Regulations in the News
July 16, 2012
What is Sector Separation; why should you care?
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It is called Amendment 39; Sector Separation. It is an amendment to the Gulf of Mexico's reef fish fishery management plan. In the amendment Sector Separation is defined as: "the partition of a sector into distinct components." The private recreational anglers and the for-hire sector (Charter boat and head boat operators) It all sounds innocuous enough; so why all the impassioned rhetoric? What is it about sector… Read More
May 10, 2012
Mistrust of Feds Moves Louisiana Toward State Waters Only Snapper Season
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State opposition continues to grow toward a federal government that seems more intent on restricting recreational fishing than managing fisheries based on science and catch data. Weapons being wielded against anglers and the states include Catch Shares, the National Ocean Council, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. In the South Carolina Legislature, a resolution has been introduced "to… Read More
February 20, 2012
Jones Speaks Out Against Shark Catch Shares
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) spoke out against the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) proposal to transition the Atlantic shark fishery into a catch share management system. An aide to Congressman Jones delivered a letter from Jones to Sam Rauch, Acting Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, at a public comment session at Manteo Town Hall. Jones could not be there in person… Read More
January 07, 2012
The Ethanol Bill
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SB 238 is stuck in comittee. Please contact your local representative and help us get this through: SB 238: Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act Tracking This Bill Glossary of Legislative Terms GENERAL BILL by Evers; (CO-INTRODUCER) Gaetz Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act; Repealing the Florida Renewable Fuel Standard Act, to remove the requirement that all gasoline offered for sale in this state include a percentage of… Read More
September 19, 2011
Rolling Stone Joins Anti-Fishing Movement
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We are losing the war to retain our rights to fish public waters. The other side --- the preservationist movement --- has money, the media, the motivation, and, for the moment, the administration on its side. On the side of recreational fishing, we have numbers and we have truth. But too many fishermen are unmotivated to act, and, sadly, truth seems to become increasingly irrelevant in an age when so many people are both… Read More
September 01, 2011
Anti-Fishing and the Manatee Corollary
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With my recent posts about fish eating discarded plastics generating so much interest, I’ve been thinking about the ripple effect. Anti-fishing groups certainly don’t need another issue to focus on these days, but this could be one. My thoughts about that are this: 1. Fish do eat discarded baits. Whether that’s damaging our fisheries, we don’t know. But we do know that we can diminish the possibility of that happening.… Read More
August 21, 2011
It's Tea Party Time for Recreational Fishermen, Starting at Walmart
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The Recreational Fishing Alliance is calling for a boycott of Walmart because the Walmart Family Foundation donates millions of dollars to organizations that seek to damage and/or destroy recreational fishing. I reluctantly agree. I say “reluctantly” because boycotts are one of the legitimate strategies employed by unions, which also often resort to intimidation, vandalism, and other types of thuggery. These days… Read More
August 19, 2011
Environmental Groups Begin New Push for Recreational Fishing Closures in Gulf of Mexico
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As the battle for our rights to fish the waters we've come to know and love, I have been truly blessed to become friends with guys like Robert Montgomery. Here's a man who's been an outdoors writer as long as I've been writing about the freaken Pen tool in Adobe Illustrator, or how to get rid of pink eyes in Photoshop. During those years, Robert's become the Senior Writer at Bass Publications, Senior Writer for Fishing… Read More
August 16, 2011
The Enemies of Recreational Fishing
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Yesterday well-known outdoors writer (of ESPN fame) turned-activist Robert Montgomery talked to us about providing content for the site. This article was the result of what he said was "inspiration" to be working with us. I stole it from his site -- ActivistAngler.com. The rally held by the Recreational Fishing Alliance in Washington DC last year was something of a wake-up call. For every fisherman outside there were a… Read More
August 15, 2011
Federal Agencies Subject to Data Quality Act
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This article was originally published on an excellent law site called FindLaw.com, which is a public resource used by the legal profession that serves our community equally well. Not being lawyers, those of us involved in Fishery Management, Agenda 21, and the attempted globalization of our nation's fisheries, farms, and privately-held natural resources are greatly indebted to the publishers. This article by Susan Bisong… Read More
July 03, 2011
Terms of the Trade
