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Cap and trade coming to Morro Bay commercial fishing

December 31, 2013

morro bay plantA program that allows commercial fishermen in Morro Bay to buy and sell fish catch quotas will take effect Wednesday. [KSBY]

The “Catch and Share” system of capping the amount of fish that commercial fishermen can catch took effect two years ago in order to curb overfishing. Starting in 2014, fishermen can sell their quotas to the highest bidder.

Some Morro Bay fishermen say the new system will allow large, out-of-area companies to buy their competition out of business.

“These things are often promoted by the big and powerful,” said Morro Bay fisherman Mark Tognazzini. “In the old days, a guy could work hard, go fishing and build up a reputation for a great quality product and now you have to buy it.”

Nature Conservancy spokesman Michael Bell did not dispute that the quota selling program could put small, local fishermen out of business.

“You have this consolidation effect, and these traditional fishing communities have lost access,” Bell said.

But, the recovery of fish populations and ecosystems has been a positive effect, he said.

To comply with the system, fishermen must now include federally certified observers on their commercial fishing expeditions to monitor catch amounts.

 


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Fishing is not a left or right issue. It is a food issue. Do we do what is necessary to distribute food to the people or not? Do we do it in a sustainable way to make sure our children eat also? Stop complaining about government interference when you don’t have a clue that the government has been regulating fisheries for thirty years. Or show up at a Pacific Fisheries Council Meeting and see what goes on. They spend weeks per year discussing this very thing. Most fish eaters have no idea what goes on to make sure they have something to eat. Morro Bay Fishing died years ago… That is why there are so few boats to even complain.


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I must be missing the point here. If the mom and pops want to continue to fish then they can. Just don’t sell the quota….If we are concerned about big businees interests in Morro Bay….don’t sell the quota’s. Big business will not get away with this if no one sells the quotas. If the fisherman get greedy and sell their quota’s then they get what they deserve. My guess is they will get what they deserve


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One of the main downsides to the whole ‘Catch Share’ program is that it requires 100% observer coverage on every vessel. That means that every fishing boat has to pay for 3rd party observer and take them on each fishing trip at the cost of approximately $400-600/ per day. The large operators can afford this while it is already proving to be an unbearable burden on the small operations. It is comparable to requiring a a full time non working employee in Wal -Mart while at the same time making the requirement applicable to the corner grocery store. Wal-Mart merely boosts it prices to cover that burden while the corner grocery store dies a hasty death and, on their way out, sells their “share” to Wal Mart. Pretty soon all you see is Wal -Marts. I’m still standing by and waiting for the “left leaning populists” to shout out their outrage! right…


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They can continue to fish but are now limited to what they can catch and have to pay for a federal lackey to take up space on thei vessel. It is not about greed when the selling your quota may yield more than the reduced profit that one can make..


Sounds like a typical government program to me.


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This is totally inaccurate. We were limited every year by the numbers of fish we could catch. Each species is carefully managed by the The Pacific Fishery Management Council. What has changed is the fish quota goes with the permit instead of the boat, so it may be sold or traded or even leased. This helps the fishermen in the long run, because now they can fish when they want, in good weather and when the market conditions are good. Prices increase (for the boats) and the fish are spread out over the year. As someone else said, you are not forced to sell. Many of the fishermen who are selling are doing so because they are getting to retirement age and their children do not want to fish or stay in the business. As for the cost of the observer program, if it allows for more catch then the cost is covered by the increase in the catch. In addition, it has helped, with new nets and gear to reduce the by-catch to less than 5 percent. All these things help the environment and the fishermen both.


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You don’t have a clue as to what you are talking about other than the party line that you’ve been spoon fed by the ENGOs.


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All laws passed by congress do 3 and only three things, they restrict liberty, confiscate property, and put money in the pockets of the entities that the congressmen and women are beholden to (those that put them and keep them in office).


With every law passed ask yourself, how does this restrict my liberty, how does this confiscate my property, and who stands to profit from this. The law is never what it is “sold” as – to help children, fish competition etc…all laws auch as this are kickbacks.


God bless America.


