Blue Crab Industry Design Team

[Mr. Breeze]

Commercial Blue Crab Fishermen,

You may not be aware that major changes in the structure of the blue crab fishery are being discussed.  There is a very real possibility that your ability to continue to crab in the manner that you are accustomed to will be threatened and possibly eliminated.
    As many of you know, the blue crab stock health has become a major concern of the DNR.  In 2008, major changes in the fishery were implemented, including female bushel limits and the freezing of non reporting licenses.
   In 2009, DNR contracted Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to look into the possibility of initiating a Catch Share program in our fishery, and to assist in the initiation of said program. 
   Very early in 2010, EDF started holding informational meetings throughout the state, discussing what was about to happen.  I went to several of these meetings, and saw that there were some things about the idea that I liked, and some things that I didn’t like.
    In January of 2011, DNR Sec. Griffin held a hush hush meeting with Larry Simns of the Maryland Waterman’s Association (MWA) and Gibby Dean of the Chesapeake Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Association (CBCFA).  The conclusion was that the two organizations were to establish a Design Team.  The first meeting of the Team was in March.  The membership of the team was not suprising.  It is comprised of  MWA members representing the harvesters with a couple of representatives from processors and dealers. Every harvester on the team represents one of the associations, with no one who is not affiliated present.
   At the July meeting, The CBCFA resigned from the team, citing an unwillingness to continue working with EDF.    Steve Early, DNR representative to the team, said that ideally, a 100% fishery participation was preferred, and that the resignation would signal that 100% participation would not be present.
   The fact that DNR even thinks that the team, including CBCFA, offered a 100%  representation outraged me to the point that I had to interrupt the meeting and state that every member of the team was affiliated with an association, and that there were over ¾ of the license holders in the state that were unrepresented.  After my statement, Larry Simns rebutted by saying that those license holders who do not belong to an association, are not important enough to be represented.
   I attended every meeting so far, and would like to represent you, the unworthy of representation crabber.  If you are tired of MWA making all the decisions in OUR fishery, please complete the attached Authorization of Representation, and return it to me.  In addition to the form, I will need a way to contact you to discuss the proceedings and carry your thoughts to the team.  Please keep this contact info separate, so that if I have to loose possession of the authorizations for any reason, your contact info will not be compromised.

Thanks,
       

[Mr. Breeze]

                                            Authorization of Representation
                                       On the Blue Crab Industry Design Team


I feel that my concerns and interests are not being considered or fairly represented in the ongoing process of developing alternative management procedures for the blue crab fishery in Maryland.  Therefore, by affixing my signature and listing my tfl number below, I authorize Richard Young to represent me and my interests on the Blue Crab Industry Design Team for the purpose of participating in the development of said alternative management methods.





Name-_________________________


TFL#-___________


Date-____________









Please return to

Richard Young
7656 Old Battle Grove RD
Dundalk, MD
21222

[Mr. Breeze]

If you want some say in what goes on,  I need the completed authorization by the end of July

[reds]

For those that do not know.....Early on, the design team found out from the DNR that the catch limit on crabs, that the DNR has imposed,  could be increased by 20 to 25%, if the part time people could be eliminated.

Guess where the design team's actions will be headed?

Rich Young needs to be supported by license holders....Send him your OK to Represent.

[big red]

I have just noticed this post and am a little late reading it,  but I have to ask if you are a commercial crabber why are you not part of the 2 major organazations

[Mr. Breeze]

Because some people are just not joiners.  Why aren't all plumbers union?  All electricians?  all commercial crabbers are not members of a waterman's association, and there is no requirement that they be.
Look for a further update on the design team tonight

[big red]

the distrust of the mwa is why the cbcfa was started,, I belong to the cbcfa and was in attendance when members were selected to rep the cbcfa,,,trotliners had a rep, potters had a rep

I quote you " The fact that DNR even thinks that the team, including CBCFA, offered a 100%  representation outraged me " ......who is not being represented......

