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by John T. Koegler
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association May 2004 Newsletter)
In two swipes of their statistical pen, the NMFS HMS division, through their total control of the recreational HMS bluefin landings numbers, proposes to turn this US business worth over $1 billion dollars per year to the US economy into a pile of sawdust.
Last fall, in the US report to ICCAT of US landings of bluefin tuna, NMFS employed a revised and previously discredited LPS statistical program that had grossly overstated bluefin landings by more than 35%. NMFS latest revisions increased LPS intercepts by 100%. This combination over reports recreational bluefin tuna landings by more than 100 %.
Then the US report to ICCAT retroactively changed previously reported 2002 recreational landings of bluefin from 204 MT reported in June 2002 to 669 MT reported in July 2003. This was over 30 days after NMFS had set their rules for the 2003 recreational bluefin tuna season. Early estimates of recreational 2003 bluefin landings indicate recreational landings are over 500 MT. The ICCAT base quota as allocated by NMFS for recreational bluefin tuna landings is 273.2 MT per year plus previously uncaught bluefin from earlier years. It does not take an Einstein to understand that we have a major problem.
In addition, the US ICCAT report indicated that NMFS was also changing the way they reported US blue and white marlin landings. US landings from tournaments were 90 marlins plus several landed outside tournaments. NMFS new estimates were 270 marlins. The US limit was 250 marlins per year. To apply a statistical program to previously reported tournament landings of marlins only is an outrage.
If they rely on these estimates of catch figures, it could have a huge impact on the way we fish for these species. Bluefin tuna at one time were extremely important to the recreational anglers and the recreational fishing industry of New Jersey. Because of management decisions by NMFS, it is a fraction of what it once was. If it is not reversed we could lose the opportunity to catch bluefin and it will be another nail in the coffin of the fishing industry of New Jersey.
You should write a letter and send it to President George Bush and send a copy to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Don Evans, calling foran end to the decimation of the recreational sector by such low quota on school bluefin tuna and demand that he take immediate steps to ensure that the recreational fishing sector has a fair and reasonable opportunity to fish for bluefin tuna this season. You should also write a letter to the Governor of NJ and your congressional delegation asking them to protect your right to fish for these species.
President George W Bush,
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C 20500
Comments:202-456-1111
Fax 202-456-2461
Phone: 202-456-1414
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
Secretary Donald L. Evans
Office of the Secretary
Room 5516
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th & Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20230
Phone: 202-482-2000
Email: devans@doc.gov
Governor James McGreevey
PO Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625609-292-6000
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html
To find your congressional representative go to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
You can get the information but typing in your zip code. You can also get your local area officials at the same site.