NMFS BFT Poilcy Complaint Department!!!!

[crcountry]

Here's the contact for NMFS BFT regulation/retention allocation program......where recreational anglers got screwed! The contact is Brad McHale and John Dunnigan at NMFS Glouster, MA HDQ's. Their # is 978-281-9260. Lets all have our opinions heard by calling the policy makers! Next time you have a moment give these guys a call and lets try to get the allocation we deserve! From what I gather, the angling category went 65% over in 2004 , but (1) BFT?!?!!. NMFS has changed the quota mid-season numerous times over the past few years and sometimes for the better. I'd rather them close the season in late-july with a 3-4 BFT limit than a (1) tuna limit until august.
Chris

I just talked to Brad McHale and he said the limit will likely not change due to the over harvest situation that occured in 2004. I guess where anglers (on a singular level) can make a differnece is to write NMFS-HMS Mgmt Division, 1315 E. West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and make their voice heard for 2006 and attempt to make the angling category more equitable in comparison to the commercial allocation

[Bob ECT]

It's really out of Brad's hands. The US signed a bad deal at ICCAT limiting rec small fish (27-47) to 8% of our qouta over a 4 year average. It's the small fish that we're over on.

Not much can be done for this year (2006 may be Zero fish).

When you write demand that the US ICCAT Delagation get our limits back to 15%!!

Also demand equal treatment for Charter and Private boats.

[Sea_Slueth]

Hey Bob,

I'd like to write a letter on the above issue, however, I feel that I would be unable to properly articulate the facts suuficiently for the letter to be entertained. I am sure others on the board feel the same.

Perhaps someone on this board could draft a letter that everyone else could cut and paste into a word document and mail in after adding their name on the letter.

I am sure a lot more people would submit a ltter if it was propery drafted.

Any volunteers?

[Bob ECT]

I'll dig one up. I had a sample letter out before they announanced the final regs.

[Sea_Slueth]

I read this in the July issue of Marlin Magazine regarding tuna catch. Page 68 for those interested.

It says that the Commission limits the annual tuna catch in the Western Atlantic to 3000 tons- less than ten percent of the 32,000-ton quota for the Eastern Atlantic. It further reads that the eastern catch usually exceeds their 32000 quota.

They discuss the migration pattern of the tagged fish that move back and forth between Europe and US and how the central atlantic lacks enforecment for obvious reasons..

They (Tag a Giant Program) feel that the ICCAT should close the fisheries in the Central Atlantic and breeding grounds to protect the "weaker of the two stocks" the Western BFT.
They further conclude that NMFS move rapidly to create a protected region in the Gulf of Mexico for spawning giants and to close these grounds to long lining for half the year.


I don't know, it gets kind of confusing for me. I'd rather they shorten the season and increase the daily limit. I am also unsure what impact this survey does.

It is a lot of money to go offshore and catch one BFT per day on a private boat.