Frank Kearney
10-05-2009, 03:35 PM
CCA ACTION ALERT
THIS IS AN ALERT REQUESTING YOU TO TAKE ACTION
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
CCA VA SUPPORTS A MORITORUM ON WEAKFISH
Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 4 to the Weakfish Fishery Management Plan for
Public Comment
Public Hearing at VMRC Oct 7th
ASMFC Public Comment Period Until Oct 30th
Your Action is Urgently Needed
(See background info and sample letter below)
CCA Virginia supports a moratorium on the recreational and commercial fisheries of Weakfish until the stock recovers sufficiently to allow fishing for weakfish again. Under Recreational Fisheries Section 2.3, CCA VA supports Option 5(Harvest moratorium). Under Commercial Fisheries Section 2.3.3, CCA VA supports option 4(Harvest moratorium). Coastwide the weakfish stock is depleted at an all-time low of 2.9 million pounds (1,333 metric tons), far below the proposed biomass threshold of 22.4 million pounds (10,179 metric tons). At this stock size, recent fishery removals (landings and dead discards combined) represent a significant proportion of the remaining biomass. While the decline in the stock primarily results from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by the commercial and recreational fisheries.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Draft Addendum IV to the Weakfish Fishery Management Plan on October 7th at 6:00 PM and will be held at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, (4th Floor) 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607. For information call (757)247-2248.
The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this document at any time during the Addendum process. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on October 30, 2009. Comments may be submitted by mail, email, or fax. If you have any questions or would like to submit comments, please use the contact information below.
Mail: Nichola Meserve
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Email: nmeserve@asmfc.org
Phone: (202) 289-6400
Fax: (202) 289-6051
Send a letter or email and/or attend a public hearing to make sure that your comments are recorded for the record. A letter in your own words is the best way but if you need a sample letter then one is provided.
SAMPLE LETTER
Nichola Meserve
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Email: nmeserve@asmfc.org
Subject: Draft Addendum IV Weakfish
In reference to Draft Addendum IV on weakfish, my choice under recreational fisheries is Option 5(Harvest moratorium) and under commercial fisheries my choice is Option 4(Harvest moratorium).
Recent declines in the weakfish stock indicate that ASMFC take immediate action to protect the stock. At 1.1 million pounds, the total coastwide landings of weakfish in 2008 are the lowest on record.
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Background
A copy of the full Addendum on Weakfish can be found at asmfc.org under breaking news.
The Draft Addendum, developed in response to all time low stock abundance, will propose a range of options to reduce fishing mortality, including complete harvest moratoria and limited bycatch only fisheries. It is anticipated that the majority of states will be conducting public hearings on Draft Addendum IV in October. . The Addendum was developed in response to the findings of the 2009 weakfish stock assessment which shows weakfish stocks at an all time low and current fishery removals unsustainable under existing stock conditions. Specifically, the assessment indicated that weakfish abundance has declined markedly, total mortality is high, non-fishing mortality has recently increased, and the stock is currently in a depleted state. The assessment report was reviewed and approved for management use by an independent panel of fisheries scientists
The weakfish stock is depleted at an all-time low of 2.9 million pounds (1,333 metric tons), far below the proposed biomass threshold of 22.4 million pounds (10,179 metric tons). At this stock size, recent fishery removals (landings and dead discards combined) represent a significant proportion of the remaining biomass. While the decline in the stock primarily results from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by the commercial and recreational fisheries.
Natural mortality has risen substantially since 1995, with factors such as predation, competition, and changes in the environment having a stronger influence on recent weakfish stock dynamics than fishing mortality. Given current high natural mortality levels, stock projections indicate that the stock is unlikely to recover rapidly, even under a harvest moratorium. In order to rebuild the stock, total mortality will need to be reduced, although this is unlikely to occur until natural mortality decreases to previous levels. On a positive note, juvenile abundance surveys indicate that young-of-the-year weakfish continued to be present in numbers similar to previous years, suggesting that recruitment at this point has not been severely limited in spite of low stock size.
The Board will meet again in November to consider public comment and take final action on the Draft Addendum. Under Commission procedures, the Board may opt to implement the Addendum under emergency action, with approved measures taking effect immediately upon Board action.
This Angler Alert is provided as a public service by the Coastal Conservation Association Virginia (CCA VA). Feel free it to forward it to your associates. If you have any comments concerning this issue, or would like to have your name added/removed from the distribution list send an email to info@ccavirginia.org. The stated purpose of CCA is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. CCA VA is a 501 C-3 charitable organization whose goal is CPR for fish…Conserve, Protect and Restore marine resources for the benefit of all Virginians. Please visit our website located at Welcome to Coastal Conservation Association Virginia for more information.