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From the Publisher: Did you know that the federal government hires sociologists and economists to assess their own assessments of fishery allocation? We're not kidding when we tell you how insane the "science" of fishery management has become. If you think we've gone too far with this fishing politics thing, you only have to spend ten minutes reading this list of acronyms you will find on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery… Read More
June 18, 2011
More Trout Less Sharks
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Spotted Sea Trout The Florida Wildlife Commission is reviewing possible new regulations on Spotted Sea Trout and Sharks. They will be seeking public input at the following meetings on the Trout issue: this Wednesday, June 22nd, from 6 to 8 p.m.,at the Jacksonville Public Library Southeast Branch, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd., Jacksonville; and again on July 6th, at the Brevard Agricultural Center, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa, Fl.… Read More
June 13, 2011
Grouper Management
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FB11-050FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:Peter Hood Peter.Hood@noaa.gov 727-824-5305, FAX 727-824-5308 NOAA Fisheries Service Seeks Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Grouper Management Measures in the Gulf of MexicoComment Period Ends July 25, 2011 NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish… Read More
June 13, 2011
June Fishery Management Council
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For Immediate Release Contact: Charlene PonceJune 13, 2011 813-348-1630 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council June UpdateThe Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in Key West, Florida June 6 – 10, 2011, to address numerous fishery issues, including Reef Fish Amendment 32 and a generic amendment to set annual catch limits and accountability measures. During the week long meeting, the Council took the following… Read More
May 11, 2011
Catch Shares in New Hampshire
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In an article in Saltwater Sportsman this month, author Russ Cunningham said -- in no uncertain terms -- that those of us that think something very, very bad is going on, and that it's happening all over the nation (and the world, for that matter) are nuts. That "we have nothing better to do" then to make stuff up. We imagine with our black-helicopter enchanced minds that somebody's 'out to get us'. Let me tell you… Read More
April 30, 2011
Fish Stock Assesment Flawed?
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From the publisher: Couldn't have said this one better myself. And thank you to Trevor Branch, the scientist that is among the few willing to read the data, write a paper, and have the readers know that what he says is sound. In most cases, if you say anything contrary to what the populace environmental scare-terrorists say (if we're not controlled, fish will be gone -- ALL fish -- by 2045), you're vilified, or worse. In… Read More
April 28, 2011
Jones Amendment Blocks $36 million for Catch Shares!
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From the publisher: The "Jones Amendment" blocks $36 million of funding for Catch Shares and is about to be on the President's desk. We need to learn a lesson about "Community Organizing" if we don't want this win to be the last one we have. But it's a win -- make no mistake about it. The work of newly-elected South Carolina Congressman Walter Jones, the Jones amendment blocks massive spending for a strategy dear to the… Read More
April 27, 2011
Catch Share for Charter Captains?
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There's plenty of talk about "IFQ"s -- a way for the Federal Government -- which is completely under the control of the hard-core environmental terrorists at the EDF and PEW -- to control our fisheries. The acronym stands for "Individual Fishing Quotas" and the movement is to split our industry into Commercial, "For Charter" and "Recreational" with the geniuses from Harvard's faculty coffee-rooms can determine… Read More
April 16, 2011
Congress Defunds Wasteful Catch Shares Program
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by Dan Bacher Friday Apr 15th, 2011 9:47 PM... “Unfortunately, this unfair program, known as catch shares, has already begun consolidating the fishing industry on every coast," said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. "It is shocking that, while the thousands lost their jobs in the worst recession in decades and the nation debated spending priorities, our government wasted millions to hand our… Read More
April 12, 2011
NOAA's Fishing Politics
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From the Publisher: This article's from the local Examiner, where our friend Jim Lee writes some of the best fishing articles -- combined with his patriotic view of our fishing rights -- for the paper. You can read the original article in its original layout by clicking here, or read it here. Jim's excellent work has been supplying us fishers with solid, reliable, and completely enjoyable content for many years. Thanks,… Read More
March 29, 2011
Fish Wars; Action Required!
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Between the RFA and the FRA, there is a war battling upon the steps of our Government, between the will of the people and the will of those who would privatize our oceans, the fish and your rights; to both fueled by PEW and EDF, with the formation of the National Ocean Council. Dr. Jane Lubchenco, head of NOAA and our own Government are encroaching into State privileges which could be considered a possible invasion of… Read More
March 14, 2011
Reaching the fishing public with the right message...
