[GAHUNTER]

I've been out of the fishing loop for a while and this may have all been hashed and rehashed. My understanding isthat Amendment 17B has been passed but not implemented yet. Is this true?

I also understand that, even though this amendment only affects Atlantic Coastal waters, there is to be similar plan banning all deep dropping in Gulf Waters. Does anybody have any details?

Seems to me the silence coming from recreational fishing interests is deafening. Between this and other rumored Obama administration changes to saltwater fishing regs, soon we will be limited to using our boats for weekend beer-drinking outings at Crab Island, providing you can either row or pole your boat there, as gasoline engines are obviouslyharmful tosea slugs and West Indian Purple-Throated Myna birds.

 

[TURTLE]

Really? We have something else to hate Obama for?

 

[CATCH-ALL]

SAFMC Amendment 17B was passed by a slim majority of the Council, including the Florida recreational rep appointee to the Council, George Geiger. George Geiger is a creature of the CCA-FLorida chapter. They got him appointed. He even used to be CCA-FLA's Vice Pres, then President.

17B is at the rubber-stamp review stage by the NMFS director and then Secretary Commerce signoff. Until that happens, it is not in force yet.

17B grudgingly allows deepdropping for Golden Tilefish in narrowly delineated areas. But they are trying to curtail that too by dropping the GTile limit from one per person down to one per vessel. Nice, huh?

Catch

 

[GAHUNTER]

What about the Gulf? Would deep dropping be banned here also?

 

[chasintales]

If I am reading this right, that would effectively eliminate daytime sword fishing also. I thought the industry was making a comeback in South Florida?

CHris

 

[markw4321]

Since the South East Regional Office (Dr. Roy Crabtree) manages both the South Atlantic (SAFMC) and the Gulf region l am concerned we could see something overlike itin the future.

The SAFMCwill vote on the permanent rule in June.

Here is how the last SAFMC vote went:

For closure: Geiger (Fl) , Harris (Ga),Shipman (Ga) (replaced by Woodward), Cupka (SC), Boyles (SC), Currin (NC), Crabtree<P class=MsoNormal>Against closure: Iorroci (Fl), Robson (FL), Wallace (Ga) (replaced by Phillips), Swatzel (SC), Merritt (NC), Cheuvront (NC)

Here's the current closure area:

 

[SnapperSlapper]

Everyone please be sure to post the results of every deep drop trip, especially the trips where you slaughter them, in the Offshore Reports section. Post lots of pictures.

This will help them shut down deep dropping in the Gulf even quicker.