New Snowy and Tile Limit

[poolman]

:shock: Has anyone else heard about this B.S. regarding the new limits for snowy and tiles effective oct 26???!!!! ONE PER PERSON PER DAY??!!! Please say it aint so

[miamiangler1]

It makes no sense ... most of the morons in the gov.. up there dont even fish... it is commercial fishing that ruins it ...remember (redfish ,spanish mackerel,billfish,tuna from long liners )it`s not the rec fisherman they even put tile fish in with grouper ... it`s not even the same speices of fish... some one in the SAFM must have gotten the palms greased.... It would be better to limit tiles to 5 per person which is enough for a few dinners...... as with snowies ... if you catch two at a time from a deep drop .. and release 1 from 500ft ... it will die !!! matter of fact any fish from that depth!!! also not many people fish for tiles and snowies ... and we are restricted by current ,depth and weather also ...well that is my 2 cents..

[Gaitor]

I found this info on the South Atlantic Fisheries Management website:

Golden Tilefish
Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
Managed by: SAFMC

Physical description:
The golden tilefish is easily distguishable fom other members of the family Malacanthidae by the large adipose flap, or crest, on the head. The species is blue-green and iridescent on the back, with numerous spots of bright yellow and gold. The belly is white and the head is rosy, with blue under the eyes. The pectoral fins are sepia-colored, and the margin of the anal fin is purplish-blue.
Biological description:
Tilefish inhabit the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope along the entire east coast of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico south to Venezuela. They are found in waters from 250-1,500 feet deep, where bottom temperatures range from 49° to 58° F. Individuals live in cone-shaped burrows, and concentrate in small groups or pods. Females are smaller than males, although whether or not the species displays hermaphrodism is unknown. Sexual maturity is reached when fish are about 27 inches long and weigh about 9 pounds. Spawning occurs from March to September, and females lay from 2-8 million pelagic eggs. Tilefish feed during the day on the bottom on crustaceans, clams, snails, worms, anemones and sea cucumbers. They can reach lengths of 38 inches, although growth is slow.
South Atlantic Federal Regulations
(For areas three-200 miles off the coasts of NC, SC, GA, and East Florida)
Commercial:
Limited access permit required.
Gear restrictions apply.
The following changes in commercial regulations will be effective October 23, 2006:

Reduce the annual commercial quota to 295,000 lbs gutted weight (gw).
Reduce the commercial trip limit to 4,000 lbs gw, which would decrease to 300 lbs gw if 75% of the quota were taken by September 1.
Recreational:
Recreational retention limits apply. Effective October 23, 2006: daily limit of one per person within the 5-grouper per person aggregate bag limit.
Gear restrictions apply.

Once again the recreational fisherman takes it in the shorts to defer to commercial interests.

[poolman]

Soo,do we just take it in the rear again via commercial interests? I for one am livid about this!!! Us "tile slayers" cannot be a threat to the existance of the golden tilefish in comparison to the tonnage being harvested by the commercial boats...can we? I understand the garbage behind this rediculous limit...it's to get us guys to give up completely,after all...who wants to spend all that money and time to go after one fish. I guess I could go out and catch and release small tiles all day until I get a 20lb fish.But that would make me like-minded to the commercials. And after all,if we had that mentality,pretty soon there would be no more tiles.This is so stupid you guys...and I'm really pissed !!!!! Once again these jerks ruin a fishery for everyone! What's wrong with 5 P/P? Or closed seasons? Something has got to be done!!!

[Gaitor]

Guess how many commercial fishermen sit on the SAFMC Board? I hear it's way more than scientists.
I'm pissed too but don't know what exactly to do about it. I'll start using bigger hooks so as not to hook the smaller fish, but catch and release from those depths is really out of the question.
The long-liners, trawlers and other commercial guys are the reason the tilefishing resource is in the shape it is..... NOT the recreational angler!
Now seriously .... do you think the commercial boys are gonna report every pound of tilefish they catch? I doubt it. And once their quota has been reached, do you think they'll stop? I doubt it. And when the books at the fishhouse show they've reached their quota, ya think they'll sell directly to restaurants and smaller venues?.... Absolutely!
I'll be looking into what can be done from a recreational fisherman standpoint, but we all know "Money Talks and Bullshit Walks".

[DIRTYFOOT2]

GENTLEMEN,

THE TIME HAS COME TO MAKE A STINK. WILL BE WRITING OUR CONGRESSMAN, AND SENATORS. THERE IS ALSO A WEBSITE THAT HOSTS E-LETTER CAMPAIGNS FOR A NOMINAL FEE. WILL BE LOOKING INTO SETTING UP SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. THIS ONE CAME IN UNDER MY RADAR. WHEN DID THIS COME ABOUT. NO WAY WE TAKE THIS ONE LYING DOWN. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A LARGE RESTARAUNT CHAIN WITH THERE OWN FLEET OF BOATS OUT OF PANAMA CITY, THAT MAY BE PART OF THE LOBBY THAT SLID THIS THROUGH. :cry: SUGGEST WE ALL START MAKING OURSELVES HEARD TO THE POWERS THAT BE. IF YOUR READING THIS YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.
Start here http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email

I'M RIPPED,
DF2

[poolman]

Thanks DF2,you bet yer ass I'm a writin'. Also got another one for ya. www.thefra.org They are a bunch of pissed off rec guys too...with lawyers!! Just shared my joy with them about this garbage,by email,so I have to wait for a reply. Still pissed in Ft Pierce!! Rich.

