| Fred Jennings Phd and vice chair of Stripers Forever MA prepared the attached written testimony in support of SF’s bill that would compel the Commonwealth of MA to study the socio economic effects of the decline in the MA recreational striped bass fishery. The text of the bill appears below:Resolve to Study the Loss of Revenues of the Commonwealth
Whereas the National Office of Science and Technology National Marine Fisheries Office studies recreational fishing participation
And whereas a recent study of recreational fishing participation in Massachusetts showed that 2011 recreational fishing participation had dropped from 1,258,124 individuals in 2006 to 897,115 in 2011 – a 29% drop
And whereas out of state individual anglers had dropped from 484,288 in 2006 to 292,701 in 2011 – a 40% drop
And whereas Southwick Associates did a study in 2005 estimating that the total economic activity generated by recreational Striped Bass fishing in the Commonwealth in 2003 was $1,158,000,000
And whereas using 2003 estimates by Southwick, a decline from 2006 to 2012 of 29% of individual recreational fisherman would equal a loss of $390,000,000 in economic activity for the Commonwealth and a concurrent loss of hotel, motel, sales, meals, alcohol, gas and other taxes and revenues to the Commonwealth
Therefore be it resolved by the Great and General Court of Massachusetts that the Massachusetts Department of Revenue in conjunction with the House and Senate Joint Committee on Revenue shall conduct a study of the decline of the recreational fishery with particular emphasis on the Striped Bass and the concurrent impact on the revenues of the Commonwealth
And be it further resolved that said study shall be completed by December 15, 2013 and forwarded to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries with recommendations to enhance the revenue generating capacity of the recreational fishery. ACTION NEEDED Please send emails to both: The senate chair, Michael Rodrigues (michael.rodrigues@masenate.gov) and the House Chair, Jay Kaufman (jay.kaufman@mahouse.gov). Tell them the commonwealth is losing millions in tax revenue because of the mismanagement of the striped bass fishery and it needs to be addressed and fixed. Ask them to support Bills SB-1452 and HB-2506. |
Archives for March 2013
MA Action Alert
ACTION ALERT
On March 8, 2013, a petition signed by approximately 750 concerned anglers was delivered to Paul Diodati, Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), requesting that the commercial and recreational harvests of wild striped bass in Massachusetts each be reduced by 50 percent for the 2013 season
You are getting this email because you have expressed concern for wild striped bass. We are asking you to put that concern into action by emailing Director Diodati and informing him of your support for this long over-due conservation measure.
Scientifically and anecdotally, it is well known that the striped bass population has been declining for at least five years. Recruitment of newly spawned striped bass has not kept pace with fishing mortality along the entire coast. The recreational harvest in the coastal fishery has declined by 75 percent since 2005 and the striped bass population will continue to decline until harvest restrictions are put in place.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has voted against coastwide fishing mortality reductions as recently as 2012. That vote came as a surprise to Director Diodati because he had proposed the motion for fishing mortality reductions!
The director is fully aware of all the problem with striped bass and he needs your encouragement to do the right thing. From 1995 to 2002, Massachusetts enacted statewide regulations that were more conservative than the ASMFC allows. Massachusetts needs to step up again this year and be a leader in striped bass conservation.
Whether you live in Massachusetts, travel to fish there, or are simply concerned for the overall quality and sustainability of the striped bass fishery, please send Director Diodati an email and tell him you support the requested harvest reduction outlined in the petition that he has just received.
You can write your own message to Director Paul Diodati or just copy and paste the message below into an e-mail. Send your message to paul.diodati@state.ma.us.
Sample e-mail:
Dear Director Diodati – I ask that you act immediately and affirmatively on the recently submitted petition~to reduce the commercial and recreational harvests of striped bass in Massachusetts by 50 percent for the 2013 season.~ With the striped bass population and associated~fishing in~a troubling decline, now is the time for Massachusetts to step up and be the leader in the protection of this valuable natural resource.~
Please don’t let future allocation issues prevent you from doing what is right for striped bass now.~
Sincerely:
(your name here)