Dive4Blood
02-12-2008, 04:22 PM
This is absolutely positively not the time to take your foot off the gas pedal. Despite the Gulf Council and NMFS summarily dismissing the consistent anecdotal accounts by spearfisherman of the health of the gag grouper fishery by selecting a one gag/three grouper aggregate preferred alternative the battle is not lost.....not by a f*cking long shot. The FRA is working with other fishing advocacy groups and will be hiring a Ph.D fisheries biologist to rip apart the bird cage liner known as the NMFS grouper assessment. Word on the street is that our own state fisheries managers here in Florida may have something to say about the potentially catastrophic regulations that effectively eliminate offshore reef fishing in the eastern Gulf. The wind is blowing and they are going to put a grouper padlock on the Gulf this Friday for a month so here is a little homework for you to do.
1. Click on the attached PDF. Email this to everyone you know who fishes with a pole or speargun. Everyone....even the most casual of saltwater sportsman and encourage that they do the same. Spread the word virally! Print up copies of this flyer and ask if you can hang one up at your local dive shop, marina, tackle shop, marine supply outlet etc. Educate the owners and employees about how these regulations will negatively impact their business. Make them become ambassadors for our cause.
2. Be aware that there is a NMFS sponsored Grouper Forum in St Petersburg on Feb 26th from 6-10 PM. I attended last year's Forum which amounted to nothing more than a dog and pony show where the flawed "science" used to justify this regulatory freight train we have been riding was laid out with very little opportunity for attendees to provide input or ask questions. Stand by for further instructions but I smell a protest or some mild civil disobedience in the works ;).
3. EVENING public input meetings will be held March 10-20 across the Gulf Coast from 6-10 PM. Please reference the attached PDF for the exact date of the meeting nearest you. Think about the media buzz that was created from the last public input meeting which was held during business hours. You have a month plus notice and the meetings are in the evening after work. THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO BE PRESENT TO AT LEAST ONE OF THESE MEETINGS!
4. There was an aide to Sen Nelson's office at the last GC meeting. It is imperative that we engage Sen Nelson, Sen Martinez, and Gov Crist to the negative effects that these grouper regs will have on the State of Florida. There will soon be a thread with full contact info for each, and easy instructions on what to communicate via email, fax, letter, and phone call to their offices.
We are spearos. Hunters by nature. Do not sit back idly like placid sheep and let the government severely limit your opportunity to pursue your spearfishing passion in the Gulf of Mexico.
1. Click on the attached PDF. Email this to everyone you know who fishes with a pole or speargun. Everyone....even the most casual of saltwater sportsman and encourage that they do the same. Spread the word virally! Print up copies of this flyer and ask if you can hang one up at your local dive shop, marina, tackle shop, marine supply outlet etc. Educate the owners and employees about how these regulations will negatively impact their business. Make them become ambassadors for our cause.
2. Be aware that there is a NMFS sponsored Grouper Forum in St Petersburg on Feb 26th from 6-10 PM. I attended last year's Forum which amounted to nothing more than a dog and pony show where the flawed "science" used to justify this regulatory freight train we have been riding was laid out with very little opportunity for attendees to provide input or ask questions. Stand by for further instructions but I smell a protest or some mild civil disobedience in the works ;).
3. EVENING public input meetings will be held March 10-20 across the Gulf Coast from 6-10 PM. Please reference the attached PDF for the exact date of the meeting nearest you. Think about the media buzz that was created from the last public input meeting which was held during business hours. You have a month plus notice and the meetings are in the evening after work. THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO BE PRESENT TO AT LEAST ONE OF THESE MEETINGS!
4. There was an aide to Sen Nelson's office at the last GC meeting. It is imperative that we engage Sen Nelson, Sen Martinez, and Gov Crist to the negative effects that these grouper regs will have on the State of Florida. There will soon be a thread with full contact info for each, and easy instructions on what to communicate via email, fax, letter, and phone call to their offices.
We are spearos. Hunters by nature. Do not sit back idly like placid sheep and let the government severely limit your opportunity to pursue your spearfishing passion in the Gulf of Mexico.