For Immediate Release: March 9, 2009 Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. 888 564-6732

Recreational Fishing Alliance Challenges Summer Flounder Conservation Problem

The 2008 summer flounder fishing season marked a bleak new era in the history of coastal fisheries management, going down in the books as the first year that the mortality associated with recreational discards of summer flounder equaled the overall harvest mortality. Based on the statistical numbers from the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey (MRFSS), nearly 50% of the total recreational mortality is attributed to regulatory discard, the highest level of discard mortality for this sector in the 27-year history of MRFSS.

"Current management in the recreational summer flounder fishery has created an unnecessary conservation problem," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "Recreational anglers caught an estimated 25 million summer flounder in 2008, with 2.38 million of those fish harvested and the remaining 23 million discarded due to burdensome regulations." Since the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) assumes that 10% of all recreational summer flounder discards die, Donofrio explains that managers must then assume that 2.3 million summer flounder were killed by recreational anglers in 2008 in order to comply with fishing regulations.

Deemed by federal regulators as the best available science for tallying the recreational catch, MRFSS has also been called "fatally flawed" by fisheries managers due to its random collection methodology. However, the data is still used to set annual fishing quotas which results in increasing size limits and shrinking seasons. "Fishery managers are forced to work within mandated rebuilding deadlines that are arbitrary and not based on science," Donofrio explained in a recent letter to the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council. "The result in many fisheries is wasteful, inefficient management and a less vibrant recreational fishing industry. Current and anticipated management of the recreational summer flounder fishery is clearly inconsistent with the spirit and intent of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act where conservation and access is the goal."

Unlike other recreational fisheries including striped bass and bluefish, as well as highly migratory species like marlin and sailfish which boast a high level of voluntary discard by dedicated catch and release sportfishermen, there is no value to summer flounder discards. "An excessive level of discarding as we currently see in this fishery is a deterrent to participation and impedes conservation objectives contained within the fishery management plan," Donofrio explained.

Donofrio points out that the RFA has long lobbied on behalf of this issue, saying that NMFS dismisses recreational summer flounder discards by claiming that the poundage is minimal due the small size of most discards. "Regardless of the pounds, a fish removed from a stock prior to spawning ultimately reduces the spawning potential of the stock and its ability to replenish itself," he said. "The current regime makes no sense and has been discussed within the recreational community for many years."

The RFA charges that the best available science proves recreational anglers are landing fewer fish while at the same time discarding more of the smaller fish due to mandated size limits. In 1993, 6.49 million fish were landed, estimated to be 8.84 million pounds of fish. In 2007, only 3.39 million fish were landed, almost half of the amount landed in 1993. However, the estimated weight on those fish was 9.86 million pounds. "In terms of number of fish landed, recreational harvest is a fraction of the historical mean yet overfishing is linked to pounds landed," Donofrio said. "This cycle must be broken; it's ridiculous and simply defies common sense."

Donofrio explained that lobbying efforts by members of the environmental business community during the last Magnuson reauthorization cycle left regional councils with a broken management tool which has ultimately lead to this serious conservation problem. "We lobbied to get this flexibility language included in the Magnuson Act to help protect our coastal fisheries, but too many conservation groups erroneously claimed we were more interested in protecting the fishermen as opposed to the fish," he said. "RFA will continue to take the lead to protect the whole fishery, fish and the fishermen alike."

Contact Jim Hutchinson, Jr., Managing Director of the RFA at: jhutchinson@joinrfa.org .

What is RFA?

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, 501(c)(4) non-profit grassroots political action organization that has been representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry since 1996. 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 U.S. saltwater fisheries. RFA members include individual anglers, boat builders, fishing tackle manufacturers, party and charter boat businesses, bait and tackle retailers, marinas, and many other businesses in fishing communities.

Mitch Roffer, PhD, owner of Roffers Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, will be giving a seminar on March 14 at Captains Outfitters, , 809 Route 70 East, Brick, NJ 08724 (formally lightning Jacks Marina) at 2 pm on the scientific method of improving one's catch rate. Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. (ROFFS™) is a scientific consulting company founded in 1987 and based in Miami and West Melbourne, Florida (U.S.A.) involved with fisheries oceanography, environmental science, and satellite remote sensing. ROFFS is best known for its tactical and strategic fisheries forecasts based on interpretation of satellite and other fisheries oceanographic data. ROFFS fishing forecasts have produced over 4,200 tournament wins and 5 world records.

