Dorothy Lowman, Chair Pacific Fishery Management Council ... · Dorothy Lowman, Chair Pacific...
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Dorothy Lowman, Chair Pacific Fishery Management Council 1100 NE Ambassador Place, #101 Portland, Oregon 97220 RE: Agenda Item F.3 – Deep Set Buoy Gear Amendment Scoping Dear Chair Lowman and Council members, Sportfishing is the backbone of our industry and sportfishermen are the lifeblood keeping our businesses running. We write to stand with the thousands of sportfishermen calling for change in the West Coast swordfish fishery, and encourage you to begin the authorization process for deep-set buoy gear in March. The West Coast commercial fishery for swordfish needs alternative gear types to drift gillnets. These mile-long nets, set for hours at a time overnight, ensnare finfish such as striped marlin and many other species of marine life resulting in 64% of the catch being discarded overboard, often injured or dead. Last year, the Pacific Fishery Management Council took several positive steps in developing a comprehensive Swordfish Management & Monitoring Plan with the goal of reducing bycatch in the West Coast swordfish fishery. We commend the Council for its approval of hard caps on protected and vulnerable species, as well as 100 percent monitoring in the drift gillnet fishery, as interim measures until a transition to cleaner gear occurs. Additionally, we applaud the Council’s decision to leave authorization of shallow-set longline gear outside the Exclusive Economic Zone off of the Council‘s 2016 agenda. We hope this deletion is permanent, as any West Coast-based longline fishery would not achieve the Council’s goal of reducing bycatch and are not a sustainable alternative to drift gillnets. Deep-set buoy gear provides such an alternative, and we strongly encourage the Pacific Fishery Management Council to authorize this gear in a timely manner. Buoy gear is actively tended, using a hook-and-buoy system that enables fishermen to drop their hooks as deep as 1,200 feet to reach swordfish and respond to a bite within minutes. Scientists and cooperating fishermen have tested the gear extensively for nearly five years and it maintains a 94 percent marketable catch rate. We believe the work to implement hard caps and 100 percent monitoring can coincide with authorization of deep-set buoy gear. Please ensure that authorization of this important innovation is a priority in 2016. Thank you in advance on behalf of the International Game Fish Association, Coastal Conservation Association California , the American Sportfishing Association, and the over one hundred sportfishing businesses listed below. Sincerely, We the undersigned
Transcript of Dorothy Lowman, Chair Pacific Fishery Management Council ... · Dorothy Lowman, Chair Pacific...
DorothyLowman,ChairPacificFisheryManagementCouncil1100NEAmbassadorPlace,#101Portland,Oregon97220RE:AgendaItemF.3–DeepSetBuoyGearAmendmentScoping
DearChairLowmanandCouncilmembers,
Sportfishingisthebackboneofourindustryandsportfishermenarethelifebloodkeepingourbusinessesrunning.WewritetostandwiththethousandsofsportfishermencallingforchangeintheWestCoastswordfishfishery,andencourageyoutobegintheauthorizationprocessfordeep-setbuoygearinMarch.
TheWestCoastcommercialfisheryforswordfishneedsalternativegeartypestodriftgillnets.Thesemile-longnets,setforhoursatatimeovernight,ensnarefinfishsuchasstripedmarlinandmanyotherspeciesofmarineliferesultingin64%ofthecatchbeingdiscardedoverboard,ofteninjuredordead.
Lastyear,thePacificFisheryManagementCounciltookseveralpositivestepsindevelopingacomprehensiveSwordfishManagement&MonitoringPlanwiththegoalofreducingbycatchintheWestCoastswordfishfishery.WecommendtheCouncilforitsapprovalofhardcapsonprotectedandvulnerablespecies,aswellas100percentmonitoringinthedriftgillnetfishery,asinterimmeasuresuntilatransitiontocleanergearoccurs.
Additionally,weapplaudtheCouncil’sdecisiontoleaveauthorizationofshallow-setlonglinegearoutsidetheExclusiveEconomicZoneoffoftheCouncil‘s2016agenda.Wehopethisdeletionispermanent,asanyWestCoast-basedlonglinefisherywouldnotachievetheCouncil’sgoalofreducingbycatchandarenotasustainablealternativetodriftgillnets.
