EEZ Public Hearing Tonight!!!!

[Ray]

EEZ PUBLIC SCOPING HEARING

TOPIC: OPENING THE EEZ TO STRIPED BASS FISHING

LOCATION: CANAL CLUB, 100 TROWBRIDGE RD. BOURNE, MASS

TIME: 7 - 10 PM

As anyone who would like to speak at this meeting may, it's a great opportunity to voice your opinion

[flatts1]

I didn't notice anyone from CCA or Stripers Forever at this hearing.

Indeed, it may surprise you that all 5 of the folks who gave public testimony at this hearing were in favor of opening the EEZ to striped bass fishing.

If you missed the hearing then there is an article available online (including full audio) that includes some compelling testimony from a recreational angler in support of opening the EEZ.

I would like to post a link to that article here but I'm still a little unsure on what this website considers to be a "crosspost".

I notice several links on this site to other websites such as the Stripers Forever website. However, in the past when I posted to information on certain other websites, the links were removed by the moderator citing that "crossposts" are not allowed {I didn't see that in the rules when I registered}.

I will refrain from posting a link to the above testimony and I will wait for an OK from a moderator before doing so.

Along those lines, I think it would be helpful if someone would explain what defines a "crosspost" on this website and define which sites are OK to link to and which ones are not.

Thanks In Advance,
Mike Flaherty
Quincy, MA

[Ray]

X-Posting:
Linking to another sites "threads", regardless of topic. This is simply not allowed.

[flatts1]

Got it Ray. Thank you very much.

Without any further ado...

I attended the EEZ scoping hearing held in Bourne, MA on 12/9 to discuss whether or not to open the EEZ to striped bass fishing. There was a lot that I had on my mind that I wanted to say but a gentleman who spoke before me said nearly everything that I wanted to and he said it better than I ever could. His name was Dennis Picard and his testimony can be found at the link below along with the full audio of his speech.

I was so impressed with Mr. Picard's speech that when it was my turn to speak, I simply turned to Anne Lange from NMFS and told her that when her staff writes up the summaries from this meeting that all she had to do was type my name and then append everything that Mr. Picard said (except that he is a member of the RFA and I am not).

Although, I did insist that if they do decide to keep the EEZ closed that they actually should enforce the closure. I then read a quote from and an Amendment 6 hearing of a commercial fisherman bragging about how he and others fish the EEZ now and that opening it up would force him to compete with others who are currently abiding by the law. I added that if folks can speak this openly at a public hearing about breaking the law then I have to believe that the practice of commercial fishing for striped bass within the EEZ is commonplace and there is little fear of being caught.

I also asked if the following quote from Paul Diodati was true; "There are no valid scientific arguments to maintain a closure". Ms. Lange said that she wouldn't disagree with that statement but that in the process of developing the Environmental Impact Study (EIS), they would be looking into any matters that may be unique to fishing for striped bass within the EEZ. For example should it be allowed for netted bycatch stripers from the EEZ allowed to be sold? If so then they would fall under the commercial quota whereas presently they are commonly tossed overboard belly up and they are totally unaccounted for. However if bycatch striped bass were allowed then it could have a severe impact on folks who fish with rod/reel only because the commercial quota for the year would max out very fast and leave them with a very little portion of the quota. So the EIS might suggest opening the EEZ to striped bass fishing via hook and line only.

I then made it clear that if the study concluded that there really is no scientific reason to keep the EEZ closed then the current closure is simply arbitrary and it should be reopened.

Folks, there has been a lot of misinformation written on the various internet message boards by a group called Stripers Forever. In my opinion, this group is motivated not by the findings of the best available science but simply by a visceral contempt of commercial fishermen. All anglers need to keep in mind that a closed EEZ is closed to both commercial AND recreational fishermen. If anyone is sincerely intererested in learing more about the EEZ then take a look at the following link and if possible be sure to listen to the audio.

http://www.basspond.com/articles/general/opentheeez.shtml

Enjoy,
Mike Flaherty
Quincy, MA

[Ray]

2 issues.

1. As always, without enforcement, the regulations are just a bunch of words on fancy paper. This is the key to monitoring any fishery.

2. Science. There needs to be scientific evidence that opening or continuing the closure of the EEZ will have either an adverse effect or benefit the fishery (in any way). In my opinion, only then can everyone make sound decisions. Regardless of said decision. I am a scientist / engineer and believe in having valid facts. I also remember a professor saying you can make a given piece of data look however you want it to.

[CMP]

The problem with your stance Ray, is that there was never any science done prior to closing teh EEZ to fishing in the first place. It was a political move made to appease states south of us-nothing more nothing less. Additionally, as a scientist, you should know that you cannot prove a negative, and that is exactly what you are asking be done. There never was and this still is not any scientific rationale for keeping the EEZ closed to fishing stripers-NONE. Nice work Flatts. I'll stand by my prediction and say that the EEZ will be open to fishing this year...

CMP, lookinmg forward to fishing AWAY from all the in-shore googans :-%

[Ray]

Please explain "proving a negative". I never said there had been the correct scientific studies done. I also mentioned there are two choices. Open or closed. Just use valid scientific data, or the best of data that are available, to make a sound choice. The data doesn't have to come from this particular area. There are other areas around the globe that have gone through regulation change. There's some data.

In my experience all of the descisions like the status of the EEZ are political. Why do you think the people at the very top of the decision chain are politially appointed?

[Bob Parsons]

Should be interesting to see how this pans out. If the EEZ is opened, then I expect that many recreational fisherman that abided by the law will be out there competing for the same fish that the commercial people want. Those that have already been fishing for stripers illegally will feel the change the most I suspect.

Check your wake Capt, them googans may be following you.

[Ray]

Sometimes I wonder if we will see any change if the EEZ is opened.

I'm sure are plenty of recreational folks who have never heard of the EEZ or where the boundry is. For that matter, they may know what and where it is, but where they are?

[CMP]

LOL Bob, you're not suggesting that only commercial people are ignoring the EEZ ban are you? If you really think that is the case, take a ride to the Asia Rip on a non-comm day, then run around the back side down all the rips from the Fishing Rip to Rose & Crown and all the EEZ rips towards Monomoy. When you get home, gimme a yell with how many boats there were and ESPECIALLY some of the names you recognize as the biggest anti-comms out there. I;d give up a few, but they'd be upset...

CMP :-%