I'm not trying to bust your b@!!$  here just wondering who is not being represented

[lnbcrabs]

25% could be added to the quota if EVERYBODY reported correctly! It was stated that the part timers reports were the ones that went way out of Wacke, making Dr use a 25% buffer. Which means a man making a living on the water gets a pay cut for part timers or any com. license holders fraud.  No were do I remember anything about part timers being eliminated. 

[Mr. Breeze]

the distrust of the mwa is why the cbcfa was started,, I belong to the cbcfa and was in attendance when members were selected to rep the cbcfa,,,trotliners had a rep, potters had a rep

I quote you " The fact that DNR even thinks that the team, including CBCFA, offered a 100%  representation outraged me " ......who is not being represented......

I'm not trying to bust your b@!!$  here just wondering who is not being represented

LOL,  big red,  I have met a few members of the CBCFA, and have alot of respect for them.  Gibby, Jody, John are the ones that I have met and spoken with.  Good guys.  However, I question the withdrawal from the design team.  There is something to be said for the old adage, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

As far as who is not being represented, the numbers speak for themselves.  I've tried on many occassions to find out the exact number of members the MWA has,  but have been unsuccessful.  It seems this is a better guarded secret than Area 51.  Best guess estimate, after conferring with others is 1000, give or take.

CBCFA last I heard had just over 200 members.

With over 6000 commercial crabbing licenses in play, and the associations' combined membership of just over 1200, give or take,  I'd say that over 3/4 of the commercial crabbing licenses in MD are not represented by the Industry design team as it is presently constituted.

[Mr. Breeze]

25% could be added to the quota if EVERYBODY reported correctly! It was stated that the part timers reports were the ones that went way out of Wacke, making Dr use a 25% buffer. Which means a man making a living on the water gets a pay cut for part timers or any com. license holders fraud.  No were do I remember anything about part timers being eliminated. 

Hmmm,  I've been to every meeting this Industy Design Team has had.  I don't recall anyone saying that the bad reports were coming from only part timers.  As I recall, the offenders were across the board, in every license type. 
As far as eliminating licenses, the team has stated that they are not for eliminating any licenses, but nothing is set in stone yet, and at the 2nd and 3rd meeting, part timers and LCC holders were discussed, with some opinions unfavorable.  Everything that has been discussed at previous meetings is available to revisitation by the team

[reds]

Hmmm,  I've been to every meeting this Industy Design Team has had.  I don't recall anyone saying that the bad reports were coming from only part timers.  As I recall, the offenders were across the board, in every license type. 
As far as eliminating licenses, the team has stated that they are not for eliminating any licenses, but nothing is set in stone yet, and at the 2nd and 3rd meeting, part timers and LCC holders were discussed, with some opinions unfavorable.  Everything that has been discussed at previous meetings is available to revisitation by the team

The unfavorable opinions on part time crabbers, actually came from a upper bay representative.

[Mr. Ray III]

The unfavorable opinions on part time crabbers, actually came from a upper bay representative.

If its who I am thinking of, that person themself is not what I would consider a full time crabber.  He set his pots the week after July 4th...

[Captain C]

If its who I am thinking of, that person themself is not what I would consider a full time crabber.  He set his pots the week after July 4th...

And sells them on Elkton-Newark road?

[reds]

25% could be added to the quota if EVERYBODY reported correctly! It was stated that the part timers reports were the ones that went way out of Wacke, making Dr use a 25% buffer. Which means a man making a living on the water gets a pay cut for part timers or any com. license holders fraud.  No were do I remember anything about part timers being eliminated. 

Here are some quotes from Design Team members.

1)Have requirement that LCC license holders have to take off either Saturday or Sunday
   They have jobs during the week and help glut market on weekends.

2)LCC crabbers are typically recreational.

3)Crabbers should be full time waterman only.

BTW.... The design team does not have a LCC licensee on the board.

