Originally Posted by MTUpower

As a professional captain who drives a 65 foot fishing boat this topic no only hits home but is relevant on many fronts. I've done quite a bit of study on this and the results of MPA's (marine protection areas) are different than what I thought they'd be. New Zealand has many MPA's that totally ban fishing and they are generally considered a success by all, yet are still locally fought against by both commercial and sport fishers. Personally I don't see much difference in commercial and sport fishermen anymore. Poaching sportfishermen tend to be the norm anymore in my view, and if you look at the fishing effort by sportfishermen on a given ground you will see it is not small. Nearly every fishing ground I see (and I am on fishing grounds up and down the USA east coast over 200 days a year) is fished every single day by dozens of boats. The fish's behavior and numbers are changed greatly by commercial fishing AND sport fishing. I served on the Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Council as a representative of the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands - the islands north of Guam where I lived for 10 years) for two years, which advises NMFC (National Marine Fisheries Council) and tries to set fisheries rules their jurisdiction. Frankly I don't have time to write all I'd like to about this subject.
However- the greatest thread to ALL USA fisheries health is Bill Hogarth, one of the head's of NMFS. He has repeatedly been quoted as being a outright proponent of the commercial sector, and we have seen during his rule the decimation of nearly all species in all grounds. He ought to be shot- as in executed if you ask me. He does make some rational statements from time to time to fool the public and appear as a reasonable person.
National Geographic had a great article on Bluefin tuna lately- an excellent read. I do not and have not killed a bluefin tuna for a few years, and will not do so again. I will not kill a shark unless it means a payout of more than $10K either. In the last 4 four years I've caught over 100 pelagic sharks and killed four. I think no take MPA's are a good thing.
I also think from personal experience that marine scientists are biased, and the "reports" they give are greatly colored in order to secure more funding for whatever project they are involved in. I don't trust them any farther than I can drag them behind the boat as shark teasers.
William