On Cue The Longlingers Are Crying the Blues

[Dive4Blood]

Multiple articles in the Tampa Tribune today on commercial fishing in the Gulf.

http://tampatrib.com/businessnews/MGBC44AEMDE.html

It looks like the NMFS is crunching numbers, and it estimates that the commercial grouper quota will be met in the beginning of October, closing the season one month earler than 2004. Yes, I predicted it. Right on cue, Bob Speath director of the longline lobby machine SOFA is quoted crying the blues on how commercial fishermen (read:longliners) are a dying breed. Listen to the sound the tiniest violin playing Bobby. Maybe if you didn't catch 10,000 pounds of red grouper at a whack, throw back 20,000+ pounds of dead shorts in the process, and end up with a couple dozen of your longline boats catching more fish than the ENTIRE recreational fleet across the ENTIRE state of Florida then maybe ALL commercial fisherman might be able to fish through New Year's Eve. His solution is a 50 million dollar federal longline buyout which is nothing more than a scheme to get the smaller players out of the business. It's a shell game that simply reallocates the same amount of fish to the largest, most industrial longliners so they can finish their unlubricated ass raping of the Gulf of Mexico grouper fishery.

How can the NMFS sit idly by, and not identify the obvious problem? Even more so the obvious solution to this problem that is glaringly apparent to even the most casual layman. In the last public testimony meeting of the Gulf Council the word corruption was brought up by a speaker which was met with immediate and vociferous disapproval by the Council member in attendance (who is one of the ones on the rec side from what I understand) before the last syllable of the word could even be uttered. Makes you wonder.

AJ Suarez

[Spear One]

Unfortunately, Grouper will close at the same time for Commercial Bandit, Rod & Reel, & Spearfisherman as well. If Grouper closes in early October, it will not open again until January 1st. Grouper will remain open only 6 weeks and then close again from Feb 15th to March 15th.

That means that Grouper will be open for harvest for only 6 weeks between October 10th 2005 and March 14th 2006. That is a very long closure, especially for the low volume harvesters like spearfisherman and vertical line fisherman. The low volume guys have a very hard time surviving during these closures.

[Dive4Blood]

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGBQFW0JMDE.html

Here is a front page article on how fish prices are going to soon go through the roof. Fuel prices that have gone insane, the commercial fleet in the northern Gulf that has been decimated, and a persistent "red tide" that has turned the inshore Gulf bottom from Sarasota to Hernando County into a lifeless moonscape will mean that Joe Douchebag from Dayton, Ohio will have to apply for a second mortgage to be able to eat a grouper sandwich at the local Captain Salty's Seafood Shack.

All this brutally grim news affects the recreational and charter guy too. So what does the MMFS want to do? It is going to cut the total grouper bag by 40%, and the red grouper bag by 80% from what it was 2004 as well as close the season for three months out of five in 2005-2006 (Nov-Dec and Feb 15-Mar 15).

Note to the NMFS. There will be NO measureable grouper fishery in the Northern Gulf in the forseeable future due to Hurricane Katrina, there will be NO inshore grouper fishery in the greater Tampa Bay region in the forseeable future because the covert phosphate industry dum..... uh I mean red tide has turned the shallow waters of the Gulf into a retention pond cesspool, and with fuel at $2.50-$3.00 per gallon for the forseeable future there will be far fewer people that can justify the 50+ mile run that it will take to catch three lousy grouper. The NMFS already has their pound of flesh. Just think about that while you are reorganizing your garage on Saturday morning instead of shooting grouper, and think about how that fish box on the longline boat looks as it goes through John's Pass returning from a week long trip.......

AJ Suarez

[Dive4Blood]

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGBUJQ0EMDE.html

You can pretty much stick a fork into the commercial shrimping business in the Gulf of Mexico. Indonesian Tiger Shrimp anybody? Hey, at least the red snapper population should explode in the near future since they won't be getting scooped up by the millions into shrimp trawls. That is if red snappers are even going to be edible. Though it pales it comparison to the human tragedy of Hurrican Katrina, the long term effects of all the pollutants that are being released into the Gulf has me more than just a little concerned. What is all this crap being pumped out of NOLA going to do to the marine ecosystem if it reaches the Middle Grounds? What is the point of spearfishing if the fish you shoot are too toxic to eat?

Damn, this is all very depressing. Is it to early to start drinking Cuervo 1800 at 8AM?

AJ Suarez

[RichT]

Very well said AJ. Common sense and logic, as you have pointed out, doesnt seem to apply in the Bizzaro world of fisheries management.IMHO :bang:

[Spear One]

When it comes to the NMFS, logic holds little weight in their decision making!