[Mikie]

Rich, how did it go with the representation letters, and what happened at the Aug. meeting?

[big red]

come on now, you are using some of the same tactics the DNR uses when talking about crabbing lic....you dag on well there are not 6000 commercial waterman crabbing on the bay, I would be willing to bet there aren't 600 out of 6000 lic.  that are commercial crabbers if there are more where are all of these commercial crabbers at......

another number that would be interesting to know is just how many active commercial crabbers does the MWA actually have as members...I think it is much lower than they are willing to admit....so who is the MWA actually representing??


In order to be a full member of the cbcfa you have to have a comm lic, which i think is a great idea

A healthy debate on a public forum is one of the best ways to get the word out...all commercial waterman should be on the same side not divided into many different groups

[SlickCam]

The design of catch shares is not to put every waterman on the same team, its to pit them against one another in a battle to the death of many of them.  First it will be "part timers", then it will be anyone who's got anything less than a cb9, and so on until we're down to a handful of crabbing super businesses that monopolize the market.  So yes catch shares will help watermen, but only those that are left and we're all going to cut each others throats to be the ones who are left.  I currently work an LCC that was passed on to me by a grandfather.  I'm a high school teacher during the year and crab as often as I can in the summer for extra income.  My license is active.  I can keep females. But I rarely report more than 40 bushels a year.  So I will most likely be the first to go, but many of you will be next.

[genecrabman]

That sounds pretty fair to me, The guys with landings in the past should get a bigger piece of the Share.....IMO Md should go to a trip ticket program so each pound of crabs caught is logged down and has to be  sold to a license dealer...Then in a few years that will show who is crabbing and who just wants to be a Waterman..It's not fair to give a guy that catches 25 bushels a year the same share as a guy who averages 25 bushels a day...Just my 2 cents..

[rdbeard]

Gene i agree with youand i think if it were split up by gear type and landings ther could be a fair outcome but that's not what catchshares are about. i crab my lic. as hard as possilbe but if they take your average and only give you a % of that it's wrong. my average could have been better if there were better conditions and more crabs as there are now. the water isn't cleaner but the crabbing has been better the last two years then the last ten.

[rdbeard]

Gene another question, i sell direct to the public,if everyone has to sell to a dealer i couldn't make it. how do you sell to the pulic if you guys are on the trip ticket plan? i thought i seen you advertise on craigs list .

[Mr. Ray III]

Gene another question, i sell direct to the public,if everyone has to sell to a dealer i couldn't make it. how do you sell to the pulic if you guys are on the trip ticket plan? i thought i seen you advertise on craigs list .

I'm pretty sure Gene is a dealer. 

[genecrabman]

Gene another question, i sell direct to the public,if everyone has to sell to a dealer i couldn't make it. how do you sell to the pulic if you guys are on the trip ticket plan? i thought i seen you advertise on craigs list .

You can purchase a dealer License, then you have to do the paper work each day you crab..I was a bit Leary when NC started the trip ticket program in the late 80's...But it's been a good thing..I can go back 20 years and check my landings,I can get a print out from the state of how many fish,crabs and oysters I've sold.. That shows who is working and who ain't working....I'd push a trip ticket program and get accurate numbers,Too see just who is catching what,and then tell EDF to take a Hike...JMO

[still fishing]

Here are some quotes from Design Team members.

1)Have requirement that LCC license holders have to take off either Saturday or Sunday
   They have jobs during the week and help glut market on weekends.

2)LCC crabbers are typically recreational.

3)Crabbers should be full time waterman only.

BTW.... The design team does not have a LCC licensee on the board.

wow I have a TWIN !

[genecrabman]

wow I have a TWIN !

Your still the EVIL TWIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reds]

Gene another question, i sell direct to the public,if everyone has to sell to a dealer i couldn't make it. how do you sell to the pulic if you guys are on the trip ticket plan? i thought i seen you advertise on craigs list .

A dealers license is $150 and another report would be required every month.