The Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act included the creation of a Federal Registry of Salt Water Anglers, with nine states having to sell salt water fishing licenses for the first time.

Specifically, MSA §401(g) mandates the Secretary to implement a federal requirement for anglers and for-hire vessels to register, and to provide identification and contact information, if they fish in the EEZ, for Continental Shelf Resources beyond the EEZ or for anadromous fish in any waters. Further, the Secretary is to exempt from the federal registration requirement those anglers and vessels that are licensed or registered by a state if the state provides sufficient identification and contact information for use in
recreational surveys.

I had assumed every state required a salt water fishing license, that’s not the case. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii have no such requirement, and their anglers are beginning to grumble at the prospect.

“Anadromous fish in any waters” also requires a license, which would extend the practice to stripers, salmon, steelhead, shad, and many other gamefish. The intent of the legislation is to increase the ability of the US to gather metrics on fishing and fishermen, largely to assist the Federal government to determine what’s being caught, and how many.

States that already gather this information are exempt from any new license or process, but that may spawn an uptick in the price, much remains to be seen.

The law goes into effect on January 1, 2009 – with the states required to report information thereafter. You may have something handed to you when you go renew your license for 2008.

I have no issues with any of the above, but the idea of that vast mailing list of anglers being stolen off a federal laptop has me concerned. I can handle the identity theft, it’s the SPAM I’ll get after the list is sold to the Rapala Corporation that concerns me.

Technorati Tags: Magnuson-Stevens Act, National Saltwater Angler Registry, stolen federal laptop, spam

I was actually wondering how it was all gone to end, what with the myriad of environmental pressures on fish, decline in historic populations, and then the medical community applies the boots to what’s left; “Eat fish once a week ’cause it’s healthy – unless it’s a big fish full of Mercury, then only nibble those..”

A lot of mixed messages, and one that’s clear, “..the problem with the few, is how they keep getting fewer.”

Part of the answer lies with the Scientific Brain trust, whose initial offering may lessen the pressure on what’s left, plants genetically engineered to make fish oils.

Experiments have proved that crops containing genes from marine organisms are able to produce omega 3 fatty acids normally found in oily fish.

On the one hand it’s a good thing, as it may reduce harvest pressure on declining fish stocks – a known “zero sum” game, as humans are on the increase, and fish are declining precipitously.

Ignoring the obvious issues around genetic manipulation and releasing it back into the wild, the real question is what does that crop smell like on a sunny day?

A little science is a good thing, but they may want to add some Breath Mint genes into the final DNA just so’s the property values aren’t affected.

Technorati Tags: Omega 3 fatty acids, genetic crops, DNA

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA is balking at paying for fish lost by the New Orleans Zoo.  During the incident the premises lost power for four days, the zoo lost its sharks, jellyfish, all of the tropical species, and many thousands of additional fish.

FEMA assessed the loss and planned to reimburse the Zoo $616,000 to purchase the fish on the open market and reopen the facility, considered a major tourist attraction.

While the eternal cycle of paperwork and triplicate was being launched, the New Orleans Zoo sent an expedition to the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, and the Bahamas, where they caught 1,681 fish at a cost of $99,766.

“FEMA would have been willing to pay more than $600,000 for the fish if they had been bought from commercial suppliers. But the agency is balking because the Audubon Museum of the Americas went out and replaced the dead fish the old-fashioned way, with hooks and nets. That expedition saved the taxpayers a half million dollars but did not comply with FEMA regulations.”

Seventeen months later the money is still tied up in a bollix of red tape.

“FEMA does not consider it reasonable when an applicant takes excursions to collect specimens” … “They must be obtained through reputable sources where, again, the item is commercially available.”

With the current housing glut, can we assume that the 3000 houses burnt in Southern California must be replaced by buying another empty home – or can the dispossessed hire a contractor and rebuild?

I don’t invent the stuff, I just report it.

Technorati Tags: FEMA, Audubon Museum of the Americas, Hurricane Katrina, red tape

I just knew the whole “Catch & Release” concept was the root cause of the decline of fishing. Sure, fishermen dig the “nobility” angle and “Greenness” is trendy as hell, coupled with most anglers would rather eat Guano than fish, and it’s little wonder we embraced the concept wholeheartedly.

The Vegan’s knew we would fall for it, they baited the trap and the Sporting Fraternity walked into it willingly.

In our youth we never questioned our sanity, even when the bet involved us chugging a pint of Everclear, or mixing two sixpacks of Old English with Peppermint Schnapps, it was about manhood…

Only after we picked up the fishing bug was sanity ever in question. Like the time you neutered yourself standing in freezing water for five hours, or the time your buddy called and coaxed you into a fishing trip on your anniversary.

That was insanity.

Fortunately Science has determined an antidote to this hideous plot, it’s as simple as eating your damn carrots…or your prey.

People who ate fish at least once a week had a 40% lower risk of dementia, while eating fruit and vegetables once a day reduced the risk by 35%.

It also explains why baseball players get such huge salaries:

However, eating other types of cooking oils containing omega-6 – such as sunflower oil – rather than omega-3 doubled the risk.

I bet those owners sure wished they hadn’t banned tobacco chaw in the Major Leagues, if they’d only known sunflower seeds was going to loosen their purse strings, they might have re-thought it.

Technorati Tags: omega-3, Everclear, Old English 800, technicolor yawn

As the water issues in Georgia continue to worsen, Governor Perdue is planning a gathering of ministers and lawmakers tomorrow on the capitol steps, to pray for rain.

Singlebarbed staff are required to remain strictly agnostic, but we can’t help but wonder whether this is actually an appeal to a deity, or the last request of an elected official knowing his state’s fate is tied to the legal system..

At least western states have a number of deities to appeal to – which gives them a numerical advantage, not to mention assorted Indian tribes that have dances for that kind of miracle – I guess I feel lucky.

In either case, Georgia still lacks any tangible relief and the clock is ticking. Estimates vary but many suggest the end of January the taps will run dry in Atlanta.

Vicki Lawrence can change a couple of words and breathe new life to her career.

Technorati Tags: georgia drought, Governor Perdue, prayer