Everyone's Blog Posts - RTAngler

Traditional handlining taken from United Nations Food and Agriculture site interesting read with some fundamental fishing techniques!

2010-04-16T19:23:56.000Z

1. INTRODUCTION

A handline is cheap and simple to construct, but making and using it, like all fishing techniques, requires skill and knowledge to achieve the best results. The difference between
the novice and the experienced professional handliner
depends on a combination of variable operations that in any
given fishing situation the professional is more likely to do
correctly than the amateur, so that the professional is on
average likely to catch more fish.

These operations include selecting a suitable line, hook and sinker and rigging them together in a way that will not distract a fish from taking a suitably chosen bait. Once a
handline has been suitably rigged, fishing is not simply a
matter of throwing the line in the water anywhere and waiting.
Other factors must be taken into account. Again, these
are variables that change from case to case. They involve
where and when to fish, how to encourage the fish to take
the bait and once the bait is taken, how to ensure that the
hook is embedded in the fish's mouth and the fish prevented
from escaping.

A fish is only caught when it has been brought ashore or into a boat and cannot get back into the water. This last aspect deserves just as much attention as the basic equipment, as
justified by the numerous tales of fish that “got away”. Attention
to all these points will help make you a more effective
handliner.

In many parts of the world handlining is the most readily available and affordable method of fishing, and it should not be regarded as an out-of-date practice. On the contrary it is
not only cheap, it is also a fuel efficient and effective form
of fishing, particularly when used to catch fish that are commercially
important to artisanal fishermen, such as snapper
and bonefish at sea and tilapia and catfish in lakes and rivers.
In conjunction with a paddled or sailed dugout canoe, this
form of fishing provides a relatively cheap method of entering
the fishing business. The use of a canoe makes it possible
to explore a larger area, to discover new places where fish
are concentrated, with the chance of getting bigger catches.

This booklet provides an overall description of the method, while the finer details of fishing related to each area, whether at sea or on lakes, will be the task of the individual.
This booklet can help show where to look, how to rig the
handline and broad details of place and time to use the handline.

2. WHAT IS HANDLINING?

Handlining is a fishing method in which a line with a hook, usually baited, is lowered into the water from a drifting, anchored or moving boat or from a jetty, pier or rock on the
shore overlooking the water. Handlining is just as its name
implies — holding a line in the hand while waiting either
actively or passively for a fish to take the bait. If there is a
bite and a fish takes the hook, it can then be hauled in by
hand. This apparently simple procedure involves a lot of
forethought in order to select the hook, line and sinker that
are suitable in size and strength to the fish that one intends
to catch. In addition the fishing technique must be developed
to ensure that fish attracted to take the bait are caught. Sometimes
one may wish to catch a particular fish and exclude
others, or one may want to catch a variety offish of similar
size and eating habits. To do this requires choices concerning
the size, strength and type of hook and bait to use, the
strength and type of line, and the knots used to secure hook,
swivels and sinker so that neither hook, line or knot will fail
and allow a fish to escape. When all these choices have been
made, there are the elements of the “hunt”, which involves
knowledge of where to fish in relation to the underwater seascape
and at what time of the day, night or year it is best to
pursue particular fish. This last point takes into account that
fishing is variable from day to day and year to year so that
although there are general rules to know about when and
where to go, what bait to use and so on, there will always be
times when fishing practice is totally unforeseen and goes
against the general rule. The answer to this is to be out fishing
as much as possible because if you are not out trying to
catch fish, you will never know what you missed — unless
your competitors tell you.

Handlining can be carried out either in a stationary position, such as from a rock or jetty overlooking the water, or from a boat which is either drifting with the current or wind
or at anchor. Handlines are also used to trail a bait or lure
behind a boat that is moving through the water propelled by
an engine or by sail. This is particularly effective when the
handline is trailed behind a sailing dugout canoe, as the fish
are less likely to be disturbed in the absence of the vibration
and noise of an engine. More detail on these methods will
be given in the section “fishing the handline”, which
describes active techniques to attract fish to take the bait or
to place the bait or lure where it is most likely to be taken.

3. SELECTING THE LINE

Almost any kind of line or twine can be used for a handline. However, there are several considerations to take into account before deciding upon the most suitable type. The first
action is to decide what fish or type offish you want to catch.
This decision may be determined by preferred taste or commercial
or sale value, but it also involves the size and power
of the fish concerned.

If the target fish is large, then a strong line is needed; if small, then a line with less strength is needed. Here the problem is in choosing the most suitable line. It must be strong
enough to hold the fish and withstand the combined force of
its weight, swimming power and determination to escape.
(Some small fish fight hard and put up a lot of resistance to
being caught, while others, sometimes large, give up easily
and with only small resistance.) On the other hand, it should
be as thin as possible to make it less visible to the fish and
less likely to distract the fish from taking the bait. A thick
line is more easily detected than a thin line and may disturb
the fish or make it very reluctant to take the bait. A thin line
is less disturbing and less easily detected.

You should keep in mind, however, that not all thick lines are strong and not all thin lines are weak. This is particularly true of the thin transparent nylon or polyamide lines which
not only are difficult for the fish to see but are also very
strong in relation to their size (see Tables 1 to 3).

Generally speaking, the lighter the line the more effective it is for catching fish, while the thicker the line in relation to the size of the fish, the less effective. It is for this reason that
a large, strong line should not be chosen for catching small
fish. A light line is also more sensitive to feel in the hand and
helps the handliner determine whether the bait is being
played with, nibbled at by very small fish or taken into the
fish's mouth without being swallowed. Striking the line too
soon to secure the hook in the fish's mouth will lead to its
escape. The feel or sensitivity of the line is important to
achieving a successful catch.

Most fishermen use nylon (polyamide) for their handlines. Three main types are suitable: braided, twisted and monofilament (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Types of twine: (a) braided; (b) twisted; (c) monofilament

In theory, the fish weighs very little when it is in the water, and the load on the line will depend on how large the fish is, how much it struggles and the speed with which it is pulled
up.

Assuming that the maximum load you expect to pull is 15 kg, then considering the jerk you give to the line and the additional force the fish will give in trying to break away,
you must use a line capable of taking three times that load
without breaking, i.e. 45 kg. This means that the knotted
breaking strength of the line must be 45 kg in water, as it has
to be knotted to tie the line to the sinker and also to tie the
branch lines or the snoods to the main line. The dry breaking
strength of a line is the force measured in kilograms that is
needed to break the line when it is dry and is pulled straight
without a knot. When the line is wet and has a knot or knots,
much less force is needed to break it.

Now look at Tables 1 to 3, which give the breaking strength of several thicknesses of twisted, monofilament and braided nylon twine. The wet knotted figure should be used in choosing
the twine. The tables also show how many metres of such twine
should be in 1 kg, so that the correct amount of twine
can be purchased.

From Table 1 you will see, as an example, that twisted twine of 210/21 denier is 0.80 mm thick and when wet and knotted has only 18 kg breaking strength or breaking load.
Monofilament twine of the same thickness, 0.80 mm, has
less breaking strength, only 15 kg, when wet and knotted
(Table 2). You will also note that if you purchase 1 kg of
0.80 mm twine you will get about 1 850 m of twisted twine
(Table 1) but only 1 670 m of monofilament twine (Table 2).

Let us take another example. Look at a thicker twine suitable for larger fish and deeper water. Twisted twine of 210/60 denier is 1.5 mm thick and has a wet knotted breaking
strength of 47 kg, but monofilament of the same thickness
has only 46 kg breaking strength and braided twine of
the same thickness 44 kg breaking strength.

You will also note that if you purchase 1 kg of each different 1.5 mm twine, then you will receive 590m of twisted, 490 m of monofilament but 740 m of braided twine. Therefore,
if there is a choice, it is advisable to check the prices
per kilogram and compare the costs of the desired length
before deciding what to buy.

You must also consider visibility in the water where you are going to fish. For example, if the waters are clear and you can see the bottom at 8 to 10m depth, you should consider
monofilament twine, which is almost transparent in the
water. On the other hand, if the waters are very dark or
muddy, the thickness of the line does not usually make very
much difference and you might consider purchasing
cheaper, possibly locally made twine of vegetable fibre such
as cotton, sisal or Manila hemp.

*Table 1.* Breaking strengths of twisted nylon twine
Denier	Diameter (mm)	Breaking strength		Length per kg (m)
Denier	Diameter (mm)	Dry (kg)	Wet knotted (kg)	Length per kg (m)
210/3	0.24	4.6	2.7	13 300
210/6	0.40	9.0	6.0	6 400
210/9	0.50	14.0	9.0	4 350
210/12	0.60	18.0	11.0	3 230
210/15	0.73	26.0	16.0	2 130
210/21	0.80	30.0	18.0	1 850
210/24	0.92	39.0	22.0	1 430
210/27	1.05	43.0	24.0	1 280
210/30	1.13	47.0	26.0	1 160
210/36	1.20	55.0	29.0	970
210/39	1.33	64.0	34.0	830
210/45	1.40	75.0	40.0	700
210/60	1.50	91.0	47.0	590
210/72	1.60	110.0	56.0	500
210/96	1.90	138.0	76.0	385
210/144	2.40	210.0	104.0	250

*Table 2.* Breaking strengths of monofilament nylon twine
Diameter (mm)	Breaking strength		Length per kg (m)
Diameter (mm)	Dry (kg)	Wet knotted (kg)	Length per kg (m)
0.25	3.1	1.8	17 200
0.40	7.7	4.4	6 450
0.50	12.0	6.5	4 170
0.60	17.0	8.8	3 030
0.70	24.0	12.5	2 080
0.80	29.0	15.0	1 670
0.90	36.0	19.0	1 320
1.00	42.0	22.0	1 090
1.10	47.0	25.0	900
1.20	55.0	30.0	760
1.30	65.0	35.0	650
1.40	75.0	40.0	560
1.50	86.0	46.0	490
1.60	98.0	52.0	430
1.90	132.0	72.0	300
2.50	220.0	113.0	180

*Table 3.* Breaking strengths of braided nylon twine
Diameter (mm)	Breaking strength		Length per kg (m)
Diameter (mm)	Dry (kg)	Wet knotted (kg)	Length per kg (m)
1.50	82.0	44.0	740
1.65	92.0	49.0	645
1.95	110.0	60.0	515
2.47	154.0	81.0	360

4. SELECTING THE HOOK

Most fishermen prefer to use more than one hook on their line when handlining. We will now show you how to prepare a line with one hook and also with several hooks. First let
us look at the hook itself and then at different types (Figures
3 and 4).

Ten different kinds of hooks are shown in Figure 4. Hooks Nos. 1 and 6 are double hooks with average bend and short shanks.

Hook No. 2 has a wide gap and short throat.

Hook No. 3 has a short shank and wide bend, but still a narrow throat because of its long, bent point.

Figure 3. Hooks all of the same size but of different types

Hook No. 4 is different from the others as it has two slice and an inwardly bent eye, whereas hook 5 has an eye that is bent outward.

Hook No. 7 has a wide gap and long throat, with a rather short shank.

Hook No. 8 is characterized by its long, sharply inward bent shank.

Hook No. 9 has a wide gap but short throat and an outwardly bent shank.

Hook No. 10 has an old-style normal bend and throat with a long shank.

Figure 4. Hooks of various sizes and shapes (double and single)

When selecting a hook for your handline, several factors have to be kept in mind, i.e. shape, size and material.

Shape

As the jigging, jerking action gives a constant movement to the baited hook, the fish has little chance to sniff at it, but bites or swallows it immediately. Thus the shape of the hook
should mainly be related to the size of the fish to be caught
and the bait used.

Look at Figure 4. In some fisheries the most common hook shapes for handlining are Nos. 9 and 10, while hook No. 8 is widely used in others. Still other fisheries use No. 3.

All the other hooks have been used for handlining, but little is known of their catching efficiency in comparison with the more commonly used ones. However, it is advisable to use
a hook with the point bent a little to either side, left or right
(reversed or offset). The reason for this is simply that if the
hook happens to become flat in the mouth of the fish at first
snatch, then it is possible that it will be pulled or jerked out
of the fish's mouth before the fish has had time to chew on
it or swallow it. If there are other handliners in the area, it
would be advisable to look at their results.

Size

It is important to use not too big a hook and to cover most of the hook with the bait, whether artificial or fresh bait is used. As a very general rule the gap of the hook should
never exceed half the width of the mouth of the fish that you
want to catch, and most often it should be much narrower
(Figure 5).

Material

Hooks are generally made from ordinary steel (sometimes stainless steel). To stop them from rusting they are coated or plated with bronze, tin, nickel or even gold. Large hooks are
galvanized or even tarred to prevent corrosion.

Figure 5. Relation between the size of the hook and the fish's mouth

5. SELECTING THE WEIGHT OR SINKER

For a sinker you can use almost anything that sinks, i.e. a small stone, a piece of steel, a bolt or nut or whatever can easily be tied to the end of your fishing line. Specially
prepared lead sinkers are best. If you can get scrap lead and
a mould of the size and shape you prefer (see Figure 6), then
you can melt the lead and make your own sinkers.

Common lead sinkers (see Figure 7) have a rounded shape to avoid snagging the bottom, with a hole for the line at one end and sometimes a groove into which you can smear fat
or grease when you need to check the bottom material in the
area where you want to fish. However, it is more usual to
have a separate sinker for testing bottom conditions, with a
fairly large groove for grease. In strong tides or currents
spare sinkers may be needed to add weight to keep the bait
on the bottom or in the desired position.

