The solution to the Real Fishery issue

[gcbuckner]

I have thought about what I am about to present for a long time and hopefully this idea will work. I have been meaning to present this to the public for some time, and finally the time seems right......

Everyone on this board loves Striped Bass, for differing reasons, but everyone loves our fishery and would love to see it thrive forever so our great great grandchildern can enjoy this amazing fishery as we have.

In order for this fishery to survive and thrive we need to address two issues:

1) Water Quality, which includes things like forage availability and so on

2) Regulate Harvest, which means ensuring we do not overcatch to the point of going below the sustainable yield. Sustainable yield simply means the population number that must survive in order for the species to be able to reproduce and sustain itself.

The water quality issue is very complex and yet very important. But no time in the near future do I see states requiring all residents to move inland 20 miles from all shore lines, nor do I see states closing all industrial businesses or power genterating facilities that operant near the waters edge, nor do I see dairy cows walking a few miles from the waters edge before they take a sh11, nor do I see chicken farms wastes not being spread on fields. Because of these reasons I will let someone else fight this fight, I would love to see the comercial Menhaden Fishing operation cut back drastically, because Menhaden are the life blood of a successful Striper fishery and the young Menhaden play a critically important role in the filtering of the water. Their methods are simply too efficient and too effective. Just ask any pound netter, how much more bait (menhaden) there were before these super efficient methods were put to work.

So I will address the issue of regulating harvest. I will start off by saying that fisheries science is a very inexact science. Often times by the time the data and science shows that a fishery is in serious decline it is too late. It is everyone's hope that this does not happen, so we need to take steps to ensure this does not happen.

Everyone who has every fished for Striped Bass in any manner has in some way been a part of this harvest. Even those who only catch and release, because at some point one of those striped bass you released did not survive. Remember it is ok to harvest (kill) striped bass, we just need to be sure not to kill too many.

The solution is simple----Limit the harvest
The problem with this simple solution is now the finger pointing and protecting ones own interests begin....
The Light Tackle Catch and Release Guys want to be able to fish the flats
The Trollers want to be able to troll
The meat hungry charterfishing parties want to keep fish or they won't charter
The pound netter wants to feed his family
The gill netter needs to pay off the new motor he put in his boat
And the list goes on and on.

I think I have an idea that will not put any of these user groups out. And to simplify things there are really only two user groups... COMMERCIAL and RECREATIONAL
And yes charter business are recs. as the limits being met are based on the customers (recs.) aboard the boat.

My Idea is not some earth shocking, amazing discovery: in fact it has worked very well in other states. In fact similar ideas have been used in Maryland to get farmers to stop growing a certain crop only a few years ago.

My idea is for the State of Maryland to adopt a commercial Striped Bass fishing Buyout, to encourage (pay) commercial fisherman to no longer target Striped Bass. For many waterman, the Striped Bass is their cash crop, so without the Striped Bass working on the water would no longer be worth it. Because of this the buyout needs to be substantial. This buyout would change their way of life for ever, many of these people have fishing in their family's job description for generations. And we cannot even consider this idea without just compensation. Every rec fisherman out there will reap the benefits of the buyout as they loose their livelyhood. So once again the compensation needs to be very generous, and should last for years. Maybe ten years, maybe 20 years. But it can be done. With commercial fishing being unpredictiable as it has been the last few years, I am sure there will be pleanty of takers who are willing to take the buyout. I don't know if a total buyout is called for or not, but if there are a few who stick with it and don't take the guaranteed money, there will be a much smaller number of waterman to keep tabs on. And there should be good money in it for them. Perhaps a mandatory buyout would be best? Either way, compensation should be very substantial.
Now you ask how is the state of MD to pay for all of these fisherman to not work, when the states budget is already in the shi^^er????

