Tom Hilton

Howdy,

Since tomorrow is the last day of the shortest snapper season in history (which happened under Roy Crabtree's watch), we figured it would be appropriate to officially announce the creation/deployment of the Roy Crabtree Reef! Enclosed are photos of the design which depicts a stylized tree covered with crabs, designed in Roy's honor.

Since many have felt that Dr. Crabtree has been a LARGE part of the problem relative to the red snapper debacle for the last few years, we are happy to announce that Dr. Crabtree is now part of the SOLUTION!

This project, which was a collaboration between Reef-Man and the young men/women of Brazosport High School, underscores the point that simply cutting seasons and limits is not the answer to successful fishery management efforts.

Proactive creation of suitable habitat has already been proven to be the answer to enhancing/restoring fish populations.

This reef, positioned inside of Texas State waters will be PRODUCING snapper in Roy Crabtree's name for the rest of our lives.

Congratulations Roy!

Perhaps a more suitable name would be the Roy Crabtree 2010 54 Day Season Memorial Reef to forever memorialize Roy's expertise in fisheries management (or lack thereof).

http://www.reef-man.com/index_vancouver.php

ROY CRABTREE REEF 28 47.619 / 95 20.749

All the best,
Tom Hilton
President, REEF-MAN, LLC

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JoeZ

That's awesome Tom!
Great work and good job getting the kids involved?

Whre was the reef deployed? Not numbers but which county did y'all permit it through?

Keep up the good work.

Tom Hilton

Thanks JoeZ

We deployed the reef 10 miles south of the Freeport Texas jetties (6 miles off of the beach), in Texas State Waters, and out of reach of Roy and Co.'s jurisdiction.

This reef can be fished 365 days a year by Texas anglers, regardless of what draconian measures that Roy and Co. inflict on the rest of the Gulf.

Thanks to Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept for actually providing bone fida fisheries management expertise by focusing on providing not only badly-needed hard subtrate for fisheries habitat, but by maintaining open access to the fishery instead of relying on continually reducing our seasons/limits as Roy and Co. have done.

The great people of Alabama and Florida panhandle created an incredible, sustainable fishery through their artificial reef programs which ended up accounting for +_ 50% of ALL RECREATIONALLY-CAUGHT RED SNAPPER IN THE ENTIRE GULF OF MEXICO. Wow.

Did Roy and Co. acknowledge their efforts to assist them in rebuilding the fish stocks?

No.

Roy and Co. in fact crippled the successful reefing programs there by removing access to the reefs owned by those Alabama and Florida fishermen for 10+ months of the year while simultaneously reducing the bag limit to 2 fish per person.

Why invest in more reefing when you can only go out and catch 2 fish 54 days of the year? The fish lost out big time.

Congratulations Roy! Not.

All the best,
Tom

Pinksnappertrapper

Tell Roy Crabtree I said he is a ASSHOLE, and karma is going to get him. HOw old is he now?

swhiting

That is hilarious!

You may be on to something..... The State got into the advertising and marketing business years ago with all the different types of license plates. Florida has gone nuts with the number we have.

Maybe fisherman should follow suit. I'd be ticked off and would financially support enhancing a UF reef if the UF reef did not produce more than the reF$U reef. I bet neither one of us would have to worry about the other fishing their reef.......

swhiting

If this is thread derailing let me know... but other than the obvious organizational names (military, colleges or funds), what are some reef names that could be sponsored like the one above that is mocking a federal official????

How about an INSHORE REEF called Turpin's Tarpon!

(cheesy I know... that's the best I could come up with at the time)

lbhuntley

Tom, how did you determine that Dr Crabtree and Marine Fisheries are wrong about the GOM red snapper management plan? Seems to me that the snapper are recovering. In fact, the ACL increased from 5 million lbs in 09 to 6.9 in 2010, with a target of 14 million. How many snapper were you catching in 2000?

Quick story. A 6 hr fisheries management class, conducted by Dr Will Patterson, UWF Marine Science Dept (he focuses on red snapper recovery) was offered in Pensacola, April 2010. He required 10 for the class to make. One signed up. The class date was changed to May and 6 signed up, but he offered the class. Two retired gentlemen visiting from the north, a local realtor, two from the Corps of Engineers, and me. The class was advertised in UWF literature, News Journal, two local radio stations, and several times times on this forum.

Are fishermen simply afraid of knowledge? If Roy is wrong, information will certainly strengthen your argument. If he is right, with increased public support we may experience even better, sustainable fishing. How can you argue your case without understanding at least the basics of fisheries management?

Joe, I personally invited you and a number of vocal Pensacola fishermen to attend. You missed a great opportunity to learn some information that may support some of your arguments. At a minimum, you could have confronted an expert who is a member of the Gulf Council's scientific and statistical committee. Please tell me what you are afraid of.

I urge forum members outside of Pensacola to contact university marine science depts in your area and request a class. Tom, Joe... if you're as interested in fishing as you indicate, please don't be scared of some knowledge.

SHunter

LBHuntley I am sorry that I missed the class. But, I do have a concern when I see red snapper iced down and being shipped to Canada and I can't go out and catch snapper after July. I don't find fault in commercial fishers but I do think that the distributors of seafood are a powerful lobby behind restrictions on recreational fishing. If you hear about another class, please post on the forum and I will make an effort to come.

SHunter

Tom, that is a work of art. Glad to see you working with kids.

Tom Hilton

LBHuntley,
The proof is ALREADY in the pudding Sir.

As I pointed out, we have just experienced the shortest snapper season in history which was a direct result of Crabtree's incompetence, and certainly reflects on his lack of management skills. If the fishery WAS indeed managed properly, there would be no need for such draconian measures.

In fact, if Crabtree and Co. were hired to manage your finances, they would have been fired or have been put in jail long ago.

The Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) that you mentioned makes decisions based on biased modeling and sheer politics, not "science". The process should be open to all regarding how the SSC makes their determinations, but alas, it is not. Why?

Dr. Steven Szedlmayer has studied the artificial reefs offshore of Alabama for over 10 years now. His conclusion? The people of Alabama have created their own vibrant and SUSTAINABLE FISHERY. Incredible, especially considering that the small area has been accounting for about 40% of ALL RECREATIONALLY-CAUGHT SNAPPER IN THE ENTIRE GULF. Since about 80% of recreational effort occurs in the eastern Gulf, these artificial reefs off of Alabama and Fl. panhandle have filled a critical need. Has Crabtree and Co. acknowledged this? No.

Dr. Shipp and Dr. Bortone have also published papers illustrating the history of snapper demographics in the Gulf over the last 100 years or so. They pointed out that the introduction of the thousands of oil platforms in the western Gulf has created the largest de facto artificial reef in the world. The result of this is that most of the Gulf's snapper are now found in the western Gulf. Dr. Shipp also pointed out that the enviro's view (and therefore the NMFS's view) that snapper are recruitment-limited is not accurate - they are more accurately described as habitat-limited.

If Crabtree and Co. were TRULY interested in rebuilding/enhancing fishery stocks, they would acknowledge the value in providing habitat through artificial reefs, especially when considering that many oil platforms are being removed each year.

Unfortunately, politics have trumped science in this case.

Tom Hilton
President, REEF-MAN, LLC

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