Deep-setbuoygearprovidessuchanalternative,andwestronglyencouragethePacificFisheryManagementCounciltoauthorizethisgearinatimelymanner.Buoygearisactivelytended,usingahook-and-buoysystemthatenablesfishermentodroptheirhooksasdeepas1,200feettoreachswordfishandrespondtoabitewithinminutes.Scientistsandcooperatingfishermenhavetestedthegearextensivelyfornearlyfiveyearsanditmaintainsa94percentmarketablecatchrate.
Webelievetheworktoimplementhardcapsand100percentmonitoringcancoincidewithauthorizationofdeep-setbuoygear.Pleaseensurethatauthorizationofthisimportantinnovationisapriorityin2016.
ThankyouinadvanceonbehalfoftheInternationalGameFishAssociation,CoastalConservationAssociationCalifornia,theAmericanSportfishingAssociation,andtheoveronehundredsportfishingbusinesseslistedbelow.
Sincerely,
Wetheundersigned
AmericanSportfishingAssociationMikeLeonard-OceanResourcePolicyDirectorAlexandria,VADaiwaCorporationTerryPederson-VPofSales/MarketingCypress,CAFredHallShows,Inc.BartHall-ProducerCamarillo,CAPelagicColinSarfeh-MarketingDirectorCostaMesa,CATowBoatUS&VesselAssistBenScanlan-GeneralManagerAvalon,CADanaWharfSportfishingandWhaleWatchingDonnaKalez-VicePresidentDanaPoint,CANorthwestSportfishingIndustryAssociationLizHamilton-ExecutiveDirectorOregonCity,ORHobieCatCompanyMorganPromnitz-FishingProductManagerOceanside,CAWesternbassWayneWasulko-PresidentSacramento,CAOFBoutdoorsMichaelTapocik-Founder/PresidentDanaPoint,CASalmonKingLodgeBillDivens-Owner/GuideRedBluff,CABobSandsFishingTackle,Inc.SalVallone-PresidentVanNuys,CA
AmericanFishingTackleCompany(AFTCO)BillShedd-PresidentSantaAna,CAWestMarineRandyRepass-FounderWatsonville,CAShimanoAmericanCorporationPhilMorlock-Director,EnvironmentalAffairsIrvine,CABDOutdoors,LLCAliHussainy-PresidentSanDiego,CAWesternOutdoorNewsBobTwilegar-PresidentSanClemente,CAPacificCoastSportfishingMagazineDrewLawler-President&EditorialDirectorNewportBeach,CACousinsTackleCharlieAlbright-CustomerServiceManagerHuntingtonBeach,CABetterFishtrap/TheQuicklineSystemAdamCarlebach-PresidentOakland,CAQualiaReelsDoshMcClendon-OwnerNovato,CAAAWormsMatthewPaino-GeneralManagerTemecula,CATackleWarehouseRichardZeilenga-COOSanLuisObispo,CASeaGuideRickHall-GlobalSalesManagerMissoula,CA
Aguadrone,LLCDanielMarion-OwnerSanDiego,CAPerformanceTackleMarcHigashi-OwnerLosAlamitos,CATheRustyHookAlexMasumoto-OwnerSanPedro,CALet’sTalkHookupPeteGray-PresidentSanDiego,CARinseKitEliseWalker-AssociateMarketingDirectorCarlsbad,CAMarshallMadrugaBrandsMarshallMadruga-OwnerSanDiego,CASunrizeTackle,Inc.PeteWolf-OwnerGoleta,CAOkumaFishingTackleDouglasLasko-PresidentOntario,CAWesternFishingAdventures,Ltd.BradStaples-GuideWestLinn,ORSky’sGuideServiceSkylenFreet-OwnerSandy,ORPoulsonCascadeTackle,LLCTomHester-OwnerClackamas,OROregonRiverTrailsOutfittersBillKremers-OwnerCorvallis,OR
Fin&FieldRobertMurphy-CEOSantaBarbara,CAPacificRecreationalProductsJimStewart-OwnerTigard,ORParadiseGuideServicePhilParadis-PresidentCanby,ORMichael’sGuideServiceMichaelShearer-OwnerGlide,ORSteveHuberGuideServiceSteveHuber-OwnerDouglasCity,CATotalFishermanGuideServiceKevinNewell-GuidePortland,ORTomPoseyCoRonHiller-PresidentTigard,ORFightClubGuidedFishingJayDaly-CaptainSt.Helens,ORLittleStoneFlyfisherBobTriggs-OwnerPortTownsend,WADoubleGGuideServiceGaryGeis-OwnerBattleGround,WALeisureSalesDanParnelL-PresidentAuburn,WABluewaterBaitSystemsRandyWood-OwnerCostaMesa,CA