The answer is we will pay, we get the benefit, so we pay the bill. How you ask. Every fisherman who plan on catching Striped Bass recreationally will have to purchase a 5 or 10 dollar Striped Bass Permit. It will be explained to all complaning anglers that their monies will be used to drastically reduce the comercial harvest of Striped Bass. In addition there needs to be a donation option when you purchase your fishing license.....WOULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES TO MARYLAND's COMMERCIAL STRIPED BASS FISHING BUYOUT PROGRAM? A flyer will be given out explaining the program to every license purchaser with addition information on where donations can be mailed to in order to support this effort.

And the comercial fisherman ask, why buy us out when the recs kill more fish than us??
The answer is simply ECONOMICS

One pound of Recreationally caught Striped Bass generates much more economic activity and profits than one pound of Commercially caught Striped Bass. In addition, the number of people in the commercial user group is much smaller and can effectivly be bought out.

If MD tries this, maybe other states will follow and I will not have to tell my grandchildren about this amazing fish that used to swim in the Bay called Striped Bass.

[Polkster]

I like the idea, I just wonder if $5-$10 per angler is going to be enough $ to substantially buy out the commercial guys. I personally would gladly pay $200 a year for my fishing sticker if I knew it would be enough even $500 to have a better chance of limiting out each time -I know I spend way more than that on tackle, fuel gas just for a chance at a few more fish each trip, but even that I don't know. I would be interested in the facts of how many guys are out there fishing commercially, and what amount of $$ would it take for them to stop fishing. The same program would be great for crabbing industry too. I know I would gladly pay more for my license if crabbing was better and if fewer pots were out there to dodge. I am sure there will be a ton more responses.

[27 sailfish]

Greg - Not sure if it is good or bad we think alike .
I've seen a few TFL up for sale - along with the Rockfish allocation.
DNR sometimes buys land to preserve it so why not buy back and then retire allocations. I think it was around $20,000.00.

I was also thinking of a $10.00 per angler Rockfish stamp. We had something similar years ago. The money was supposed to go to raising Rockfish in hatcheries to be released around 5-6 inches long - plus overtime for enforcement officers.

Raising Rockfish worked years ago - now it would even be better since there are much better ways to do it. Could even pay the netters to help - they still make money off the fish.

With everyone worried about the YOY index - common sense to start the stocking program back up.

[joe117]

I like the idea, I just wonder if $5-$10 per angler is going to be enough $ to substantially buy out the commercial guys. I personally would gladly pay $200 a year for my fishing sticker if I knew it would be enough even $500 to have a better chance of limiting out each time -I know I spend way more than that on tackle, fuel gas just for a chance at a few more fish each trip, but even that I don't know. I would be interested in the facts of how many guys are out there fishing commercially, and what amount of $$ would it take for them to stop fishing. The same program would be great for crabbing industry too. I know I would gladly pay more for my license if crabbing was better and if fewer pots were out there to dodge. I am sure there will be a ton more responses.

Shouldn't take too much money. Ask any commercial guy....he's just getting by.

But seriously.....It sounds like a good plan to me and I wouldn't care if the rockfish stamp cost $50 if it meant that the commercials were no longer netting rockfish in Maryland.

[LES PA]

Why pay people for not working, we already have too much of that. Commerial Fishermen can get a land job like everybody else. Tighten up on the rules the only way to go. Have you heard this one? I live on the water or near the water so I keep what I want.My freezer is full? Remember the farmer buys his land!
Les

[HopPocket]

Mr Buckner, I respect you as one of the best charter fishermen South of the Bay Bridge, I applaud your efforts and courage to post your plan. And here comes the BUT, why do we, the tax payers have to pay you and your commrades NOT TO WORK ? My business is in the toilet, and nobody's paying me a red cent. If the economy dictates supply and demand, you must be adapt to trend.

Sorry. I love the Bay as much as the next person, but being rewarded for not fishing is BS.

[Hunter]

Greg - It is a great idea. Your way of looking at things is why you are kicking ass in this lousy economy and so many others are complaining about HOs and no customers. Hell, you outta be leading the MCBA with your progressive way of handling things.