[Ed Walker]

You know, those stories always lean toward the person who spoke with the writer plain and simple. Bob set this one up so call or email the writer and expose the truth to them. The closer the closure gets the more you're gonna hear this one sided "BS". CONTACT THE WRITER, not just the paper, the actual writer. Most are wide open to information about their topics and subjects are only writing about what they have been told. Dont let the longline gang convince an unknowing writer over to their side. By being making a friend over there you will get your point across better than calling up fuming.

[mcjaret]

You know their motto, "NMFS -- Where Common Sense is an Uncommon Virtue."

[Spear One]

Attrition is the most powerful tool the NMFS has in their arsenal. Every rule change and every restriction they place on the fishery, effects the small operators the most. Their goal is to force the small guys out through attrition and leave only the strongest and best financed fisherman in the fishery.

This way, they have to deal with less fishermen, and the fewer fishermen there are.........the less pressure there is on the fishery. Their main intent/goal is to reduce the capacity of the fleet using the least amount of money, while buying out as few operators as possible.

If I hear one more of those NMFS guys say........."It is not our intent to put the small operators out of business".........I'm gonna puke! Their actions speak much louder than their words IMO.

[Capt.Gene]

When the EPA kills everything including the reef itself over the entire East edge of Florida's Gulf, and the story isn't even news worthy I don't give us much chance of effecting positive change in anything involving catch limits.

Red tide my ass.

[Bottom Dweller]

AJ,

You need to paraphrase all of your posts here when you speak at the next meeting,----- hell no, just read them word for word as they are. We have got to keep hammering it to the hardheaded people and especially the press. The media needs to know the truth, not that they will print it, but we have to keep trying.

Gene, You definetly have a bad case of the Red Ass over this "red (cover up) tide" :D Could be from eating polluted fish. A lot of people I have spoken with lately feel the same way as you and I about the whole BS situation.

I hate to see anyone hurt or killed but I sure was happy as hell seeing all the pictures of the destroyed shrimp boats and longline boats that Katrina smashed. Atleast that thinned them out a little.

[Capt.Gene]

If you're like me you support only 1 hook per line fishing and resource management based on factual science not political influence and heresay.
But does it really matter anymore?
I fear Piney Point has changed the entire economic landscape for many of us. Let alone what we do for recreation.
I shutter at the thought of 2006 as yet another year of "Yeah the Gulf SUCKS you can't dive there, or fish in it. You can't keep bait alive long enough to travel anywhere to fish with it." The water's so toxic you shouldn't let it touch you. If it kills the fish on contact and makes divers break out in hives, why are we diving in it?
And next year what would there be to see if the visability should clear up?
Biologically sterile sand and limestone I guess. As all the fish, colonial corals and invertebrates are dead for a few thousand square miles everywhere around the artifical reefs and dive sites I spent 30 years finding and exploring.
I've got something like 2500 booked dive sites that I've been taking divers to over and over again. I suspect they are all now baren of marine life. They might stay that way for the forseeable future.
How long does it take to build biomass from the bottom up on a few thousand square miles of area?
You cannot even assume that the reef itself isn't toxic to life. When Katrina blew past us and pushed our local toxic chemical soup water North there was almost immediately a "red tide" outbreak and a big fish kill off Panama City.
The charter dive operator I talked to when he called to cancel our staff dive there said he had never seen anything like this before. I told him to wait and watch because I expected him to see the water kill everything it came in contact with for the near future. Like it did here.
So, unless your boat is a super cruiser capable of day trips to the grounds, and $3 or $4 fuel isn't a problem you're not going diving.
If you're a dive shop and your biz falls off even 10% because of this you're in trouble. And I expect that's every dive shop on the west side of the state.
Say ByeBye to any number of small business concerns also poisoned to death by the EPA.

[Denny]

I wonder if I could get the federal government to buy-out all the flats fishing guides (except me) along the gulf coast ??? Man, Id truly have it made then.


Yeah, my boat is worth a whole lot less now. Can sopmebody write me a check?

BTW gang- The FRA predicted in March that the commercial grouper quota would be reached in (drumroll)
mid October!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what crystal ball did the FRA wizards gaze into? Hmmm...
Looks like it was the same crystal ball that NMFS had, one that fortold of great harvests by large operators voraciously consuming large chunks of the commercial quota, leaving the small guy (the one whose fishing methods do not cause excessive bykill) to suffer the most.
That crystal ball is the Gulf Council biologist's report. Yup, it's right there in black and white. No surprises here.
Of course, in the interest of kow-towing to the big longline group, the BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE WAS IGNORED. Bob Spaeth and SOFA pulled that one off.

