Are you denying that there are realistic, very serious problems with overfishing? There's not a doubt in my mind that there wouldn't be any viable food-fish populations in any ocean within a decade without controls on commercial fishing.

Spanking is legal in every US state, prosecution of child abuse being mostly overhyped by second-hand horror stories and chain emails.

I'm holding out on Belize being the next super power.

 

It should not be removed this country was started on religous freedom. Among other things. This country has gone forever with the saying and it should stand.

 

someone just wants it removed so they can get all the attention, some lawyer will make millions trying to fight for this because aparently it is infringing on someone elses right of religion, "its not in my religion" so they think it should go, it should be our freedom of speech to tell them to shut the hell up about it and get on with there boring lives.

 

depends on what part of the fishing industry your referring to.
every state had different laws.
us in general has the most regulated fishing industry.

Dragging... is a big way to catch fish. i hate it! the nets bounce off the bottom floor with big chunks of rubber called "rock hoppers"
when the net is brought in they bring in numerous species. some illegal to keep
some undersized.
buy the time the fish are sorted through for from the keepers and the one being thrown back over. the ones you can't keep have been on deck so long they are dead any way.

but if we make this kind of fishing illegal and have to use a rod a reel.. the price of fish would be astronomical!


but you take lobstering on the other hand. we are not beating up the ocean floor.
no net to be dragged. it's proven traps are actually not efficient. we only catch 20% of the lobsters they go in. lobster can go in and out as they please. assuming they make it through the maze of heads. also we have spacers int he back of the trap. so if lobsters do get caught in the back as they should. the spacers allow smaller lobsters to get out.
what ones don't are measured when they come aboard and released. they don't spend nearly the time on board as a dragger. a short lobster might spend 5-10 minutes on board.

compared to a dragger about an hour to an hour and a half with out being in the water.


shrimp up this way is a overwhelming supply. they get trapped and dragged. but due to the extremely low price no one want to wast time to catch them.

it's a good thing in a way because alot of fish east the shrimp. cusk,cod,haddock
the cheaper fish that you get when you east out.

dragging up here has been limited. they use to come and go as they please. now they are luck if they get 90 days a year.

MA, is the worst!
they are allowed to bring in and sell over sized lobsters. lobsters exceeding 5 inches in shell length. that like a 6 lb lobster!!

also their draggers are allowed a bi-catch. draggers are allowed to sell lobsters too

Dept. Marine Resources - A guide to Lobstering in Maine

i hate draggers with a passion! but it's hard for people to understand unless they actually do it.
the scientist don't know if they are coming or going. it's been pretty obvious over the years. i have been to numerous council meetings.

they will have a representative stand up with reports of there being a record low in supply..
but that year we will have a record high catch.

wait hows that work out...
they figure we are catching all the supply and there needs to be more regulations.

they have never admitted they was wrong!

honestly they say lobstering is unregulated. i left you with a link to maines regulations
we through back shorts,over sized, females with eggs, v-notched females.
i'm willing to bet 80-90% caught gets released safely.

the biggest problem i see now is purse seining, herring are not in a high supply.
you may eat them, sardines in a can,cat food, bait fish. probably the most widely used fish on the market.