Gulf Coast - Noaa ends rec fishing by 2020

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ocs/documents/Vision_2020_FINAL-1.pdf

Ladies & Gentlemen - Go fishing while you still can !!!!!

NOAA has proposed to end recreational fishing as we know it by the year 2020.

It was nice while it lasted:trout:

That's a dead-end link, got anything else? ;?

I just skimmed through it. This will save everybody some time.

Basically this is where NOAA wants to be by 2020!!!


APPENDIX IV: RECREATIONAL FISHING
Issue Statement 1: Growth in populations and coastal tourism are resulting in
increasing numbers of recreational fishermen. Therefore, the impact these fishermen
are having on fish stocks is increasing. As this demand for recreational fishing
continues to increase, recreational fishermen will request increases in fish allocated to
the recreational sector.
Background: According to a NOAA report
21
, an estimated 153 million people lived in
coastal counties in 2003. This population represents an increase of 33 million people or
28 percent from 1980. In addition, a review of NOAA sponsored Marine Recreational
Fisheries Statistical Survey data from the years 1981 to 2005 shows a near doubling
nationally of marine recreational anglers from 6.9 million to 11.2 million or a growth rate
of approximately 3 percent per year. The value of recreational fishing as an economic
engine for coastal communities should be recognized and exploited to a greater degree.
The recreational fishing experience could rival or exceed recreational fishing catch as a
prime motivator for recreational fishing.
Current Situation: The current rate of increase in the angling population creates new
management concerns. If the rate of recreational fishermen continues to increase at 3
percent per annum, by 2020 the number of recreational fishermen will increase by 7.3
million to a projected level of 18.5 million. This change will result in a significant
increase of fishing effort and catch (i.e., mortality), all else equal. By 2020 continued
growth in recreational angling will require that anglers focus more on the fishing
experience and less on the number of fish landed. However, while post-release mortality
in catch and release fisheries is usually low (often 2-5 percent), as fishing effort
increases, post-release mortality will become an increasing proportion of total mortality.
It is conceivable that the cumulative total of post-release mortality could increase to
levels equal to the total allowable mortality for a fishery. As the number of recreational
fishermen continues to increase, improved monitoring will be necessary to assess the
fishing effort and catch. A national saltwater angler’s registry under development will be
a necessary tool to collect data.
Preferred State in 2020: Many recreational species have limited population growth rates
and are too valuable to be caught only once. By 2020, catch and release fishing is
emphasized and accounted for in specific species assessments. The proper techniques for
release are refined and disseminated to lower post release mortality. For other fisheries,
minimum size limits and reduced daily bag limits are sufficient management measures to
maintain healthy standing stocks. Additional seasonal closures are considered to
eliminate or redirect effort. By 2020, angler satisfaction is derived from the recreational
fishing experience rather than the take or “kill” fish. To achieve optimum yield, adaptive
management measures such as a temporary reallocation of quota is available to managers.
For example, if commercial quota is not harvested, managers are able to temporarilyreassign the under harvested quota to provide additional recreational opportunity, and
vice versa.
Proposed Actions to Accomplish Preferred State:
(a) Improve collection of recreational catch, release, and harvest data,
(b) Create and use the recreational angler registry.
(c) Continue to promote catch and release fisheries,
(d) Reduce daily bag limits and implement minimum or maximum size limits when
necessary for those fish stocks where resorting to total catch and release is not necessary,
(e) Promote research to accurately quantify and minimize post release mortality,
(f) Increase the length of seasonal closures when necessary and encourage the
recreational community to maximize the profitability of open seasons,
(g) Amend fishery management plans to allow for timely conversion of unused
commercial allocation to the recreational sector and vice versa;
(h) Implement a variety of programs and incentives to enhance the conservation ethic of
recreational anglers.
Proposed Entity(s) to Promote Actions:
(a) The leadership of the recreational fishing community should promote the total
recreational fishing experience, instill a conservation ethic, and de-emphasize landings.
(b) Industry and NOAA Fisheries should continue to support research and technology
designed to reduce post release mortality.
(c) Management (councils, commissions, NOAA Fisheries) should consider extending
closed seasons to reduce mortality.
(d) Management, (councils, commissions, NOAA Fisheries), should amend fishery
management plans to allow, when appropriate, the conversion of commercial quota onto
recreational quota and vice versa.

