Have Ya'll Seen This?

I am not a "Big Pond" fisherman, I perfer freshwater, but I recieved this email and thought some of you may be interested.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC) has now made <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > major closures of snapper and grouper fisheries and has a proposal <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > for a total closure of snapper for an undetermined amount of time, <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > as well as a proposal to stop all bottom fishing because of the <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > potential that a snapper may be killed as by catch. The areas <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > affected run from the Carolina to Key West and similar restrictions <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > are being enacted in the Gulf.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > In a cooperative effort the following clubs and organizations have <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > joined forces to fight current and potential fishery closures <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > dictated by the SAFMC as well as demand the science used to enact <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > those closures be examined and fixed.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > CFOA - Central Florida Offshore Anglers - Orlando, FL - <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > www.centralfloridaoffshoreanglers.com<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > FSFA - Florida Sport Fishing Association - Merritt Island, FL - <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > www.fsfaclub.org HSFC - Halifax Sport Fishing Club, Daytona Beach, <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > FL - www.hsfc.com SISA - Sebastian Inlet Sport Fishing Assoc - <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Sebastian Fl - http://sites.google.com/site/fishsisa/Home<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > FCSC - Flagler County Sportfishing Club - Flagler County FL - <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > http://www.fcsportfishing.com Ft. Pierce Sportfishing Club - FPSC - <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > www.ftpiercesportfishingclub.com RFA - Recreational Fishing Alliance <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > - http://joinrfa.org FRA - Fishing Rights Alliance - www.thefra.org <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Deep Blue Sea Fishing - http://www.deep-blue-sea.org<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Our members have fished and dived along the Florida East coast areas <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > for many years and maintain a first hand knowledge of the health of <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > the fishery. To be honest- where it was in decline 20 years ago, the <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > current restrictions for minimum size and catch have worked to point <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > where we believe the red snapper stock is healthier than it has been <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > at any time in the last 25 years.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > We contest the data being presented that shows the fishery to be in <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > decline as being significantly flawed. And to be honest, as <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > sportsmen, if we felt that the fishery was in trouble as we did many <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > years ago, we would advocate new restrictions. These draconian <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > measures are already having a catastrophic economical snowball <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > effect in the State of Florida, from tourism dollars, to tackle and <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > bait shops to charter Captains along with a degradation in the historical way of life for all involved.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > But the biggest impact will be to our way of life as citizens of <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > this country and what we support as our right to be able to go out <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > and fish, have a good time and eat what we catch in a reasonable <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > recreational sustainable fishery.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > The petition calls for Congress to pass legislation to restrict the <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Commerce Department from enacting any further closures in the South <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Atlantic Region, and rescind the current interim closure of Red <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Snapper until fisheries managers improve the MRFSS system (data <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > collection) and it passes a peer review.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > WHAT can you do to help:<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Go to this website- read the information and sign the electronic petition.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > http://petition.deep-blue-sea.org<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > FORWARD this mail to everyone that you know and ask them to do the same. <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Open the attachment- print it and share with others.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > We appreciate you taking the time to read this, making an informed <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > decision to sign the petition and passing it along to others that <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > feel the same way.<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> ><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Sincerely,<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoPlainText>> > Ocean Minded Anglers of Florida