The seminar will focus on what is a preferred habitat in terms of water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, clarity/turbidity, and water color. Dr. Roffer will discuss fish catchability as it relates to fish being available (geographically) and vulnerable to surface fishing gear and how this is linked the main ocean factors affecting fish in the northeast (temperature, water color, water density, and bottom structure). El Nino and climate variability will be discussed in relation to catchability. Part of this talk will focus on the absence of yellowfin tuna in July, August and September of 2008 and the long term forecast for 2009.

The subjects of preferred habitat and catchability will be Dr. Roffer will provide a critical review of some of the more common techniques that are presently being used to search for productive fishing grounds by local area fishermen, as well as, by others using satellites, other oceanographic data and models.

In addition to providing scientific advise to fishermen, Roffers is also intensively involved in a broad range of projects such as ship routing, oil and gas drilling operations, seismic and fish surveys, fisheries development, aquaculture, environmental monitoring, search and rescue and applied scientific research. Dr. Roffer will speak on his philosophy on environmental protection, fish conservation, and the importance of preserving habitat and clean water.

Come join Dr. Roffer March 14 at Lighting Jacks Marina for an informative and entertaining afternoon. The seminar will be approximately 2 hours and gift certificates will be given to those in attendance. A $20 dollar donation to RFA for their continued fight for your right to fish is appreciated but not necessary. Those planning to attend please call ROFFS at 1-800-677-7633 or email Sharon Whidden at sharon@roffs.com

What is RFA?

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, 501(c)(4) non-profit grassroots political action organization that has been representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry since 1996. 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 U.S. saltwater fisheries. RFA members include individual anglers, boat builders, fishing tackle manufacturers, party and charter boat businesses, bait and tackle retailers, marinas, and many other businesses in fishing communities

Source: Join RFA

For Immediate Release: March 4, 2009

Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. 888-JOIN RFA

New Study Confirms RFA's Claims on Red Snapper Abundance Galloway, NJ - A new study released by Dr. Robert Shipp and Dr. Steve Bortone reveals that the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper stock may be at a higher level of abundance than estimated by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Their work suggests that a significant portion of the fish population remains unaccounted through traditional abundance surveys, explaining that red snapper are actually thriving due to the marked habitat improvements seen through highly successful artificial reef programs and more than 5,000 oil rigs. The findings challenge the current status of overfished and overfishing for red snapper.

"The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and our Gulf of Mexico members were among the first to bring this issue of undercounted red snapper to the attention of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council years ago," said Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the RFA. "Ironically, the RFA was criticized by conservation groups who refused to support the claims by actual fishermen, and instead chose to go along with the flawed NMFS assessment. We are encouraged that these groups now recognize what we have for so long."

It is thought that red snapper, particularly age 2 fish, are limited to available habitat and prior to 1950 very little natural hard bottom features were available in the Gulf. Man-made hard bottom deployed since that time has created thousands of square miles of new habitat, allowing the population to expand beyond the traditional red snapper range and making the stock more productive. Much of this new habitat is not sampled by NMFS, which the new study says creates a chronic underestimation of stock size.

"Pure and simple, this illustrates the need for flexibility in rebuilding and fisheries management, something the RFA has been saying all along," Donofrio said. "Recreational anglers are being denied access to this important fishery based on outdated abundance estimates."

When testifying before Congress in 2007, Donofrio noted that rebuilding provisions and rigid overfishing language hardcoded into the federal fishing law would have a significant impact on the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. "The most recent stock assessment establishes the spawning potential ratio at seven times larger than the last assessment in 2000," Donofrio told the Committee on Natural Resources, adding "red snapper is at historically high levels of abundance."

Because of the inflexible requirements set forth by the Magnuson Stevens Act, anglers' total allowable catch (TAC) of red snapper has been cut by more than half in the past two years, resulting in a significantly shorter snapper season and drastically reduced bag limit. "This new regime is causing both unnecessary regulatory discards and severe negative social and economic impacts to local fishing communities throughout the Gulf," Donofrio testified in 2007.

The latest report by Dr. Shipp and Dr. Bortone helps bolster the on-water observations from Gulf fishermen and continued lobbying efforts by RFA. Fishermen often see changes on the water two to three years before they are even picked up in NMFS assessment, and in the case of red snapper around the reefs and rigs, NMFS does not include these fish as part of their sampling protocol which means there's no way for federal fisheries researchers to count these fish as part of the total stock.

