Please Send Letter Today to Help Restore the Gulf

Dear TBF Friends,
 
Your email is urgently needed to go to the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, who is charged with writing the Gulf Restoration Plan.  If we are ever going to see positive changes in the Gulf, we must impress upon the Secretary the need to include recreational fishing and boating as a major segment in the Restoration Plan. 

The email to which your letter needs to be sent is:

restoreourcoast@gmail.com

A draft letter is included below for your use or you certainly may send your own version- the critical point is to send it in now!  Please pass this on to your contacts encouraging them to do the same so that recreational fishing and boating will be counted in the Gulf Restoration Plan. 

Thanking you and good fishing,

Ellen Peel

TBF President

Honorable Ray Mabus
Secretary of the Navy
                                                                                                Sent Via Email

Dear Mr. Secretary,
                                               
As a recreational fishing and boating citizen, I strongly urge you to include our industry as a major segment of the Gulf Restoration Plan. Our boating and sportfishing industry employs approximately 300,000 individuals in the region and generates an economic stimulus of $41 billion dollars annually. The interests within our industry include a wide array of marine related manufacturing, sales, service and diverse support and enhancement businesses ranging from artists to yacht builders and brokers. All coastal towns, individuals and the recreational fishing and boating businesses suffered significant economic losses resulting from the April 20th oil disaster for individuals who normally enjoy the Gulf's beautiful resources have been unable to do so in light of access issues and safety concerns.
 
The recreational boating and fishing community has a long standing relationship with the offshore energy industry, for large rigs attract big fish and big fish attract anglers.  Our industry is comprised of responsible users of the resources who utilize conservation compatible practices. We look forward to the day when we each can return to fishing all the waters of the Gulf, as this is a way of life that has added positive values and benefits to citizens of and visitors to the region. 
 
The failure to include a fishery management expert on the team of experts that traveled the Gulf with you for town hall meetings concerns our community for it may indicate a disregard for the recreational fishing and boating industry and each of the interests therein.  We hope that you have corrected this oversight and will include our interests as a major sector in the Gulf Restoration Plan.
 
It is time for a paradigm change in the Gulf so that overfishing is not allowed to leave fish vulnerable to unexpected stresses, like the oil spill. We should strive to make the Gulf a model for a new way to safely and responsibly manage our ocean resources. Anglers want healthy fish stocks, access to resources and strong resulting economies. 
 
I urge you to make sure the recreational boating industry be identified and situated in any restoration plans as a major entity. If I can help in any way please call on me. Thank you for your time and consideration.
 
Sincerely,

{Your Name Here}

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