Bottom line - NOAA says that by the year 2020 there will be SO many recreational fishermen that even if we throw back 100% of the fish we catch the fish will hardly be able to withstand our bycatch mortatility. Therefore we need to go to 100% catch and release and ENJOY THE FISHING EXPERIENCE and not keep any fish to bring home for our table. We need to BUY those fish from commercial fishermen. CALL YOUR SENATOR / CONGRESSMAN to let him know what you think about this.. P.S. Want to buy a boat?

"By 2020, angler satisfaction is derived from the recreational
fishing experience rather than the take or “kill” fish"

On what planet will the collective recreational fishermen spend billions of dollars annually to catch and release? Certainly, it cannot be planet Earth.

"By 2020, angler satisfaction is derived from the recreational
fishing experience rather than the take or “kill” fish"

On what planet will the collective recreational fishermen spend billions of dollars annually to catch and release? Certainly, it cannot be planet Earth.

In the land of NOAA - just follow the yellow brick road.

We didn't have any ducks or deer until we ended commercial harvest, now they're eating my shrubs.

The current energy policies will limit recreational catch quite effectively. If their dream of $6-$8 dollar-gallon comes true, I doubt we'll see recreational fishing increase 3% annually.

Hunting is also on their agenda....they will twist the science to suit their needs....rec fishing has never had an effect on fish stocks and never will...2 years ago there was a comm boy in the local bait and tackle bragging about the 1700 lbs of red snapper he is bringing back after 3 days fishing....1700lbs with no minimal length?....that's more than I will catch in my lifetime and I infuse ALOT more $$ into the local/fed economy than any low rent comm fisherman.....VOTE in NOV!

I hate to sound like all those crazy people but Im starting to think they might be wright people won't stand for all this shit we will be in civil war like the others countries in the east in our life time.just glad i started getting ready a few years ago.PS make sure if your in Pierre part when it happens to wave a white THT flag when you pass my house LOL

We fish till there's no fish to catch, and that's the bottom line.
Fish till your done of till it's to dark to fish !!!

Here we go...Catch whatever you want ....I'm Gonna'. I'm tired of this F@#%in' shit...:mad:
Costa Rica Here we come:thumbsup:

While I think NOAA is out to lunch, some fisherman crack me up. Seriously who doesn't fish for the enjoyment? Certainly keeping some fish to eat is part of the fun but if you are fishing just to catch fish to eat then dude, stay home. It will be WAY cheaper to just go to the store and buy your fish to eat.

I certainly don't think recreational fishing is moving towards just catch and release. However the days of filling your cooler are coming to an end. This report is 5 years old. Certain fish like tarpon, bonefish, sailfish and marlin should be catch and release. This was on projections of an annual 3% increase in recreational fishing. That will not happen. Things are about to get a lot harder for most Americans. $5-$6 gas will keep a lot of people at the dock. On top of that our country is BROKE they need every tax revenue stream that there is.

This is just my opinion

According to a nbc special report i saw a while back, 86% of our seafood now comes from overseas, boat owners have declined, there is a big boat for sale on every corner in pensacola fla. we catch more fish now in close than we did in 1973 when i was a commercial snapper fisherman. anglers arent increasing, they are selling their boats, just like shrimp boats, 2 of mu friends have parked their 65 ft boats, cant make anought money to pay for fuel and deckhands.we have to eat pond raised shrimp and other fish grown in sewage and ponds, only 2% inspected, from nbc special report.. the snapper are too small, stop, oops we made a mistake they are bigger than we thought, so u caught 1.8 millon lbs to much in 6 weeks, half which was too rough to go out, we caught 6 snapper in season, 1 millon before and after, floater porpoise bait.

im mounting a barret on front of my old 20 foot 1960 simmons. Maybe noaa will let us go on their 300,000 party 36 ft boston whaler, has bar and all

It reads as if they want to promote catch and release not to maintain stocks but because they feel our reward comes from catching fish, not necessarily keeping fish. This has nothing to do with a healthy fishery and everything to do with controlling our freedom. Another federal program out of control.

I'm gonna catch what I need, keep what I need and when I want to. God given right. Jesus said so, in the bible.

I am all for Bi-Partisan Science.

I'm gonna catch what I need, keep what I need and when I want to. God given right. Jesus said so, in the bible.

XXX1000:thumbsup: