Posted by JRM on January 10, 2002 at 09:01:53:
In Reply to: DFG Summary of Rockfish, lingcod, cabazon, & sheephead regs for 2002 posted by Chris on January 09, 2002 at 18:44:40:
Well Brad, you might think this is a step in the right direction because bag limits for recreationals are seriously reduced.
However, what you seem to be missing is that, since the cuts last year reduced recreational take, the recreational sector wasn't able to extract their "Optimum Yield" component as defined by DFAG. And you'd think that would be the point of the reductions.
***HOWEVER**** rather than leave the remaining "untaken" fish in the water, the DFAG has REASSIGNED 17 metric tons of rockfish to the commercial sector. And guess what... The DFAG Biologists wanted to re-allocate 100 metric tons. So, while you are jumping and dancing that private citizens are getting screwed out of their right of consumption, the commercial sector are laughing all the way to the bank.
It's like this... you guys are restricting gold panning downstream from a strip mining operation. Pull your head out and look around.
I wouldn't mind you guys whining so much about recreational spearfishing if you at least whined equally as much about commercial take. But somehow that gets lost in the "these guys shoot fish, get em" euphoria.
DFAG has duped you. And Zeke is laughing his tail off. And why shouldn't he? The idiots in our own recreational sector are doing his job. In case that was too subtle, that would be you!
The amount of fish being yanked from the ocean isn't decreased, merely re-allocated. And next time you get up to do your little happy dance, ask yourself if spearfishing has the same by-catch as commercial methods. Ask yourself if you'd rather have someone in the water who doesn't pull the trigger on every fish, or a gill-net. DFAG themselves have, in their own reports, marked sticks and traps as too efficient a method of take, endangering the kelp ecosystem. But as long as guys like you applaud them for their stupidity, they're going to keep on doing what they're doing. So congratulations, you've just become a lobbyist for the commercial fishing industry. I'm sure that the commercial fishing industry has the health of the ecosystem as their highest concern.
Now, for the real clincher. Spearfishing from shore is exempted from these closures, the same as shore fishing. So, when I swim off the beach Saturday with my cannon, I'm going to be able to bring at least something edible back. Granted, it was a concession from DFAG to try and quiet down the vocal spearfishers (they're tired of us showing up at their meetings and ruining their little payolla gambit). So I guess there is actually one step in the right direction.
JRM
-- btw, I'm considered to be a tree-hugger by most of the people I know. Kinda sad, isn't it?
-- oh, and I'd gladly give up my right to spear nearshore rockfish if the DFAG would revoke the nearshore fishing permits. If that's what it takes to get those pillagers out of the nearshore, so be it.