Posted on 01/15/2012 7:24:06 AM PST by bksanders
… Commercial fisherman Jonathan Robinson took issue with that. “Those resources belong to the public,” he said. “They’re not just exclusively for the rich, who can afford boats and trips to the coast. Commercial fishing is a channel that provides access to these resources for all the citizens — for the blacks in the cities and the poor working people in farm towns in North Carolina.”Commercial fisherman Chris McCaffity of Morehead City echoed his sentiment. “I recently had a disabled veteran thank me for defending his freedom to eat the fish he once caught himself,” McCaffity said.
Over the course of its next three meetings, the Marine Fisheries Committee also will be studying the impact of eliminating trawl boat fishing in North Carolina.
Foster said that would mean the end of shrimping in North Carolina, which he estimates makes up almost a quarter of the state’s commercial fishing industry. It also would eliminate much of the state’s flounder fishing. “It would wipe out all of the fishing communities on the west side of Pamilico Sound,” he said.
McCaffity is scheduled to speak at the next meeting of the Marine Fisheries Committee at 1 p.m. Feb. 2 on the third floor of the state legislative building. There was no public comment period at the first meeting.
(Excerpt) Read more at carolinajournal.com ...
Thank you for posting the story and inviting me to join in the conversation on freerepublic. I have read over the comments and saw some good ideas. I would like to answer any questions anyone may have. We need to have an open and honest discussion about how we should manage our fisheries in a way that preserves the resource and benefits everyone.
Welcome aboard, mate! I hope your mission is furthered by this debate.
Do you have any questions about HB-353, catch shares, size limits, or anything else?
Here is an example of the way mismanagement compromises our safety at sea. The Vermilion Snapper fishery just opened on Jan. 1 after being closed for three of the best months to catch them. Fishermen have been throwing back tons of Vermilion Snapper while trying to catch the Trigger Fish that are legal and live with Vermilion Snapper. Now the bite has slowed as the water cools and the weather worsens. Fishermen are desperate to make some decent money and rushed out on a good forecast only to be caught in a gale with 15 to 20 foot seas. A friend had two windows knocked out of a 34 Duffy. Another friend was almost washed out of the back deck by a rogue wave. The rough weather chaffed his anchor rope and $700 dollars worth of anchor, chain, and rope now belong to Davey Jones.
I waas a stripe bass fisherman from NYC. I also used to go on party party boats to fish and work on occasion.
It’s a shame that the idiots on the left want to close down another American economy.
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