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From the publisher: Since joining the Recreational Fishing Alliance, and assuming a position as the Communications Director for Florida, I've had the wonderful opportunity of working with the state's Chapter Director, a guy by the name of Dave Huber. Working with Dave, we at TheOnlineFisherman.com hope to reach many more Floridians with a simple message; your sport's in danger, and there are people here fighting to retain… Read More
March 13, 2011
Hijacking Fisheries Management
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How Pew Charitable Trusts has co-opted the management process using paid-for science and a well-oiled media machine. From the Publisher: Taking the position as the Communications Director for the Recreational Fishing Alliance's Florida Chapter was quite a responsiblity, and an honor. The guy behind the RFA -- a man by the name of Jim (Jimmy to those who know him well) Donifrio began the organization long before other… Read More
March 08, 2011
Gulf Fishery News
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From Shipps Deck: This piece is part of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council "news" piece. Doctor Shipp is a very respected member of the fishing community and was very close friends with the late Captain Mel Berman. That said, Gary Anderson and me and many members of our community also see Catch Shares, Sector Separation, and the current ban on Gulf grouper to simply be the toxic results of a broken law -- that… Read More
March 06, 2011
New Flounder Rules
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Your Fisherman's Bible The Online Fisherman NMFS Building of Knowledge A Think Tank Up For Sale From the guys that brought you Catch shares, IFQ's, TAC and all that, National Marine Fisheries Services has presented new flounder rules allowing for larger discard rates. National Marine Fisheries Services has presented new flounder rules, which now make NO SENSE; where anglers can catch more as the limit has been increased… Read More
March 04, 2011
Financing Fisheries Change
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From the Publisher: As TheOnlineFisherman grows in reach, we're meeting some of the most incredible and oustanding personalities our sport and industries contain. Among them is a guy named Captain Len Belcaro. Editor Gary Anderson and I first encountered this gem of an outdoor writer, publisher, and passionate activist in the wolf-dens of the nation's most popular fishing forums (two of them being 2coolFishing's forums… Read More
March 01, 2011
Not Just the Fish
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Biodiversity Across the Globe (Not Your Nation you are laughing but do not laugh, listen) were we swept up in a change to which we were not expecting? Is Obama born in Kenya or was it a scheme to creating a agenda for a New World Order? He was the first to actually ratify the UN asking of the Land of the Sea Treaty but only after others had created a National Council and officially executive orders to recognition of the… Read More
February 26, 2011
The Politics of Fishing
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A few hundred people showed up for the Fishing Rights Alliance's Rally to End Catch Shares on Friday afternoon; with 1 million fishers within a 100 mile radius of the location (National Marine Fisheries Services in Downtown Saint Petersburg), the lack of turnout shows how little our efforts have accomplished in raising the public's awareness of what's happening. If you weren't there, and you're not willing to fight this… Read More
February 24, 2011
Circle Hooks; Snapper-Grouper
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Commercial or Recreational Use of Circle Hooks in Catching Snapper/Grouper Required in South Atlantic Region March 03, 2011 Southeast Fishery Bulletin National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Reminder: Circle Hook Requirements in the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery Effective March 3, 2011 Beginning March 3, 2011, the use of non-stainless steel… Read More
February 24, 2011
GMFMC Recruting Members
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For Immediate Release Contact: Charlene Ponce February 24, 2011 813-334-0895 Gulf Council Recruiting Members to Serve on an Ad Hoc Commercial Reef Fish Individual Fishing Quota Advisory Panel The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is considering moving the remainder of the commercial reef fish fishery into an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, and is forming an Ad Hoc Commercial Reef Fish Individual Fishing… Read More
February 18, 2011
NOAA seeks Comments
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Attached is the subject Southeast Fishery Bulletin announcing: NOAA is Seeking Comments on a Proposed Rule to Increase the Red Snapper Quotas in the Gulf of Mexico Please Note: "Comment period will begin on February 22" You can also access this bulletin on our Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov Go to the left hand side of the page and click on the Fishery Bulletins Link.Additional Questions: Contact RICH MALINOWSKI or… Read More
February 15, 2011
IFQ's; Do They Work?
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Under the direction of Dr. Jane Lubchenco’s NOAA, catch shares have become her Achilles' heel to most of the general public, Waterman, Charter Captains and recreational anglers, not to mention the trickle down economics in closing bait shops to boat builders. There are those to whom reflect her attitudes, having adopted IFQ's as a mechanism to make the nation's fisheries a sustainable resource, regardless to who it… Read More
February 15, 2011
February Fishery Management Council
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For Immediate Release February 12, 2011Contact: Charlene Ponce813-348-1630Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council February UpdateSome highlights from the week are noted below. GagThe Council asked staff to prepare an interim rule for consideration during the April Council meeting that sets the 2011 recreational season for gag from September 16through November 15. This request was made after the Council reviewed the… Read More
February 13, 2011
Gulf Council Meeting in Gulfport
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From the Publisher: Make sure you read this stuff! It's what's happening at the council meetings, relative to: catch shares, how the Feds intend to count fish, and a growing list of the species they're regulating. This is a regulatory administration, and there is little we can do, but read and learn...and one other thing. People with a great deal of money -- the Packard Foundation, Tyson Foods, the Walton Family--and a… Read More
February 11, 2011
EDF Jane Must Go!
