Preserve Your Right to Fish Let your voice be heard<!–more–>

Save our waters from being saved

By: Denny O¹Hern

Ignoring the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and Conservation Management Act and two National Research Council reviews in the past decade, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) continues to generate and use fatally-flawed recreational data to close healthy fisheries. These unwarranted closures will cost tens of thousands of

jobs and tens of billions of dollars in economic impact (Red Snapper,Red Grouper, Gag Grouper, Striped Bass, and Greater Amberjack).

NMFS ignores the loss of jobs and the negative economic and social impacts, in defiance of National Standard 8. NMFS also ignores the people who actually fish, unless those people agree with NMFS.Ignoring or minimizing non-NMFS scientists that disagree with NMFS is a specialty of the current administrators.Fishing is our heritage and our right; a thread that runs through our communities. We also have a right sound management of our resources.

Sound management does not include closure of healthy resources based on fatally flawed data. Defiance of the law and Congress seem to be regular occurrences at the NMFS. Congress must bring its defiant employees under control. We need relief from the job loss and economic adversity caused by draconian acts of defiance.

Legislators have the opportunity to right a wrong and save jobs.That seems better than writing a check to create jobs. You can preserve your right to fish with the help of your congressmen. They will listen to you if you speak up.

Learn how at

www.joinFRA.org.

When Florida¹s four million saltwater anglers speak out, our right to fish will be preserved.