here is a copy of an email i got back when i sent my comments in on the possible grouper reduction. who knows if it did anything but you guys might want to take a few and shoot an email to her. sorry if this has already been gone over.

kim iverson's email is at the bottom.




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Thank you for your comment. A copy is being forwarded to the email address (SGAm16Scoping@safmc.net) established for receiving comments during the public scoping process for Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan. The comment period is open until September 17, 2007. Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will be provided with copies of all comments received during that time, including your email message. Please submit any additional comments to SGAm16Scoping@safmc.net. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Again, your comment is sincerely appreciated.



Kim



Kim Iverson

Public Information Officer

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201

North Charleston, SC 29405

843/571-4366 or toll free 866/SAFMC-10

Fax 843/769-4520

kim.iverson@safmc.net

www.safmc.net

Thanks for the info, Christian.

I am going to elevate this to a high priority thread, and would like to ask one of the FRA people (Denny, RichT, etc) to please generate a quick "boiler plate" comment response to help us all out. I am afraid that I might miss an important point that should be brought to attention.

I ask each and every one of you to respond to this, Gulf coasters and East coasters alike. :toast:

Remember, what happens on one coast DOES NOT STAY on that coast (i.e. red snapper limits, etc...) Do not let this proposal set precedence for grouper limits everywhere.

Again, thanks Christian :toast:

Steve

Here is one we can use:

Dear Ms. Iverson and the SAFMC members:

We are concerned that F (fishing mortality; the percentage of the population that dies each year from fishing) is overstated partly because it is based on 1. Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) estimates of landings and discards, which have been declared unreliable and even ‘fatally flawed’ and 2. An overstated recreational release mortality of 26%.

The recreational release mortality is unrealistically high at 26% and should be 10-15%. This mortality rate is primarily based on a study which consisted of deep drops using electric reels in a commercial setting and is in no way representative of the recreational release mortality
Cited studies had long times on deck (2-5 minutes) for measuring and handling before being released, adding to the barotrauma experienced by the fish and also increasing the mortality of the fish.. The Gulf red grouper study accounted for this.
The Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper assessment used a 10% release mortality for recreational discards, 45% for commercial. Why are ours so different?

There is a Florida Headboat survey underway which shows that observed release mortality is less than 2% for grouper caught between 20 meters and 40 meters of depth. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute)

The gag assessment should be redone. There are too many uncertainties and inconsistencies to move forward with an assessment that will affect such a large fishery. - The Gulf Gag assessment has been reviewed due to some of the same questions. There were many corrections and this was done in less than 6 months.

Recreational effort is significantly reduced and is not taken into account when calculating future estimates. Fuel prices have driven the reduction in trip frequency and the increase in cost per trip. MRFSS is usually a year or two behind in estimating this trend, so we are worried about over-regulation.

Calculating Annual Catch Limits should be done in a less ‘precautionary’ manner, as there are speedy mechanisms to put increased restrictions on a fishery, yet there are no such speedy mechanisms to decrease restrictions should a fishery’s biomass increase to healthier levels.

Captain and Crew bag reduction: No quantifiable benefits. There is no basis for any estimate of the amount of reductions in landings realized by this option.

Allocation:
What percentage of recreationally counted fish are also being counted on the commercial side, being double counted and amplifying the commercial allocation?
What would a reduction in recreational bag limits do to the commercial landings?

Economic impact of recreational fishing is underestimated.

Marine Protected Areas are unacceptable as a management tool. Until they can provide a quantifiable benefit, there is no place for them in a management plan. They are useless as management tools and should not be promoted as having any quantifiable benefit.
If a bad decision was made, it can be reversed.

Vermillion Snapper-
If there is no confidence in the estimation of biomass, what degree of confidence is there in the assessment status of overfishing? What is wrong with the assessment? Why was the Gulf Vermillion in trouble, then miraculously declared recovered and never in trouble in the first place?

Only modest bag limit decreases or modest size limit increases would be considered acceptable.

Sincerely,

Your name here

I talked with a commercial captain today about the meeting. He made the point that there is GOING TO BE new regulations no matter what we all try to do. I hope he's wrong & when word gets back about how the fisheries really look to all that came and participated the councils and those responsable would change thier tune about the propsed regs. This captains point was that WHEN the regs are being drawn up the scoping meeting would have given the council some ideas of how & what we would like to see in the regs...sort of like taking bad medicine...do you want it with a glass of milk or water to rince it down, but your going to have to take it either way. Like I said I hope he's wrong, but when he spoke to them afterward he found out some of the same things Tony did...they are on a timeline they must meet or the whole thing is turned over to the secretary of commerce. So I say all that to say this...if you can think of regs that will help them come up with "good" regs we can all live with then you'd better get your letter to them by the 17th of this month...otherwise they will draw up the regs that we will all have to live with...without our input.

Thank you! E-mails sent!

Today is the deadline for submitting comments. Do it now if you haven't already.

mailto: SGAm16Scoping@safmc.net
It is NOT TOO LATE TO GET YOUR COMMENTS IN.
I have it on excellent authority that it is a good idea to send a personalized email with your comments.
Include a brief introduction as to who you are, then provide your thoughts on the proposed alternatives.
We simply need a review of the assessment. A 26% release mortality is way too high and based on a study which did not refledt the recreational metodolgy or spatiality (sci-talk for areas fished).
I have posted some talking points that you could use.
Emails must be in by 5 PM Today in order to make sure they aree read before the meeting. Late comments WILL be read and considered, so make sure you get them in today if you can.