Today the CMR heard the final rule on the proposed Net Ban at Cat Island. They took a vote and with only four Commissioners present the motion ended up in a tie. Commissioners Daniels and Havard voted for the Ban and Commissioners Gollott and Bassarge voted against the Ban. Without a majority “For” vote the proposed net ban fails and no action is taken. Commissioner Trapanni was not present and has not been present for the last three months. I don’t care what side of the issue your on it does not makes sense to ask for a vote without an odd number of Commissioners to avoid a tie. The issue could have been tabled until a properly formed Commission was present. IMHO
Cat Island Net Ban Fails
wild bill
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This year was the worst year i've seen in the past 16 years there. I really hope its not related to the netting but deep down i know it is.
The hardest part to swallow of all of this is that its being defended as people's livelihood. SMH. 50,000 at $3.50 a lb is $175,000.
If Louisiana restaurants can survive without netted speckled trout and the fishermen there can make do without netting them i'm certain it is the same in MS.
And before anyone says i want to end commercial fishing i don't. Id rather see a 100,000 lb commercial quota all rod and reel than a 50,000 lb quota caught before the end of May via nets.
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Them running through the grass is not the issue. Their quota is not the issue. Commercial vs recreational quotas aren't the issue. The issue is the harvesting method. How they are harvesting (disguising hail shines for gill nets) is the issue. They aren't doing anything wrong outside of using illegal methods. That's where you attack with tangible, objective evidence that how they are catching there fish is no longer acceptable. If we do that, we take away the nets and every other issue is resolved. Attack the nets...not the people, quota, grassbeds, etc...
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I was at the meeting when they discussed all this. It evidently does not matter. The commercial guys said they have "special" equipment designed to net at Cat. Whatever it is it rips up the grass and makes cat unfishable (for artificial) regardless. All i can tell you is Tony Trapanni (sp?) was there and spoke on banning the netting. If his X voted against it i will make sure myself and any other person i know never goes into that restaurant. I live in the Bay and know a lot of people. Word will get out.
Commercial and recreational both have rights to catch trout and can both reasonably share the resource. That said, it is hardly "sharing the resource" when netters wipe a bar clean of trout and leave virtually nothing for the recreational guys to catch. This has happened on the west bar for the past three years. Keep the commercial quota, and let them sit out there all day/night w a light and work on catching their quota (and report it!), but it would be good to level the playing field and have it straight hook n line.
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490 Posts
she was not present so she basically voted against it in my opinion since the vote was 2-2.
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1,546 Posts
Agree. I fish the bar area a good bit. Years prior I only saw 1 net boat. This year there were several.
They really put a hurting on that area this year. So much so I just quit going. I got to fish a lot more this year than years past. Learned a lot and can pick my days for optimal conditions and I’m not catching hardly any fish. I limited several times last year. This year my best day was 12 fish. You will never convince it’s me it’s not the netters. I was catching good numbers out front in March. Once the netters started that quit and it never recovered. Another thing I’ve noticed that is concerning is very few shorts. May 1 or 2 a trip, if that.
They really put a hurting on that area this year. So much so I just quit going. I got to fish a lot more this year than years past. Learned a lot and can pick my days for optimal conditions and I’m not catching hardly any fish. I limited several times last year. This year my best day was 12 fish. You will never convince it’s me it’s not the netters. I was catching good numbers out front in March. Once the netters started that quit and it never recovered. Another thing I’ve noticed that is concerning is very few shorts. May 1 or 2 a trip, if that.
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163 Posts
They should not allow a tie. It should be an up or down vote.
Total BS. Screw her and her restaurant.
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1,109 Posts
You are correct, her term expired in June. There is no mention in the commission meeting minutes since then about continuing her membership or replacing her.
The DMR website still lists her as a member, but that obviously is incorrect.
Interesting. You could pretty much predict a tie vote on the net ban, since two remaining members represent the commercial industry and the other two represent recreational fishermen and charter boat industry.
Because far too many commercial entities are way more interested in all they can get today with little thought (or care?) about the long term.
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With you posting that I add that I about choked at the meeting when the President of their association actual had the nerve to ask all of us " Do you honestly think the commercial net fishermen would decimate the species and fish themselves out of a job?" Well duhhhhhh
. Everyone knows with commercial anything it is fish or hunt it until their gone, get what $$$$ you can get and on to the next species. Don't take my word on it ask the American Bison.
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836 Posts
Aside from this issue there's something going on in the Gulf's inshore fishery lately that is greater than this netting issue.
1. Specks are in low numbers everywhere...
2. Flounder are missing
3. Oxygen levels and fresh water intrusion(?) crazy in Biloxi Marsh. Not only Pogeys dying lotta redfish floating around too.
4. Fill in the blank____________
Every year weather, conditions vary but sure would like some explanations from somebody....is anybody really watching or concerned????
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_States_Marine_Fisheries_Commission
https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/index.html
http://www.fisherycouncils.org/gulf-of-mexico/
1. Specks are in low numbers everywhere...
2. Flounder are missing
3. Oxygen levels and fresh water intrusion(?) crazy in Biloxi Marsh. Not only Pogeys dying lotta redfish floating around too.
4. Fill in the blank____________
Every year weather, conditions vary but sure would like some explanations from somebody....is anybody really watching or concerned????
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_States_Marine_Fisheries_Commission
https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/index.html
http://www.fisherycouncils.org/gulf-of-mexico/
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I was reading another forum the other day were some guys were talking about how awful the fishing has been in big lake this year.
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I will not be renewing my CCA membership. The leadership at CCA really fumbled this one. They should hire the commercial representative who did a heck of a job advocating for the netters.
I hate to admit it but that young fellow out gunned the CCA at every turn on this Cat Island issue. As much as I dislike the net fishing that is going on it is hard to argue that they are having more of an impact than all of us combined.
I guess we all need to begin to brace for a reduction in bag limit and a season on speckled trout in MS. Although I don’t see how in the world they could require reporting on tails n scales for rec trout as I am hearing will be considered soon.
SMDH! Guess we should have just left these commercial fishermen alone.
I hate to admit it but that young fellow out gunned the CCA at every turn on this Cat Island issue. As much as I dislike the net fishing that is going on it is hard to argue that they are having more of an impact than all of us combined.
I guess we all need to begin to brace for a reduction in bag limit and a season on speckled trout in MS. Although I don’t see how in the world they could require reporting on tails n scales for rec trout as I am hearing will be considered soon.
SMDH! Guess we should have just left these commercial fishermen alone.
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1,546 Posts
You're blaming the wrong people. DMR/CMR are too busy talking out of both sides of their mouth to keep their story straight.
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163 Posts
How in the **** do you allow a 2-2 tie.
This isn't freaking soccer.
This isn't freaking soccer.
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