Just to share somethings am proud of

We had a total closure (no take zone) of 6 months at one bank we used to spear in, it was on our winter time when we have the tuna,wahoo, mahi come in.

After a long fight and talking to many people responsible for it,
and doing some good things so that spearfishing were not looked
upon in a bad way, getting involved as an AP meber, and a few
more things , we got a really big oportunity.

In this closed no take zone spearfishermen will be allowed
to spearfish for the species that are not managed by the council, this basically means
spear for pelagic species while the 6m month closure is still under effect . Also trolling for pelagics was allowed.

I guess it would be up to the users of this unprecedented to keep
the good faith of the ones who allowed us.

Roberto Reyes

Anthony, dame tu email y te envio los papeles.

Quote from Stephan

That's terrific and encouraging. It sounds to me like the group you were working with was actually focused on an honest goal of protecting a fishery as opposed to being a group that just wants hands off disguised as a group concerned about a fishery.

Congratulations and thanks.

I wish that was the case, I have not yet seen such a group, they are just closing fishing areas, then
they will use those areas as a measure of how the fisheries is suposed to be if there is not fishing,
and things like that.

Most of the areas closed are the best fishing areas, if you ask me, I honestly dont know how I got it,
I guess my lion fish tournaments with spearguns have some to do with it, this guys would not touch a spear/sling with a 10 foot pole, now we get togheter to kill lion fish, also i had done with the Puerto Rico Freedivers spearfishing clubs some beach cleanings, and stuff like that, we had been in the newspapers,
and I had actually stop spearfishing for a long time to go and dedicate time to this new laws, little steps
might have help, but dont confuse a honest goal of poretcting a fishery, they will protect fish, they dont want none taken in the long run, of course, thats just my personal opinion.

There will be many more closures, dont know were will this end.

I might have to become a comercial fishermen to enjoy fishing at all, they are the only ones going to this meeting and fighting the new laws, am the only recreational fisherman, am tired , I wish I knew none of this and just be able to enjoy fishing again.

Those deaf ears are the same here and there, and I mean it literally, same guys doing the closures, using wrong data,ect.

Ddonnell I was just at something they are calling Fisheries Forum( fisheries leadership & sustainability forum), and while it was in the Caribbean, they had "Marine Biologists" (Enviromentalists) from diferent parts of the states and the world, including California,Australia, Florida, ect.

It is my personal opinion that these guys are againt recreational fishing, and they are cutting down the amount of fish the comercial guys will be taking, in the long run, I suspect that even when they use words like Sustainability, they just want to close all kind of fishing.

They are smart people,making money out of this, so they are milking it, and they believe they are doing the right thing, so the end will justify the means.