Bottom fishing rule changes considered ......

[Pilar]

Read the article in the Thursday snore-a-gonian sports section to learn more. Meeting times and proposed actions are listed. Basically they are going to further limit Bottom fishing for sport fishers by closing the season during parts of the year and reducing bag limits. The Halibut seasons are also under revision. Here they are considering splitting the allocation between charters and sport boats differently than it is done now.

I guess all those intrepid I-Fishers at the Chicken ranch put the skeer in the charter boat guys. Why spend $200 to get on a charter boat when you can spend it on your own boat?

The bottom fish are in trouble folks. They grow slowly and reproduce slowly. It is facinating to me that the obvious limits are not placed on the commercial fishery for this resource. They drag nets across the bottom of the ocean and kill everything that gets in the way.

Its as simple as conservation of difficulty. We sport fishers just don't have the horsepower to oppose the regulators.

[Mr. Fisherman]

Well Johnboy,

I don't read that rag. I feel that I should be getting paid for proof reading [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Thanks for the heads up. I know of at least two charters that are considering selling if they lower the limits.

I'm with you on limiting the bottom draggers, but then I'm just one of those pesky sport fishers that dosen't buy much fish from the store anyway. Anybody with the deepest pockets must be right anyway [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

Let me know if you plan to go...

Ray

[Threemuch]

Guys-
They are doing this in california too, only they started a year and a half ago. Bottomfish are only open half the year.

If you think they will regulate the commercials and not us too, forget it. We will get killed, unless we represent ourselves at these meetings. You better believe the ******* will.

Be careful though, look at your signatures. The fishbox is full? The fishbox is full AGAIN? The freezer is full? I know these are just for fun, but I hope this isn't your real attitude on the water. People who keep fish just to "limit out" are a part of how we got here. Freezerburned fish isn't even good crab bait. And if you give the fish away to your friends, you are basically commercial fishing for free.

Cripes, now I sound like some trout releasing fly fisherman. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Sorry. I'm off the soap box.

[Pilar]

You are right on Threemuch! My freezer is full of Smelt and some Halibut. All told this year I have caught and eaten ~ 40 bottom fish. Yes I give it away and cook it to feed to my family.

We should not make light of the situation in the Ocean, the resource is limited.

The freezer full thing started as a celebration of our incredible luck this year on the big blue lake.

Thanks for reminding us of the reality and the perception of others. We have forgotten the faces of our fathers.