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Editorial - January February 2011 Issue Big Game Fishing Journal Reminiscent of another “Jane” that sold out our boys during the Vietnam War, Dr. Jane “I am the recreational fisherman’s champion” Lubchenco stated at a recent ICCAT meeting in Paris that, “When there is uncertainty in science we believe that it is important to err on the side of caution. We believe that it is appropriate therefore to seek lower TACs (Total… Read More
February 07, 2011
Catch Shares and the Florida Keys...
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From the publisher: This article is from the Miami Herald, and that's something we very rarely do. Our goal is to provide new stuff, not articles used in twenty-other places, or copied verbatim from another writer (often without giving them credit). In this case, the article is written by an excellent writer who I personally follow (more now then ever). Susan Cocking is a straight-shooter that tells the story… Read More
February 04, 2011
Commercial Kings Closed
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The Online Fisherman is Unhappy to announce that: Closure of the western Gulf of Mexico zone to commercial king mackerel fishing complies with regulations implemented under the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic and is necessary to protect the Gulf group king mackerel resource. In cooperative actions, Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and… Read More
February 04, 2011
A Tiny Industry Compared to Others...
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From the publisher: This is a post I just put on Florida Sportsman's forums. I hope you take a minute to read it. It's about a quote from a writer for Saltwater Sportsman magazine by a long-time sports writer by the name of Rip Cunningham. I've heard his family came over on the Mayflower. It might be true for all I know. Interesting history aside, read what Rip thinks about fishing politics. And read the post on our… Read More
February 02, 2011
Catch Shares for your Tarpon?
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If you fish for tarpon, dream of fishing for tarpon, or have a friend that does, get ready to pay for the rights to do so. Pay who? We're not sure yet exactly where the money goes, but a recent article in a European newspaper tells the story clearly. In fact, it's Boca Grande they have their European eyes on. Should this come as a surprise? Click here to access the story. Read More
February 02, 2011
Royal Red Shrimp Open!
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February 1, 2011 FB11-010 FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: 727-824-5305, FAX 727-824-5308 BP Oil Spill: NOAA Re-opens Federal Waters to Royal Red Shrimp Fishing Effective February 2, 2011 at 12:01 a.m. local time, NOAA will reopen 4,213 square miles (10,911 sq km) of area it had previously closed to royal red shrimp fishing in the Gulf of Mexico in response to the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill. NOAA Fisheries Service prohibited… Read More
February 01, 2011
Commercial Grouper Out!
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NOTICE THE DATE ON THE PICTURE? Now can you all see what we are talking about: old data for New Rules, is there a problem here??? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Thursday has allowed itself to propose new rules for the recreational and commercial harvest of grouper in Gulf of Mexico, Florida State waters. The proposed rules follow up on interim measures taken earlier this year, by your… Read More
January 21, 2011
Protecting Florida's Jobs
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Half the people that read the articles, reports, stories, and forums on this -- and any fishing site, for that matter -- are professionals. They make a living in the sport (or fishing commercially). That way of life -- those jobs -- are being destroyed by people that are not involved in the sport or the industry in any way. Their lives are based on being "environmentalists". Does that mean they walk around picking up… Read More
January 18, 2011
GMFMC; Generic Fish?
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From the Editor: As I post this, I ask myself a question, as well, you too may ask yourself, as I am confused; to what is a Generic Fish? The GMFMC is going to review these fish and I have never seen one or caught one, have you? They too, are going to spend tax dollars on a meeting to discuss Generic Earned Income, I guess from catching fictitious fish and the Accountability Measures amendment of this generic entity. Once… Read More
January 01, 2011
Reef Fish Discussion
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The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a meeting of the Ad Hoc Reef Fish Limited Access Privilege Program Advisory Panel. The meeting will convene at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, and conclude by 4 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: (813) 348-1630 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (813)… Read More
December 24, 2010
The November Elections Meant Nothing!
