Red Snapper! What next???

[capt hoop]

Last night I went to a meeting with NOAA in New Orleans.

First off let me say this meeting was just to see what they are proposing for the "For Hire Charters".

Seeing they have already regulated the red snapper charter industry out of business, the attendance was 3 captains and Emily from NOAA. Jason from the Sabine Pass area, John from the Cougar which is the only boat left in the area that takes more than 6 passengers, and myself. This is indicative of how badly the regulations have destroyed the snapper charter fishing industry. The attendance was not poor due to lack of intrest but because there are no more targeted red snapper charters left in business. That shows how much the red snapper charter industry has been destroyed by them.

A lot was discussed and this is what I got out of it. They are proposing a seperate season and limit for the "For Hire Charter" It would go along with our gulf reef permits. This is something they are trying to figure in and it may never come to be. We have always been a business or commercial entity and not a recreational entity. It is about time they woke up and admitted they forgot about us. Captain John said it was "too little too late". I feel the third section to figure into the regulating process will bring another issue to cause more infighting amongst the fishermen.

In the discussion she stated that the Florida area can run 3 or 4 trips per day as they only go about 3 miles out to get the fish. This answered why the no fish for captain and crew was instituted into the regulations. It was put in for that area giving more fuel for state self regulations. This is also why, as well as the population, Florida catches so much more of the fish.

With this new proposal they want to take half of the captains with the program and half without so they can study the impact of the plan. As for me it seems like they are giving themselves another project to justify their existance. The seperation of the charter captains into 2 groups would only make for trouble at the docks amongst us. I stated that they just have to set up a fishing season and let us get back to work.

They are looking at 3 ways to set this up as for accountability. This again is area specific. One would work best for the boats that take multipal trips per day which we can not do in our area and the others would best work in our area.

She mentioned having these permits for this program being transferable. All 3 of us were dead set against that. This type of process has been used in the commercial fishing industry and has resulted in the rich living in other places of the country owning the permits and collecting profits from the fishing boats in the gulf instead of the boats owning the permits. They also suggested the days themselves being transferable to another boat or person which we were again not in favor of. These new permits should be issued against our specific gulf reef permits only. I often question what is going through their minds in that office.

This program would also require us to have vessel monitoring systems installed on board at our expense, land at approved sites only, and call into them when going out and comming in. If this program ever gets into play we will be required to call in before landing so a person can be at the landing site to measure, weigh, and document our catch. Another government job created!!!!

Am I in favor of this plan? NO!

Would I be involved in this plan? YES! --- I want to work.

Would issues come out of this? YES! --- Commercial and recreational would be in seperate groups and more friction would be brought into play.

What positive or negative do I expect? --- "P" Maybe we can get a Red Snapper Charter fishery back into place. --- "N" They are in control of this.

Are there alternative measures I would prefer? YES! --- Let the states control the waters in and around the individule states and get the politics out of it. We have too many outside intrests involved in our fisheries now. Many are not even interested in the fishing industry at all. A vegetarian should not have a say in the fish we catch, eat, and sell.

I pointed out that with our 9 day season we can only fish 5 days because the present La. regulations state we can not possess red snapper in state waters Monday thru Thursday as our waters are closed to fishing red snapper at that time. She had no idea of that problem. Once again local regs and thinking only being involved in their thought process when setting up new regulations.

I know I did not cover it all and everything I posted is what I got out of this meeting. NOAA is at work again.

Life is Good!
Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It is more important than that!

Capt Hoop
Our Freedom Charters

[meaux fishing]

Its amazing what kind of dumb stuff the guberment can come up with using our money

[capt hoop]

Unfortunately some form of this will most likely be implimented.

[Capt.B]

What's sad is the #'s left floating to rot after a Rig removal....I just don't get it.......SMDH!!!

[southern151]

Originally Posted by meaux fishing

Its amazing what kind of dumb stuff the guberment can come up with using our money

Using $ generated by the likes of commercial fishermen to put them out of business...Sounds pretty typical in our world today.