Saltwater fishermen are frustrated and feeling left out in the cold. Long time charter boat and party boat operators are tired of fighting and ready to pack it all in. Tackle shops owners are fearful of shutting their doors forever after the black sea bass season was closed.
All of this not because of tough economic times but because of fisheries policy written in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with fatally flawed data on fish stocks; ultimately keeping fishing boats tied to the dock and anglers looking for other things to do.
Earlier this week, I attended a fisheries town hall meeting held by the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). The RFA brought a couple of dozen stakeholders of the recreational angling community here in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast states together to discuss and tackle the issues affecting our community.
In attendance was a very good cross section of folks concerned about our fishery, our futures and the community as a whole. It included a handful of local sportswriters, tackle shop owners and recreational fishing captains.