Figure 6. Diagram of a mould

Figure 7. Various lead sinkers of different shapes. The sinker in the middle has a groove in its base for grease or fat, used to check bottom conditions

6. ASSEMBLING THE HANDLINE

Swivels (Figure 8) are highly recommended at the junctions of the various elements of the handline, i.e to connect the snood to the mainline and the sinker to the mainline.

If you cannot buy swivels in your area, then take this booklet to the nearest blacksmith, show the following picture and ask the blacksmith to make a few for you.

The swivels should be made of steel, brass or copper. The main requirements are to make them strong enough and to have them be smooth where the attachment points meet for
easy turning or swivelling.

To begin to assemble the handline, take the line and tie one end to a simple wind-on apparatus or a spool. You tie the line using one of the knots in Figure 9.

Figure 8. Different types of swivels

Next wind the twine on the spool.

Now you must find a piece of twine to use as a branchline. It does not have to be as strong as the mainline, but if you do not have a separate branchline material then you can cut
three pieces off the end of your mainline, each piece about
60 cm long, and use these for branchlines.

Figure 9. Knots used to tie the line: (a) bowline knot for spun, twisted or braided twine; (b) Japanese fisherman's knot for monofilament

Figure 10. Tying the mainline to the sinker's swivel: (a) for spun or braided twine; (b) for monofilament

Next you tie the sinker to the mainline. You can use the same knots that you used when you tied the other end to the spool, but it is advisable to make two turns around the swivel
eye before tying the knot. Note also that there are other suitable
knots, which you may prefer (Figure 10).

To tie the line directly to the sinker, for any type of twine, use either one of the knots in Figure 11. However, a swivel is always recommended next to the sinker.

Figure 11. Tying the mainline directly to the sinker

Figure 12. Making loops for the snoods: (a) for twisted or braided line; (b) for monofilament line; (c) or better still use a three-way swivel

To make the knot in Figure 11a, simply double the line and make overhand knots with the doubled line to make a loop; then pass the loop through the eye of the sinker, slip it over
the sinker and pull tight.

To make the knot in Figure 11b, form a loop with a single overhand knot. Pass the loop through the eye and slip it over the sinker and pull tight.

Now you must make three loops on the mainline approximately 40 cm apart, with the first one about 30 cm from the sinker (Figure 12).

Next you take the three branchlines and tie your hooks on to them.

Look at Figure 13 and select the knot you want to use to tie your hook to the branchline (snood). Knots a, b and c are suitable for all types of lines, but for monofilament you
should use one or two additional turns. These knots can also
be used for your three-way swivel, both for your mainline
and branchline. Knots d and e are especially for tying twine
to hooks with flattened (spade-like) shank ends; d is for
twisted or braided line, e for monofilament.

Figure 13. Different knots for hooks

Finally, you tie the other ends of your branchlines to the loops you have already made on your mainline, choosing from the knots pictured in Figure 14. You may also use the
knots shown in Figure 10b for monofilament lines.

Figure 14. Knots for tying the snoods (branchlines) to the loops: (a, b) for twisted or braided lines; (c) for monofilament

Now your handline gear is ready. Figure 15shows what you have got.

Figure 15. Complete set of handlines: (a) wooden spool; (b) branchline attached to mainline loop; (c) alternative branchline attachment, with swivel; (d) hook attachment; (e) sinker attached with swivel

7. PREPARING THE BAIT

In most fishing communities small fish for bait can be obtained. Sardines, anchovies, sardinella, mackerel, herring, squid and cuttlefish are good bait fish (Figure 16), but others
can be used as well.

Figure 16. Various bait fish: (a) mackerel; (b) herring; (c) sardine; (d) anchovy; (e) cuttlefish; (f) squid

It is important to keep the bait as fresh as possible and to cut it to the right size for the hook you will use and the fish you want to catch.

Very often the bait fish is caught the evening before you use it. In such cases the bait fish must either be kept alive overnight or be well iced (Figure 17). If you have easy access
to ice at a reasonable price, then you can ice your bait on
board your boat and be ready to start off before sunrise the
next morning. If you cannot get ice, then after killing the bait
fish keep it well covered, wrapped in a large leaf and stored
away from the sun.

Figure 17. Keeping the bait alive or fresh: (a) bait fish kept alive in net; (b) bait iced in boxes; (c) bait wrapped in large leaves and stored

Figure 18. How to cut the bait fish: (a) cut the head and tail off; (b) slice to suitable size; (c) if the bait fish is large, cut from close to dorsal fin to tail and (d) put the two sides together again and cut to size

The size of bait depends on the size of the hook and should range from a size that covers the gap or throat of the hook to one that covers the whole hook.

When you start cutting the bait, first remove the head (Figure 18a), then slice the fish into pieces as shown in Figure 18b. If the bait fish is a large fish, and the fish you expect to
catch is of average size (grouper, snapper or croaker), then
cut the large fish lengthwise first (Figure 18c) before cutting
the bait to the preferred size (Figure 18d). Insert the knife into
the fish close to the dorsal fin and cut forward, and keep the
knife as hard against the backbone as possible.

Baiting the hook

We just showed you how to take care of the bait and how to cut the bait. Now you will learn how to bait the hook.

Live baits. Figures 19 and 20 show you how to attach the live bait to the hook.

Dead baits. Always put the point and barb of the hook right through the bait in such a way that the bend of the hook surrounds the backbone of the bait (Figure 21a). If you have
split open the bait fish before cutting the bait to size, then
the pieces without backbone must be threaded on the hook
by putting the point and the barb twice through the bait,always
with the barb on the skin side, as shown in Figure 21b.

If you are expecting to catch large fish and are using large hooks connected to the mainline with wire snoods, then small fish like anchovies or sardines can be threaded on the
hook in one piece. First put the hook through the head of the
bait fish and then through the centre of the body near the
backbone or through the eyes (Figure 22a). A similar method
is used with squid or cuttlefish (Figure 22b).

Figure 19. Some ways of rigging live bait

Figure 20. Rigging other live baits

Figure 21. Baiting with pieces of fish

Figure 22. Baiting with fish or squid in one piece

Lures

Natural bait can be caught in most coastal areas, but bait capture can be time consuming and may only be possible at certain times or in certain seasons. In addition, natural bait has
to be replaced almost every time a fish is caught. However,
most fishermen agree that natural bait is more effective than
artificial bait or lures. On the other hand, the latter can be
used repeatedly and for a long time. It is therefore worth
trying to make a few lures and to compare the catches taken
with lures to those taken with natural bait.

As you may know, lures are more and more commonly used in handline and troll fishing. The main reason for this is that it is possible to create a vibration with the bait or lure
and the larger fish (the predator) can be tricked into striking
or attacking the source of the vibration, especially when the
shape and possibly the colour of the lure make it look like
live bait.

Feathers, plastic, nylon and light metal can all help create the right vibration needed to trick the predator. You must always keep your line moving up and down if you are using
a lure when handlining in order to let the lure simulate the
movements of live bait as much as possible.

Various varieties of jigs and lures are available in most fishing communities (Figure 23), but you can also make them yourself. Some of the materials you can use to make
lures are shown in Figure 24.

As an example, take a hook similar in shape to hook No. 10 in Figure 4.

First, take a piece of cloth and wrap it around the shank and tie it with thin electrical wire, string or nylon (Figure 25a).

Next cut small pieces of coloured nylon twine, untwist them into threads and tie over the cloth as shown in Figure 25b. Finally, tie a few feathers on top of the nylon thread and
your lure is ready (Figure 25c).

You can also use wool or cotton yarn instead of nylon, or plastic strips instead of cloth as a first cover.

There are other types of synthetic lures. For example, you can cut out a strip of tyre tube or a piece of plastic, wrap it around the shank leaving a good piece extending below the
bend and tie the other end firmly to the shank and the eye.
You could also glue it together to form a long tube which
you thread onto the hook and tie well (Figure 26).

Figure 23. Various types of artificial bait or lures

Figure 24. Materials that can be used to make lures: (a) wool or cotton; (b) rope fibres, possily coloured; (c) strips of cloth; (d) feathers from different birds; (e) plastic strips, preferably coloured; (f) twine or thin
wire; (g) tyre tube or piece of thin rubber or plastic sheet

Figure 25. Assembling a lure

It is advisable, when using artificial lures instead of live bait, to smear the liver from the first fish caught on the lure or hooks. You are now ready to go handline fishing with gear
made by yourself. Good luck!

Figure 26. Lure made of a piece of plastic or tyre tube

8. DECIDING WHERE AND WHEN TO FISH

You probably know where the best catches can be taken in your area. However, here are a few points to pay attention to:

Birds

Birds often fly in flocks and follow schools of small fish near the surface (Figure 27). Quite often large fish also follow the small fish in midwater and near the bottom to feed on them.

Figure 27. Look for flocks of birds near the water surface

Mammals

Schools of dolphins or porpoises or even a single whale often indicate the same as flocks of birds, and often where mammals are feeding there are birds too (Figure 28).

Figure 28. Look for dolphins, porpoises or whales

Floating objects

All floating or drifting objects in the open sea become a kind of fish aggregation device (FAO). You can learn all about this in another FAO Training Series booklet called How to
make and set FADs. If you see an old tree or branches of
trees floating on the surface, try your luck nearby, as very
often small fish take shelter there and then the big fish come
to feed on the small fish (Figure 29). You should try fishing
at various depths, not only near the surface, because the bigger
fish tend to swim deeper.

Figure 29. Look for a floating object

Ripples or change of colour on the surface

Look out for changes in the colour of the sea and ripples on the surface indicating merging currents or changes in current; these often indicate areas where small fish and plankton
are abundant and where large fish are actively feeding. For
example, look at Figure 30. The tide current that passes
around a small island or reef meets again on the other side
and forms a kind of turbulence in the water. This can be seen
as a disturbance or ripples on top of the water. Always watch
and check the flow of the current.

Bottom material

Using a sinker as shown in Figure 7, and regularly check the material of the bottom where you fish. You will soon learn that certain fish species prefer a rocky uneven bottom, others
a sandy or muddy bottom and still others a bottom with coral
or seaweed.

You will also learn that some species that prefer a rocky or coral type bottom may move from this area for an hour or so on every slack tide for feeding (Figure 31). This is because
some aquatic animals living in an area with a sandy
or muddy bottom become active and visible only during the
slack tide, and the fish move to feed on them.

Moon and sun

Always pay attention to the moon and the relation between the moon and the strength of the current. The stronger the current, the nearer to full or new moon.

As a general rule, the best times for handlining are early in the morning and late in the evening.

Figure 30. Current flow around a small island

Figure 31. Fish moving from a rocky area to a sandy or muddy area for feeding during the slack tide

9. FISHING THE HANDLINE

We have so far examined in detail all those factors that are involved in preparing the handline to fish. These included the selection of materials to make bait, the handline and the
time and place to use it, but what we have not considered are
those activities that could be collectively described as fishing.
On land the same activity could be called hunting; this
involves similar judgements about time and place, but the
big difference is that the handline fisherman cannot see
below the surface of the sea and cannot see where the line
has settled nor whether there are fish on the seabed. The
handliner has to guess where the fish are and test whether
the guess was correct by feeling for fish feeding activity
through the handline. This often requires a great deal of
patience. A fisherman who simply lowers the handline into
the water and passively waits for fish to come would catch
some fish but would probably not be a very successful fisherman.
Let us now consider some of the options open to the
handliner who is “actively” hunting for fish.

Handlining from the shore

Changing positions along the coastline or along a jetty or outcrop of rocks might produce better results. Other influences include season of fishing, time of the day of night, water
temperature, tides, currents and wind strength and direction.

On the other hand, changing position during the search for feeding fish too often may lead to catching less fish than patiently waiting in one spot (Figure 32). With experience
the handliner will learn to judge how long to remain in one
spot before moving on. One may also learn to identify those
conditions that are not right for fishing and may learn when
not to waste further time and effort on persisting to fish. Perhaps
at such times the handliner can do something more
productive such as making up some new fishing gear or even
gardening.

Handlining from an anchored canoe

The handliners in Figure 33 have chosen a spot near some rocks where they suspect fish may be found. The following activities are appropriate for handlining in this type of situation:

You can raise and lower the line to draw attention to the bait.
You can leave the line with dead bait in one place.
You can try positioning the bait on the bottom or in midwater. (In strong current, more weight will be needed to keep the bait on the bottom.)
You must have the line running freely into the water to feel for bites.
You must be ready to strike or jerk the line when a fish has taken bait.
You must be alert and sensitive to fish feeding behaviour, currents, tides, etc.
You should check and renew bait frequently.
You can change position according position according to expectations.
You can use a surface float. (This can be set for midwater or bottom fishing.)
Moving the line up and down may also involve the use of feathers and squid jigs.

Figure 32. Handlining from the shoreline

Figure 33. Handlining from an anchored canoe

Note that moving the line up and down may bring the bait to the notice of the fish and may lead the fish to make a hasty bite at the bait as it moves away. On the other hand, jigging
may disturb the fish. Experience will determine which approach
to use.

For midwater fishing in very deep water, a sea anchor (drift anchor) can be used in place of an anchor. Instructions for making a simple sea anchor, appropriate for use in handlining
as well as in squid jigging, are given in Part II (see
Figures 73 to 75).