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From the Publisher: What do you think, boys and girls? Read this and tell us we're not right about the total intended destruction of our rights to fish the waters without paying the United Nations fees to do so. Again we refer you to the Marine Spacial Plan, page 32, where "Alternative Revenue Sources" are defined. Those alternative revenue sources are to gain the fund necessary for the UN to take control over the entire… Read More
December 24, 2010
Suit targets Catch-share "Referendum"
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From the Publisher: This article, dated December 14, 2010 is about our favorite subject of late: Catch Shares. What catch shares are is simply a way for the environmental left to eventually be part of turning the world's fisheries into a commodity that's under their control. Just look and see what the Obama Administration is doing to bypass congress to further use the argument of "saving" us from ourselves to impose… Read More
December 23, 2010
A gentle reminder of Big Sister...
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We got this gentle reminder from Gina Russo at the FWC. Not to shoot the messenger -- she's a wonderful resource and understands the many issues facing our state -- but getting this piece of BullS&*t from her just makes us sick. It's a reminder that we're not allowed to fish for grouper. We're reminded that people who are either so stupid they believe that the grouper are endangered while drinking Koolaid in faculty… Read More
December 22, 2010
Catch Shares and Sector Separation for Dummies
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From the Publisher: This article from Captain Buddy Bradham is one in what's going to be a series of educational pieces you'll find on TheOnlineFisherman in 2011. We've been told that if we get too political, we might lose people whose only concern is fishing -- who don't care to hear the politics. We wish them luck, and don't mind if that's all they want to hear. We feel the same way, and wish we didn't care about the… Read More
December 14, 2010
The Stinking Truth Behind PEW and the Fisheries
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From the publisher: As we dig deeper and deeper into the story behind the incredible attack of our fishing way-of-life, it makes sense to follow the money. I would love to say that our team was responsible for everything in this article, but we're not. It was written by an anonymous person inside the sewer that's PEW and its so-called "Charitable" efforts to make the world a better place. It's little wonder that long… Read More
December 10, 2010
Wikileaks? How about FishyLeaks?
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A while ago we began to re-circulate a document it turns out had been around since April. In it, an unusual group of bedfellows sent a letter to Jane Lubchenko -- previously employed at EDF before taking her job running NOAA. It's Jane that's shutting off our grouper. Not her grouper, mind you, and not the UN's grouper, but our grouper. Ours, Texas', Louisiana's, Mississippi's and Alabama's grouper. You can read plenty… Read More
December 09, 2010
CCA Calls Halt!
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Just More info out there for you to know! Go, Stop, go, Stop, Mother May I or is it Red light Green Light? Apparently the CCA doesn't know wither to fish or cut bait! CCA calls for halt on gag grouper rules Written by Ted Venker on 02 December 2010 Errors in stock assessment cast doubt on need for total recreational closure (I am writing this under the Chatham House Rule, the side of my mouth, hand covered over it and… Read More
December 09, 2010
SAFMC Snapper/Grouper closure
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SAFMC votes Thursday to eliminate Snapper & Grouper closure The wheel that squeaks gets oiled, as the air in the room had a pungent smell, the doors were opened to new ideas and a belief that a fishery should not be closed down because of flawed to incomplete data. Those representing the stench, PEW, made their short statement of addressing overfishing and retired from the podium. Yesterday, December 09, 2010 in a… Read More
December 08, 2010
Not So Fast, NOAA. RFA files suit
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In what shouldn't be a shock, one of the nation's largest organizations representing recreational fishers filed suit against NOAA and the EDF Executive in Sheep's clothing named Jane Lubchenko. The organization (The Recreational Fishing Alliance) is known for standing up strongly for the rights of America's recreational fishermen and women. We at TheOnlineFisherman.com are proud to be part of their fight against people… Read More
December 03, 2010
NOAA says: Gag grouper off limits to recreational anglers
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From the publisher: Here's an article from Jim Lee (published in The Examiner.com on December 1) about the grouper closure brought about by a former employee of the Environmental Defense Fund by the name of Jane Lubchenko. Jane was brought into NOAA from the Environmental Defense Fund by the Obama administration. She's not our friend. Under the questionable guidance of Steve Bortone, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management… Read More
December 02, 2010
Catch Share Game from the EDF
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You have to see this. It's an interactive fishing game published on the site of the Environmental Defense Fund. When we say that they're intention is monetizing the world's protein in the form of fish protein, we're not kidding. These people belong in jail -- not making money getting people to believe that their agenda is clean. They're as dirty as anything political can get. Visit this game. And spend a minute telling… Read More
December 02, 2010
The Fight of Our Lives...
