Listening to the NEFMC meeting over the past three days, I've noticed some blatant flaws of connectivity on a number of issues.
Where to begin? Thats as confusing as the information was. I'm just going to ramble my way into it with something that has me scratching my thin haired head.
The socio economic information issue.
NOAA has decided that there must be a socio economic study, and they apparently decided the survey was important, but not so much important enough to include the fishermen. For clarity, I will be using that term for the guys that actually go to sea.
The need to understand the mechanics of compensation regarding fishermen should have been the first order of business when Jane Lubchenco and her "stakeholder" brigade decided to force the commodity system of catch shares up every ones as,,,,,,,,down every ones throats, putting the surviving fisherman's lay/shares on the decline and their expenses on the incline.
My understanding of the presentation as presented is,NOAA already has socio economic data compiled for everyone involved in fishery management. Except the Fishermen!
They have socio- data on all the"stakeholders" that earn their livings from the industry.
These "stakeholders" include NOAA employees, Federal and State law enforcement, government employees, including scientists, statisticians, ENGO interlopers, and everybody but fishermen!
These people that they have data on are pretty much un affected by the regulations created that the fishermen must comply.
The catch share debacle that is supposed to be the savior of fish, and fishermen, is causing economic hardship for the people that actually work, while costing them thousands of dollars from their shares. This takes food from their children's mouths, removes money that would pay for their children's braces.
No sweat for the "stakeholders" though. We pay their salary and benefit packages, either through taxes or donations to the non profit lawyers of the ENGO's. I have to believe the fishermen should have been the first ones surveyed, but, their survey is just beginning.
NOAA figures it's time to understand how fishermen get paid! Brilliant!
References to the science purveyed by the NESC over the past three days should be enough to build a consensus that something smells, well,,,,, kinda fishy.
Ground fish issues were hot. Very hot. Scallops too.
The yellow tail flounder the Bigelow cant seem to find will affect allocations of both fleets with deep cuts. We are talking about multi millions of lost economic fuel in New England.
Predatory mammals along with dogfish and skate were acknowledged, but when it came to herring, the Pew whores are still as confused as the scientists!
Gotta protect them forage fish fer when them cod fish come back!
The cod fish don't stand a chance.
Peter Mullen, a mid-water herring boat owner asked about something I’ve brought up a number of times after reading an article written by Gloucester’s Carmine Gorga, PhD. He brought up the predator/prey issues that apparently, from the answer Mr Mullen received, have not been considered by the scientist trying to figure out fishery issues like cod and yellow tail. The Pew whores and their pixies are convinced herring is forage for cod, but would never consider codling would be forage feed for the superabundant herring.
Listen to the question, and listen to the answer, then read the quote below.
The relationship is this. The larvae of the bottom fish need to go to the surface of the ocean in order to obtain food – plankton – and light. While they go up, they become a feast for the pelagic. When those larvae that survive become codling, they want to go back to their friends and relatives. While they descend to their native habitat, they become a second feast for the pelagic. Fish and Future
When they are big enough to be eaten by seals, the seals take one bite. They rip the belly's out to eat the liver.
An old farmer once said, "If ya don't weed the garden, and keep the varmints out, ya won't get any vegetables."
Common sense, eh?
But a new guy sitting on the council that has plenty to say, thinks the herring should be saved fer when them codfish come back!
The best public comment was here. Listen to the public comments on the overview of SAW/SARC 54. This public comment period includes input from the Mayor of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Jon Mitchell..
This is a great audio, and the common sense of Owen Rochford, of Norpel can be found at 25:30 if you slide the button with your cursor.