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Welcome to Amerika…where the government controls everything…all in the name of making a better place for each of our comrades to live


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“promote the general welfare”


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You may have an unorthodox and strange notion of “promote” then…


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yes I know, found in the work of Paine and Preamble .


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“To comply with the system, fishermen must now include federally certified observers on their commercial fishing expeditions to monitor catch amounts.”


Well there you go, the sunken chest, unicorn herders carve another niche into the efforts of working men. Keep in mind, these are the losers who’re incapable and unwilling to produce a honest product or service. While you’re casting lines, setting pots, and engaging in the the day to day arduous routine of managing a vessel, they’ll be sitting on the sidelines clicking their counters and dictating what you can or can’t do. Theo P. nailed it; they’re racketeers pretending to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. Welcome to the feminizing of the American working man and workplace. Oh well, maybe you can pick up some side work helping free the global warming expedition vessel stuck in the ice in Antarctica. By the way, if you punched the democrat ticket, you’ve got it coming.


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Real men don’t resort to gender stereotypes to make a point, but you’re the kind who secretly likes his prostate exam.


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Oh please, woman have been using ‘gender stereotypes’ to ramrod a gender based political narrative since the sixties. Loved the Alinsky attack with the sexual innuendo. Keep up the good work comrade.


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The attack of the Alinsky woman!


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You’re the only man I know who needs a colonoscopy to have his head examined.


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Didn’t the naturalistas do this recently with salmon … worked their legislators to sell fishing rights, then bought the rights and retired the industry? I am sure I am misremembering huge parts of it, but wasn’t there something like that?


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What is the Mayor and council’s position on this issue? Are they doing anything to support the local fishermen?


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In a word, “nothing”. Just as they did nothing to try to prevent the closure of the County Health Center in Morro Bay. They’re more interested in stroking their own egos and driving the local economy into the ground to worry about the important things that concern the working people of the City of Morro Bay. Everyone needs to sign the recall petition for Jamie Irons.


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how sad are yu!!


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Very sad to see three City Council member destroying the economy in Morro Bay while it’s set to celebrate it’s 50th anniversary. If Jamie Irons and his two stooges were around 50 years ago, there would never be an incorporated city called Morro Bay. If they continue on as they have for the last year, Morro Bay will cease to exist as a functioning city. You can’t do everything possible to make Morro Bay unfriendly to business and expect tax revenues to balance the budget.

More fishing regulations, the power plant closing, the moving of the sewer plant and the raising of fees for building are all going to end in people being forced to move elsewhere. Recall Mayor Irons.


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LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our mayor could give a rats ass about the local fishermen or their livelihood.


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They’re deep under the covers with The Nature Conservancy. TNC gives money to greedy politicians to get their agenda passed.


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It’s all about making commercial fishermen into share croppers. “Catch Shares” positively destroy the small businesses in favor of the larger, often corporate operations.The ENGO’s have come in, created a problem which was non existent and then offer their solution. It’s all part of the big plan to systematically destroy the economic system where a small “mom and pop” type operation can be a viable business and put the money into the hands of those who have control of most of the money already. What is amazing is that some many of the so called ‘enlightened’ leftists who claim to want to stop “corporate greed” and “Occupy this or that” are actually the greatest supporters of this sort of thing. All the while they claim to be for the working, middle class families. Follow the money. The only thing green about the ENGOs is the money that they are after. Follow the money trail here> :http://www.fishtruth.net/Connections.htm How many of these leftists realize that they are actually in bed with one of their worst enemies >http://fisherynation.com/archives/tag/91-4-million-into-greenwashing-in-2012


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Truthism:


Leftists are not for the working class as they claim to be. The are for the ruling class.


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Maybe. Most people on the left truly are the useful idiots that Stalin spoke of. They were in all the failed communist countries, and they are here. Sadly, some on the left are not, but have been voting one party for so long, they do not want to upset their social group. Even when they see the damage all around them.


One cannot hate a particular political view for one’s entire life and then turn on it suddenly. It takes time (if it’s possible at all) and honesty. I mean, who wants to admit that everything you stood for really did not work out, and you just cannot blame it on a shrinking minority that has not had any real power for decades?


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edit: hate (an opposing)* political view…


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who are americas ruling elite ?


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