This was in todays, Tuesday, April 23rd Newsday....
Trawling Isn't a Sin
"The Bottom of the Trawling Matter" was not the most balanced view of the matter. It was written as if trawling "clear-cuts" the ocean floor when, in face, the National Academy of Sciences, which put out the study, conceded that the scientists don't know how harmful trawling is, or if it is harmful at all.
As a commercial fisherman who uses this method of fishing, I can tell you that fish stocks off Eastern Long Island have recovered tremendously, due in part to the strict regulations that commercial fisherman follow.
I can think of several other issues enviromentalists can focus on other tahn attacking small-scale commercial fisherman: eliminating factory fishing vessels, stopping pollution/run-off into our estuaries, bays, sound, and ocean; holding recreational fishermen to their legal quotas (They regularly overfish every year and are not held accountable); and stopping imports of fish from countries with little or no fishing regulations.
Stephanie Villani
Mattituck
I just thought I would post this incase you guys didn't get to read it. Especially after the discussion about the flounder being taken by the commercials. I can tell you though, the one thing in that letter that ticked me off was the knock on recreational fisherman. I know there are many out there they take as many fish as they can catch, but I know most of the fisherman on LI and on this board don't break the DEC regulations.
Trawling Isn't a Sin
"The Bottom of the Trawling Matter" was not the most balanced view of the matter. It was written as if trawling "clear-cuts" the ocean floor when, in face, the National Academy of Sciences, which put out the study, conceded that the scientists don't know how harmful trawling is, or if it is harmful at all.
As a commercial fisherman who uses this method of fishing, I can tell you that fish stocks off Eastern Long Island have recovered tremendously, due in part to the strict regulations that commercial fisherman follow.
I can think of several other issues enviromentalists can focus on other tahn attacking small-scale commercial fisherman: eliminating factory fishing vessels, stopping pollution/run-off into our estuaries, bays, sound, and ocean; holding recreational fishermen to their legal quotas (They regularly overfish every year and are not held accountable); and stopping imports of fish from countries with little or no fishing regulations.
Stephanie Villani
Mattituck
I just thought I would post this incase you guys didn't get to read it. Especially after the discussion about the flounder being taken by the commercials. I can tell you though, the one thing in that letter that ticked me off was the knock on recreational fisherman. I know there are many out there they take as many fish as they can catch, but I know most of the fisherman on LI and on this board don't break the DEC regulations.