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MSSA
Press Release
Continued from Pg 2 Col
2
It has long been the position
of "The
Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association"
aka MSSA and it's national affiliate The
Recreational Fishing Alliance aka RFA,
that the ASMFC must take measures to stop the state of
Virginia from purse-seining menhaden in the Chesapeake
Bay. In addition, we have urged the Commission to establish
a total allowable harvest for the menhaden industry coast-wide.
Rich Novotny, Executive Director of the MSSA had the following
to say. "Sustaining the economic viability of an
industry is a secondary responsibility of the Menhaden
Board. Protection of the various species and the ecological
functions they perform is primary."
The effects of local area depletion are primarily a multi-state,
Maryland / Virginia, issue with implications for the entire
coast. Therefore the MSSA appropriately focused it's efforts
in part through the RFA. The MSSA is the largest and arguably
the strongest statewide recreational angling.
The MSSA is the largest and arguably the strongest statewide
recreational angling organization on the East Coast. RFA
has a history of supporting MSSA at every turn. For over
four years the RFA has supported our efforts to correct
problems stemming from menhaden purse-seining on many
fronts. They have provided extensive funding, in house
and independent consultants, and have joined us in meetings
with ASMFC as well as federal, state and local government
officials coast-wide. The MSSA has chosen to maintain
a low profile approach rather than creating on open adversarial
confrontation. We feel that up until this point we have
held a stronger negotiating position by taking this approach.
"Today that all changed" said Bill Windley,
long term MSSA President, and RFA's "Senior Advisor
for Interstate Fisheries". Omega Protein is the only
reduction operator still working in the Chesapeake, taking
over 100,000 metric tons annually. Today at the Commission
meeting Omega essentially threw down the gambit, by showing
no intent to mitigate these concerns in any way. They
went so far as to threaten the board with legal action.
"From this point forward, we feel that an aggressive,
open opposition is the best approach", Windley stated.
He went on to say that "the real credit should go
to the thousands of recreational anglers everywhere who
have worked tirelessly to see this through.
We could not, however, have prevailed without the full
support of Governor Erlich and our Maryland Department
of Natural Resources. |
Membership
News
By Ken Wheeler
A free shirt is offered
to new members attending their first meeting with the
Frederick Chapter. This offer is for new members only
while supplies last.
Please contact Ken Wheeler or any chapter officer if you
would like to participate with the membership committee.
If you have a family membership, you can obtain membership
cards for your included family by listing their names
in the space provided on the application/renewal form.
Please note that the family membership only covers children
to the age of 16.
Please check beside your name on the member roster each
meeting. Check your renewal dates. Some MSSA tournaments
require the Captain to be a MSSA member. This attendance
information is useful for planning future meetings and
activities. Please update your demographic information
and email addresses.
New members:
Please welcome new members Jeffrey McAlister, Charles
Bernhard, and Robby Rice to the Frederick Chapter.
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Report
from Bill's Fishing
Shack By Bill Johnson
No fishing report from the
Fishin' Shack for March--I've been sick and not able
to get to the Bay this month. Be sure to let me know
you got this message.
For any questions about legislative issues or fishing,
I can be reached at my Frederick number, 301-663-4802.
Call me with questions at my Frederick number, 301-663-4802.
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