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From the publisher: I've come to know Captain Buddy while getting involved in the fight of my -- and all of our -- lives. For years I figured that sending our $35 to the CCA and watching them build a pen now and then, and involve real fishermen and women in environmental issues was all I need do to get a warm-and-fuzzy "I'm DOING something!" feeling. Something happened a few weeks ago that made me realize that just… Read More
December 01, 2010
NOAA, the EDF, the Fishery Councils, and Jobs
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Is this what you want being taught to your children? We don't. Introducing Jane Lubchenko. Why would the state of Massachusetts and the cities of Bedford and Gloucester find it necessary to bring a federal department -- NOAA -- to court? Jobs. Jobs and the way of life of thousands of people who for one reason or another love fishing. People just like us. Remember the Deep Horizon and it's impact on our fishing community?… Read More
November 30, 2010
Letter from Senator Nelson
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Senator Nelson on recent Fishing Restrictions Dear Mr. Anderson: Thank you for contacting me regarding recent restrictions on fishing and the Magnuson-Stevens Act. There have been a lot of concerns lately about fishery closures affecting Florida, whether in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Because fishing is so important to our State, it is vital that we find a way to preserve public access to our fisheries, so… Read More
November 28, 2010
These people do not speak for us...
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This document's been around since April and just pointed out to us today. The amazing thing is that the people on this masthead -- CCA among them -- yelled bloody h**l at a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting early November. They insisted that in no way were they supportive of Catch Shares. This document clearly indicates they are either stupid or lying. Stupid to think this thing isn't being circulated and… Read More
November 28, 2010
Chatham House Rule
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From the publisher: This is a link from WikiPedia, and we appreciate the resource that it often proves to be. That said, do NOT believe anything you read on the Internet. Most importantly, don't believe us. Research what we say. We only use Wiki as one spot to stop on a research path that includes all the world's major newspapers, and anything we can lay our eyes or hands on relative to the fishing community, the agenda… Read More
November 27, 2010
Squeeze Play
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From the Publisher. A man named Dennis O'Hern has dedicated his life for the past seven years to fighting environmentalists whose agenda is tighter and tighter control -- and eventual complete control and limitations -- to the sport we love so much. This was originally put together by Dennis as part of the materials we were preparing for attendees of a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting held in Tampa in… Read More
November 27, 2010
Chatham House Rule or the US Constitution?
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From the publisher: This is part of a series of articles you'll find on TheOnlineFisherman.com. The story is about what can only be described as an unholy relationship, between the hard-core environmental left, and the Fishery Management Councils -- particularly, our local Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, and recently-added Executive Director Steve Bortone. This story about my being denied access to a recent… Read More
November 27, 2010
The Importance of Sport Fishing in the Economy
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In a recent phone conversation with Gary (TOF publisher) we were discussing the value of recreationally caught fishes opposed to those commercially caught. I mentioned that back in the 80s when I was guiding in a fishing caravan operation in Baja, Mexico this was a hot topic. Back then Cabo was a sleepy little fishing town and where there are now high rise resorts I use to camp for $3 a night. Read More
November 24, 2010
NOAA Chief Called Sellout...
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From the Publisher: This story was published today in the Gloucester Daily Times. I just got off the phone with the man who wrote this article -- a guy by the name of Richard Gaines, who you will be hearing a lot from in coming months -- as we make good on our promise to dig into the relationship(s) between the Environmental Defense Fund and the eight Fishery Management Councils formed by the passing -- in 1976 -- of the… Read More
November 23, 2010
Fishing For Dollars
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The Duping of America; Fishing for Your Dollars and Getting away with it to! We need a show of solidarity between recreational and commercial anglers alike, coast to coast if we are to make a real difference. The media is either not interested as our numbers are to small or they have been told to turn a blind eye. Closures of amberjack, black sea bass and red snapper fisheries as examples of what is called"broken" federal… Read More
November 15, 2010
GMFMC Gag Update Webinar
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Meeting Notice For More Information Contact: November 15, 2010 Steven Atran 813-348-1630 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to Convene Webinars of Gag Update Assessment Work Group The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has scheduled two webinars of the Gag Update Assessment work group to re-run the 2009 gag update assessment to address an incorrect size distribution estimate of undersized… Read More
November 10, 2010
A Letter to Glenn Beck
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Glenn Beck's a guy that I met one time in person. It was 10 O'Clock in the morning on a Saturday, and it's one of those memories that seem to remain brightly-lit; it's clear in my mind's eye. I had just gotten done doing a 3-hour fishing talk show at 970FLA in Tampa, Florida with a good friend of mine by the name of Captain Mel Berman. They were having a meeting at the station after Mel's show that morning. His radio… Read More
November 07, 2010
Anglers have a dog in the hunt
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From the Publisher: This is part of a series you're going to be reading about having to do with a radical environmentalist group working hard -- and with millions and millions of dollars coming from the most radical of environentalists and greenies -- working very closely with their supposed enemies (big business; what a surprise, right?) to completely control our sport. Give them a little room -- and they're at the door… Read More
October 24, 2010
Meetings about your rights to fish...