CCA Virginia Email CCAVA@cox.net
THIS IS AN ALERT REQUESTING YOU TO TAKE ACTION
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
CCA VA SUPPORTS A MORITORUM ON WEAKFISH
Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 4 to the Weakfish Fishery Management Plan for
Public Comment
Public Hearing at VMRC Oct 7th
ASMFC Public Comment Period Until Oct 30th
Your Action is Urgently Needed
(See background info and sample letter below)
CCA Virginia supports a moratorium on the recreational and commercial fisheries of Weakfish until the stock recovers sufficiently to allow fishing for weakfish again. Under Recreational Fisheries Section 2.3, CCA VA supports Option 5(Harvest moratorium). Under Commercial Fisheries Section 2.3.3, CCA VA supports option 4(Harvest moratorium). Coastwide the weakfish stock is depleted at an all-time low of 2.9 million pounds (1,333 metric tons), far below the proposed biomass threshold of 22.4 million pounds (10,179 metric tons). At this stock size, recent fishery removals (landings and dead discards combined) represent a significant proportion of the remaining biomass. While the decline in the stock primarily results from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by the commercial and recreational fisheries.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Draft Addendum IV to the Weakfish Fishery Management Plan on October 7th at 6:00 PM and will be held at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, (4th Floor) 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607. For information call (757)247-2248.
The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this document at any time during the Addendum process. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on October 30, 2009. Comments may be submitted by mail, email, or fax. If you have any questions or would like to submit comments, please use the contact information below.
Mail: Nichola Meserve
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Email: nmeserve@asmfc.org
Phone: (202) 289-6400
Fax: (202) 289-6051
Send a letter or email and/or attend a public hearing to make sure that your comments are recorded for the record. A letter in your own words is the best way but if you need a sample letter then one is provided.
SAMPLE LETTER
Nichola Meserve
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, 6th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Email: nmeserve@asmfc.org
Subject: Draft Addendum IV Weakfish
In reference to Draft Addendum IV on weakfish, my choice under recreational fisheries is Option 5(Harvest moratorium) and under commercial fisheries my choice is Option 4(Harvest moratorium).
Recent declines in the weakfish stock indicate that ASMFC take immediate action to protect the stock. At 1.1 million pounds, the total coastwide landings of weakfish in 2008 are the lowest on record.
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Background
A copy of the full Addendum on Weakfish can be found at asmfc.org under breaking news.
The Draft Addendum, developed in response to all time low stock abundance, will propose a range of options to reduce fishing mortality, including complete harvest moratoria and limited bycatch only fisheries. It is anticipated that the majority of states will be conducting public hearings on Draft Addendum IV in October. . The Addendum was developed in response to the findings of the 2009 weakfish stock assessment which shows weakfish stocks at an all time low and current fishery removals unsustainable under existing stock conditions. Specifically, the assessment indicated that weakfish abundance has declined markedly, total mortality is high, non-fishing mortality has recently increased, and the stock is currently in a depleted state. The assessment report was reviewed and approved for management use by an independent panel of fisheries scientists
The weakfish stock is depleted at an all-time low of 2.9 million pounds (1,333 metric tons), far below the proposed biomass threshold of 22.4 million pounds (10,179 metric tons). At this stock size, recent fishery removals (landings and dead discards combined) represent a significant proportion of the remaining biomass. While the decline in the stock primarily results from a change in the natural mortality of weakfish in recent years, it is further exacerbated by continued removals by the commercial and recreational fisheries.
Natural mortality has risen substantially since 1995, with factors such as predation, competition, and changes in the environment having a stronger influence on recent weakfish stock dynamics than fishing mortality. Given current high natural mortality levels, stock projections indicate that the stock is unlikely to recover rapidly, even under a harvest moratorium. In order to rebuild the stock, total mortality will need to be reduced, although this is unlikely to occur until natural mortality decreases to previous levels. On a positive note, juvenile abundance surveys indicate that young-of-the-year weakfish continued to be present in numbers similar to previous years, suggesting that recruitment at this point has not been severely limited in spite of low stock size.
The Board will meet again in November to consider public comment and take final action on the Draft Addendum. Under Commission procedures, the Board may opt to implement the Addendum under emergency action, with approved measures taking effect immediately upon Board action.
This Angler Alert is provided as a public service by the Coastal Conservation Association Virginia (CCA VA). Feel free it to forward it to your associates. If you have any comments concerning this issue, or would like to have your name added/removed from the distribution list send an email to info@ccavirginia.org. The stated purpose of CCA is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. CCA VA is a 501 C-3 charitable organization whose goal is CPR for fish…Conserve, Protect and Restore marine resources for the benefit of all Virginians. Please visit our website located at Welcome to Coastal Conservation Association Virginia for more information.
CCA Virginia Email CCAVA@cox.net