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I think CCA and CBF have done some good things. In CCA MD's case I think internal politics as plagued the organization for a long while stemming all the way back to the founders of CCA MD and when they all defected. CCA MD has seen some very good dedicated people work for it which is great, the bad news is that all these good people always seem to leave or get pushed out. Now word on the street is that some really dedicated other people besides Hammer and the chapter are going to leave over the whole thing. Really bad news for the organization. One can only ask why this seems to happen over and over in that organization?
CBF in general is a good organization with good people trying to do good things. I think their mission really is to educate and get people involved with the goal of that awareness driving change. They do great work at education and raising awareness. Most of my criticism of them has stemmed from their position on oysters. How in the world any organization can support any type of harvest of a species when it is at 1% of its historic population (I believe 1% of any species qualifies for an endangered species registration, I'm looking into this one) is absolutly beyond me. At the same time it was CBF a little over ten years ago that came out first and called for a moratorium. Their position was swayed with the creation of the Oyster Recovery Project which frankly, while planting a lot of spat, has failed to increase the population. Maybe with the recent oyster report they will change their stance, I hope so because it feels like they are dragging their feet on this one. Another issue I had was the CBF was just not taking a hard stance on anything, but I think the fight they put up to stop the Blackwater development was an example of a possible changing of the tide which I hope was not a once in ten year thing, but rather a trend they continue.
Regarding fisheries management in MD I think we do need new faces all around. New faces at MD DNR in fisheries has really not done much from what I have seen so far. The extension of the striped bass season in December and of the trophy season in 2009 just a week or so after a very low YOY index for striped bass was released is beyond my understanding of sound fisheries management. Fisheries management in Maryland is not done my science for the most part(crabs the exception sometimes), it's done by "stakeholder" management which as history dictates does not work. Why we keep doing the same old thing is beyond me, well not really, really it's done that way so people can keep their jobs by keeping different interest groups happy. Will this new commision that has been meeting for a year do anything? I was hopeful, but how the same old people sitting around probably the same old table, in the same old room, will come out with new ideas seems pretty far fetched to me. Time will tell,but I am not holding my breath. I will add some positive and say that at least MD did something about crabs, but I am not clear what happened would have with out the Governor's direction/mandate and more or less cover MD DNR. In the crab case MD DNR has been more of the agency to carry out the mandate. Regardless, stakeholder management does not work and until that changes in MD our fisheries future is in real question.
What MD needs is a new organization that speaks for the fish, driven by anglers who want fish for the future and believe in sustainable fishing. It does not need a national presence, it just needs a total local MD/Chesapeake Bay presence and might also include Virginia since the Chesapeake Bay water nor the fish that swim in it know state lines. This means they are not anti commerial watermen, or anti recreational, or anti anything, rather they are pro fish and will take the sometimes hard position to protect fish for the future. This could mean voting against themselves as recreational anglers. It will take that sort of new, clean of past history, organization to make some things happen.
I will comment on MSSA since I am sure there are some people who will question my opinion concerning them and fisheries management. I have been giving talks to a lot of MSSA chapters over the last year and here is my observation, the local chapters are good people who just love to fish and want fish for the future. In general, its a fishing organization that wants to talk fishing, catch fish and have fun fishing together with friends. Conservation is a part of it, but not the whole thing. I think the headquarters has been run by the same people for a long time. They are dedicated and I believe they believe they are trying to do what is right. But as with other orgs, the same people have been running it and it is time for a totally new face and new people at the helm. I think MSSA should and will take a position on conservation issues, but at the end of the day they are more fishing focused.
Well, I have been up since 3:50am to bring Ivette to the airport and will end my rant to go feed the dogs and let them out:computer:;-)
CBF in general is a good organization with good people trying to do good things. I think their mission really is to educate and get people involved with the goal of that awareness driving change. They do great work at education and raising awareness. Most of my criticism of them has stemmed from their position on oysters. How in the world any organization can support any type of harvest of a species when it is at 1% of its historic population (I believe 1% of any species qualifies for an endangered species registration, I'm looking into this one) is absolutly beyond me. At the same time it was CBF a little over ten years ago that came out first and called for a moratorium. Their position was swayed with the creation of the Oyster Recovery Project which frankly, while planting a lot of spat, has failed to increase the population. Maybe with the recent oyster report they will change their stance, I hope so because it feels like they are dragging their feet on this one. Another issue I had was the CBF was just not taking a hard stance on anything, but I think the fight they put up to stop the Blackwater development was an example of a possible changing of the tide which I hope was not a once in ten year thing, but rather a trend they continue.
Regarding fisheries management in MD I think we do need new faces all around. New faces at MD DNR in fisheries has really not done much from what I have seen so far. The extension of the striped bass season in December and of the trophy season in 2009 just a week or so after a very low YOY index for striped bass was released is beyond my understanding of sound fisheries management. Fisheries management in Maryland is not done my science for the most part(crabs the exception sometimes), it's done by "stakeholder" management which as history dictates does not work. Why we keep doing the same old thing is beyond me, well not really, really it's done that way so people can keep their jobs by keeping different interest groups happy. Will this new commision that has been meeting for a year do anything? I was hopeful, but how the same old people sitting around probably the same old table, in the same old room, will come out with new ideas seems pretty far fetched to me. Time will tell,but I am not holding my breath. I will add some positive and say that at least MD did something about crabs, but I am not clear what happened would have with out the Governor's direction/mandate and more or less cover MD DNR. In the crab case MD DNR has been more of the agency to carry out the mandate. Regardless, stakeholder management does not work and until that changes in MD our fisheries future is in real question.
What MD needs is a new organization that speaks for the fish, driven by anglers who want fish for the future and believe in sustainable fishing. It does not need a national presence, it just needs a total local MD/Chesapeake Bay presence and might also include Virginia since the Chesapeake Bay water nor the fish that swim in it know state lines. This means they are not anti commerial watermen, or anti recreational, or anti anything, rather they are pro fish and will take the sometimes hard position to protect fish for the future. This could mean voting against themselves as recreational anglers. It will take that sort of new, clean of past history, organization to make some things happen.
I will comment on MSSA since I am sure there are some people who will question my opinion concerning them and fisheries management. I have been giving talks to a lot of MSSA chapters over the last year and here is my observation, the local chapters are good people who just love to fish and want fish for the future. In general, its a fishing organization that wants to talk fishing, catch fish and have fun fishing together with friends. Conservation is a part of it, but not the whole thing. I think the headquarters has been run by the same people for a long time. They are dedicated and I believe they believe they are trying to do what is right. But as with other orgs, the same people have been running it and it is time for a totally new face and new people at the helm. I think MSSA should and will take a position on conservation issues, but at the end of the day they are more fishing focused.
Well, I have been up since 3:50am to bring Ivette to the airport and will end my rant to go feed the dogs and let them out:computer:;-)