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There's going to be an all-day meeting on November 2nd in the Tampa offices of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. It's concerning socioeconomic data and how it can be integrated into fisheries science in moving towards ecosystem-based fishery management. We can only imagine what that's going to mean. But we'll know because we're going. The meeting will be held at the council office at 2203 North Lois Avenue,… Read More
September 29, 2010
Bonus Recreational Red Snapper Harvest Weekends Set to Begin in Gulf
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The recreational harvest of red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters off Florida will be open for eight consecutive three-day weekends, beginning Friday, Oct. 1. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission encourages anglers to enjoy these extra weekend fishing days for Gulf red snapper, which were made possible because harvest levels of these fish were lower than expected this past summer. Read More
August 31, 2010
Redfish Needed!
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have scheduled a series of public workshops this fall to discuss possible fishing regulation changes for red drum (redfish). The FWC is considering creating regional management areas for red drum and raising the daily bag limit from one fish to two per person in Northeast and Northwest Florida. The Commission is also seeking public comment on possible red drum… Read More
August 23, 2010
August Fishery Management Council
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State of Florida Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council News Release Sunday, August 22, 2010 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council August Update The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in Pensacola, Florida August 16 – 20, 2010, to address a host of fishery issues, including a supplemental red snapper season and the overfished status of gag. During the weeklong meeting, the Council took the following… Read More
August 20, 2010
NOAA Needs your 10¢ Worth
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NOAA closed the recreational Red Snapper season on July 24th of this year which was long before the regular closing date of September 30th. The rule is that it will only close early if the quota has been met. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council says that it expects that is has not been met. NOAA wants to know if you think they have the authority to re-open it after September 30th, and if so, when? Your 10¢… Read More
August 09, 2010
Beating the Drum(s)?
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ou might find this document interesting; we sure did. It's the Summary Report of the Red Drum Special Working Group for the Gulf of Mexico Fishery. Long name for what first appears to be a relatively insignificant report, right? I figured they were counting redfish, and checking the health of the population, and other things that our hard-earned but easily-spent tax dollars could be thrown at. Not that paying down the… Read More
August 07, 2010
Making a Connection...
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One of the people whose work (and fishing reports) you'll hear a lot about on our site will come from a woman named Emily Meuhlstein. We've talked about her a little, and she wrote an introduction article called Welcome to My World. She's somebody that you should not only listen to, but you should talk to on a regular basis. A trained scientist and professional educator, Emily's now taken a position with The Gulf of… Read More
August 06, 2010
FWC Extends Emergency Snook Closure
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EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FROM THE FWC: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has temporarily extended the emergency closure of snook harvest and possession in Florida through Sept. 16. (Executive Order 10-39) I spent an hour on the phone last night with our friend Captain Scott Moore, talking about this very subject, and whether or not we should all agree to avoid catching snook wherever possible. The… Read More
August 02, 2010
Red Snapper Input
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We've talked about Emily's position at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, where she works alongside Executive Director Steve Bortone to strengthen the communications pipeline between the Council and the sports and commercial industries. It's great to see her work on a regular basis. And her alter-ego, GandyGirl, can often be found sitting in a yak fishing for extreme species. You can read more about her here.… Read More
August 02, 2010
Red Snapper Input
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We've talked about Emily's position at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, where she works alongside Executive Director Steve Bortone to strengthen the communications pipeline between the Council and the sports and commercial industries. It's great to see her work on a regular basis. And her alter-ego, GandyGirl, can often be found sitting in a yak fishing for extreme species. You can read more about her here.… Read More
July 27, 2010
The Great Goliath Grouper Count
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Articles like this one from our new friend John Stevely, the Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent, are an excellent addition to the content we're working to provide our community. He's of a scientific leaning and his writing's just excellent. This article about a survey he's been involved in to count and assess the Goliath Grouper population is just a hint of what we can expect -- as readers as well as members of our… Read More
July 16, 2010
Myths of the Global Spill Response Industry
