Take Action: Reminder from founder of Menhaden Defenders

Dear Concerned Fishermen-
Next week will be a big week in the Bunker Battle, with the ASMFC coming back together on Wednesday the 26th to vote again and break the tie vote that was attempted at the last meeting SIX times. We only need for one state to shift gears and vote for conservation! Let’s continue to restore bunker populations.
Please take a moment to fire off an email to your states ASMFC commissioners (http://mahi.accsp.org:8080/myJSPs/asm…) and tell them what you NOW see on the water in your state and why they should OPPOSE any increase in harvest quota at this time. All anglers need to be asking them to oppose any increase in catch until the ASMFC Management Board uses an “ecosystem” approach that takes into account predator needs.

[youtube id=”hnJmPlovPmM” width=”620″ height=”360″] Focus from all commissioners, for all states, should NOT be on a quota increase, but instead on keeping the current quota as is and reallocating and until a more equitable distribution of the catch is implemented (Virginia, for example currently is allowed to keep 85.5% of the fish of the entire coastal catch limit).
Menhaden Defenders has been fighting for 70/30 split between reduction and bait sectors for over a decade. Hard to believe that the bait sector continues to bed down with Omega Protein and fight against us. These relatively tiny operations here in NJ now have to stop bunker bait fishing in July each year because the lion’s share of the coastal catch limit is magically granted to Omega.
Focusing on rebuilding and restoring instead of appeasing industrial harvest appetites is clearly the direction the commission needs to take! If the last 3 years are any indication, it will not take long to increase abundance from Maine to Florida. The reality of all of this is that if we can win on Wednesday and FREEZE THE CATCH QUOTA it would be a win-win for the marine ecosystem, and recreational & commercial fishermen!
Thank you,
Capt. Paul Eidman
Founder of Menhaden Defenders Remember: NO BUNKER = NO BASS!

Commissioner list for your state: http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/commiss…
Link to ASMFC Atlantic Menhaden Page: http://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic…