extreme environmental groups are working everyday to get us off the water.” Despite the threats to diminish access to our nation’s resources, Donofrio says that RFA offers members hope in an organization that’s designed from the ground up to fight back. “As individuals, our concerns will simply not be heard; but as a united group, we can and do stand up to anyone who threatens the sport we enjoy so much – fishing!”

After more than a dozen years working inside the Beltway and within state capitols along the coast, RFA has become known as one of the nation’s most respected lobbying organizations, and our members have a lot to celebrate.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance Headquarters P.O. Box 3080 New Gretna, New Jersey 08224 Phone: 1-888-564-6732 toll free Fax: (609) 294-3812 Jim Donofrio Executive Director

Capt. Barry Gibson New England Regional Director

Jim Martin West Coast Regional Director

Jim Hutchinson Jr Managing Director

Gary Caputi Corporate Relations Director

John DePersenaire Policy & Science Researcher

Cover & Background Designs by