Folks,
Got an email forwarded on through another list initiated by Skip over at Force-E.
There is an effort underway by the commercial lobster industry to move the start of their trapping/harvest season to begin PRIOR to the sport min-season as a result of last years hurricane season.... I urge you to email the FWC Commissioners and Gov. Bush and let your voice be heard.
Here's the agenda for the meeting... Item 10.D. is the lobstering item.
http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/index.html
Here's the report its referencing - lots of good informational nuggets to draw upon when drafting a note...
http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/LOBSTERTRAPSEASONAGENDADOCUMENT.pdf
FWC Commissioners: Commissioners@MyFWC.com
Governor Bush: jeb.bush@myflorida.com
---Here's my note------------------------------------------------------
Commissioners,
I am a Florida resident and a sport diver. I urge you to vote AGAINST the proposal by the commercial spiny lobster trap industry to move the trap deployment dates from August 1 to July 10. The sport season was created so the public would have a chance at catching a few lobster before professional trappers. ALLOWING LOBSTER TRAPPERS TO DROP AND HARVEST EARLY IS A BAD IDEA.
Please consider the following details I learned after reading the assessment prepared by the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management. (http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/LOBSTERTRAPSEASONAGENDADOCUMENT.pdf)
Moving the commercial trap dates will result in a 15% increase in commercial lobster harvesting. This is a direct reallocation of lobster harvesting from the recreational diver to the commercial harvester. (Pg 4.)
An earlier trapping season directly overlaps with the lobster spawning season - the result will have a direct long-term impact to the future of the lobster fishery for a very short sighted gain to one user community. (Pg 5.)
Allowing commercial harvest in July will return the state to "growth over fishing" and high amount of pre-molt catch. (Pg 6) I we fail to learn from history - we are doomed to repeat it.
Opening the season to trappers within state waters only will produce a significantly greater density of traps within the areas frequented by the recreational lobster diver.
Please refer to the 2001 study titled "Economic Impact of the Recreational Lobster Fishery On Monroe County". While increasing the commercial catch, decreasing the public's fair entitlement to this natural resource would also result in a economic impact - jobs will be lost. (http://myfwc.com/marine/workgroups/2005/spinylobster/background/Economic_Impact.pdf)
I will be present at your West Palm Beach meeting on June 7-8 to show my support against this measure. Thank you for your time.
Got an email forwarded on through another list initiated by Skip over at Force-E.
There is an effort underway by the commercial lobster industry to move the start of their trapping/harvest season to begin PRIOR to the sport min-season as a result of last years hurricane season.... I urge you to email the FWC Commissioners and Gov. Bush and let your voice be heard.
Here's the agenda for the meeting... Item 10.D. is the lobstering item.
http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/index.html
Here's the report its referencing - lots of good informational nuggets to draw upon when drafting a note...
http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/LOBSTERTRAPSEASONAGENDADOCUMENT.pdf
FWC Commissioners: Commissioners@MyFWC.com
Governor Bush: jeb.bush@myflorida.com
---Here's my note------------------------------------------------------
Commissioners,
I am a Florida resident and a sport diver. I urge you to vote AGAINST the proposal by the commercial spiny lobster trap industry to move the trap deployment dates from August 1 to July 10. The sport season was created so the public would have a chance at catching a few lobster before professional trappers. ALLOWING LOBSTER TRAPPERS TO DROP AND HARVEST EARLY IS A BAD IDEA.
Please consider the following details I learned after reading the assessment prepared by the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management. (http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/April/LOBSTERTRAPSEASONAGENDADOCUMENT.pdf)
Moving the commercial trap dates will result in a 15% increase in commercial lobster harvesting. This is a direct reallocation of lobster harvesting from the recreational diver to the commercial harvester. (Pg 4.)
An earlier trapping season directly overlaps with the lobster spawning season - the result will have a direct long-term impact to the future of the lobster fishery for a very short sighted gain to one user community. (Pg 5.)
Allowing commercial harvest in July will return the state to "growth over fishing" and high amount of pre-molt catch. (Pg 6) I we fail to learn from history - we are doomed to repeat it.
Opening the season to trappers within state waters only will produce a significantly greater density of traps within the areas frequented by the recreational lobster diver.
Please refer to the 2001 study titled "Economic Impact of the Recreational Lobster Fishery On Monroe County". While increasing the commercial catch, decreasing the public's fair entitlement to this natural resource would also result in a economic impact - jobs will be lost. (http://myfwc.com/marine/workgroups/2005/spinylobster/background/Economic_Impact.pdf)
I will be present at your West Palm Beach meeting on June 7-8 to show my support against this measure. Thank you for your time.