Handlining from a drifting canoe

From a drifting canoe (Figure 34) the following activities are suitable:

You can hold the line passively, feeling the sinker move along the bottom.
You can use live bait.
When drifting over rough ground, feel the sinker touch the bottom and draw the line in so that the sinker does not snag on obstructions. (You must guess how high
the rocks or obstructions are.)

Figure 34. Handlining from a drifting canoe

Trolling from a sailing canoe

The handliner in Figure 35 can see shoals of fish on the surface. They would be suspected swimming under and well under the surface as well. If fishing for shark, splashing the
water may help to attract them.

Note that the distance between surface and sinker can be altered to suit the depth at which the handliner sees or guesses the fish to be feeding. The bait used should be fairly
close in size, shape and behaviour to what the target fish are
feeding on, otherwise it will be ignored.

Figure 35. Trolling from a sailing canoe

10. WHEN TO STRIKE

Fishing includes a knowledge of when to strike to set the hook firmly in the mouth of the fish. Figure 36 gives an interpretation of what happens underwater when the fish encounters
the bait.

First the predator approaches the live bait (Figure 36a). Next the predator immobilizes the bait fish with a bite to the backbone (Figure 36b). Note that the hook is nowhere near
the fish's mouth, but the handliner will feel this as a bite.
Then the predator flicks the bait fish from its mouth to take
it again from the head on the turn (Figure 36c). The predator
now swallows the bait fish (Figure 36d); the dorsal fins lie
down and do not stick in the predator's throat. Now is the
time to jerk the line to catch the fish. If you strike at b or c,
the fish will escape.

Know how your fish will take the bait in order to jerk the line at the right moment. You will learn more about each particular fish by looking at where the hook is embedded.

Other ways fish will take bait:

Small fish nibble bait that is too large for them to take whole. Either reduce the size of the bait and hook to catch the smaller fish or keep rebaiting the hook hoping
a large fish will come along. Small fish nibbling at bait
may attract the attention of a larger fish.
Some fish will just snatch at the bait with no preliminary investigations.
Some fish, such as mullet, have soft mouths. While these fish may take the bait, they are difficult to land with a handline as the hook comes out. However, if
fishing especially for these fish, a much smaller hook
can be used which is taken into the gullet (stomach)
and then struck home. This is a technique that can be
used to catch much larger fish, but the hook must be of
the strongest material available.

Figure 36. Fish taking a live bait

11. LANDING THE FISH

Figure 37 illustrates how to handle the line. Note the half turn on the hand for a firm hold on the line, which is still easy to release when you start to haul back the line. Once
the fish is hooked, pull the line as steadily as possible until
the fish is near the surface. Then if the fish seems to be loosely
hooked or if it is a large fish, use a fish gaff or a landing
net (scoop net) to lift the fish out of the water (Figure 38).

Remember that a fish with very sharp teeth will try to turn its head to cut the line, so the line must be kept tight. Keeping the line tight will keep the head of the fish up and help to
stop the fish from sawing through the line. Allowing slack
line will also enable the fish to throw the hook from its
mouth.

The net and gaffs illustrated in Figure 38 are easy to make. The netting you weave yourself or cut to shape from any net webbing with suitable mesh size. The iron rod of 6 to 8 mm
diameter is easy to bend, but if you use a thicker rod, of 10
to 12 mm diameter, then you must heat the rod to bend it.
The (wooden) handle for the gaffs and a groove for the shank
of the hook are easy for you to make, but your blacksmith
should make the hook for you. Alternatively you can use a
large fish hook, but with the barbs cut off.

Figure 37. Handling the handline

Figure 38. (a) Landing nets; (b) gaff for small fish; (c) gaff for large fish

12. TACKLE STORAGE AND SAFETY

It is always important to take good care of your fishing gear no matter how simple it is. Never leave a line or hooks lying around on board your boat or anywhere else. Hooks and even
loose lines can cause serious injuries. Find or make a spool
to wind your line on, i.e. a piece of thick bamboo, a piece of
wood that you can smooth with your pocket knife, a self-made
small wooden spool or an empty plastic bottle or container
(Figure 39).

If you do get a hook accidentally into a finger, remember not to try to pull the hook out the same way it entered. The correct way to remove the hook is to cut the eye and line
away from the shank and push the hook and barb right
through the finger and out the other side. This is very painful
and is better avoided by paying proper attention to safety
precautions.

Figure 39. Simple spools on to which to wind and store your line: (a) cut from piece of wood; (b) plastic bottle; (c) wooden spool; (d) wooden stick; (e) flat spool

13. MECHANICAL HANDREELS TO IMPROVE HANDLINING

A reel is a device on which we wind and store our fishing lines. The design and dimensions of the reel may vary according to the type of fishing, the size of line and the fishing
depth we use it for.

We will now show you how to make two kinds of easily constructed handreels.

Wooden handreel

First we shall show you how to make an inexpensive simple handreel of wood or preferably hardwood. You will need the following materials (Figure 40):

Wooden post, 100 × 100 mm (10 × 10 cm), approximately 2 m long (Figure 40a).
Two flanges, hardwood, 400 mm diameter and 20 mm thick (Figure 40b).
Hub, hardwood, 300 mm diameter and 70 mm thick (Figure 40c).
Two bolts, 20 mm diameter and 250 mm long and four nuts (Figure 40d).
One bolt, 12 mm diameter, 240 mm long; one nut (Figure 40e).
Handle, rounded, 120 mm long, 40 mm diameter with 13 mm central hole (Figure 40f).
Brake, wood (not hardwood), 500 mm long, 115 mm wide and 50 mm thick (Figure 40g).
Boom, hardwood, 40 × 40 mm and 800 mm (80 cm) long (Figure 40h).
Small plastic, iron or bronze block (Figure 40i).
Car tyre inner tube which works as shock absorber (Figure 40j).
Sixteen screws, flatheaded, 5 × 60 mm (Figure 40k).
One bolt, 12 mm diameter, 190 mm long (Figure 401).
Washers, 40 and 60 mm diameter with 12 and 20 mm central hole, made from steel, plastic or plywood.

Figure 40. The wooden handreel

Preparing the reel. Make sure the flanges (Figure 40b) and the hub (Figure 40c) are well and equally rounded. Smooth the edges with a flat file and mark out the centre. Then drill
a 20 mm diameter hole right through the centre of all three
pieces, one by one, by using a square to check the vertical
(Figure 41).

Now use a round steel file to smooth and widen the 20 mm diameter holes until the 20 mm diameter bolt (Figure 40d) goes through easily and turns easily inside each of the holes.

Pass the 20 mm diameter bolt through the holes in the flanges and hub, with the hub in the middle. you will screw the flanges to the hub using the 16 flatheaded screws (Figure
40k), eight on each side. To do this, mark the positions for
the holes as shown in Figure 42 and drill with a 4 mm diameter
bit for easy insertion of the screws. The reel is now
ready (Figure 43).

Figure 41. Using a square when drilling centre holes

Figure 42. Marking and drilling the holes for the 5 × 60 mm flatheaded screws (note: figure is not drawn to scale, i.e. hub is 300 mm and flange is 400 mm in diameter)

Figure 43. The finished reel

Handle. Next you put the handle (Figure 40f) on the reel, as shown in Figure 44.

First drill a 12 mm diameter hole through the wheel exactly 250 mm from the centre. Again use the square to check the vertical (see Figure 41). Now thread the 240 mm long,
12 mm diameter bolt (Figure 40e) through the hole without
damaging the thread, making sure it fits. Then make a groove
to sink the nut on the inner side of the reel.

Put washers on both sides of the handle before screwing the nut on, but still make sure the handle turns freely.

Figure 44. Fitting the handle on the reel

Guide block, boom and brake. Take the main post, 10 × 10 × 200 cm (Figure 40a), and measure and mark the positions for holes exactly as shown in Figure 45. Drill the holes, using
the square to check the vertical.

Now fix a fastening for the tyre tube (Figure 40j) on top of the post. You can tie a rope of your own choosing or use an eye bolt, or simply cut the head off a large nail, bend it to
form a U and nail it on top of the post.

Figure 45. The main post

Next, take the boom, 4 × 4 × 80 cm (Figure 40h), and round off one end as shown in Figure 46.

Mark the position for the hole on the centre line 4.5 cm from the rounded end. Now drill a 12 mm hole using the square for straight drilling. If you have a bolt suitable for the
small block then drill a hole for it at the other end of the
boom; if not, use a rope or large nail as you did before when
you prepared the top end of the main post.

You are now ready to assemble the different parts.

Assembling. Figure 47 shows a cross-section of the assembled reel, boom and stopper. The assembly is carried out as follows.

Figure 46. The boom

Figure 47. Assembling the handreel: (a) main post; (b) flanges of the reel; (c) hub; (d) 20 mm diameter bolt with nut; (e) 12 mm diameter bolt with nut; (f) wooden handle, 13 mm central hole; (g) 20 mm diameter
bolt with two nuts for brake; (h) 4 × 4 × 80 cm boom; (i) 12 mm
diameter bolt with nut; (j) washers; (k) brake

First you put the reel on. Place a washer (Figure 47j) next to the bolt's head (Figure 47d), four to five washers between the reel and the main post and one or two washers before the
nut (Figure 47d). Tighten the nut without hindering the
smooth turning of the reel and add a locknut if necessary.
Next, put the boom on (Figure 47h), using washers to fill up
the space between the main post (Figure 47a) and the boom
until the boom is aligned with the hub of the reel (Figure
47c). Tighten the nut well (Figure 47i). Finally put on the
stopper bolt (Figure 47g) as shown, but before you thread
the bolt through the hole make a small groove on the inner
side of the post to sink the nut. Also make sure the thread is
long enough; if not, use a 20 mm die to lengthen it.

Figure 48. Installing the handreel on a small boat

All that is left now is to cut to size the car tyre inner tube and put it on the top ofthe main post and boom (see Figure 40j).

You can now take your handreel on board your boat and position it in such a way that you can operate it easily (Figures 48 and 49). Clamp it or bolt it against the bulwark and
the side frame of your boat. It is a good idea to arrange the
fastenings in such a way that the handreel can be easily
removed when you are not fishing.

Figure 49. Installing the handreel on a canoe

Another example of a handreel

Another example is a handreel made of wood or marine plywood, but with a supporter and base made from stainless steel, bronze or galvanized steel.

Hub and flanges. First you make the hub (Figure 50a). You must have a piece of hardwood or plywood that is 70 mm (7cm) thick and wide enough to make a round piece like a
wheel 300 mm (30 cm) in diameter. You can also make the
hub from pieces of plywood put together to reach these same
measurements. In this case you must smooth the edges to
make sure that all pieces are exactly of the same size.

The flanges (Figure 50b) you make of the same material, i.e. plywood or hardwood, but larger and thinner than the hub. Each of the two flanges must measure 400 mm in diameter
and be 15 mm thick.

Figure 50. (a) Hub and (b) flanges

Now you assemble the hub and the flanges as shown in Figure 51. Use 16 flatheaded screws 5 mm in diameter and 60 mm long, eight screws on each side. After screwing the
hub and the flanges together drill a hole 20 mm wide right
through the centre for the shaft. Then drill another hole of
12 mm diameter at any point exactly 230 mm distant from
the centre hole. Use the same technique as shown before to
mark out and drill the holes.

Handle shaft. To make the handle shaft use a 12 mm diameter stainless steel, bronze or galvanized steel bar. If possible have the thread turned on a lathe, or use a 12 mm die
(Figure 52). Alternatively, use a galvanized steel bolt with
head.

Figure 51. The drum of the handreel

Now you make the handle (Figure 53). It must be made of rounded hardwood 120 mm long and 35 to 40 mm wide with a central hole of 13 mm diameter.

To complete the handle assembly you need:

Three 12 mm diameter nuts (stainless steel, bronze or galvanized steel).
Two 12 mm diameter washers.

Now you are ready to assemble the handle shaft.

Figure 52. The handle shaft

Figure 53. The hardwood handle

Reel shaft. To make the reel shaft (Figure 54) you need a 20 mm diameter stainless steel, bronze or galvanized steel bar. As with the handle shaft, have the threads turned on a
lathe, or alternatively use a 20 mm die. You can also use a
galvanized steel bolt, if you can find one long enough, and
then turn the extra thread required using a 20 mm die. Then
drill a 4 mm diameter hole close to the head of the bolt for
the split pin, and remove the head with a hacksaw.

Washers. Now you must make several steel or fibreglass washers by cutting and drilling to the size shown in Figure 55. Remove all sharp edges with a file.

You may use plywood washers for spacers, but metal or fibreglass washers must be used on each side of the plywood to reduce wear and friction. The plywood washers, if used,
should be larger, 150 mm in diameter.

Figure 54. The reel shaft

Supporter and base. The supporter consists of an L-shaped stainless steel, bronze or galvanized steel rod on which you weld a 130 mm long, 20 mm diameter steel bar (Figure 56).
The L-shaped rod is 80 mm wide and 10 mm thick. The
height is 240 mm, and the shorter part of the L is 90 mm.
The hole for the reel shaft must be 20 mm in diameter.

The base is made of 24 mm galvanized steel pipe as shown on the drawing. Both the stopper screw and the bolt fastener must be of strong, solid material.

Now we are ready to assemble the handreel.

Assembling. Figure 57 shows a central cross-section of the assembled reel.