SaltWaterBassAnglersEricBent-DirectorWhittier,CASeaTowNewportBeach/LAChrisMcCarthy-OwnerNewportBeach,CAAllFishWearElenaYuja-OwnerHuntingtonPark,CAPhenixRodsAlexCampos-OperationsManagerBellflower,CAReliableFishingProductsPaulRobbins-OwnerOrangeCounty,CAPicanteSportfishingTonyCraig-SalesManagerChinoHills,CAWhopperStoppersEdRobison-OwnerRiverside,CAConvictLakeResortCharlesPorter-MarketingManagerMammothLakes,CASoCalReels-PulliamEnterprisePaulPulliam-OwnerSanDiego,CAProTowersMikeByrum-OwnerLakewood,CASoCalReelsRobbLeTourneau-CaptainSanDiego,CAGetSomeSportsJohnAnderson-PresidentSanClemente,CA
ThresherBoatsBrandonWesselink-OwnerSanClemente,CAWestCoastTrailersWayneRedmond-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CAKetchamTackleJasonKetcham-OwnerCostaMesa,CASportfishingFinancialRickJensen-OwnerSanJuanCapistrano,CASeasonsSportfishingJamieThinnes-OwnerSanDiego,CANewFishallBaitCoKentWilliams-OwnerGardena,CACowbuoySportfishingScottWilson-OwnerSanDiego,CACharkBaitMarkSmith-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CAToroTamerNadiyaSmith-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CASpearAmericaPetrosYiannikouros-OwnerIrvine,CATheBoardroomChartersToddMansour-CaptainDanaPoint,CASanDiegoTackleTradersDaveNichols-OwnerSanDiego,CA
HarborBoatRentalsLandonYacobucci-CaptainDanaPoint,CAFisherman’sAccessJackKaneoka-OwnerBrea,CAFPSConsultingRonWade-OwnerOrangeCounty,CAFreedomBoatClub-ParkerBoatsPeterAxelrod-MembersExecutiveOrangeCounty,CAShannonRoseSportfishingErikCarmack-CaptainDanaPoint,CASOSMarineChrisSpillers-OwnerSantaAna,CAFIAInsuranceServicesIncTimManaka-PresidentPasadena,CAPacificPropertiesServiceMichaelFarrior-CEO/FounderSanDiego,CABanzaiJerkyBenAoki-OwnerFountainValley,CABungalowBayCoJosephSabina-CFOLongBeach,CABajaFishGearEdTschernoscha-OwnerLomita,CABlueWaveJewelryPaulHansen-OwnerNewportBeach,CA
GMCSportsGreggChow-OwnerFullerton,CARichardDRossConstructionInc.RichardRoss-PresidentConcord,CAHottStuffSportsRichErwin-OwnerRiverside,CABomboyFishingLuresBomboyLlanes-OwnerKailunaKoa,HIYesBayLodgeAlaskaNickyMartinez-Chef/GeneralManagerKetchikan,AKKatmaiLodge-AlaskaBobKantor-OperationsManagerKingSalmon,AKNautilusReelsKristenMustad-OwnerMiami,FLSalmonCatcherLodgeTerenceJohnson-OwnerKenai,AKTiborReelsMariannePapa-VicePresidentDelrayBeach,FLFishologyAlaskaMarkWackler-OwnerSoldotna,AKDuncanbyLodgeDaveLogan-RegionalManagerBritishColumbia,CanadaScentBlazerLuresMikeRennie-ProStaff/DistributionSydney,Australia
HalcoTackleCompanyKNeilPatrick-ChairmanFremantle,AustraliaJenWrenSportfishingMarkRayor-Owner/CaptainBajaCalifornia,MexicoBajaFishingConvoysOrchidMartinez-Owner/PresidentBajaCalifornia,Mexico
Pro-CurePhilPirone-PresidentSalem,ORBobRees’GuideServiceBobRees-OwnerTillamook,OR
100+ Sportfishing Businesses Support New Solutions for Swordfishing