To those that are complaining about why we have to pay others not to work: These funds will be used to buy someone out. They deserve to be paid. Think of it like buying some one's business; they have worked hard to build it up and deserve to be compensated to sell it to us. We will benefit. No more complaining about the netters. I don't think we will ever see game status for the Striper here in Maryland and if we do, a buyout would be part of the program anyway.

Zam - The people who buy wild caught stripers can buy farm raised striper. Maybe raising striper as a business would have a better chance with this arrangement. Many types of game are not available at your local safeway....Don

[bebopper]

Why pay people for not working, we already have too much of that. Commerial Fishermen can get a land job like everybody else. Tighten up on the rules the only way to go. Have you heard this one? I live on the water or near the water so I keep what I want.My freezer is full? Remember the farmer buys his land!
Les

You got it. Many on this board just don't get it. The AMSFC or whatever determines just how many rock can be harvested by everyone. Maryland may set a good example by reducing commercial licenses but that doesn't mean that North Carolina, Virginia or any other harvesting state will follow suit.
Good example is the push to open the EZ zone to commercial fishing for stripers. It failed by two votes this time but it will be back on the table. The Maryland catch is only part of the deal. Besides, has anyone noticed how the crab license buy back in Maryland and Virginia is going? Not very good at all.
I'm tired of reading how the watermen are starving with crab harvest down, oyster harvest down and fish catches down. BS, just how long can you stay in business when you not making any money? Maybe they aren't getting rich but they are making it obviously just like any other poor bastard who's busting his a$$ to make it. I watch those guys out there in the winter oystering, pulling pots in the summer and I don't envy them one bit. In fact I went and pulled pots on a commercial boat one day and thought that this a is sh.. for the birds. Especially when you pull them up with only a few legal crabs in them. And the poor oysterman that has to go out there in low 30 degree temps and tong, or dredge oysters, and then cull them I really feel for them. People just don't do these things to starve in the end.
The entire fisherery problem has to do with the states and their fisheries depts. And the thing they should do is not listen to any user group for input on how to manage the industry. Because that is what they have done for too many years and look where it has gotten us. All three user groups (recs, comms and charterboat capts) have said the same thing over the years at one time or another, "listen to what the biologists and scientists tell us". Then when they listen to them the retort from the user groups is the scientists don't know what they are talking about they're not out there everyday. Back in the '90's the state wanted to increase the rec quota on stripers. Rich Novotny, then head of the MSSA was against this. Rich had conservation on his mind. Rightfully so. I met him at the Balto. boat show one evening and advised him ":Rich you better agree to the increase beacause if you don't they'll windup giving it the comms or charterboats (charters had a seperate quota at the time) because they feel there enough bass to harvest more. And in the future when we, the recs, want an increase in quota they'll come back with we offered you one and you didn't want it then so we're not going to give it to you now" This scenario could also happen if they wanted to increase the comm quota and the recs oppsed it because they weren't going to get an increase and state would replky you should have taken one when we offered it.
Unfortunately many TFers have come into the fishery in the last 15 years and are unaware just how things have progressed since the the mid'70's. This is not a put down to those newcomers in any way. I think there may be a book about the history of the striped bass saga as far as the history leading up to the moritorium and the success of it. My memory is getting fuzzy but I went through all of it and there is far more then has ever been discussed on this board. And I won't even get into the mutant eggs and diseased females from Mercury and pcb poisoning that were showing up in the '70's and '80s. How many have ever heard of "Stripers Unlimited"? Let me know.

[HopPocket]

I have one more thing to add, then I'm gonna sit down and STFU.

Until Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia come up with a comprehensive, unilateral agreement to help the Bay, all proposals and suggestions are mute.

Thank you and Good Night.

[Hunter]

But what about the people that don't want farm raised fish, maybe they want fish raised natually, We should always have that choice. Why not make them a commercial fish only? that would help the population to, you could buy farm raised fish and put them in a pond and catch them

We can kick this around all day and probably never convince one another. If I could buy some wild caught venison at my local grocery store, you might convince me. Hey Zam, hope to meet you one day. I agree with you on most stuff, but not this..Don