Thread the reel shaft through the wheel and pack out the shaft with washers (Figure 57c), then put the split pin (Figure 57e) in position. Put the wheel (Figure 57a) on the supporter
(Figure 57h), pack out with washers (Figure 57c) and put
both 20 mm diameter nuts (Figure 57i) on. The inner nut
works as a brake on the wheel when tightened and the outer
nut as a stopper. Use a fixed spanner to tighten and loosen
the nuts for braking and releasing, and keep it on a string or
rope tied to the base (Figure 58).

Figure 55. Washers

Figure 56. The reel's supporter and base

Figure 57. Cross-section of the reel assembly: (a) wheel; (b) main shaft, 20 mm diameter; (c) steel plate or fibreglass washers, 24 mm thick; (d) three nuts, 12 mm internal diameter; (e) split pin, 4 mm
diameter; (f) handle shaft, 12 mm diameter; (g) hardwood handle, 120
× 35, 13 mm diameter; (h) supporter, 240 × 80 × 10 mm; (i) two nuts,
20 mm internal diameter

Figure 58. Assembled reel and base

After winding your line with hooks and swivels on your handreel (Figure 59), you can mount it on your boat and you are ready to go fishing.

Figure 59. The reel ready for fishing

Preparation is key for offshore safety

2010-03-31T23:24:49.000Z

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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 31 March 2010 23:09 )

'nPLAY

2010-01-29T15:28:22.000Z

"POTS OFF REEF" BILL IN SENATE COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 1

2010-01-29T13:19:27.000Z

ACTION ALERT FROM RFA-NJ CHAPTER
"POTS OFF REEF" BILL IN SENATE COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 1

The Recreational Fishing Alliance New Jersey Chapter (RFA-NJ) is pleased to announce that Senate Sen. Van DrewBill 221, which would prohibit the use of certain fishing gear on artificial reefs (i.e. - "Pots off the Reefs"), is scheduled to be heard by the New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee on Monday, February 1. Introduced by Sen. Sean T. Kean just two weeks ago and co-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla, S221 has the full support of RFA-NJ.

"Similar legislation introduced in previous legislative sessions has passed a full Senate vote on two occasions, but companion Assembly bills have yet to be voted on by the full Assembly," said RFA-NJ Chairman Capt. Adam Nowalsky, who is hoping to see a companion Assembly bill to S221 very soon. "RFA-NJ is hopeful that both the Senate and Assembly bills will be voted on during the current legislative session," Nowalsky added.

New Jersey's Artificial Reef system is one of the nation's most successful reef building programs. Occupying just .3% of the sea floor off of New Jersey's coast, a past state study revealed that 20% of New Jersey's recreationally landed fish come from the state's 15 reefs. This fishing effort provides a tremendous trickle-down economic effect in both shore and inland communities as these anglers support marinas, boat liveries, bait and tackle stores, fuel stations, restaurants, convenience stores, sporting goods stores, toll highways, hotels/motels, real estate rentals, etc.

According to the state-approved 2005 Artificial Reef Plan, the intent of the reef sites is for "hook-and-line" angling activities. For more than 20 years, the administration of the reef program has been funded by donations from anglers and organizations throughout the state, in addition to Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish (Wallop-Breaux) Restoration Funds. The Sport Fish Restoration funds in particular are derived from an excise tax on recreational fishing purchases, and as a "User Pay, User Benefit" program, federal law requires that these funds be used to benefit recreational fisheries. Violation is subject to repayment of funds, as corroborated by New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Director Dave Chanda in a May 22, 2008 memo concerning this issue.

The majority of states that have artificial reef programs including New York, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have identified traps as non-compatible with their reef programs and no longer allow traps on their reefs. Artificial reefs in federal waters for a number of those states have also been classified as Special Management Zones (SMZ's), restricting the use of traps on those sites.

The hearing is open to the public and will take place beginning at 10 a.m. in Committee Room 10, 3rd Floor, State House Annex in Trenton, NJ. Directions can be found at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/directions.asp.

BLACK SEA BASS UPDATE

While attorneys for the RFA are still sifting through the recent federal response to the black sea Sen. Schumerbass legal challenge issued in November after the emergency closure of that important coastal fishery, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has asked the federal government to take emergency action to increase the 2010 black sea bass catch in federal waters, which range from three to 200 miles offshore. News reports show better days may be in store for New Jersey wreck fishermen.

Learn more about the black sea bass issue by clicking through today's New Jersey headlines below.

Asbury Park Press - The Battle For Sea Bass

Atlantic City Press - Fishery officials could increase black sea bass catch for 2010

About Recreational Fishing Alliance & RFA-NJ

The RFA is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA-NJ chapter mission is to safeguard the rights of New Jersey's saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries.
For information, visit www.joinrfa.org.

RFA-NJ LEADS EFFORT TO SECURE BETTER DATA

2010-01-08T00:41:12.000Z

RFA-NJ LEADS EFFORT TO SECURE BETTER DATA

In the month leading up to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) meetings in December, the Recreational Fishing Alliance's New Jersey Chapter (RFA-NJ) worked diligently in making a case to convene a joint meeting of the MAFMC's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and the Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee. The MAFMC agreed with the approach, and voted unanimously to reassess the black sea bass 2010 quota recommendations. BlackSeaBass

"One MAFMC member mentioned to me that testimony delivered by RFA-NJ Chairman Capt. Adam Nowalsky was quite convincing," said Jim Hutchinson, Jr., RFA's Managing Director. "The representative specifically noted that for the most part the council decided to send the black sea bass information back to the SSC because of efforts to make the case to each and every member of that fisheries management council."

Testimony before the council encouraged members to ask the committees to convene in a special session this winter, with the SSC addressing the scientific uncertainty in the black sea bass assessments, and the Monitoring Committee addressing management uncertainties. This meeting will occur via conference call on Friday, January 8, 2010. Pending a revised quota recommendation, action by NMFS' Northeast Administrator would pave the way for Council and Board approval of revised 2010 black sea bass regulations early this year.

"The RFA-NJ chapter was there in Delaware alongside folks from the United Boatmen and the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund, standing up for recreational fishermen at home in New Jersey," said Nowalsky. "Myself, Karen Wall, Capt. Tony Bogan, the groups and individuals who have always been actively involved in saltwater fisheries were there as usual, and the RFA-NJ chapter was well-represented."

Hutchinson said that having strong chapter representation at these federal and regional meetings means that anglers themselves are well-represented. "You'll always hear a lot of ideas and opinions when it comes to marine fisheries management, but enacting change at the Council level requires knowledge of the law and a good bit of onwater experience to boot."

Until fisheries managers can meet again to review committee findings later this winter, the RFA reminds anglers that the black sea bass fishery remains closed in federal waters, and are not expected to reopen until spring. "The current legal challenge to reopen the black sea bass fishery immediately is our only hope right now to repeal the NOAA fisheries arbitrary shutdown of that fishery," Hutchinson said, adding that the federal government's attorneys in the legal challenge were recently granted a two-week extension in their allotted timeframe for responding to the challenge. Lead counsels for the RFA in the effort do not expect to hear a response now until January 22, 2010.

More information about the RFA Legal Defense Fund and the efforts to reopen the sea bass fishery can be found on the RFA homepage at www.joinrfa.org.

"While RFA continues to fight on the national level to reopen this important winter fishery, through the dedicated efforts of the RFA-NJ chapter and others, the entire Mid-Atlantic region may see improved access to sea bass this coming summer if 2010 measures are addressed by fisheries managers this spring," said Hutchinson.

RFA-NJ TO HELP ORGANIZE MARCH ON WASHINGTON ON FEB. 24

Recreational and commercial fishermen, support business owners, families, and community US Capitol Buildingleaders will gather at the steps of our Nation's Capitol on February 24, 2010 from noon until 3 p.m. to show Congress a united front of the impacts caused by the unintended impacts of the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act as revised effective January, 2007 (MSA).

The RFA has been spearheading lobbying efforts to get the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 passed in both the House and Senate (HR1584/S1255), and will be using this opportunity on the steps of the Capitol to rally additional support for this legislation.

The RFA-NJ chapter is working together with Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund (SSFFF), United Boatmen and the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA-NJ) to arrange buses to take fishermen to DC on February 24. Tickets are $32 a person and will be leaving from 'ports' in Atlantic Highlands, Brielle, Wildwood and Bordentown.

To reserve your spot on one of these first buses heading out for the rally, visit
www.ssfff.net. Hurry, these first spots are filling up fast. There's also a bus leaving from Southern Ocean County via Chum Bucket Bait Shop in West Creek, NJ for $30 per person round trip. For reservations, call 609-294-2500.

The United We Fish rally on the steps of the Capitol is being coordinated by many organizations and individuals including but not limited to the Recreational Fishing Alliance, Conservation Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen, United Boatmen, SSFFF, MTA-NJ, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association, the Florida based Fishing Rights Alliance and the New York Sportfishing Federation.

Stay up to date with details by signing up for email updates at
www.joinrfa.org.

About Recreational Fishing Alliance

The RFA is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. Our mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For information, visit www.joinrfa.org

'nPLAY Foundation

2009-12-21T23:20:41.000Z

Watch live streaming video from nplayfoundation at…

FISHERMEN TO MARCH ON WASHINGTON February 24

2009-12-16T19:41:50.000Z

Recreational Fishing Alliance
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. / 888-564-6732
For Immediate Release
December 16, 2009
FISHERMEN TO MARCH ON WASHINGTON
"United We Fish" To Seek Congressional Support On February 24

December 16, 2009 - In a historic show of solidarity, recreational and commercial fishermen will gather together on the steps of the Capitol on February 24, 2010 from noon until 3 p.m. in an organized demonstration against the unintended negative impacts of the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the federal fisheries law which was revised in January of 2007. Coordinating the march under the flag of United We Fish, rally organizers are hoping to see a large show of force in defense of coastal communities.

"The closures keep coming and it's good to see the collective fishing communities and industries, both recreational and commercial, calling for scientific based Magnuson reform," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "We are all in this together." Donofrio cited recent closures of amberjack, black sea bass and red snapper fisheries as examples of what he calls a "broken" federal fisheries law.

The groups organized through United We Fish are hoping to prove to legislators just how many American anglers and business owners are truly being impacted by the overly restrictive management requirements created by MSA based on non scientific arbitrary deadlines. According to Bob Zales of the Conservation Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen (CCGF), the time-specific deadlines mandated by MSA coupled with flawed data collection methods are forcing anglers off the water. "We fully support real science based management and the conservation of our marine resources while also being able to sustain recreational and commercial fishing activities, providing locally caught seafood, sustaining small family businesses, and supporting our coastal communities."

This effort is being coordinated by many organizations and individuals including but not limited to the RFA, CCGF, United Boatmen of New York, United Boatmen of New Jersey, New York Sportfishing Federation, Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association and the Fishing Rights Alliance. "Some people have asked 'why, it's winter'," said Donofrio who said he's gotten the required permits and expects a large crowd in DC on February 24th, regardless of weather. "We can't let seasons stop the momentum, and if we wait any longer none of us will be fishing. Many members of Congress will be standing shoulder to shoulder with us," Donofrio said.

Nils Stolpe, a consultant to the commercial fishing industry and columnist for SavingSeafood.org said that over the past three decades since the original Magnuson Act was established, fishermen have been gradually phased out of the fisheries management process, regardless of sector. "The scientists have been put in charge, and as the list of closures and restrictions up above painfully demonstrates, the Act has been turned into a weapon that is now being used against fishermen and fishing communities."

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) first introduced the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2008 in the 110th Congress to incorporate "limited flexibility" into federal fisheries management. More than 100 fishing groups and industry members from around the country pledged their support for the legislation and the bill's 19 bipartisan coastal cosponsors, but the bill languished during the volatile economic climate in advance of the presidential elections in November of 2008.

Realizing that fisheries closures would continue without congressional intervention, in March of this year, Rep. Pallone and fellow Representatives John Adler (D-NJ), Henry Brown, Jr. (R-SC), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), Barney Frank (D-MA), Walter B. Jones, Jr. (R-NC), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Frank LoBiondo (D-NJ), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) and John Tierney (D-MA), reintroduced the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 (HR 1584). Twenty-five total co-sponsors have since pledged support to date including Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Timothy Bishop (D-NY), Allen Boyd (D-FL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Peter King (R-NY), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Jo Bonner (R-AL), John Mica (R-FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), Clifford Stearns (R-FL), Donna Christensen (D-VI), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Ander Crenshaw (R-FL).

Following a letter-writing campaign by the RFA-NY and members of the New York Sportfishing Federation, senior Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York announced his Senate version of the bill (S.1255). Currently, the Senate bill to correct the flaws in MSA has no co-sponsors, which is something United We Fish organizers are hoping will change in February.

"New York's Senator Schumer is as concerned about his fishing constituents as he is about the fish, just as Congressmen Pallone, Frank, Jones, LoBiondo, Kennedy, Adler and others in the House of Representatives are," said Stolpe. "Hence they have formed the nucleus of a growing movement in Congress that, in spite of the editorial opinion of the New York Times and the expenditure of many millions of dollars by the Pew Charitable Trusts, is aimed at preserving recreational and commercial fishing, the lifestyles of millions of fishermen, and the tens of thousands of businesses and hundreds of fishing communities that they support," Stolpe added.

Organizers from within the recreational fishing sector are hoping to get commitment from all user groups and across varied state and regional boundaries. "This is much bigger than any one state issue or individual grievance," said RFA's Managing Director Jim Hutchinson, Jr. "Whether it's our restrictive fluke fishery in New York, the arbitrary closure of state waters for our anglers in California, or the shutdown of red snapper and amberjack down south, our community has been divided by preservationist tactics for too long. It's time to unite the clans in defense of our coastal heritage and traditions," Hutchinson said.

