COUNCIL AT-LARGE SEAT COULD AFFECT N.J. FLUKE QUOTA
By Al Ristori
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is trying to hold on to the at-large seat currently held by N.Y. on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council with a direct plea to the Secretary of Commerce claiming that N.Y. fishermen are being short-changed in fluke and need that vote in order to gain quota from New Jersey.
I held that at-large seat on the first council following passage of the Magnuson Act. After serving as chairman of the Emergency Committee to Save America's Marine Resources in the fight for the 200-mile fisheries jurisdiction, I was nominated for the council by the governors of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – and appointed to the at-large seat by then Secretary of Commerce Eliot Richardson. My successor was also from N.J., but N.Y. presently holds that at-large seat with a councilman who has completed his terms. The good will that resulted in my being nominated by three governors no longer exists, but Schumer's explicit power play is unprecedented.
Schumer's March 28 press release stated:
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged Commerce Secretary John Bryson to keep a New Yorker in the soon-to-be-vacant at-large seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC). Currently, New York fishing allocations are based on outdated and scientifically unreliable data that results in inequitable treatment of New York anglers, especially in the popular fluke fishery. Schumer said that representation on MAFMC, with its responsibility for deciding fish allocations among states, is essential in correcting this inequity.
In a letter to Secretary Bryson, Schumer said that if New York were to lose this seat on the Council when Steven Schafer, a New Yorker who currently holds an at-large seat, sees his term expire on August 10, 2012, it is unlikely that the arbitrary and inequitable treatment of the New York recreational fishery could be corrected. Schumer noted that Governor Andrew Cuomo has put forward three very strong New Yorkers for this seat and is urging Bryson to appoint one of them to the at-large seat in order to help immediately address the inaccuracies in historical data used to calculate unfair quotas for New York.
"Keeping this seat for New York, and not ceding it to any other state, is the only way New York anglers will get their fair share," said Schumer. "For too long, New York anglers have gotten the short end of the stick, subjected as they are to unfair fishing allocations based outdated, scientifically unreliable data. But make no mistake, if we lose this seat, we will lose our opportunity to finally fix these allocations, and Secretary Byrson should not to let that happen."
Though fluke regulations are tougher in New York, that's the result of historical catch information that gives them a lower quota. Tom Fote, of the JCAA, was part of the panel that made the original division, and he said there were other years that would have been worse for New York, but the panel opted for those that gave our neighbors a better share.
Some N.J. congressmen are fighting back by seeking a return of that possibly critical vote. Anglers who want to avoid much more restrictive fluke regulations in the future are urged to seek the support of all in the N.J. delegation for that effort.
Gov. Chris Christie has recommended Capt. Paul Eidman for that at-large seat, with Capt. Adam Nowalsky and Hansel Torriero as his two other required recommendations for the Secretary of Commerce to select from.
For New Jersey's obligatory seat, Gov. Christie has recommended the deserving incumbent, Chris Zeman – with ex-councilman Ed Goldman and Milt Rosko as his other selections.
By Al Ristori
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is trying to hold on to the at-large seat currently held by N.Y. on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council with a direct plea to the Secretary of Commerce claiming that N.Y. fishermen are being short-changed in fluke and need that vote in order to gain quota from New Jersey.
I held that at-large seat on the first council following passage of the Magnuson Act. After serving as chairman of the Emergency Committee to Save America's Marine Resources in the fight for the 200-mile fisheries jurisdiction, I was nominated for the council by the governors of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – and appointed to the at-large seat by then Secretary of Commerce Eliot Richardson. My successor was also from N.J., but N.Y. presently holds that at-large seat with a councilman who has completed his terms. The good will that resulted in my being nominated by three governors no longer exists, but Schumer's explicit power play is unprecedented.
Schumer's March 28 press release stated:
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged Commerce Secretary John Bryson to keep a New Yorker in the soon-to-be-vacant at-large seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC). Currently, New York fishing allocations are based on outdated and scientifically unreliable data that results in inequitable treatment of New York anglers, especially in the popular fluke fishery. Schumer said that representation on MAFMC, with its responsibility for deciding fish allocations among states, is essential in correcting this inequity.
In a letter to Secretary Bryson, Schumer said that if New York were to lose this seat on the Council when Steven Schafer, a New Yorker who currently holds an at-large seat, sees his term expire on August 10, 2012, it is unlikely that the arbitrary and inequitable treatment of the New York recreational fishery could be corrected. Schumer noted that Governor Andrew Cuomo has put forward three very strong New Yorkers for this seat and is urging Bryson to appoint one of them to the at-large seat in order to help immediately address the inaccuracies in historical data used to calculate unfair quotas for New York.
"Keeping this seat for New York, and not ceding it to any other state, is the only way New York anglers will get their fair share," said Schumer. "For too long, New York anglers have gotten the short end of the stick, subjected as they are to unfair fishing allocations based outdated, scientifically unreliable data. But make no mistake, if we lose this seat, we will lose our opportunity to finally fix these allocations, and Secretary Byrson should not to let that happen."
Though fluke regulations are tougher in New York, that's the result of historical catch information that gives them a lower quota. Tom Fote, of the JCAA, was part of the panel that made the original division, and he said there were other years that would have been worse for New York, but the panel opted for those that gave our neighbors a better share.
Some N.J. congressmen are fighting back by seeking a return of that possibly critical vote. Anglers who want to avoid much more restrictive fluke regulations in the future are urged to seek the support of all in the N.J. delegation for that effort.
Gov. Chris Christie has recommended Capt. Paul Eidman for that at-large seat, with Capt. Adam Nowalsky and Hansel Torriero as his two other required recommendations for the Secretary of Commerce to select from.
For New Jersey's obligatory seat, Gov. Christie has recommended the deserving incumbent, Chris Zeman – with ex-councilman Ed Goldman and Milt Rosko as his other selections.