Thread: Hogfish
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Old 11-28-2016, 06:17 PM   #12
Impaler Spearguns
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: key west
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Re: Hogfish

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmoose View Post
Doesn't the new restrictions help reduce the mini season mass hog killing? How is it ignored?

What basis of science are you using to make your recommendations and why is yours any different than theirs?

You know that if a size and take restriction is not chosen the alternative will be an MPA... I believe there is considerable Federal interest in making the whole Keys an MPA like Pennekamp. The state not taking action preemptively as it has would certainly help grease the skids to make that happen.

sorry for the delayed response - I just saw this:
the mini season thing is ignored in that: they ONLY needed to shut down the mini season massacre and maybe raise the size limit and that's it- 90% of the problem is solved. They "ignored" it- by making everyone suffer all year long instead of just stopping the one week massacre

The basis of science that I used that they didn't is that - I commercially fished this area for years - and even thogh I wasn't carrying a clipboard and doing "studies" - I was fishing for the hogs where they actual;ly lived instaed of what these guys did- which was to go to places where everything has been ovefished for decades and no one fishes there- plus stand around at the filet tables at the public boat ramp and ask all the newbies and weekend warriors what they got and where they got it. If you are putting in your boat at a public boat ramp- you are likely not from the area - and not an expert at where the big fish live.

as to your last point that it's either they do THIS or we get the whole are shut down to an MPA. I don't know who it was who decided that there were only two possible choices and neither of them could even utter the words mini season. - I would suggest that there are morwe choices than that- more than 2 nmore than 3 - in fact - if they really were trying to solve the problem- there are dozens of choices- the idea that there are only two choices or they just take it all away forever is not smart - not science- and not true.
The people who come down here on mini season and fill the cooler with 11" hogs and mini lobsters and then drive back to miami are the problem - but the long history of corruption in key west dictates that the sellers of pole spears - lobster sticks and bags and hotel room owners are what is important - not the fish- and THAT is what needs to change. All that happens now is - they STILL kill the hogs - its just now they either filet and release or just release.

The people that live here should be allowed to continue to harvest and should be given powers to vote on this stuff. The people who just come and visit or drive down to kill stuff and then go back to pennsyltucky and their ilk- shouldnt have any say in any of this. Do I get to vote on their roads and bridges? do I get a say on their school board meetings ? no- and that's because I don't live there. It just sucks to live in a place where people come to visit - kill stuff and then leave us with heavy handed laws to make up for what they are doing.
just my opinion
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