"We need to let Congress and NOAA know that we are the collective voice of the recreational fishing community and the collective voice does not accept the current broken management system which wreaks such havoc on all of us and our businesses," said Donofrio, adding "The goal on February 24th will be to get all of our congressional friends to attend."

"At this point Senator Schumer and his Congressional colleagues in the House deserve the thanks and the support of every one of us who fishes, whether for fun or profit," said Stolpe.

The United We Fish rally is set for 2/24/10 at noon at the Capitol. For details as they become available, sign up for the RFA's email newsletter on the homepage at www.joinrfa.org.

About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

NOAA 'CHAMPIONS' ANOTHER CLOSURE No Red Snapper Fishing Until Further Notice

2009-12-04T22:30:18.000Z

Unprecedented recreational fishing closures continue to hurt sport fishing businesses and commercial fisherman.

Recreational Fishing Alliance For Immediate Release
NOAA 'CHAMPIONS' ANOTHER CLOSURE
No Red Snapper Fishing Until Further Notice

December 4, 2009 - On Thursday afternoon, President Obama wrapped up a jobs forum in Michigan by challenging the nation's top CEOs, business leaders and economists to come up with innovative ideas to put Americans back to work. At the same time, NOAA Fisheries issued pink slips to thousands of South Atlantic and Gulf fishermen who rely on access to a healthy red snapper fishery.

On December 3, NOAA announced a 6-month ban on both the recreational and commercial harvest of red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters off Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina beginning on January 4. The provisions specified in the interim prohibition rule also apply to a person on-board a vessel for which a federal commercial or charter/headboat permit for the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery has been issued, regardless of whether the fish are harvested or possessed in state or federal waters.

U.S. Congressman John L. Mica (FL-07) called the Administration's decision to impose the ban on red snapper fishing throughout the Southeast U.S. coast an economic disaster for the region. "During this time of economic downturn this ban will be a significant job killer and an economic blow to nearly every coastal community from North Carolina to South Florida," stated Mica.

Dave Heil, a Florida-based attorney for the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Jacksonville and will seek an emergency injunction to prevent the ban from taking effect and asking a judge to throw out the rule that created the ban. "We have today filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Jacksonville, FL and we feel confident that once a federal judge reviews the arbitrary and capricious methods used by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the closure will be overturned," Heil said.

Heil and the RFA charge that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are using improper data to drive their decision, and explain the government has already acknowledged that the data collection methodology used to make the closure determination was never intended to be used for such purposes. The red snapper complaint filed on behalf of the RFA charges NMFS with ignoring mandates from the federal fisheries law (Magnuson Stevens Act) to address inconsistencies within the data collection process. "It is apparent that the SAFMC and the NMFS have ignored the Magnuson Stevens in passing the Interim Rule using the obviously flawed data from MRFSS," Heil added.

"This ban will put thousands of marginal sport fishing tourist enterprises out of business," Rep. Mica said, adding "The timing couldn't be worse for Florida with its tourism and fishing seasons set to begin at the start of the New Year and with the economy at its worst in years.".

At a NOAA sponsored tackle trade show summit in October held in San Diego, CA, Under-Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, Jane Lubchenco told tackle industry leaders that NOAA was actively responding to the concerns expressed by recreational fishing leaders "that we don't pay enough attention to recreational fishing," summarizing her address by saying "We will be your champions." In her first 9 months as NOAA Administrator, the former Pew Fellowship Award winner has championed the complete recreational closure of black sea bass, amberjack and red snapper.

"If this is what Ms. Lubchenco means by being our champion, I'd hate to think about what NOAA will do when they decide to really go after us," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA. Donofrio said the RFA has already submitted a legal challenge in the Mid-Atlantic in response to the NOAA's decision to close the sea bass fishery, and he's hoping that the RFA FL membership base can help rally around Heil's legal challenge on behalf of red snapper.

"NOAA continues to put nails into the coffin of the beleaguered recreational marine industry, while the preservationists over at Pew Environment Group are already dancing on our graves," Donofrio said. Soon after NOAA's announcement about the red snapper closure, Holly Binns, manager of the Pew Environment Group's Campaign to End Overfishing in the Southeast said "Today's decision symbolizes an important first step towards saving the severely overfished red snapper." Many southeast fishermen dispute Pew's claims that the snapper are overfished and say the science being used is flawed and misleading.

In July, Rep. Mica introduced legislation that requested additional data collection before any ban was imposed, although the legislation had bipartisan support, environmental groups like Pew Environment Group and Pew-funded allies within the Marine Fish Conservation Network blocked consideration of the bill which was denied a hearing. "They're imposing a ban with flawed data and they've refused to sit down with the industry and come up with a better management solution," Mica said.

In addition to the latest legal challenge submitted in Jacksonville, RFA continues to seek support from Florida Senator Bill Nelson for the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 (S-1255). "Recent amendments to the Magnuson Stevens Act have led to these arbitrary and unprecedented restrictions on many of our most important recreational fisheries in the Gulf and South Atlantic," Donofrio said. "We believe that Magnuson can be amended to allow a balance of conservation and access at the same time."

More than 150 groups, organizations and businesses have signed on with the RFA to support S-1255, including Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen, Destin Charter Boat Association, Fishing Rights Alliance, Indian River Charter Boat Association, Marco Island Charter Captains Association, Panama City Boatmen Association, Pensacola Charterboat Association and South Atlantic Charterboat Association. National supporting groups include Marine Retailers Association of America, National Association of Charterboat Operators and National Marine Manufacturers Association.

See the full list of supporters at www.joinrfa.org/Press/FlexibilitySupporters_061809.pdf.

For background information on MRFSS, visit www.joinrfa.org/Press/RFA_MRFSS.pdf.

About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. RFA's Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries.

For more information about the RFA call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

RFA legal defense fund..... Files complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief from Sea Bass Closure

2009-11-24T15:24:29.000Z

November 6, 2009 - The official complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief with “expedited consideration” has been filed in U.S. District Court on behalf the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic recreational community. Filed against the Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, NOAA and NMFS on behalf of the sea bass closure, the RFA and its allies need your help! Click here to view entire complaint

Please review thier site and support through donations to the defense fund..... Join RFA support fishing access

TEAM EXILE- CAPE MAY- Tuna Stakes

2009-10-27T17:24:32.000Z

Tuna Stakes - Grand Champions

August 31st, 2009

We fished Chef Lenny Strobel’s Tournament that he created in memory of his father, and also as a fundraiser for Deborah Heart and Lung. It was an Overnight fishing tournament, and we chose to fish Thursday into Friday. We broke Absecon Inlet at 5 am and made our run to the edge in search of tuna, mahi, and wahoo. We found a couple of white marlin throughout the day catching one, which was Vinny’s first white marlin, and jumped another off. Fishing was slow throughout the day and sunset came all too quickly. We got setup on the drift along the 100 line in hopes of picking up a mako and a few yellowfin tuna.

Just shy of two hours into the drift he had a subtle click-click of the Penn 50W that almost seemed like the motion of the waves. This single click continued here and there for a few minutes, and it was difficult to tell if something was on. Then we had a slow, but better pull, but still nothing great. We locked up the drag, and cranked out the slack until we came tight for the hookup. The fish started off like dead weight and came to the boat in 30 seconds, then the fight began! Randy was on the rod and knew he had something bigger on after the first run, not to mention the second, third, fourth, and fifth run the powerful fish made. Randy fought the fish perfectly with Frank on the throttles making the necessary adjustments with the boat. After 25 minutes the fish was up so it could be wired. Soon after the leader was grabbed we saw that the fish was a NICE MAKO, just what we were looking for. Cullen sunk the first flyer in the powerful shark as Jimmy sank the second flyer into the fish. With a team effort fromt he whole crew we slid the Mako through the fish door and had it! What an amazing feeling and a perfect time to catch this fish! Offshore fishing certainly is a team sport.

With a Mako in the boat we tried for a Swordfish for two hours before making a run to the bluefin grounds. We were setup by sunrise with jigs and sardines, and right away, we got a double header of Bluefin, releasing one and keeping the other that measured 43″. We caught 4 more bluefin in the same size range and a couple of skipjack tuna on jigs and sardines in 3 hours of fishing. We made the run to the scales where the Mako weighed in at 185 lbs winning us over $5000 and giving us enought points to be the GRAND CHAMPIONS of the tournament. That gets us an invitation to fish the IGFA Offshore World Championship in May of 2010 in Cabo! What a prize to win!!!

We wanted to thank the crew of Andy, Vinny, Randy, Jimmy, and Paul for fishing with us. You guys are a great crew and we love having you on the boat. We also wanted to thank Chef Lenny for creating such a spectacular and fun tournament to be a part of. It truly was a first class tournament and RTAngler did a great job with the tournament coverage on their website rtangler.com.

12 MILLION U.S. SALTWATER ANGLERS IGNORED

2009-10-26T17:04:26.000Z

Recreational Fishing Alliance
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. / 888-564-6732
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2009
12 MILLION U.S. SALTWATER ANGLERS IGNORED
New Federal Attempts To Circumvent Legislative Process

October 23, 2009 - A recently published federal taskforce report is causing a great deal of concern for America's recreational fishing community. For longtime members of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) however, the claim that saltwater anglers have been kept out of the review process is nothing especially new. According to the RFA however, it's good to see the national sportfishing industry starting to report it as passionately as coastal stakeholders have for the past few years.

The report from the president's newly appointed Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force outlines a federal initiative that could conceivably pave the way for more restrictive governmental actions in further denying access to recreational anglers, similar to what's already been accomplished in California with the marine life protection act (MLPA). RFA has been actively engaged in the MLPA battle on the west coast for over seven years, as the California RFA chapter especially has fought tirelessly against compromises made between various industry allies and hardline environmentalists. The non-scientific based Pacific Coast closures now seem poised to extend eastward as the new Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force has introduced a comprehensive federal policy for all U.S. coastal, ocean and Great Lakes waters. Under the guise of protection, the current second phase of the Task Force direction is set to develop zoning initiatives which could potentially close vast areas of fishable waters, permanently.

"In reviewing the Report, there are strategies, principles, objectives and other authorizing language that stands to have profound impacts on the recreational fishing community," said RFA Executive Director Jim Donofrio in official comments to Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). In writing on behalf of RFA members nationwide, Donofrio said "RFA is concerned about the relatively rapid speed at which CEQ is advancing with this initiative and the apparent lack of opportunity the average recreational angler will have when the final Policy and subsequent bureaucracy is put in place

In a recent meeting facilitated by RFA to introduce Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coastal stakeholders to the new Director of External Affairs, Andrew Winer, it was revealed that several national trade and conservation groups had actually participated in the Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force discussions. As reported by ESPN Outdoors, RFA hopes that any future discussions involving recreational anglers that will ultimately impact coastal stakeholders will actually include those coastal constituents. "We're hoping that after listening to the real stakeholders who live and breathe within these vibrant coastal communities every single day, that perhaps Mr. Winer can help us shake a little sense into these Beltway insiders who think they understand recreational fishermen," said Jim Hutchinson, Managing Director of the RFA.

While the RFA commends CEQ for bringing wide national attention to the management of our nation's marine resources, as a national saltwater political action organization representing marine businesses and users alike, RFA is opposed to any taskforce recommendations that might be enacted through the Executive branch as opposed to through legislative efforts. "Considering the broad implications and hundreds of stakeholders groups that will be affected, the most appropriate course of action would be through the Legislative branch," Donofrio said in the letter to CEQ, adding "Stakeholders would have a greater opportunity to discuss the virtues and flaws of the legislation in a more deliberate, transparent process."

On June 18, Donofrio testified before the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife in a hearing convened to review H.R. 21, a bill which would establish a new national policy for our oceans. The RFA was the only recreational fishing organization invited to testify before the Congressional Committee. "RFA maintains that Magnuson must remain the nation's primary fisheries law and that any national ocean policy spawned from H.R. 21 provide guidance and recommendations to Magnuson, not supersede it," Donofrio said during the afternoon session back in June.

Several hardline environmental groups have been pressuring Congress and the Obama administration to implement new overriding marine laws, however, several key federal legislators have helped stymie the repressive ocean policy legislation. "This bill's not going to go anywhere," said Rep. Don Young (R-AK). "You may try to work it through the House, you may have the Speaker help you out, but I'll stop it dead in the Senate, because you're not going to mess with my waters in Alaska, you're not going to mess with my fishermen as you've done in the past," Young added.

Donofrio said the RFA is unnerved by glaring similarities of the new report and H.R. 21, the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act. "This appears to be an attempt by the Executive branch to circumvent the established legislative process and enact policy that failed as legislation 5 years in a row," Donofrio said, adding "RFA believes enacting laws through Executive order and proclamation sets a dangerous precedence."

The RFA's six-page letter to White House Council on Environmental Quality is available online for review at www.joinrfa.org/press/CEQComments_101909.pdf.

