CCA is supporting legislation this 2011 session to designate red drum, speckled trout and striped bass as game fish. These three fish combined make up less than 2% of the fish caught in NC’s commercial harvest. Yet, their value as recreational fish is over 150 times greater in terms of dollars spent at the coast on lodging, equipment, meals, etc.
North Carolina is fortunate to have a Division of Marine Fisheries that takes into account the interests of both commercial and recreational fisherman into account when making recommendations. The Division clearly focuses on the resource – the fish – and takes steps to preserve it.
However, their hard work is nullified by our Marine Fisheries Commission which ignores the science and the best interests of the resource. The Commission is focused solely on the short term gain of a few commercial fisherman and is quickly destroying the economic development opportunities that recreational fishing presents in our state.
Please take a few moments to view this video which goes into more detail on the failings of the Marine Fisheries Commission. After viewing this video, you will know why we need the legislature to act quickly on game fish legislation.
Dang Dick, you crowd take 80% of the stripers, 75% of the speckled trout, and 60% of the reds. How is taking the other 20% that the public gets through seafood markets going to change anything accept all the fish would go to specail interest individuals that make up less 5% of the NC population.
Always thought it was a public resource being managed for the benefit of the public, not a hand full of individuals.
And please do explain how many of those recreational dollars are going into the commercial trip ticket program, which is incidentally the only hard factual data there is.
One more question, why do recreational fishermen want dead wood? Gum thickets aren't any good for making paper, but why don't you give thanks to that commercial logger for the paper your write on the next time you sit down to right a letter.
Posted by: Kenneth Seigler | March 14, 2011 at 01:58 AM