DorothyLowman,ChairPacificFisheryManagementCouncil1100NEAmbassadorPlace,#101Portland,Oregon97220RE:AgendaItemF.3–DeepSetBuoyGearAmendmentScoping

DearChairLowmanandCouncilmembers,

Sportfishingisthebackboneofourindustryandsportfishermenarethelifebloodkeepingourbusinessesrunning.WewritetostandwiththethousandsofsportfishermencallingforchangeintheWestCoastswordfishfishery,andencourageyoutobegintheauthorizationprocessfordeep-setbuoygearinMarch.

TheWestCoastcommercialfisheryforswordfishneedsalternativegeartypestodriftgillnets.Thesemile-longnets,setforhoursatatimeovernight,ensnarefinfishsuchasstripedmarlinandmanyotherspeciesofmarineliferesultingin64%ofthecatchbeingdiscardedoverboard,ofteninjuredordead.

Lastyear,thePacificFisheryManagementCounciltookseveralpositivestepsindevelopingacomprehensiveSwordfishManagement&MonitoringPlanwiththegoalofreducingbycatchintheWestCoastswordfishfishery.WecommendtheCouncilforitsapprovalofhardcapsonprotectedandvulnerablespecies,aswellas100percentmonitoringinthedriftgillnetfishery,asinterimmeasuresuntilatransitiontocleanergearoccurs.

Additionally,weapplaudtheCouncil’sdecisiontoleaveauthorizationofshallow-setlonglinegearoutsidetheExclusiveEconomicZoneoffoftheCouncil‘s2016agenda.Wehopethisdeletionispermanent,asanyWestCoast-basedlonglinefisherywouldnotachievetheCouncil’sgoalofreducingbycatchandarenotasustainablealternativetodriftgillnets.

Deep-setbuoygearprovidessuchanalternative,andwestronglyencouragethePacificFisheryManagementCounciltoauthorizethisgearinatimelymanner.Buoygearisactivelytended,usingahook-and-buoysystemthatenablesfishermentodroptheirhooksasdeepas1,200feettoreachswordfishandrespondtoabitewithinminutes.Scientistsandcooperatingfishermenhavetestedthegearextensivelyfornearlyfiveyearsanditmaintainsa94percentmarketablecatchrate.

Webelievetheworktoimplementhardcapsand100percentmonitoringcancoincidewithauthorizationofdeep-setbuoygear.Pleaseensurethatauthorizationofthisimportantinnovationisapriorityin2016.

ThankyouinadvanceonbehalfoftheInternationalGameFishAssociation,CoastalConservationAssociationCalifornia,theAmericanSportfishingAssociation,andtheoveronehundredsportfishingbusinesseslistedbelow.

Sincerely,

Wetheundersigned

AmericanSportfishingAssociationMikeLeonard-OceanResourcePolicyDirectorAlexandria,VADaiwaCorporationTerryPederson-VPofSales/MarketingCypress,CAFredHallShows,Inc.BartHall-ProducerCamarillo,CAPelagicColinSarfeh-MarketingDirectorCostaMesa,CATowBoatUS&VesselAssistBenScanlan-GeneralManagerAvalon,CADanaWharfSportfishingandWhaleWatchingDonnaKalez-VicePresidentDanaPoint,CANorthwestSportfishingIndustryAssociationLizHamilton-ExecutiveDirectorOregonCity,ORHobieCatCompanyMorganPromnitz-FishingProductManagerOceanside,CAWesternbassWayneWasulko-PresidentSacramento,CAOFBoutdoorsMichaelTapocik-Founder/PresidentDanaPoint,CASalmonKingLodgeBillDivens-Owner/GuideRedBluff,CABobSandsFishingTackle,Inc.SalVallone-PresidentVanNuys,CA

AmericanFishingTackleCompany(AFTCO)BillShedd-PresidentSantaAna,CAWestMarineRandyRepass-FounderWatsonville,CAShimanoAmericanCorporationPhilMorlock-Director,EnvironmentalAffairsIrvine,CABDOutdoors,LLCAliHussainy-PresidentSanDiego,CAWesternOutdoorNewsBobTwilegar-PresidentSanClemente,CAPacificCoastSportfishingMagazineDrewLawler-President&EditorialDirectorNewportBeach,CACousinsTackleCharlieAlbright-CustomerServiceManagerHuntingtonBeach,CABetterFishtrap/TheQuicklineSystemAdamCarlebach-PresidentOakland,CAQualiaReelsDoshMcClendon-OwnerNovato,CAAAWormsMatthewPaino-GeneralManagerTemecula,CATackleWarehouseRichardZeilenga-COOSanLuisObispo,CASeaGuideRickHall-GlobalSalesManagerMissoula,CA

