Take Action To Your Representatives

TBF NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Waters in the Gulf of Mexico and off Florida’s east coast and Charleston were closed 20 years ago to protect overfished marlin, sailfish, juvenile swordfish, marine mammals, some sharks and tunas and sea turtles, whose populations are overfished due to being caught as bycatch in pelagic longline fishing. Only swordfish have recovered. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to open the Closed Zones to pelagic longline gear to fish for swordfish.

A win/win – A better option and one consistent with the goals of the January Executive Order, known by most as 30/30, is to credit Closed Zone waters to mitigating negative impacts to oceans and all marine resources from climate change. Continuing the current management strategy within the Closed Zones would make good ecological sense, for recreational fishing makes a very light imprint on the resources, and good economic sense to the region. Unfortunately, pelagic longline fishing is not sustainable, while buoy, green stick and rod and reel gears are sustainable.

Retaining Closed Zones as currently managed and crediting the waters to mitigate Climate Change, as is the goal of the Executive Decision, will:

(1) provide a win/win opportunity to protect marine resources and help mitigate Climate Change;

(2)Protect overfished marlin, sailfish, tunas, sharks, sea turtles, marine mammals from pelagic longline fishing.
(3) Improve species abundance by retaining the Closed Zones and, thus, recreational fishing.
(4) Support thousands of jobs in the recreational fishing, boating, and marine industries, which generate huge economic returns to coastal communities.

TBF needs you to:
– Copy the TBF supplied letter or your own to your Senators and Representatives making clear your opposition to the NMFS proposal.

– Click on the orange button below to locate and email your Senators and Representatives in D.C. (addresses provided by the site).

– Write Dept Commerce Fish in the subject line of the email.

– Follow the instructions on the site and paste the TBF supplied letter or your own in the form provided.

– Select the topic for your representatives that most closely aligns with these keywords Commerce/jobs/economy or fish/ocean.

– Add your name, contact information, and submit.

Questions:

Contact Ellen Peel at (954) 202-9267 (office), (954) 593-1231 (cell) or via email to ellen_peel@billfish.org.

Step One

Copy Letter:

Dear Congressional Members,

I, along with The Billfish Foundation, thousands of anglers, captains, mates, boat owners, big game fishing clubs, fishing tournament directors, recreational fishing/boating/equipment manufacturing, sales, and service businesses, ask you to stop the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) from opening Closed Zones in the Gulf of Mexico and off the east coast of Florida and Charleston to commercial pelagic longline fishing for swordfish.

A win/win – A better option and one consistent with the goals of the January Executive Order, known by most as 30/30, is to credit Closed Zone waters to mitigating negative impacts to oceans and all marine resources from climate change. Continuing the current management strategy within the Closed Zones would make good ecological sense, for recreational fishing makes a very light imprint on the resources, and good economic sense to the region. Unfortunately, pelagic longline fishing is not sustainable, while buoy, green stick and rod and reel gears are sustainable.

The Zones were closed 20 years ago to protect overfished marlin, sailfish, juvenile swordfish, some sharks and tunas, plus marine mammals and sea turtles, whose populations are overfished due to pelagic longline fishing. Only swordfish have recovered leaving the other overfished species in need of continued Closed Zone protections. Commercial buoy gear is a sustainable fishing gear that should replace pelagic longline gear.

Retaining Closed Zones as currently managed and crediting the waters to mitigate Climate Change, as is the goal of the EX, will:

(1) provide a win/win opportunity to protect marine resources and help mitigate Climate Change;

(2) protect overfished marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tunas, sharks, sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds and many more species and their marine habitat; and

(3) support thousands of jobs in the recreational fishing, boating, marine industries and tourism support industry. (Saltwater recreational fishing in the southeast and west south central (Gulf) contributes over $12 million in federal taxes, $8.5 million in state taxes, supports hundreds of thousands of jobs with $5 million in wages.)

I respectfully call upon you and the Secretary of Commerce’s Office to stop the NMFS from opening the established Closed Zones and instead credit them, as currently managed, to meet goals of the EO.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]