To view the 10/18/09 congressional hearing on the H.R. 21 in its entirety, click here. (Jim Donofrio's testimony begins at 1:06:06)

About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

Call to Action from the RFA to save the sea bass fishery

2009-10-10T14:42:42.000Z

Recreational Fishing Alliance Action Alert
RFA & ALLIES WILL SUE TO REOPEN SEA BASS FISHERY

"Unprecedented" Federal Closure Forces Recreational Fishermen Into Legal Action

October 9, 2009 - In the midst of the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, our federal government has chosen to shut down the recreational fishery for black sea bass for the next six months (effective Monday, October 5, 2009) based on survey data that's been described as "fatally flawed" by the National Academy of Sciences (read "Fatally Flawed" Science is Killing America's Number One Outdoor Pastime special report at www. joinrfa.org.)

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and our local industry allies from New York to the Carolinas are fighting back against this unprecedented and unwarranted shutdown of the black sea bass fishery by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). RFA members throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic believe this is a battle that must be fought, regardless of the outcome and have demanded that we take action. What is at stake is nothing less than our very future as recreational fishermen, and the future of our recreational fishing industry.

During the first days of the closure, a grassroots effort within the recreational fishing community resulted in a successful pledge drive of support for legal action. At the same time, a team of qualified fisheries attorneys and industry professionals was reviewing NMFS' federal ruling and poring through pages of legal documentation to develop a proper legal strategy. Tackle shop owners and party/charter captains up and down the East Coast, along with scores of individual anglers and RFA members who've had enough of these arbitrary federal decisions, have been making donations to the RFA Legal Defense Fund, established specifically for issues like this.

Our legal team is currently working on our plan of attack; now it's time that we ask individual anglers to come together and support this effort!

According to the scientists' own data, black sea bass is a healthy stock - they are not overfished, no overfishing is occurring, and the most recent stock assessment places the spawning stock biomass (SSB) at 103% of their target. In fact, the SSB has been at or above this level for the past decade. Yet, despite this scientific information, the recreational angling community is being denied access to this vitally important fishery due to "fatally flawed" information coming from the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey, or MRFSS.

What's worse is that there seems to be no end in sight to the MRFSS assault. Today it's the complete shutdown of a healthy sea bass fishery. Next, we can expect an impact on the summer flounder limits for 2010, and scup soon after that. Could striped bass be next? How about tog? If "fatally flawed" data has not impacted your favorite fishery, rest assured it will happen soon enough if we don't take a stand today. Where does it end if we allow the federal government to continue to use a broken system to deny recreational anglers access to healthy fisheries?

The RFA has assembled an experienced legal team to take on the case to overturn the federal shutdown of the recreational black sea bass fishery. The attorneys involved are fishermen themselves who have fought these battles before so they know this specialized area of the law and there's no learning curve to be climbed. They've already begun working on the case and have formulated a preliminary strategy to challenge this closure under existing federal law.

Litigation is inherently uncertain, and there's no way to guarantee a successful outcome. However, you can guarantee that if NMFS gets away with this closure, there will be more recreational closures to come. In the coming days, we will be drafting an official complaint which demands that the improper closure of sea bass be set aside.

Now it's time we unite and show the federal government that recreational anglers will not tolerate arbitrary and capricious regulatory actions that inhibit our ability to utilize a healthy resource, thus violating the very laws set forth by the Magnuson Stevens Act.

If you're a member of the recreational fishing industry who has already committed to the fight with a pledge, you can support this effort by sending a check today made payable to the "RFA Legal Defense Fund" as follows:

RFA Legal Defense Fund
PO Box 3080
New Gretna, NJ 08224

Please be sure to write "Sea Bass" in the memo of the check and make a notation on the outside of the envelope to the same effect. Your timely response is to the benefit of us all. The Recreational Fishing Alliance will be dedicating all checks made payable to the RFA Legal Defense Fund directly towards these legal efforts outlined above. All donations will be tracked individually, from all groups and individual anglers.

The RFA has also set up a special online account through PayPal in which individual anglers can also make a donation. Many of the tackle shops and captains who rely on your valued service have pledged up to $500 apiece towards the fight. As an individual angler trying to make an honest stand in a tough economy, whatever donation you can offer towards the RFA Legal Defense Fund will be much appreciated.

Visit www.joinrfa.org and look for the DONATE button on the homepage to support the RFA Legal Defense Fund.

About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. To protect your right to fish tomorrow, join RFA today at www.joinrfa.org or call 888-JOIN-RFA.

NOAA ignores imput from recreational industry and shuts down Sea Bass Fishery

2009-10-05T14:06:58.000Z

Recreational Fishing Alliance Press Release
For Immediate Release October 2, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. 888-564-6732

NOAA Ignores Input From Recreational Fishing Community
"Fatally Flawed" Data Used To Keep America From Fishing

As reported in the Asbury Park Press of New Jersey on October 2, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is exploring legal options to block a federal shutdown of the black sea bass fishery along the Eastern Seaboard. "This is unprecedented, absolutely unprecedented," RFA's Jim Donofrio told the Press just hours after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced its intention to close the fishery in federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from Cape Hatteras, NC north to the Hague Line in Maine beginning Monday, October 5 for a period of 180 days.

NOAA's decision to immediately close the sea bass fishery is based on the "best available information" coming from the recreational harvest surveys for 2009 which shows that recreational fishermen "may have" overharvested their allowable catch this season. "It's abuse on the part of the federal government to use this data for a complete shutdown," Donofrio said, explaining that a precautionary approach would've been emergency bag limit restrictions, not a complete closure. "NOAA has really showed their hand on this decision, making it quite clear of their disdain for our recreational industry," Donofrio added.

The RFA points out that NOAA is basing its decision to close the fishery for the next six months on the latest trends coming from the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Surveys (MRFSS), a survey methodology called "fatally flawed" in a report by the National Research Council (NRC). The RFA points to a position paper on their homepage at www.joinrfa.org as detailing the "serious flaws" in MRFSS according to the NRC report. The congressionally mandated peer review said specifically in 2006 that there were "inadequate analysis methods that need to be addressed immediately." However, three years later the data is still being used as gospel harvest information on important coastal fisheries like summer flounder, scup and sea bass.

In a letter to James Balsinger, Acting Assistant Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and fellow New Jersey coastal congressman John Adler. said an emergency shutdown will hurt coastal economies at a difficult time, and insists there's no need to take such drastic action on a rebuilt fishery such as sea bass. "We believe that using the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) as the only tool in determining the shutdown of a fishery is severely flawed," the New Jersey Congressmen said, while adding "in light of the fact that MRFSS is not the most accurate way to measure catch levels, NMFS should pursue new assessments that are more concise. The review should include industry data that can provide an index of fishing activity."

While the NRC has previously stated that industry data like fuel sales, tax records, marine receipts or even NOAA's own weather data should be used at least to help validate the MRFSS data, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) through NOAA is still incapable or unwilling to recognize this information. "You'll see some conservation groups rally around closures like these based on the use of what's called the best available science, but clearly science isn't being recognized as some scientists have said it should," said Donofrio. "NOAA's decision on black sea bass shows utter disdain for the fishing industry and blatantly ignores the findings from the National Academy of Sciences."

RFA is currently collecting input from throughout the industry from New England through down through Carolinas, and is hoping to lead the charge for a federal injunction to stop the closure. However, fishing advocates have acknowledged that it's going to be a tough week of rallying for support, and there may be no way to protect against the emergency closure taking place on Monday. While coastal waters from 0 to 3 miles will remain open for the sea bass fishery next week, those federal permit holders will be forced to immediately stop the harvest of sea bass.

"We have to make sure that NMFS never does this again," said Ray Bogan, legal counsel for the United Boatmen, a NY/NJ party and charter boat organization. Bogan said that NOAA's decision to use preliminary, as yet incomplete data from the recreational surveys from 2009 is an unheralded action on behalf of the federal fisheries service. "This takes MRFSS even one step further than we've ever seen, as it uses the bad data before it's even finished being compiled."

Bogan points out that MRFSS data from March and April of this past season indicates that the private fishing fleet actually outfished the for-hire sector, a near impossibility considering that black sea bass are still at the offshore grounds at that time of year, from 30 to 50 miles from nearly any coastal inlet and most recreational boat owners have not even put their boats in for the season at that time.

"We can all agree that sustainable fisheries are the most important goal. However, to continue this assault on recreational fisheries with minimal results is not acceptable," the Pallone/Adler letter concluded.

RFA is hoping to they can get enough buy-in from the for-hire sector and tackle industry within the next 3 to 5 days to move forward with attempts to get an emergency injunction, but recognize that the industry is already reeling from serious loss of business due to NOAA's ever-tightening noose of regulatory efforts on other fisheries including summer flounder and scup. "The fall sea bass fishery is a significant part of my business," said Clark Evans from Old Inlet Bait and Tackle in Indian River, DE. Evans, like most other tackle shop owners from New England through the Mid Atlantic region said sea bass are a sustaining part of the local business during times when summer flounder season is closed or other species like striped bass simply aren't available.

"We have shops and captains we represent who were hoping to make up a couple of lost dollars through the next holiday season on a healthy and robust fall and winter sea bass fishery, so money's not just tight, it's just not there," said Donofrio. "Our new NOAA administrator has not only circumvented the management process and ignored the input from our industry, but it's as if the Administration has turned her back entirely on the Bill of Rights and the 10th Amendment."

RFA has sent an official letter to Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke on behalf of members asking that MRFSS "not be used as the basis for real-time monitoring or in season adjustments to the recreational sector." Download letter at www.joinrfa.org/press/seabasslocke.pdf

######
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

Come down and check out the weigh-ins August 26, 2009

2009-08-26T12:30:00.000Z

Fish will be coming in today into Hoffman's Marina and Trump Marina wrapping up the second official day of fishing in the Tuna $takes Invitational. Bedrock is hoping to hold on to thier lead in the Tuna divisions with thier 61.1lb Yellowfin. Come down and join the fun at the dock and check out the critters from the deep. You will definitely be impressed by the new Look of Hoffman's Marina with over 88 years of sportfishing history. The great staff at the dock will take care of your fishing and boating needs. Wayne is "the Man" greeting all that come with a helpful hand and smile.... first class!!!
The Deck at Trump Marina will be rocking all week so stop by for the festivities!!!!!!

Tuna $takes Three boats fished today

2009-08-24T18:13:41.000Z

Boat # Boat Name Mon/Tues Tues/Wed. Wed/Thurs. Thurs/Fri
1 Bella Donna - - - - - - - -
2 Dirty Martini
3 Jeannie D
4 Soul Mate
5 Players
6 Fiddlesticks
7 Good Karma
8 Irish Lady
9 Lil Doll
10 Tail Dancer
11 Pipe Dreamer
12 Lucky Strike
13 Brenda’s III
14 Tongue & Groove
15 Big Boy
16 Can Do Too
17 Bedrock Fishing
18 Out Back
19 Milling Around
20 Milling Around Fishing
21 Perfect Catch
22 Shadow
23 Taylor Vee Fishing
24 Change Order
25 Change Order
26 Big I
27 Catequipt
28 Dirty Girl
29 Why Not
30 Lac Attack
31 Exile

Tuna $takes Invitational is here!!!!

2009-08-18T17:00:00.000Z

Lets get ready to troll and chunk and chase the species of your choice in the most versatile tournament in NEW JERSEY!!!! To tune into the live coverage click this link: live coverage
Tournament Details

This Tournament is designed by a Fisherman for the Fishermen/women involving trolling and/or chunking. A flexible format will allow boats to leave any inlet between & including Shark River Inlet south to Cape May Inlet. Fishing will be Captain’s Choice of one of four nights after the commencement of the Captain’s Meeting.

1. Special Note: This is an overnight tournament where each boat has the option of picking their (1) fishing day/night out of (4) available days. As a unique feature of this event a boat may fish a second day of the tournament if they pay a second basic entry fee and any added skill level entries for that day if they choose. This decision must be made prior to the captain’s meeting and all fees paid at that time. Each basic entry fee will be assigned a boat number. The entry fee and added skill level entries are only good for one day of fishing, if you choose to fish a second day it will be considered a second basic entry with the same boat name but a new boat number for that day. All entry fees and added skill level entries will be winner take all regardless of the number of days you enter to fish.

Boats may leave anytime after 5am, fishing from 8:00am until 10:00am the following morning. The weigh stations will be held at Farley State Marina in Atlantic City, N.J. and Hoffman’s Marina in Brielle N.J. The scales will be open at Noon each day. The boundaries for the tournament will be 125 n miles from the Absecon Sea Buoy Cash prizes will be awarded for the following species: Big Eye, Yellowfin, Bluefin, Long Fin, Swordfish, Mako, Wahoo, Dolphin & Tilefish.

Take advantage of the early Basic Entry Fee Discount and if you have any questions, please contact Len Strobel (Founder/Tournament Director) at 609.377.0529

Livestream updates:

Tuna $takes Hoffman's meet and Greet!!!!

2009-06-22T15:00:00.000Z

It was exciting to greet all who showed at the new Hoffman's Marina in Brielle, New Jersey. The scene was set for a great event under the tent to keep us dry in what seems to be monsoon season. It is a pleasure to have teamed up with John Grady, the owner of Hoffman's, who is breathing new life and spirit into the piers which have played so much in the history of Jersey Sport fishing for over eighty years. There is no doubt that the "Norther Weigh Station" will expand this event and Hoffman's legend will grow and keep producing sport fishing memories and history.

The event was a great success having the sponsors available for our guests, and wonderful food catered by Chef Leonard Strobel, who also is the tournament director. He greeted his guest with a roast pig, shrimp and scallops, and cold beer. All who were there raved about the delicious food.