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Today we hear that the 'temporary cap' they've stuck on the source of the Deep Horizon spill is working for now. The timing of our getting this article about responding to oil spills today of all days. Let's hope that the cap works. The story is that the idea for it came from a plumber in Boca Raton, Florida. The Harvard professors sure couldn't get anything done now, could they? It's stopped for now. But what good did… Read More
July 14, 2010
Black Gold
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BLACK GOLD: It's A Four - Letter Word: Oil! “Hey Rick!” (CNN Rick’s List) Who’s policing the Police? While watching “Rick’s List!”, on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, Rick said, “Day 86, the money shot”, referring to the new oil cap in place for “production” not “capping”, he should have referred to his “Money Shot as what happened on Monday night July 5, on AC 360 Show. They did a segment called “Where is the oil?” During the… Read More
July 08, 2010
The Real Problem with the Deep Horizon
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Watch this video... We just got off the phone with our friend John Brinkman. You may remember us talking about John and his company's products (called Imbiber Beads) in an older article about possible ways to clean the spill. John's company's products are clearly a rapid-response solution to oil (as well as Chemical) spills. So effective, in fact, that the government of the nation of Japan decided it was worth the money… Read More
June 30, 2010
Latest from the GOMFMC
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These monthly reports will be posted here on TheOnlineFisherman.com. They're also available from the council's web site, but since they're all about fishing, we figure having them on a fishing web site was only appropriate. We're in touch with Executive Director of the Council, Doctor Steve Bortone, and he's kind enough to supply us with great content when his incredibly busy job grants him a little time to thing… Read More
June 25, 2010
Some Gulf Opened Back to Fishing
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NOAA Opens more than 8,000 square miles of previously closed fishing area NOAA has opened more than 8,000 square miles of previously closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico, because the agency has not observed oil in the area. The most significant opening is an area due south of Mississippi which was closed Monday, June 21. Additionally, some smaller areas were opened off the Louisiana and central Florida coasts. Read More
June 10, 2010
Whose red snapper are they, anyway?
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SAFMC Passes Amendment 17a The question you have to ask yourself before you read this is whose fish are these, anyway? The people making decisions about red snapper will be making decisions about speckled trout, redfish, and snook before you know it. Our friend Scott Moore puts it well when he says "If the feds have their way, they'll turn the entire nation's fishery into one national forest". Look at what just happened… Read More
June 05, 2010
Fishery Closure Map
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Fishery Closure Map The scary thought when we look at this map every couple of days is not only when it's going to stop growing -- but when it's going to start shrinking. Knowing the nature of the feds and the environmentalists at this point, it's only a matter of time before a "moritorium" is placed on every aspect of our sport short of fishing for bass, What happens as this thing grows? When is it going to stop?… Read More
June 05, 2010
Recreational Fishing Alliance Files Suit
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From the Publisher: We've known for a while that we at TheOnlineFisherman.com had to take some position -- sitewide -- relative to the politics of fishing. We've had plenty of people tell us that a fishing web site should be just that -- a site about fishing. We thought long and hard about the concern expressed by our friends. In the end, the decision isn't about the revenue for a web site, or the number of impressions… Read More
June 05, 2010
Getting a Snook Refund
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Several of our forum members have been discussing the issue of having bought a Snook permit and then have the season sort-of taken out from under them with the cold weather and the shutdown. Many of us didn't feel that we wanted a refund, feeling that the money in the hands of FWC -- which fortunately is what happens to your snook tag monies -- is a good place for it to stay. That said, we totally understand that every… Read More
June 05, 2010
Bortone on the Oil Spill
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This article comes from a gentleman named Doctor Steve Bortone's testimony to the U.S. Senate Commitee on Environment and Public Works, and explores the impact of the Deep Horizon spill on Gulf fisheries. This white paper was supplied to us in PDF format, and can be found on the Senate site. David Rieumont and I were glad to have the opportunity to have lunch with the doctor last week. David's meeting the newly-appointed… Read More
April 30, 2010
Oil Spill Gulf Of Mexico
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NMFS Comments on Oil Spill We are all watching the unfolding oil spill incident occurring in the Gulf of Mexico and are deeply concerned over the anticipated impacts this spill can have on marine life and the economies which rely on them. I want to give you a brief summary of NOAA's and Fisheries' full engagement in the response process and provide you with a link to a web page NOAA has established through its Office of… Read More
April 30, 2010
The Spill
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To say that the events of this week have been among the most remarkable of my long lifetime would be an understatement. We can start with web sites. You probably know web sites get hacked, right? Friday of last week, one of the world's largest "Hosting" companies (companies that store web sites of all types, purposes, and sizes, from your Auntie Flo's sewing group's to the Huffington Post), got 'hacked'. Bad. The attack… Read More
