If you reside in Florida, Please use the following letter as a guideline to send an email or letter to Senator Nelson. He is on the committee that will get these issues put up in front of the Senate.
The Honorable Bill Nelson
United States Senate
716 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington,, DC 20510
Fax 202-228-2183
Dear Senator Nelson:
I am writing you as a Florida fisherman in support of S.1255, the long-awaited Senate companion bill to the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 (H.R. 1584). S. 1255 was introduced by New York Senator Charles Schumer whose constituents were being denied access too important recreational fisheries. I also petition for your support of legislation recently introduced by your fellow member of the Florida congressional delegation, Representative John Mica. I urge you to give serious consideration to both bills in regards to our current situation with red snapper and pending long term un-needed closures being implemented as we speak.
Because of the wording imposed by the last reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act demanding fish stocks be returned to “Maximum Sustainable” levels, NOAA and the SAMFC have told fishermen that they are required by this legislation to close all bottom fishing in over 1000 square miles of ocean along the southeast Atlantic coastline even thought they admit to having insufficient scientific data and blame the Congress for not allocating them enough funds to do the proper research.
The NMFS Regional Administrator, Roy Crabtree as well as many of his staff, have told us that their plans are and that they have no choice but to close this fishery for a minimum of seventeen up to thirty-five years to reach the “Maximum Sustainable” numbers required by Magnuson-Stevens. This closure will not only limit recreational fishermen and destroy Florida’s commercial fishing industry but will seriously affect the many small businesses that rely on our state’s robust recreational and commercial fishery. This federal law must immediately be amended or all of these related businesses will go belly-up while anglers from all around the world sit at the home.
These long term closures fall directly into the well laid plans of Jane Lubchenco, President Obama’s appointment as director of NOAA. Ms. Lubchenco, her husband, her friends and colleagues have received millions of dollars in funding from the Pew Organization. The snapper and other bottom species affected by this closure are only the first of many species that this eight hundred pound gorilla has targeted. This group of environmental zealots is spending billions to influence our government to end all fishing along the entire U.S. coastline to include all tributaries that drain into our oceans. NOAA has already made plans to close more areas along the east and west coast, the Gulf of Mexico, in the Florida Keys as well as a large part of Miami’s Biscayne Bay.
Sir, we need your support on this legislation, and your help and expert guidance with you fellow committee members in passing the Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009 immediately. Congress currently allows for flexibility when dealing with clean water and clean air efforts, so as not to completely shut down related industries or eliminate jobs, while continuing making progress with these two very important issues. Why then, when Congress deals with fisheries and fishermen, is it okay to shut down fisheries on arbitrary and unsubstantiated science, with no regard to the economic impact their actions produce.
As a businessman, and a fisherman, I do not agree with this management policy. Sportsmen have proven to be the best managers of their resource and will always do what’s necessary to protect their sport for their children and grandchildren to enjoy.
I respectfully request that you support S.1255 and John Mica’s legislation, H.R. 3307.
These proposals are not only good for Florida’s fishermen but will help all of America’s commercial and recreational fishermen as well as all the small business that will be affected by this unwarranted and un-needed legislation.
Sincerely:
