On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 08:53:43 -0500, "Capt. Dave"
wrote:

Greetings Tom,

I am doing everything I can to "Rally The Troops", but it is an Up Hill
battle. I read the "Science" they put out every week and you are
correct....some of it is BS!

The last meeting, the Ocean Conservancy introduced the test trawl data
that NOAA and USFWS did in Long Island Sound and along the Rhode
Island beaches - it pretty much "proved" their point that the total
fish stocks are declining, etc. When somebody finally looked closely
at the trawl data, they found that the trawl was 6 1/2 feet off the
bottom on one end and badly out of alignment!!! A satistician who is
also an avid fisherman did an analysis and figured that they missed
collecting 40 to 60% of the fish and that was conservative. Even NOAA
admitted that the guy was right when they finally admitted the trawls
were SNAFU'd.

MPA's....I think the correct approach is size limits and catch limits. I
think if you really wanted to help the fisheries along the eastern
seaboard.....you should start with BANNING inshore bottom trawling and
offshore longlining. Both these methods have a way to high bycatch/catch
ratio.

There 'ya go - I'm with you on that one. I was sitting up at Watch
Hill last week and watched a trawler about 200 yards off the beach at
Napatree just sucking up everything in it's path.

I keep trying to sound the horn.....

I just hope enough people take an interest before it is to late!

In Rhode Island, there is a strong group, Rhode Island Sal****er
Anglers, who has been advocating more responsible management not
banning with size/slot/seasonal limits across the board. One of the
things this group has done is to question the supposed 40% of the
total poundage quota placed on the recreational fisherman. RISAA
figures that it's more like 15% of the total catch and that the
commercial guys are raping and pillaging our side of the equation!!!!

~~ Sigh ~~ I need to calm down and think good thoughts. :)

Take care Dave - keep up the fight.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------
"My rod and my reel - they comfort me."

St. Pete, 12 Lb. Test