"It is clear to the RFA that the red snapper stock and many others are in better shape," Donofrio said. "Fisheries managers must be afforded some type of limited flexibility when rebuilding healthy fish stocks such as red snapper to allow science to keep pace with management." Donofrio explained that it was the RFA which had recommended that Dr. Shipp be invited to the same Congressional hearing in 2007 to testify on behalf these "observable facts" within the Gulf of Mexico snapper fishery.

"The mission of the RFA forces us to challenge NMFS science when it does not reflect what we see on the water. When other organizations were willing to accept bad science while dismissing the claims of the anglers themselves who were out on the water, RFA was willing to fight for the recreational fishing community."

"We challenged what we knew was wrong and we hope other groups will join us in the future, not just in being critical, but by being analytical," Donofrio added.

Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr., Managing Director of the RFA at jhutchinson@joinrfa.org.

What is RGA?

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, 501(c)(4) non-profit grassroots political action organization that has been representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry since 1996. 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 U.S. saltwater fisheries. RFA members include individual anglers, boat builders, fishing tackle manufacturers, party and charter boat businesses, bait and tackle retailers, marinas, and many other businesses in fishing communities.

2009 Tuna Permits
 
NMFS announces the availability of Atlantic tunas, Atlantic HMS Angling, and HMS
Charter/Headboat permits for the 2009 fishing year.  These permits can be
purchased online at www.hmspermits.gov, by phone at (888)-872-8862, or by mail.
The attached notice is also available on the HMS Management Division's website
at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/breaking_news.htm

RTAngler.com Fisherman's news excerpt from Noaa website

NOAA to Create Saltwater Angler Registry in 2010

Final rule gives states more time to implement local data gathering

December 23, 2008

NOAA’s Fisheries Service released its final rule today to create a national saltwater angler registry of all marine recreational fishermen to help the nation better protect our shared marine resources. A requirement to establish a registry was included in a statute approved by Congress in 2007.

“Better national surveys of the more than 15 million saltwater anglers will help us demonstrate the important contributions of recreational anglers to both local economies and to the nation’s,” said Jim Balsiger, NOAA acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. "The registry will help us gather comprehensive data to ensure sustainable fisheries built on the best available science."

The improved quality of recreational fishing data achieved through a national saltwater angler registry will help demonstrate the economic value of saltwater recreational fishing, and will provide a more complete picture of how recreational fishing is affecting fish stocks. This kind of information is essential to NOAA’s goal to end overfishing as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. All recreational anglers who fish in federal waters will be required to participate, with some exemptions for those already registered in their states.

The registry is the product of a major recommendation to NOAA in a 2006 independent scientific review by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. The NRC found that NOAA needed a comprehensive list of everyone who fishes recreationally in marine waters to improve surveys of saltwater anglers used to help manage and rebuild fish stocks. The NRC recommendation became law in 2007 with the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary federal law that enables NOAA to manage ocean fish stocks.

The final rule requires anglers and spearfishers who fish recreationally in federal ocean waters to be included in the national saltwater angler registry by Jan. 1, 2010.

Beginning January 2009, NOAA will exempt anglers from the federal registration rule if they are licensed in states that have a system to provide complete information on their saltwater anglers to the national registry.

“NOAA wants to work closely with the states and anglers to better capture the contributions and effects of sportfishing,” said Balsiger. “We expect that this additional year will allow a number of states to put in place systems to register their anglers annually and provide this information to NOAA.”

NOAA had originally proposed that registration be required beginning Jan. 1, 2009, but based on public input decided to give states another year to put in place their own data collection systems.

If anglers are not licensed or registered by a state that has been exempted and want to fish in federal waters, they will be required to register with NOAA. They also must register if they fish in tidal waters for migratory fish such as striped bass and salmon that spawn in rivers and spend their adult lives in estuaries and oceans. However, those who fish recreationally for these migratory species inland of tidal waters need not register, according to the final rule.

Federal saltwater angler registrations will include an angler’s name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and the regions where they intend to fish. This information will be used by NOAA to conduct surveys on fishing effort and amounts of fish caught. Once anglers have registered, they may fish anywhere in U.S. federal waters, or in tidal waters for anadromous species, regardless of the region or regions they specified in their registration. The registration will be valid for one year from its date of issue. Anglers must comply with applicable state licensing requirements when fishing in state waters.