[Bottom$Diver]

Having lived & fished from st.pete to cedar key for over 40yrs, still say (as I did)from the day I watched the first longline boat unload at John's Pass seafood in the company of Ole Charlie Clymer "the gulf is screwed until someone gets enough balls to ban longlining".....of course NMFS "Is Our friend".......hmmmm....just another govt screw job for people who cannot hold a real job!!

[Summerland Key]

This entire buyout program, initiated by SOFA, is incredibly self serving and a joke at best. I received a package from SOFA, that was sent to all commercial reef fish permit holders, explaining the program and asking for a vote for or against the proposal. It is a weighted vote based on poundage of fish you landed. If the vote does not achieve a certain percentage of votes for the proposal, then a second vote is conducted where only longline permit holders will vote. It is very strange. I wrote a letter to Dr. Crabtree and copied numerous individuals. Everyone responded.

I don't know Dr. Crabtree well, but have talked with him numerous times and know folks that knew him years ago. Everyone agrees that he wants to do the right thing on this and I think that if all the facts are laid out in a reasonable manner to him, then he will. His e-mail address is: roy.crabtree@noaa.gov Give him the benifit of the doubt and try to stear him in the right direction. Some of you have a lot of experience diving offshore in the Gulf. Your input if valuable.

I am as sickened as everyone else is over this. When my wife comes home and can work the scanner I will post the letter I sent. Don

[Summerland Key]

October 3, 2005

Dr. Roy Crabtree, Regional Administrator
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Region
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

Dr. Crabtree:

I am writing you regarding the proposed grouper buyout plan and qualifying criteria for a possible limited entry program for the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery. I urge both NMFS and the Gulf Council to reject the buyout plan and carefully consider what is at stake with setting income limits on the reef fish fishery. Also, look into who is pushing for these programs, why, and how the commercial reef fish fishery got into the situation it is in today.

It was not too long ago that the commercial grouper fishery in the southwest gulf was primarily a vertical hook and line fishery. When I was spearfishing many of the wrecks and hard bottom patches in that area during the early to mid 1980’s, there were numerous bandit boats fishing who were apparently making a decent living fishing those same areas. I watched as longline and fish trap vessels moved in and displaced a traditional fishery (commercial hook and line, eg. bandit, handline, rod and reel) and to some extent commercial fishermen, like myself (spearfishermen). Many of us found ourselves unable to compete with these newly introduced gear types (bottom longlines and fish traps), some of us moved into other fisheries, others moved to the South Atlantic, where longlines and fish traps were banned, while some just gave up commercial fishing and sold their vessels. As a result, few of us have enough landings to keep our permits should there be an annual landings poundage requirement on grouper based on recent years.

Now it appears that not only have many traditional fishermen been displaced but, they are also being asked to pay the same individuals (longline buyout plan) that put us out of business. Also, to add insult to injury, we will probably lose our reef fish permits since we may not have enough landings to qualify under a proposed limited entry program.

The buyout plan, as written, is incredibly self serving with its weighted voting system and a second vote by longliners only should the first vote fall short. Also, it fails to take into account the diversified nature of the commercial fisheries, particularly in the southern part of the Gulf. Many of us participate in numerous fisheries and while we may not produce large landings in any one fishery the cumulative result of our efforts results in a decent living.

It would seem that a more appropriate response by the Gulf Council and NMFS would be to promote management plans that would ensure traditional fishing practices that are not only sustainable, but somewhat compatible with other user groups (recreational fishermen and conservationists) remain viable. NMFS and the Gulf Council should look closely at the situation that now exists with the reef fish fishery in the Gulf, explore alternatives to keep traditional fishermen in business, and not eliminate them as both the proposed grouper buyout/ limited entry plan will do.

Sincerely,

Don DeMaria

[Summerland Key]

Anyone interested in this issue should look at this website: www.fishermensadvocacy.org Apparently, there is a Congressman from then St. Pete. area working with SOFA on the buyout plan. Maybe, he should hear from some of you. Don

[RichT]

I believe an alternative is in the works. ;)

[Summerland Key]

I think that most reasonable minded commercial fishermen will agree that the current situation with grouper fishing in the Gulf needs to be changed. However, the SOFA plan is not the answer. Eliminating the majority of traditional commercial verticle hook and line fishermen, along with spearfishermen in favor of keeping longliners in business is not the direction we should be heading.

[Screen Name]

I think that most reasonable minded commercial fishermen will agree that the current situation with grouper fishing in the Gulf needs to be changed. However, the SOFA plan is not the answer. Eliminating the majority of traditional commercial verticle hook and line fishermen, along with spearfishermen in favor of keeping longliners in business is not the direction we should be heading.

Big roger on that.

[Denny]

Dr. Crabtree has been a big supporter of Bob Spaeth's BS plan.
Check out the FRA's draft proposal for longline gear conversion.
http://www.thefra.org/llconvplan.htm