Final stand Atlantic Tuna regs

[TriggerFish]

I am forwarding the body of this letter from a post made by Mark L. on the FDL. It is Very important that we see this through to the end and I hope there will be at least one spearfisherman at every meeting. It is not a done deal yet.
"Hey divers! If you want to have a very positive impact on our sport and have a say in the amended rule changes that include us in the Atlantic tuna fisheries 06' proposed changes please try to make one of the following meetings:

9-6-05 530-830pm New Bedford MA. New Bedford Library
9-6 7-10pm Orange Beach, AL. Orange Beach Senior Center
9-7 7-10pm Port Aransas TX, University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Visitor's Center
9-8 7-10pm New Orleans,LA, VIET Community Center
9-8 7-10pm Portland, ME, Howard Johnson Plaza Riverside St. I-95
9-13 7-10pm West Islip, NY, west Islip Public Library
9-14 7-10pm Montauk NY, Montauk firehouse, 12 Flamingo Ave.
9-15 6-9pm Gloucester, MA, Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library
9-20 7-10pm Ft. Pierce, FL, Fort Pierce Library 101 Melody Lane
9-21 7-10pm Key West, FL, Doubletree Grand Key Resort 3990 South Roosevelt
9-22 7-10pm St.Thomas USVI, Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star
9-26 7-10pm Virginia Beach,VA, Virginia Beach Pavilion convention center
9-28 7-10pm Charleston,SC, CCEHBR Jame's Island, 219 Ft. Johnson Rd.
9-28 7-10pm Ocean City Maryland, North Side Parks and Rec.
9-29 7-10pm Villas,NJ, Cape May Township Hall
9-29 7-10pm Manteo,NC, NC Aquarium Roanoke Island
10-3 630-9pm FT. Lauderdale FL, African American Arts and Cultural Center Research Library
10-3 7-10pm Mayaguez, PR, Mayaguez Resort and Casino
10-4 7-10pm Panama City FL, NMFS Panama City Laboratory
10-4 530-830pm San Juan,PR, Carnegie Library
10-5 7-10pm Madeira Beach,FL, City of Madeira Beach 300 Municipal Drive
10-6 7-10pm Atlantic Beach,FL, Atlantic Beach City Chambers, 800 Seminole rd.
10-6 7-9pm Barnagat Light, NJ, Barnagat Light First Aid Squad W 10th St.
10-11/13 ? Silver Spring Maryland, Advisory Panel Meeting Tentative Date

Please get anyone you know who lives near any of these meetings to make it and if ther is just one thing to state its that you are in favor of the new gear type inclusion of spearfishing in HMS fisheries. "

Make sure your voice is heard and show up!

[njdiver]

The New Jersey Council of Diving Clubs will be responding with a letter of support to add spearfishing as a gear type. We will also try to attend the October meeting in Barnegat, NJ.

[PatMyGreen]

I'll make sure there is some representation at the Panama City meeting. Thanks for posting this!!

[Charlestondivin]

South Carolina spearfishing club will have the one in Charleston covered.

9-28 7-10pm Charleston,SC, CCEHBR Jame's Island, 219 Ft. Johnson Rd.

[Denny]

Great. I'll have a page on the FRA site that will outline the issues and provide other information for public input.
Just like Gray's Reef, this requires a steady, reasoned input to make sure that individual, attended effort gear such as spearfishing gear is included as allowable gear for anglers.

[Stretcharmstrng]

The Jedi Divers are in it w/ the Chas Spear Club...lets make this a large showing.

[ROBERTO REYES]

The Puertorico Freedivers will be there, like always.
Roberto

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Forget about the Alabama and New Orleans meetings. They will probably be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Zz

[Denny]

Hell, all we need is a cooler full of beer and some lawn chairs. And the Swedish Bikini Model spearfishing team (courtesy of the FRA).

[TriggerFish]

Just a reminder upcomming dates.
9-26 7-10pm Virginia Beach,VA, Virginia Beach Pavilion convention center
9-28 7-10pm Charleston,SC, CCEHBR Jame's Island, 219 Ft. Johnson Rd.
9-28 7-10pm Ocean City Maryland, North Side Parks and Rec.
9-29 7-10pm Villas,NJ, Cape May Township Hall
9-29 7-10pm Manteo,NC, NC Aquarium Roanoke Island
We need to show up at these meetings and support spearfishing for Tuna.

[Slay Ride]

Will be there tomorrow in Charleston. I think we've got quite a few attending.

[Charlestondivin]

I was reading up for the hms meeting tomorrow,
From the "proposed Rule Aug 19 2005" PDF available at
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Amendment..._Aug19_2005.pdf

At the public hearings on the proposed list of authorized gears in the Atlantic tuna fisheries, no comments were received from spearfishermen and the regulations were made final without listing speargun fishing gear as an authorized fishing gear. Since implementation of the final rule, NMFS has received written requests and public comment requesting that NMFS authorize the use of speargun fishing gear in the Atlantic tuna fishery. The public comments suggest that relatively few individual fishermen compared to the number of existing angling permit holders (approximately 22,000) would be expected to use this gear type, and that spearfishermen expect low encounter rates with target species. Based on public comment and anecdotal information, NMFS anticipates that between 50 and 1,000 individual U.S. fishermen may have an interest in using speargun fishing gear to target tunas. Relative to the current number of participants in the recreational Atlantic tuna fishery, and taking into account the estimated low encounter rates for target species, the additional anticipated effort from spearfishermen would likely result in minimal negative ecological impacts on Atlantic tunas.

The authorization of speargun fishing gear in the recreational Atlantic tuna fishery would likely result in minor positive economic impacts. Under the preferred alternative, tunas taken with speargun fishing gear in the Angling category would not be eligible for sale. However, for consistency purposes, vessels that possess an Atlantic HMS charter/headboat (CHB) permit would be allowed to sell their recreational
Atlantic tunas, except for BFT, while on a for-hire trip, provided they do not exceed the daily recreational retention limits for any BAYS tunas and abide by sale restrictions as outlined in 50 CFR 635.31. Regardless of whether CHB fishermen are operating in a for-hire or non-for-hire manner, BFT harvested by speargun fishing gear may not be sold. The CHB sector may experience some positive economic impacts as spearfishermen may increase their use of for-hire vessels, increasing revenues to those vessels. Prohibiting the sale of BFT taken with spearfishing gear from CHB vessels could result in some perceived negative social and economic impacts. However, this activity is not currently allowed under existing regulations, therefore no additional adverse social or economic are anticipated for the CHB sector. Additionally, the authorization of spearfishing gear could increase the club-nature or camaraderie associated with spearfishing and may result in positive social impacts.

[TriggerFish]

That is great. I am waiting to hear back from a fellow spero who attended the VA meeting last nite to see how it went. Our meeting in Ocean City,MD is tomorrow.

[Charlestondivin]

If you hear how the previous meetings went please post so we know what to expect tomorrow.

[RichT]

There will be a contingent of guys from my club attending the Madeira Beach meeting on 10-7-05. :thumps:
Anybody heard how the other meetings went?