Local Anglers Protest in Washington

They came from Port St. Joe, they came from Mexico Beach, they came from Panama City and Destin.

Thirty-five local fishermen, businessmen,  and government officials rode a bus for l6 hours to Washington, DC on Wednesday to add their voices to the mounting criticism of the Magnuson-Stevens Act which empowers governmental commissions and councils  to set rules for the oceans for recreational and commercial fishermen. 

Capt. Chuck Guilford of Mexico Beach, formerly of Destin, says he’s going to D.C. because he’s got people depending on him.

“I’ve got two boats and five people that I’m responsible for their living,” Guilford said.

Guilford, 79, has been a captain for 33 years and “I enjoy every minute of it.”

His charter business is “Charisma Charters” located in Mexico Beach.

Standing in view of the Capital were 4,000 men and women from Alaska, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, and more.

They were united in their voices which are protesting what they call  extreme, left wing rules and regulations that are basically shutting down fishing all around the United States based on very weak if not invalid data that has been severely criticized by scientists from all  over the United States.  

With the fishing regulations the way they are – “They are taking it all away from me a little at a time,” Guilford said. “They’ve got us under their thumb and they keep pressing down. The information they are using is flawed.”

These regional councils have the power to reduce fishing seasons, control bag limits, shut it all down, close parts of the ocean to fishing – basically they can do whatever they want to do.  Many fishermen from the east coast were present to protest because fishing on the east coast has basically been shut down.

Among the many speakers were Sen. LeMieux from Florida, Sen. Chuck Shumer and Sen. Scott Brown from Massachusetts.

Congressman Adam Putnam of Florida spoke of the need for accurate data before we close down all fishing in our oceans and put thousands of people out of work. He urged the Congress to change the law and come up with a better stock assessment and data collection system. 

City Councilman Bob Ginsberg of Mexico Beach spoke to the crowd and urged everyone to get involved and write their congressmen.  He pointed out how these closures are hurting local businesses like the motels, the marinas, the restaurants, the gas stations, and the shops.

(Tina Harbuck of Florida Freedom Newspapers contributed to this report)