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2,401 Posts
I apologize for my delay... but I've been fishing for the past few days. 
OK? Here is my ?personal? tautog opinion? All in all, I am very disappointed with today?s ?fishery? management, especially the latest sought out blackfish fishery. The past few years before the live market was in place, this fishery was healthy. Unfortunately, like any other fishery, as soon as a strong dollar sign is placed, we run into big issues! Suddenly it becomes a commercial vs. recreational allocation /premature over harvest / magical data introduction / mass poaching / ill scrutiny and political horseplay!
I?ve been an avid tautog fisher for the past two decades because it?s a very challenging fish to catch and a great table fare. I?ve been keeping a close eye on this fishery and it sickens me! We?ve witnessed the north shores? lobster downfall? and then came the creation of blackfish pots and special lobster pots (that traps blackfish as by-catch). Afterwards the ?live? Asian market came to play! It became the #1 fish to sell and the demand was high! Suddenly everyone started to target blackfish and the DEC noticed this phenomenon and imposed stricter laws and a bag limit. Needless to say? it created many poachers and because of the big $$$$, the creation of the commercial rollers was also heavily used. This method was so destructive that not only did it do it?s job? it destroyed the blackfish habitat (wrecks, rocks, holes, mussel beds etc). This is totally appalling and yet? it is allowed!
And just when you thought things could not get worse? Now we have the recommendation of a 63% reduction! Why I asked? It?s not only due to over-harvesting? What used to be a North-East fishery - Rumor has it - it?s because North Carolina suddenly found a blackfish fishery and we must allocate our quota to N.C. as well.
What I really need to know is? which parties are actually (behind) imposing the laws and what kind of data are they using to support such drastic measures? Where this scientific reporting coming from and which party funded such program? In addition, what are they doing to prevent the said Asian ?Live-Markets? Plus - Where are they getting their fish? Also, what?s stored for the future enforcement? How about stricter fines, equipment confiscation and accountability?
I also need to know? if they are recommending a 63% reduction (which is estimated 1fish per trip) ? Does it also reflect the ?commercial sectors??
I am sensing something very fishy going on because there are many unanswered questioned! Does anybody want to give this a try? Or do we just let them take yet another important fishery away from us?
"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]
OK? Here is my ?personal? tautog opinion? All in all, I am very disappointed with today?s ?fishery? management, especially the latest sought out blackfish fishery. The past few years before the live market was in place, this fishery was healthy. Unfortunately, like any other fishery, as soon as a strong dollar sign is placed, we run into big issues! Suddenly it becomes a commercial vs. recreational allocation /premature over harvest / magical data introduction / mass poaching / ill scrutiny and political horseplay!
I?ve been an avid tautog fisher for the past two decades because it?s a very challenging fish to catch and a great table fare. I?ve been keeping a close eye on this fishery and it sickens me! We?ve witnessed the north shores? lobster downfall? and then came the creation of blackfish pots and special lobster pots (that traps blackfish as by-catch). Afterwards the ?live? Asian market came to play! It became the #1 fish to sell and the demand was high! Suddenly everyone started to target blackfish and the DEC noticed this phenomenon and imposed stricter laws and a bag limit. Needless to say? it created many poachers and because of the big $$$$, the creation of the commercial rollers was also heavily used. This method was so destructive that not only did it do it?s job? it destroyed the blackfish habitat (wrecks, rocks, holes, mussel beds etc). This is totally appalling and yet? it is allowed!
And just when you thought things could not get worse? Now we have the recommendation of a 63% reduction! Why I asked? It?s not only due to over-harvesting? What used to be a North-East fishery - Rumor has it - it?s because North Carolina suddenly found a blackfish fishery and we must allocate our quota to N.C. as well.
What I really need to know is? which parties are actually (behind) imposing the laws and what kind of data are they using to support such drastic measures? Where this scientific reporting coming from and which party funded such program? In addition, what are they doing to prevent the said Asian ?Live-Markets? Plus - Where are they getting their fish? Also, what?s stored for the future enforcement? How about stricter fines, equipment confiscation and accountability?
I also need to know? if they are recommending a 63% reduction (which is estimated 1fish per trip) ? Does it also reflect the ?commercial sectors??
I am sensing something very fishy going on because there are many unanswered questioned! Does anybody want to give this a try? Or do we just let them take yet another important fishery away from us?
"Crazy" Alberto
[email protected]
