THE NANTIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE PLANS TO OPEN CHARLESTON BUMP , ( SWORDFISH NURSERY AREA ), DESPITE ALL THE KILLS. CHECK OUT THE BALANCE SHEET !!!!!

1083 SWORDFISH HARVESTED FOR SALE
113 LARGE SHARKS HARVESTED FOR SALE
21 PLEAGIC SHARKS HARVESTED FOR SALE
360 SWORDFISH DISCARDED DEAD
22 WHITE MARLIN DISCARDED DEAD
24 BLUE MARLINE DISCARDED DEAD
174 SHARKS DISCARDED DEAD
92 PLAGIC SHARKS DISCARDED DEAD
2 LEATHERNECK AND 6 LOGERHEADS DISCARDED DEAD

NOT A GOOD BALANCE SHEET TO ME!!!!!!!!!!

WRITE A EMAIL TO: PLL_ResearchEA@noaa.gov IF YOU ARE OPPOSED TO THIS PROPOSAL OF OPENING THE CHARLESTON BUMP, PLEASE SEND BY NOV. 20 2007 PLEASE LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW.

Thanks for putting this out there! Its unbelievable that nurseys are open to commercial fishing...don't these people get it!!

When they stopped the longlining in Florida, the fishing took off again....I support commercial fishing but there has got to be a better way than this !......Bob

Here's some info from The Billfish Foundation. My feeling, and I hope that others higher up would see this too...if the US isn't meeting its yearly quota, maybe the fish aren't around in the numbers to sustain that quota?!?!


NMFS MOVING FORWARD WITH ATLANTIC LONGLINE RESEARCH

Exempted Fishing Permits may be Issued for Closed Zones

Nov. 5 - The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced today the availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) that reviews its research plan to conduct longline "bycatch reduction research" in closed zones off southeast Florida and South Carolina.


The U.S. government is under pressure to find opportunities and ways to assist the U.S. commercial swordfish fishery to land more of the U.S. allocated international swordfish quota as part of its "swordfish revitalization plan". The government proposal comes as no surprise, and the announcement gives every indication the longline "research-fishing" will move forward in portions of the closed zones, as well as outside the zones.


Because the U.S. commercial fishery has not taken its quota since 1992 and many nations with developing commercial fleets want to be given an opportunity to catch a portion of the international swordfish quota, the pressure grows on the international management organization to take from the U.S. un-caught quota and give to nations with growing fleets The government announcement of the proposed research was released as U.S. government staff and members of this year's U.S. negotiating delegation left for Turkey, the nation hosting this year's negotiations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Through ICCAT negotiations catch allocations are agreed upon among member nations. At last year's negotiations, the U.S. lost a portion of its under-harvest tonnage to other nations, nations that promised to return in 2007 for more uncaught U.S. quota. If other nations receive a portion of U.S. quota, it likely would be a nation that fishes with little conservation ethics and would likely export the caught swordfish back into the U.S. consumptive market. Difficult trade measures prohibit unilateral action prohibiting such imports by the U.S.


Earlier this year, the NMFS considered issuing Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) to 13 longline swordfish vessels to fish within sections of the closed zones under the guise of research and catching more of the quota. That request by BlueWater Fishermen's Association was denied. The current announcement looks very similar to the earlier request, though the government describes its proposed research as "scientifically rigorous" - a term TBF experts know is subject to interpretation, review and comment, which TBF will provide.


In lieu of 13 vessels as proposed earlier, the government now proposes to use "a limited number of vessels" - two are proposed, but it is noted backup vessels may be needed in case of breakdowns. In addition, the current proposal would require 100% Federal fisheries observer coverage or coverage by trained research staff. Swordfish caught under an approved Plan could be sold, though the announcement states no other compensation would be provided the vessels. In most circumstances where the government actually conducts the research, it pays a lease fee for the commercial vessels used in the research.


A total of 289 longline sets would be made and distributed between the closed zones and outside those zones. Each set would consist of 500 18/0 circle hooks with an offset not to exceed 10 degrees [an offset that in most cases will inflict a mortal wound to a marlin and tuna] and would be baited with whole dead finfish bait and/or squid bait. If the EFP is approved, the "fishing-research" would begin late 2007 or early 2008 and continue for 12 months.


The stated research premise to collect baseline longline data in the closed zones for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of current bycatch reduction measures is less persuasive than the reinvigoration premise. The bycatch reduction measures include specific sized circle hooks (18/0), specified bait types and release tools and measures. These measures could be measured outside the closed zone. If conducted in the closed zone, then the current data collection would not tell the whole story. That would require a simultaneous comparison with j-hooks.


TBF appreciates the U.S. predicament faced with the potential loss of international quota, yet we do not endorse "research-fishing" as the best method for resolving the problem, though we strongly support good research. In earlier comments to the BlueWater EFP application, TBF provided recommendations for other means of assisting in increasing the U.S. catch of swordfish. TBF also believes the government's estimate in their announcement of marlin and bluefin tuna bycatch numbers is very low and under-estimated - 22 white marlin, 24 blue marlin and 0 bluefin tuna.


In light of the severely overfished status of both marlin species and bluefin tuna, the government should not authorize any longline fishing that will add to the mortality of these species. The government has yet to announce the findings of its reassessment of white marlin under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A decision to list the species would cripple all fisheries. While TBF experts remain optimistic that white marlin will not be listed. If white marlin were to be listed, however, any federal action, including this proposed "research-fishing", would be inconsistent with the ESA protections.


Please stay in touch with TBF website postings on this important issue. TBF will be providing full comments by November 20. Comments to the NMFS on its proposal should be sent to: Email - PLL.ResearchEA@noaa.gov with the identifier in the Subject line of: PLL Research EA. Mailed comments should be sent to: Margo Schulze-Haugen, HMS MGT Div (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910 with the outside of your envelope marked "Comments on PLL Research EA."