PRESS RELEASE

MENHADEN PROJECT

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association - May 1997 Newspaper)

The Menhaden Project is alive and well and moving along on schedule. We are pleased to inform you that members of the Menhaden Project, Frank Richetti, President, the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, and Jim Donofrio, President of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, met with members of the New Jersey Bait Fish and Menhaden Alliance on the evening of Thursday, April 10, 1997, at the offices of Ray Bogan. The timing for the meeting followed our action plan of developing grass roots support from the recreational community, as well as the endorsements of both the JCAA and the RFA. This meeting was an opportunity for both sides to air their views and concerns and try to understand each other's position. I would like to publicly compliment Judy Widerstrom and the Bait Alliance representatives for the professional manner in which they reacted to our first meeting. As one might expect, they did not recognize the sensitivity of this issue to the recreational community. Much of our time was spent explaining how we felt there had to be a coordinated approach towards the management of the bunker resource as it relates to both the reduction and bait fishing industries, and that we, the recreational community, did not believe they could be appropriately addressed as separate issues. Although we did not come to any agreement on the proposal, we did request that they review the proposal and offer a counter-proposal which they felt they could support. We have agreed to meet again on the subject at a future date to see id there is a possible alignment with the bait fishing and recreational community on this matter. The Menhaden Project would again like to remind you of the importance of filling out the petitions and forwarding them to us for future use, as well as requesting that you provide the endorsement of your fishing club or organization on its official letterhead, the Menhaden Project. We will continue to keep you advised of our progress on this matter and thank you for all your support.

Len Fantasia, Menhaden Project
732-872-1862

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