Stop funding new catch share programs in Gulf of Mexico

We are individuals, businesses, and associations that represent the true fishermen (commercial, recreational, and recreational charter) from the five Gulf of Mexico States of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Collectively, we represent many thousands of fishermen and we are unanimous in our opposition to further funding of any new Catch Share programs in the Gulf of Mexico.

The commercial fishing associations and seafood dealers listed here market 80 percent of the reef fish harvested in the Gulf. We are united in our request that new Catch Share Programs in the Gulf of Mexico be put on hold and that no further funding for new Catch Share programs be provided by Congress and/or NOAA/NMFS until a complete analysis of the effects of the current programs is completed.

Before we do more damage to the coastal communities of the Gulf we want to know what impacts Catch Share programs are having on Gulf of Mexico jobs, recreational charter boats, commercial fishing vessels, recreational anglers, seafood houses, industry infrastructure, and small industry-related support businesses. In Florida alone, recreational and commercial fishing accounted for $15.3 billion in sales for 2008.

In addition to the negative social and economic impacts on our coastal communities, the amount of discards and discard mortality created by these programs needs careful consideration. A comprehensive study of the social, scientific, and economic impacts of Catch Share programs is the prudent way to address this issue rather than a headlong rush to implement more of these programs to benefit a small class of fishermen.

You have heard from the Environmental Defense Fund, their K Street lawyers, and the few so called “commercial fishing associations” (paid for by EDF), that the Gulf should be exempted from any legislation that restricts funding for new Catch Share programs. EDF and their pseudo-associations represent fewer than 10% of the fishermen and an even smaller percentage of commercial seafood dealers from the Gulf.

These people do not speak for the multitude of fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. Catch Share programs provide no benefit for the resource -- they serve only to make millionaires of a few and sharecroppers of the many, while reducing overall jobs, harming families, and negatively impacting coastal communities.

Until and unless Catch Share programs can be proven to provide benefits to the resource, to the majority of fishermen, to create jobs, and to enhance communities, they should be placed on hold with no new funding from Congress.

This position has not changed for the over 3,000 fishermen from across the country who traveled to Washington, DC for the United We Fish rally held on February 24, 2010. This was the largest gathering of commercial, recreational charter, and recreational fishermen ever assembled for one United event.

We encourage you to support zero funding for new Catch Share programs in the Gulf of Mexico in FY2012.

For more information and to be added to a list of supporters contact Bob Zales, II bobzales@att.net 850-814-8001 or Bob Spaeth rspaeth8@aol.com 727-643-9558