The highlights of the event were definitely the support given to Deborah Hospital through the purchase of the ticket books for the car drawing to be held in early December.

The spectacular entertainment provided by Michelle and Anthony playing guitar and singing made the night entertaining and memorable. All would agree they could sing anywhere and anytime we had an event.... Even in the wee hours Michelle rocked some AC/DC to stir the crowd at the Sandbar a couple doors down from Hoffman's.

Let us not forget another free drawing winner. The winner is John Stavola!!!!!! Glad to have you on board for the tournament! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

The preliminary events only show how exciting this Tournament is going to be... Make sure you get involved don't miss some of the great food and great times The Tuna $takes Invitational has to offer.

LEADING U.S. SENATOR TO INTRODUCE CRITICAL FISHERIES LEGISLATION

2009-06-11T20:48:18.000Z

Recreational Fishing Alliance Press Release
For Immediate Release June 11, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr
888 564-6732

LEADING U.S. SENATOR TO INTRODUCE CRITICAL FISHERIES LEGISLATION -
Schumer says "We can rebuild stocks & allow fishing industry to survive."

Washington - U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) announced today that he will introduce legislation in the Senate, authored in the House by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), that will bring much-needed science-based modernization and flexibility to the outdated federal rules currently stifling America's once thriving fishing industry.

"We need better science and more flexibility in our fishing management regulations. We can rebuild fishing stocks and allow for a more nuanced approach to regulations that is not overly onerous on our fishing communities," said Schumer. "Keeping our fishing stocks healthy is absolutely critical, but -- because it is based on outdated science -- the current system not only falls short of achieving this goal, but it's taking Long Island fishing community down with it," Schumer said.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) as presently written requires most fisheries designated by the Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service as "overfished" be completely rebuilt within 10 years, a timeline Schumer argues is arbitrary, often too broad, not based on available science, and lacking reasonable exceptions. The 10-year deadline has produced stringent quotas imprecisely limiting Long Island fishermen's catch, and the lack of management flexibility in the current regime prevents regulators from pursuing a more balanced approach based on the most up-to-date science.

Both the House and Senate bills have been crafted to allow fish stocks to rebuild while also taking consideration of the economic consequences to fishermen and fishing communities. In the case of summer flounder or fluke, the latest assessment data released shows that the stock is not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. Regardless of the continued growth of the stock, which fisheries experts say is at its highest level ever in the past 40 years, rigid mandates written into MSA require that New York anglers continue to fish on tighter restrictions. "Our legislation provides some much needed balance and flexibility within the existing system to both preserve our fishing stocks and allow fisheries to thrive and grow," Schumer added.

"Senator Schumer clearly recognizes the flaws in the current legislation and understands that the fishing communities on Long Island are under unnecessary stress from the current law," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "We applaud the Senator for standing up for anglers, identifying the problem, and addressing conservation needs and socioeconomic requirements in this one critical piece of fisheries legislation."

Schumer cited New York's decline in summer flounder quotas as an example of how onerous regulations hit home for anglers on Long Island. Comparing 2006 to 2009, New York suffered a 13% decline in recreational fluke quota, shrinking from 935,943 pounds in 2006 to 821,019 pounds in 2009. Along the Mid-Atlantic Coast, the numbers are similar, yet under requirements within MSA - reauthorized by Congress in 2006 -- the regional fishery management councils have very limited exceptions to rebuild stocks to precise targets within 10 years.

Because the arbitrary deadline often requires stocks to be rebuilt to unprecedented levels and must be met without regard to the impact it will have on fishing communities and related industries, Sen. Schumer said the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 offers a way to ease pressure on fishermen and their communities as fisheries continue to rebuild.

"Fluke are now estimated to be 75% rebuilt and are on a strong trend toward total rebuilt status, yet because of the way the law is currently written, regulators continue to mindlessly reduce quotas every year in an effort to meet this arbitrary deadline, with no concern about how our industry is literally being strangled out of existence," said Capt. Dennis Kanyuk, President of United Boatmen of New York. "This approach has devastated our industry, with revenue losses exceeding 60% industry wide over the last five years and greater losses expected this year. We all hope that Congress acts swiftly to pass this bill, while there is still an industry left to save."

"The RFA is hoping these bills are a wake-up call for other members of Congress to jump into the fray and get Magnuson fixed once and for all, and base these management decisions on science," said Donofrio. "The arbitrary and unnecessary deadlines are based on emotional policy decisions, not science." Donofrio explained that the limited flexibility language written into the legislation will help put fisheries management decisions back on track with scientific commitments at the federal level.

"RFA agrees with the Obama administration and (NOAA) Secretary Lubchenco that fisheries must be managed under science," said Donofrio, while adding "all non-scientific rebuilding provisions must be removed from Magnuson, and environmental stewards like Rep. Pallone and Sen. Schumer truly understand that."

Schumer stressed that the legislation would increase flexibility of quotas and allow science to determine regulations. "It has become clear that the current law can sometimes impose unduly strict timelines for rebuilding depleted fisheries and this legislation provides a measure of flexibility in the rebuilding periods in order to keep fishing communities economically viable, without compromising the ultimate rebuilding goal," Schumer said.

######
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

nPLAY CHAIRMAN PAUL PIERCE www.n-play.org

2009-06-11T14:46:40.000Z

Learn a knot

2009-06-05T21:28:44.000Z

RFA Calls On Moratorium On Recreational Closures

2009-06-05T21:03:38.000Z

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. 888 564-6732

RFA Calls On Moratorium On Recreational Closures

Galloway, NJ - In a letter this week to Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has called for an immediate moratorium on any closures to the recreational harvest of red snapper until better scientific analysis can be conducted.

"The socioeconomic importance of recreational fishing demands that the management of our nation's marine resources successfully balances the needs of the marine industry, access for anglers and long-term conservation objectives for the resource," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA. "The current management of red snapper in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico has failed."

Donofrio explains that the on-water observations from anglers throughout the southeastern U.S. indicate that red snapper are more abundant today than at any time in the past 25 years, in waters varying from 30- to 240-foot depths. Yet despite the abundance of available resource, an overly restrictive management process continues to deny public access due primarily to a defective data collection method.

"Much of the information used to make today's restrictive decisions comes from a recreational data collection program deemed by the National Research Council as 'fatally flawed' and 'inappropriate for management purposes," Donofrio said. The RFA points out that SEDAR (SouthEast Data, Assessment, and Review), the process used for the assessment of red snapper and other species, currently uses "outdated modeling approaches" and fisheries independent monitoring programs that greatly underestimate stock size, particularly for species that associate with hard bottom features as evidenced recently in a paper by noted red snapper expert Dr. Bob Shipp.

In his letter to Sen. Nelson, Donofrio wrote "RFA is requesting that you appeal to the Obama administration to suspend recreational closures for snapper and grouper until the primary recreational data collection program can be improved to such a level appropriate for management purposes and necessary advancements to the SEDAR process can be made."

The RFA is asking legislators to consider a two-pronged approach to work on behalf of coastal communities, addressing the immediate moratorium on recreational closures, while simultaneously urging support of a Senate bill to fix the Magnuson Stevens Act (MSA). "Recent amendments to the our nation's primary fishery management law, P.L. 109-479, (MSA) are prompting unprecedented restrictive regulations in many of the most important recreational fisheries in the Gulf and South Atlantic," Donofrio continued. "RFA contends MSA can be amended to allow a balance of conservation and access at the same time. RFA is supporting Representative Frank Pallone's bill, HR 1584, because it would achieve this critical and necessary balance."

HR 1584 is co-sponsored in the House by 16 other bi-partisan coastal legislators, including Florida Republican Ginny Brown-Waite and Florida Democrat Allen Boyd.

"We believe this bill is the first step to opening the door for debate," said Donofrio, adding "we're confident that moving forward with this legislation will give outside fishery professionals the opportunity to have an open debate before your Committee with those in the environmental community who are opposed to basing MSA on real marine science."

In April, the Pew Environment Group launched a massive lobbying effort in Washington DC to defeat the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009, spearheading a letter on behalf of 44 conservation groups that included Pew funding recipients like the Marine Fish Conservation Network, Oceana, the Ocean Conservancy and Defenders of Wildlife. Where recreational fishermen are noting first-hand accounts and citing new scientific studies like Dr. Shipp's which point to greater populations of red snapper, the Pew letter calls these pleas from anglers "discredited arguments" for changing the federal fisheries law.

"The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that depleted fish populations be rebuilt as quickly as biologically possible," said Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group. "But shortsightedness and political pressure has kept too many fish populations from reaching healthy, sustainable levels.

Donofrio argues that the true "shortsightedness" comes from efforts to rebuild all marine fish stocks to historic levels simultaneously and within rigid, arbitrary timeframes, which the RFA calls reckless, unrealistic and without regard for coastal communities and recreational fishermen. "Many anti-fishing environmental groups who have lobbied against our efforts want to see the waters off of Florida in a condition more pristine than when Ponce de Leon sailed the coast, regardless of the negative impact on fishing businesses and coastal economies," Donofrio said in his letter to Sen. Nelson.

"This is not a reality. It is patently unfair to hold the recreational fishing industry to an unrealistic standard not expected by any other industry in the US," he added.

More than 150 groups, organizations and businesses have come out in opposition to the Pew efforts, and have signed on with the RFA in building support for HR 1584. Florida-based fishing groups calling for a limited flexibility amendment to MSA include the Cooperative of Gulf Fishermen, Destin Charter Boat Association, Fishing Rights Alliance, Indian River Charter Boat Association, Marco Island Charter Captains Association, Panama City Boatmen Association, Pensacola Charterboat Association and the South Atlantic Charterboat Association. National groups lending support include National Association of Charterboat Operators and the Marine Retailers Association of America. The full list can be found at www.joinrfa.org/Press/FlexibilitySupporters_040909.pdf.

"RFA is concerned that in the span of a few short years, we'll lose too many anglers and too many businesses, while giving up far too many rights as Americans," Donofrio summarized in his letter to Sen. Nelson. "We hope you are able to engage this issue and provide the anglers and fishing businesses of Florida some much needed assistance."

######

The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues.The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

nPLAY

2009-06-01T18:26:22.000Z

A CHILDHOOD OBESITY FOUNDATION

nPLAY, is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. nPLAY is a childhood obesity movement driven by the sports world. Led by Chairman Paul Pierce, star athletes such as Jennie Finch, Grant Hill, Nastia Liukin, Jerry Stackhouse, Evander Holyfield, Johnny Weir, Cullen Jones, Summer Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Jay Fielder and Kenny Anderson have all teamed up to help provide every child with the opportunity to stay healthy and fit while having fun. Join the movement to get our kids nPLAY.

Conservation Group Offers "Freedom to Fish" To Highest Bidder New Management Approach Would Sell Off Recreational Access

2009-05-04T19:30:00.000Z

For Immediate Release: April, 29, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. 888 564-6732

Conservation Group Offers "Freedom to Fish" To Highest Bidder
New Management Approach Would Sell Off Recreational Access

Galloway, NJ - In what can best be described as a "pay to play" version of fisheries management, the Texas-based conservation group, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), has gone on record with a new socialized approach to managing the nation's coastal fisheries, whereby access to the resource is offered to the highest bidder. According to Dr. Russ Nelson, Fisheries Consultant for CCA, a "free market-based approach to managing red snapper and other marine fishes" could create individual fishing quotas (IFQ) for the recreational fishing community, the same as commercial fishermen.

"IFQ programs have demonstrated some success in controlling commercial fisheries, but restrict access by the general public and necessitate difficult allocation decisions," Nelson said in a CCA discussion paper delivered to the Gulf Council on April 10. Citing current discard mortality problems within the recreational sector, particularly with regard to the red snapper fishery, Nelson said "We are facing new, stricter control measures to assure that our annual catch doesn't exceed the allowable level, and the recreational sector remains without an accurate means of counting the fish we catch."

CCA's proposed "free market-based approach" would issue individual, non-reusable tags for red snapper to account for the total allowable catch during an annual cycle. The tags would be issued for public auction every year, and those members of the public who wish to catch red snapper would make bids on the available fish tags. "Let anyone who so desires to place their best bid and distribute to the highest bidders," Nelson's paper stated, "bidders could be individuals, states or organizations."

Tags would remain on individual fish until cooked and consumed, whether in a residential home or at a seafood restaurant, which CCA explains will allow all fishermen who gain access to the tags to do with the fish what they please. "Those who buy the tags can used them any way they desire - take the fish home and eat it, give them as Christmas presents, sell them, take their fish to a market and sell them," the CCA paper continued.

The authors of the discussion paper explain that the current method of surveying recreational anglers through the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS) could be eliminated, since only anglers possessing tags would be allowed to fish for regulated species like red snapper, and only a certain allotment of tags would be issued during any given cycle. "It is simple and arguably the most fair and equitable approach. Every one - anglers, commercial harvesters, seafood processors, investors and conservationists would have the same opportunity to access the resource," the CCA paper added.

Many members of the recreational fishing community fear the proposal, if put into policy, would take the common man out of fishing. "We think it is bad policy to rest fishing rights in a select few," said Jim Hutchinson, Jr. Managing Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "Such a proposal would create a fishing elite to the exclusion of the American fishing public."

"Together with marine reserves, this plan, if implemented, would completely eliminate open-access fishing in America," Hutchinson added. "Hopefully, the Gulf Council can squash this idea before it gains any credibility within fisheries management circles."