[kyle]

I am a commercial fisherman out of Jupiter, I have Commercial permits for Snapper/grouper (includes tile fish), kingfish, dolphin/wahoo, Spanish mackeral and lobster. Just want you guys to know I do not fish for tile fish or Snowies, but this was brought up at a NMf meeting about 7 months ago. It was proposed by several bottom longliners that fish in the Torgugas.
Because there is no limit there people were rapeing the tile fish and they got mad. So they got together a petition that alot of commercial fisherman signed. It was shown at the meeting and this is were the new law came from.


All I could tell you to do is the next time they have a meeting that is open to the public get everyone you can, and in an orderly fashion go and say what you think in front of the board. Believe me they will listen.

I will put up a post to the next meeting I hear about.

I am a commercial guy that has the ability to catch tons of tile fish out of that quota, but I choose not to.

I think that is the most rediculous law I have ever seen.

When the next meeting comes I'll be there to represent the Rec guy that should be able to catch his share.

Just thought you guys should know

kyle

[Gaitor]

Thanks Kyle. It's refreshing to know there are some honorable and empathetic commercial guys out there who understand and appreciate OUR Fishery. I'll be watching closely for any meeting notices and, if we rec guys raise enough hell, maybe the next meeting will be much sooner than later!

[poolman]

Thanks Kyle. Please don't mistake my anger.it's not the profession,it's the "raping and pilliging" mentality. As I posted before,my uncle was a commercial guy out of jupiter for 20+ years.That guy was a superhero to me.But he understood proper management was key to maintaining the resource.I think most of us would be okay with 5pp,or even closing a few months for spawning.Most of us rec guys understand that proper care for the resource means a lifetime of fish trip photos,good eats,smiling kids and good posts :razz: so we have no problem "giving a little".I've already emailed Sen Nelson and joined thefra.org.I'll be waiting for your post on the meeting,cause I'ma goin. Feeling a little better,but still pissed in Ft Pierce...Rich.

[kyle]

No problem I like to help when I can.
The other thing I just thought about the snowies and tiles are separate in a way/let me explain.

At that meeting alot of commercial deep droppers were there /these guy make a living catching snowies in the keys.

The only reason they are doing this with the snowies is because in the Carolinas they longline them.
The stocks up there are declining fast so instead of stopping just them from catching them they grouped everything as a whole which is why we see the law down here. Which is just an easy way to make them fell like they have done something.

The tilefish issue was just thrown in with the snowies to make it easier to get passed by the board at NMF.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Kyle,
Thank you for shedding some light onto this situation. It's good to know that there are good guys like you out there. Is there a contact that your aware of that we could recquest an emergency meeting with. Any extra light you could shed on the inner workings of this beuracracy would be helpful. Thanks for being one of the good guys, and understand that we are not against the commercial fisherman. We just don't want to be locked out of a fishery unfairly due to the ill deeds of a few. I've spoken to quite a few of the rec tile guys in your area, and all of them are in favor of a limit on these fish, as long as it is reasonable. A one fish limit will leave our LP's, Kristals, Dolphins, and electra-mates rusting in our garages.

Thanks again,
Butch aka ( DIRTYFOOT2 )

[Gaitor]

I have just spent the last several hours reading the "Amendment 13C to the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan". One of the "catch phrases" that came up frquently regarding their decisions was based on "the best science available".
Well .... their stated objective said ... "A 34% reduction in catch is needed to end overfishing of golden tilefish". Perhaps they should use "the best math available" because reducing the recreational limit from 4 fish to 1 is certainly more than 34%. Looks to me like that is more than unfair to the recreational fisherman.
I'll be writing lots while the wind is blowing!

[fish-n-dude]

Gaitor -

I noticed that to. Also they want to reduce the Snowy take by 60% in two years. Their reducing the rec take by 80% in one year. I want my other fish.

Guys we are really taking this one in the A$$. And check this out. The CCA is all in favor of it.

http://<a href="http://www.joincca.o...rouper.pdf</a>

[poolman]

CCA is having a membership drive in Sebastian on Oct 28th.What say us dis-heartened deep drop guys pay them a little visit.No torch burning,just some guys wanting reasonable answers as to why they would support this rediculous limit.It may put a little dampering on their membership drive.

[kyle]

As of today Friday the 20th, the commercial quota for tile fish has been reached. If you see any commercial fisherman catching more than a rec limit he is doing so ILLIGALY.

Write down his Fl#'s and report him.

Just thought you guys would like to know.

Kyle

[poolman]

Kyle...thanks man

[Gaitor]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but from what I read, once the commercial quota is reached, they are limited to 300 pounds per trip.
Yes/no?

[miamiangler1]

Originally Posted by Gaitor

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but from what I read, once the commercial quota is reached, they are limited to 300 pounds per trip.
Yes/no?

Hi Gaitor, well I was talking to some of the commercial guy`s here in my area, one that sells me my live bait and one that goes for stone crab and Kingmackerel in the spring ... both told me the same ... the public was invited and there where some people there ... the reason that they did what they did is because of the snowy grouper limits ... that way the commercal guy`s fishing would not be upset ... the com .. guy`s down here told me they are not happy either ...since those guy`s will ruin another fishery... lucky for me ... most of it is done in the keys and north around Jupiter... as I am told no one does it in my area ... I was out today and could see 20 miles in both directions didnt see any boats. .. by the way Gaitor nice fish.!!what did you get your 15.4 lb tile on squid , buda, or bonito chunks ?... I got one today ... 33inlong and weighted 16lbs..just the current was cranking and was hard to stay on the bottom .. used almost 900 yards of line!!!. P.S how do you load pic`s on this site???

[kyle]

No at this time the commercial fisherman is no longer aloud to target Tiles or snowies meaning he can only take REC limit.

Kyle