A NEW APROACH TO OUR FUTURE

Most of you know who I am, but those of you who don’t here is a short bio so maybe it will help you see where I am coming from. I have been fishing out if Destin, Fl as a full time charter and commercial fisherman since 1978. I started fishing in the GOM when I was 18, professionally at 21, I am now 51. I became a Captain in 1980 and bought my first boat in 1989 and my second boat in 1994. I owned 2 boats for 4 years and sold one to stay a one boat owner with my 57ft Miller the Back Down 2.

I have charter fished each summer and commercial fished every winter since I became a professional fisherman. I hold a commercial reef, mackerel, and tuna permits. I am also a red snapper IFQ shareholder. My wife Pam and I have been married for 34years and raised 3 sons, 2 of which we put through college. All that I own, all the cost of raising our kids and every thing I’ve accomplished has been through being a full time fisherman.

At this time in my life I have thought about just getting out and to hell with the regulations and rules that have slowly eroded our ability to make a living as a fisherman. In fact I still may get out and retire and do something else. But then I think about all the men and women that still want to pursue the dream of being producers in this country instead of consumers and produce fish for the general public. And I think about the friends and relationships that come with taking them fishing and the memories for them that last a lifetime. And when I think about that, it makes me realize that it is still important to remain in the fight to insure a future for those that wish to follow the same dream that I followed, and that was so good for me and my family. The thoughts and ideas I am about to convey may make some people angry, others to say I am on to something, and even others to say what a pipe dream, it can’t be done. So be it, but if nothing else, I hope it causes us to start to think in different way, ask new questions and start a dialog amongst those of us who have such a stake in this industry.

IDENTIFY WHO WE ARE

Up to now, I feel like we have had an identity crisis. Who are we and what do we represent in fisheries management? There have been basically four main user groups competing for their share of the Gulf’s resources. I want to apply most of my ideas to all the species of fish even though red snapper, grouper and Amberjack are the hot button items to us. You have the shrimpers, the commercial reef fisherman, charter for hire, and the private recreational fisherman. Unfortunately, for reasons that have always confused me, have thrown ourselves into the group that consistently has a hostile attitude and desire to put all professional fishermen ,whether they drag a net, use a long line or bandit , or get paid to take people fishing, to get them out of the Gulf of Mexico and re-allocate all the fisheries to them . This may be a harsh statement to make, but the reality of this is fact. Just read any saltwater fishing magazine, any issue of the year and read the editorials from the publishers and the response from their readers. Take all the organized associations for rec saltwater anglers, read their bylaws, read their correspondence and law suits, it is all anti-professional fisherman. In fact, through the last few years some of us and a select few spokespersons who are recognized by the NMFS and our industry as representatives of the charter for hire segment, have attacked and worked against other professional fishermen in an attempt to show the private recreational segment that we are on their side.

Folks it is paramount that we realize that we are Not! I repeat NOT recreational fishermen. Our customers are, WE ARE NOT. We are a separate user group that needs to come up with a definitive plan of our own that will benefit all the GOM fisheries and insure the future of our industry by getting our historical portion of said fisheries. For too long we have pitted ourselves against others who are more like us, than not. A man who gets up in the morning and goes to his boat or to his bosses boat and works to prepare to go out to sea to catch fish and his success at doing that will determine if the boat payment is met or the truck payment , electric bill or doctor bills are paid. He my friend is a professional fisherman, his family, his deckhands and their families are all like me and I should not pit myself against them.

That said, does that mean that only one or two segments of these user groups should bear the brunt of restrictive fisheries management? I think not. If one segment of professional fishing by their technology or equipment causes undo harm or efficiency of over harvest then thru much debate and compromise they can bear their share of the burden to come up with a plan to benefit the resource and still stay in business.

WE NEED A PLAN

Our biggest problem, after we come to the realization of who we are, is what do we need to do? We have 3 big issues that need to be addressed first then take on some smaller issues after they are settled.

Number 1, we must become our own user group in our approach to all fisheries management. We, as that separate user group, need to work hard to make sure that we get a fair share of the historical portion of each resource. We are a limited entry group with permit requirements just like all the other commercial fishermen, the problem as stated before is we haven’t acted in that manner. We must come up with a plan that can demonstrate to the NMFS that will enhance the fisheries and give them the knowledge to enable them to make good decisions on how to do it.

Number 2, the NMFS is given the job to protect and restore the resources. They have had that enviable job caught in the middle of poor science and the different user groups. We as of late have become more hostile (due to the threats of survival) in the approach to fisheries management instead of helping them save the resource. If I am a NMFS councilman and I have to make a decision about a certain species and my science is suspect and the user groups motivations are suspect (profit and viability), then my only choice is to ere on the side of the fish. Put yourself in their shoes. We all agree the science up to now is poor at best and down right ludicrous at times. This is where we can make the most important impact in the shortest possible time. We must, hire an independent contractor to document all of the fish that we catch this year. It will take too long for the NMFS to get a for hire log book program going. In the mean time they have some critical decisions to make on a variety of issues that can further hinder our ability to stay in business and without solid concrete figures and documentation we are going to further lose. We can hire a noted university or outside contractor to gather the info. Eventually the NMFS can get it going, but for now we must take this upon ourselves. Perhaps we can get a federal or individual state grants to pay for it, but if need be we must pay for it ourselves.

Number 3, we must utilize the first 2 issues to come up with a plan that will benefit all For Hire fishermen in the entire GOM. That means we MUST begin to take a look at the big picture of fisheries management and not take the approach that most of us have in the past few years with how is it going to benefit me, instead of how will this benefit all of us. I realize that the GOM covers a lot of water, ports and states, and with that fact creates a lot of various issues. That means compromise by all of us at some point is going to be necessary . Without that attitude going into any of the various issues facing our industry we will certainly fail in our attempts to do battle against those that want us out of the picture.

Capt. Gary Jarvis

LETS GO FISHING