"We do not intend that our natural resources shall be exploited by the few against the interests of the many. Our aim is to preserve our natural resource for the public as a whole, for the average man and the average woman who make up the body of the American people."
- President Theodore Roosevelt.

######

The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

Petition Shows Need for Flexibility in Fisheries Management

2009-04-21T21:30:00.000Z

April 21, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr.
888 JOIN-RFA at www.joinrfa.com

Charleston, SC - In response to the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council's (SAFMC) decision to close the red snapper fishery, a groundswell of grassroots support has united the recreational and commercial fishing communities, two distinct groups that are often on opposite sides of the fisheries management spectrum. At issue to Southeast coastal fishermen is the use of arbitrary rebuilding timeframes and NOAA Fisheries' refusal to use all available science in fisheries management decisions.

"A few of us in South Carolina have tried to build consensus with members of our local commercial industry, seafood industry, insurance industry, and recreational fishermen to stop the red snapper interim rule shutdown and Amendment 17," said Wes Covington, a recreational angler out of Norway, SC. "We also have some longer-term goals and ideas developed, such as a snapper/grouper tagging program, an aquaculture restocking program, and expansion of offshore habitat to benefit our fish stocks."

In March, the SAFMC recommended that NMFS ban the red snapper fishery temporarily while a new management plan was created. A full ban on the fishery is expected to become law as early as June in order to meet the standards set forth by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the federal fisheries law which was revised as recently as 2006 to include rigid "overfishing" requirements. According to MSA, if best available science shows that a stock is overfished, the council must develop a fishery management plan to end overfishing immediately and rebuild affected stocks to maximum sustainable yield, not to exceed 10 years.

"In the long term, the current approach of fisheries management through restrictions alone is 'old-school' and brilliantly designed to fail by those who want it to," said Charleston angler Jason Ward. "While fishermen support and understand that restrictions on size limits and bag limits are a necessary part of fisheries management, it cannot be the only tool," Ward said.

The point that many fishermen and scientists are arguing is that the "best available science" used by fisheries managers has proven to be woefully inaccurate. According to the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), recent research study conducted by Dr. Robert Shipp and Dr. Steve Bortone, experts in the field of red snapper population dynamics, revealed the overall stock that of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico is far more robust than the assessments coming out of NMFS, and have been on the increase since 1995.

"We know of no instance in the history of fisheries management where the stocks may be greater than virgin levels, but the constraints on harvest continue to be more stringent," Dr. Shipp said in his report, which goes on to recount the socioeconomic importance of red snapper to both commercial and recreational fishermen and the negative economic impact that will result from ratcheting down unnecessarily on these fisheries as mandated by MSA.

"The situation with red snapper clearly illustrates the need for flexibility to manage rebuilding and rebuilt stocks, something the RFA has been saying all along," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the national sportfishing organization. "To impose such economic hardships on coastal economies based on arbitrary deadlines and outdated abundance estimates when the stocks are actually at abundance levels never seen before is inexcusable," Donofrio added.

"They have regulated most of the boats out," said Joey Prochazka of the Ladson-based fishing tackle manufacturer, Z-Man Fishing Products, and also a member of the RFA national Executive Board. "Our local head boats are dropping like flies. We are down to two operating head boats in the entire state of South Carolina."

Donofrio said a new bill introduced before the 111th Congress and co-sponsored by Rep. Henry Brown, Jr. (R-SC), the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 (HR 1584), would address many of the restrictive and arbitrary measures included in MSA, and would grant fisheries managers some flexibility to manage fish stocks, while keeping fishing communities and local fisheries healthy and sustainable for future generations. "Fixing this problem with Magnuson is long overdue and it's about time more groups get on board and petition Congress to provide the flexibility that even experienced fishery scientists and managers like Dr. Shipp are calling for," Donofrio said. "We welcome the debate on this issue in front of both Houses of Congress with the proponents of these restrictions," he said.

As an RFA member, Covington has helped organize an online petition of concerned citizens negatively affected by the emergency closure of the red snapper fishery. The petition states "We have heard and testified on numerous occasions at public hearings that the numbers and sizes of red snapper catches have improved, and this does not coincide with the NMFS stock assessments." As of April 20, more than 1,500 names were registered at www.petitiononline.com/4ourARS/petition.html, with signees agreeing that "the current red snapper stock assessment does not reflect the current stock conditions and the emergency interim rule closure should not go into effect."

"If the government truly cares about a sustainable fishery then they should look at all available options and not just ones that support knee-jerk closures and further amendments to their short sighted models," Ward said, while adding "these types of amendments show a lack of genuine innovation and a lack of concern for the much larger economic impact."

"We have been fighting this battle for two years and it just seems to get worse," added Prochazka.
#####

The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org

Chef Lenny in the news NBC 10 Wake UP CALL

2009-04-10T17:20:19.000Z

Chef Lenny who knows alot about screaming reels and cooking great meals gives you a wake up call from the TUNA Grounds...
HEAR that 130 Sing!!!!!

Sinking Ships

2009-04-01T14:09:58.000Z

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/01boats.html?hp

John Brownlee Video Blog on Mainstream Conservation Organizations

2009-03-30T17:11:05.000Z

Conservation may not be the most exciting fishing conversation but it is one that must be had in terms of preserving our right to fish, sustainable fish stocks, and coastal businesses. In this video blog John Brownlee, chief editor of Saltwater Sportsman recognizes the mainstream conservation groups. He Follows with a brief overview of the importance of supporting Conservation Organizations, and the problems that we all face as Fisherman... We must stay involved and support the organizations that support our rights. Enjoy the video.

RFA Calls for Cooling Tower Upgrades for Coastal Power Plants

2009-03-25T18:00:00.000Z

For Immediate Release: March 25, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. jhutchinson@joinrfa.org

RFA Calls for Cooling Tower Upgrades for Coastal Power Plants

Trenton, NJ - The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is requesting that all coastal legislatures pass resolutions in both their Senate and Assembly to pursue monies available through the federal stimulus package to put towards upgrades to the power generating stations that operate along those states' coastal waters. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contains $20 billion to be allocated specifically for the benefit of improving generating stations to make them more 'ecologically friendly,' which the RFA believes could be a boon to aquatic resources.

"Here in New Jersey, we know the Oyster Creek plant draws in and discharges 1.2 billion gallons of water a day, while the considerably larger Salem plant with its three reactors uses 3.05 billion gallons a day," stated John DePersenaire, a research scientist with the RFA. "As this water is drawn in and discharged, massive amounts of marine life are killed," he added.

DePersenaire explained that the Oyster Creek and Salem generating stations, like similar power plants in Brookhaven, NY and Indian River, DE utilize open-cycle cooling systems that draw water from inland and estuarine waters. In the process, millions of fish are killed annually as they become entrained on intake screens, dying from thermal shock or poisoned by chlorine. "Up to one-third of the bay anchovies from the inland bays around Indian River are killed before they're one-year-old," DePersenaire said, citing a report produced by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). He added that the outdated technology leads to the random destruction of vast numbers of local gamefish including juvenile winter flounder, striped bass and weakfish, in addition to important forage fish like menhaden and bay anchovy, species vital to the health of the local ecosystems.

"According to a report prepared for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 845 million fish per year are killed in the open loop system at the Salem plant," DePersenaire said. "The report goes on to estimate that the impact of the Salem plant on weakfish, once the most important recreational fishery in the Delaware bay, potentially equates to an overall reduction of 7% of the coast wide population or 1.2 million pounds per year stock," he added.

Closed-cycle cooling systems discharge heat through evaporation in cooling towers and recycle water within the power plant. According to the RFA, the installation of cooling towers would be the most effective way to reduce environmental and marine life impacts. This technology reduces the amount of water needed to cool a nuclear plant by upwards of 95% and has become the industry standard since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972. The operators of open-cycle generating plans have long argued that expense to upgrade to a closed-cycle system is too great. "With $20 billion available in the stimulus package, there really shouldn't be an excuse any longer," DePersenaire said.

Weakfish and winter flounder, two hugely important recreational fisheries, have both experienced deep declines in total biomass, despite continued cutbacks to the annual recreational harvest allowed by federal fisheries managers. While fishermen are actually catching fewer weakfish and winter flounder each year, the annual stock assessments show the stocks failing to respond in terms of rebuilding. The RFA said it's unlikely that any additional quota cuts will be effective in rebuilding total biomass, as many scientists and fisheries managers blame continuing declines on non-fishing sources.

"There is a mysterious correlation in the decline of certain fisheries and the operation of these power plants," explained Jim Donofrio Executive Director of the RFA. "The volume of water and marine life taken in through their open-cycle cooling has to be questioned as a contributing factor particularly with winter flounder and weakfish which are unknown to spawn in areas near these plants."

Donofrio added that the jurisdiction of fishery management councils ends with the fishing community, which means they have no legal authority to force plants to upgrade to closed-cycle systems. "That's why we're calling on coastal state legislators to introduce resolutions supporting the use of closed-cycle cooling systems," Donofrio said, adding "since funds are available in the stimulus package for these upgrades, RFA is encouraging other members of the fishing community to support the efforts of our own members in requesting some of the stimulus."

######

The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 1-888-JOIN-RFA.

Nice Dolphin in Marsh Harbour

2009-03-23T21:49:15.000Z

I had a good friend, Todd Williams, fly over to the Abaco Beach Resort for a couple days, as he needed a break from re-modeling his house. He got in late morning Friday and after he caught a ride to the resort and threw his bag on the boat, I knew I would only have a couple hour window to get him a fish before it started blowing again.
The fish gods cooperated and sacrificed this beautiful 30 lb cow. This was his biggest dolphin yet and the smile was still on his face when we finished grilling the fish for dinner. Man fresh Mahi is good on the barbeque !!
Its blowing hard for the next couple days, but its supposed to lay down Thursday. We've got several trips booked back to back after that so I'm hoping to have more info real soon.

Captain Kevin M. Deiter

Flexibility Bill A Win For Both Fish & Fishermen

2009-03-19T16:00:00.000Z

For Immediate Release March 18, 2009
Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr jhutchinson@joinrfa.org

Flexibility Bill A Win For Both Fish & Fishermen
"We Should Be Using Sound Biology &Science" Says Rep. Pallone

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)has officially re-introduced legislation designed to promote both sustainable fisheries and healthy fishing communities. If approved in the House, The Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 would amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to include limited flexibility for fishery managers when setting annual limits on managed species including summer flounder, black sea bass, pacific rockfish, gag grouper and red snapper.

The bill has already gained the bipartisan support from eight coastal legislators who signed on as original cosponsors illustrating that many believe that limited flexibility is needed in the management of rebuilding fish stocks.

"This legislation is the best way to rebuild our fisheries without bankrupting tackle shops, party boats and commercial fishermen," Pallone said. "We should be using sound biology and science when deciding how best to rebuild fish stocks. Unfortunately, the current process of managing our nation's fisheries is based on arbitrary deadlines set by Congress, which has continued to negatively impact fishing communities."

"The recreational fishing community is very appreciative to Congressman Pallone and all of the original co-sponsors for reintroducing legislation on this incredibly important issue," stated Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "This amendment to MSA injects common sense into the fishery management process, and allows regulators to improve efficiency while managing our nation's fisheries, yet will not compromise rebuilding or conservation."

As the federal law that manages federal fisheries, MSA was reauthorized by act of Congress and signed into law in 2007 that included rigid rebuilding requirements which currently force fishery management professionals to set annual limits based on arbitrary timeframes as opposed to actual conservation goals. Many fisheries experts point out that the application of these rebuilding requirements has actually restricted recreational anglers from access to rebuilding fisheries, and has caused undue negative socioeconomic impacts on the recreational fishing industry.

"I think creating more flexibility in the MSA by relaxing the 10-year rebuilding period would be a good thing," said Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC). "There's no scientific basis for the requirement," Furlong said of the arbitrary timeframe. Furlong explained that so long as overfishing is stopped and other sources of mortality remain relatively constant and recruitment rates for new fish remain at an average rate, the stocks will rebuild to their target biomass levels. "The paradox of rebuilding deadlines is that as the stocks grow and approach their targets, management has been forced to be more restrictive with the resource just for the sake of achieving the deadline," Furlong added.

Language contained in the new House Bill would give the Secretary of Commerce the discretion to adjust rebuilding timeframes only if specific criteria are present to ensure that the conservation of such stocks continues to advance. "Fishing is a treasured family tradition for many residents," said U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-NJ), while adding "for others, it is a source of their livelihood." A co-sponsor of the bill, Congressman Adler said "I am proud to support a bill that recognizes the needs of recreational and commercial fisherman and implements environmental practices that promote healthy fisheries."

Originally introduced in the 110th Congress, HR 5425 had 19 cosponsors and gained wide support from over 100 different regional and national organizations, including fishing groups, marine industry associations, and fishery management councils. When Congress returned to session following the summer recess, representatives immediately became entrenched with the volatile economic climate in advance of the presidential election, and HR 5425 didn't garner much attention. Now with businesses failing nationwide and coastal communities bracing for an uncertain summer tourist season, retailers are hoping that the latest bill can quickly gain support in both the House and Senate to provide customers with access to the resource.

"This legislation and the improvements it would bring to fisheries management are necessary for the long term health of important recreational fisheries and the boating industries," said Phil Keeter, President of the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA) which represents 2,500 members of the marine industry. "We applaud the work of the Recreational Fishing Alliance in working with members of the 111th Congress and having this important legislation reintroduced," Keeter added.
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The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 1-888-JOIN-RFA.