Saltwater anglers will be able to register online or by calling a toll-free telephone number that will be publicized, and will receive a registration certificate. Anglers will need to carry this certificate (or their state license from an exempt state) and produce it to an authorized enforcement officer if requested. No fee will be charged in 2010. An estimated fee of $15 to $25 per angler will be charged starting in 2011.

Anglers who fish only on licensed party, charter, or guide boats would not be required to register with NOAA since these vessels are surveyed separately from angler surveys. Those who hold angler permits to fish for highly migratory species, such as tunas or swordfish, and those fishing under commercial fishing licenses will also be exempt. Anglers registered or permitted to fish in a formal state or federal subsistence fishery will also be exempt, as will anglers under 16.

NOAA received nearly 500 comments from anglers, state officials, and fishing and environmental organizations on its proposed national registry rule during the comment period from June 12 until Aug. 21. The registry is one component of the agency's new Marine Recreational Information Program, an initiative to enhance data collection on recreational catch and effort.

To read the final registry rule and other information about the Marine Recreational Information Program, visit the Program's Web site.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.

At RTAngler we are excited to be a part of the 2008 LBI CUP held at the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club. We hope that we get a lot of anglers to participate in the first ever RTAngler photo and video contest. We are offering bunker spoons as prizes and bucktails to the top five photo and video entries.  There will also be two Mustang Classic Camo Bomber jackets for the Grand Prize winners. These Jackets are the best for the HARDCORE winter angler and duck hunter. They keep you afloat and very warm when fishing in those cold days, an added measure of safety that you will forget is even there.  These Mustang Jackets are comfortable!!!! 

November 1st, 2008

We are excited to be using the Mogulus and the KYTE platforms to show Fishing from all around the world. These two platforms allow you to broadcast your traditional and mobile video on RTAngler.com.  Find out about new places to fish and to watch others pursuing fish of all types from destinations all around the globe.  Keep an eye on our community as they travel abroad to chase pelagic gamefish, and share footage of their travels, and local culture. Our goal is to provide our community with the tools to share their experiences and learn about new destinations from others who want to share the excitement that traveling and sport fishing could only provide... GET OUT THERE and Experience the thrill of Sport Fishing and SHARE IT On RTAngler.com

October  28, 2008

Well it certainly felt like fall today and we even saw some of the first snowflakes....   STRIPERS are whats on many anglers minds.  Its gonna happen now so its time to get out and chase those fish.... We are excited to test out all of the new functions of the site.  Capture the experience and fun, and learn about new destinations to go fishing and new charter operations or friends to fish with......

The boat show season will be upon us and we will be reporting on new Products on the market... A product that we use on our electronics and cameras.... is sure to be useful to the angler is BAJA Products ELECTRO Wipes... which make it easier than ever to care for your electronics.... So if you find a product you like or experience some really good fishing post it on our site and share it with other anglers who want the latest and most up to date images..... Pictures and VIDEO are worth more than words.......

October 27, 2008

We are fisherman and are thrilled to be Beta Testing all the exciting features that we have integrated into our brand new Angling site.  RTAngler captures raw and exciting fishing video in REAL TIME.  With the fall striper season upon us we hope to capture some great striper fishing, and tournament action.  RTA is streaming live mobile video so you can share your experiences on the water in REAL TIME.  Why come home from a trip and tell your buddies.... SHOW THEM in real time the action your experiencing.... NOW that's a report...

Not to mention that you can view the video that you have uploaded in the VOD section.... RTAngler makes it easy and exciting to share sport fishing video and capture the experience....

You can also join our community and gain access to our Kyte video production platform which allows you to customize your video and photo presentations.... just follow the easy to use instructions and paste the URL's into your phone's address book.  You will be ready to upload photos and video....  you can then customize and edit the video... and add music. 

RTAngler welcomes all anglers, All Types of Fishing, If you like Fishing you have found the right place..... Upload and tune in to watch other angler's exciting footage..... 

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RTAngler broadcasts the first ever LIVE fishing internet channel - the first interactive fishing site that uses peer2peer technology. In addition to live broadcast, there is text/video chat screens, and VOD links to archived content.

RTAngler showcases live broadcasts of angling pursuits, blogging, and real time report sharing, and navalog features, creating the premier site for Anglers who want to access the most up to date reports and techniques.

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