Shem Creek fisherman – along with a lot of other ones – are traveling to Washington this month to attend a nationwide rally protesting new fishing regulations that limit bottom fishing.

That’s fine, but I consider it a waste of gas on their part. If all the fish are gone, what would they do then? Once there’s proof things are okay, the government will loosen their restrictions, and we’ll all be able to enjoy fishing again.

Legare Smith, captain of a private sport fishing boat, says “What if they come back and say dolphin or wahoo numbers are down?” Well, then it must be because their numbers are too low to sustain themselves, they’re certainly not trying to drive away our tourism dollars!

Apparently people are forgetting that NOAA declared four fish stocks fully rebuilt as a result of international fishing pressure.

The way I see it, overfishing is going to be the death of the fishing industry unless steps are taken to curb people’s ferocious appetites for yummy seafood, and I for one, am 100% behind the government’s regulation of it because I love seafood – if you do, you should be behind it too!

For more information on new fishing regulations, visit the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Web site, www.safmc.net where you can read the current Snapper Grouper Recreational Regulations Summary.

The ‘United We Fish’ rally will be held Feb. 24, from noon to 3 p.m. in Washington. For more information, go to unitedwefish.blogspot.com.

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