Environmentalists and animal rights groups have long pressured the government to reduce the numbers of commercial game fish quotas in an attempt to destroy both the recreational and commercial fishing industries. The Obama administration has been very accommodating to these groups and has announced there new quota – About two million pounds:
From GoFish:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration yesterday announced the 2011 quotes for the recreational and commercial harvest of bluefin tuna. The quota will be 957 metric tons (about 2 million pounds), and the season began on June 1, according to a NOAA press release.
The quota is divided among various categories, including longline fishermen, recreational fishermen, harpoon fishermen, trap fishermen and a reserve category to account for unintended bycatch. The General category, which includes commercial fishermen that use a rod and reel, will receive about half the quota, or 435 metric tons, nearly 1 million pounds.
Fisherman have been saying the government regulations have been killing their industry. First in New England, then we began getting reports from the South. Fisherman feel increasingly under attack by Obama and the new regulations his administration has created, and they’re right. Fishing in our waters is being regulated out of existence by groups hostile to the fishing industry.