Aguadrone,LLCDanielMarion-OwnerSanDiego,CAPerformanceTackleMarcHigashi-OwnerLosAlamitos,CATheRustyHookAlexMasumoto-OwnerSanPedro,CALet’sTalkHookupPeteGray-PresidentSanDiego,CARinseKitEliseWalker-AssociateMarketingDirectorCarlsbad,CAMarshallMadrugaBrandsMarshallMadruga-OwnerSanDiego,CASunrizeTackle,Inc.PeteWolf-OwnerGoleta,CAOkumaFishingTackleDouglasLasko-PresidentOntario,CAWesternFishingAdventures,Ltd.BradStaples-GuideWestLinn,ORSky’sGuideServiceSkylenFreet-OwnerSandy,ORPoulsonCascadeTackle,LLCTomHester-OwnerClackamas,OROregonRiverTrailsOutfittersBillKremers-OwnerCorvallis,OR

Fin&FieldRobertMurphy-CEOSantaBarbara,CAPacificRecreationalProductsJimStewart-OwnerTigard,ORParadiseGuideServicePhilParadis-PresidentCanby,ORMichael’sGuideServiceMichaelShearer-OwnerGlide,ORSteveHuberGuideServiceSteveHuber-OwnerDouglasCity,CATotalFishermanGuideServiceKevinNewell-GuidePortland,ORTomPoseyCoRonHiller-PresidentTigard,ORFightClubGuidedFishingJayDaly-CaptainSt.Helens,ORLittleStoneFlyfisherBobTriggs-OwnerPortTownsend,WADoubleGGuideServiceGaryGeis-OwnerBattleGround,WALeisureSalesDanParnelL-PresidentAuburn,WABluewaterBaitSystemsRandyWood-OwnerCostaMesa,CA

SaltWaterBassAnglersEricBent-DirectorWhittier,CASeaTowNewportBeach/LAChrisMcCarthy-OwnerNewportBeach,CAAllFishWearElenaYuja-OwnerHuntingtonPark,CAPhenixRodsAlexCampos-OperationsManagerBellflower,CAReliableFishingProductsPaulRobbins-OwnerOrangeCounty,CAPicanteSportfishingTonyCraig-SalesManagerChinoHills,CAWhopperStoppersEdRobison-OwnerRiverside,CAConvictLakeResortCharlesPorter-MarketingManagerMammothLakes,CASoCalReels-PulliamEnterprisePaulPulliam-OwnerSanDiego,CAProTowersMikeByrum-OwnerLakewood,CASoCalReelsRobbLeTourneau-CaptainSanDiego,CAGetSomeSportsJohnAnderson-PresidentSanClemente,CA

ThresherBoatsBrandonWesselink-OwnerSanClemente,CAWestCoastTrailersWayneRedmond-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CAKetchamTackleJasonKetcham-OwnerCostaMesa,CASportfishingFinancialRickJensen-OwnerSanJuanCapistrano,CASeasonsSportfishingJamieThinnes-OwnerSanDiego,CANewFishallBaitCoKentWilliams-OwnerGardena,CACowbuoySportfishingScottWilson-OwnerSanDiego,CACharkBaitMarkSmith-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CAToroTamerNadiyaSmith-OwnerHuntingtonBeach,CASpearAmericaPetrosYiannikouros-OwnerIrvine,CATheBoardroomChartersToddMansour-CaptainDanaPoint,CASanDiegoTackleTradersDaveNichols-OwnerSanDiego,CA

HarborBoatRentalsLandonYacobucci-CaptainDanaPoint,CAFisherman’sAccessJackKaneoka-OwnerBrea,CAFPSConsultingRonWade-OwnerOrangeCounty,CAFreedomBoatClub-ParkerBoatsPeterAxelrod-MembersExecutiveOrangeCounty,CAShannonRoseSportfishingErikCarmack-CaptainDanaPoint,CASOSMarineChrisSpillers-OwnerSantaAna,CAFIAInsuranceServicesIncTimManaka-PresidentPasadena,CAPacificPropertiesServiceMichaelFarrior-CEO/FounderSanDiego,CABanzaiJerkyBenAoki-OwnerFountainValley,CABungalowBayCoJosephSabina-CFOLongBeach,CABajaFishGearEdTschernoscha-OwnerLomita,CABlueWaveJewelryPaulHansen-OwnerNewportBeach,CA

GMCSportsGreggChow-OwnerFullerton,CARichardDRossConstructionInc.RichardRoss-PresidentConcord,CAHottStuffSportsRichErwin-OwnerRiverside,CABomboyFishingLuresBomboyLlanes-OwnerKailunaKoa,HIYesBayLodgeAlaskaNickyMartinez-Chef/GeneralManagerKetchikan,AKKatmaiLodge-AlaskaBobKantor-OperationsManagerKingSalmon,AKNautilusReelsKristenMustad-OwnerMiami,FLSalmonCatcherLodgeTerenceJohnson-OwnerKenai,AKTiborReelsMariannePapa-VicePresidentDelrayBeach,FLFishologyAlaskaMarkWackler-OwnerSoldotna,AKDuncanbyLodgeDaveLogan-RegionalManagerBritishColumbia,CanadaScentBlazerLuresMikeRennie-ProStaff/DistributionSydney,Australia

HalcoTackleCompanyKNeilPatrick-ChairmanFremantle,AustraliaJenWrenSportfishingMarkRayor-Owner/CaptainBajaCalifornia,MexicoBajaFishingConvoysOrchidMartinez-Owner/PresidentBajaCalifornia,Mexico

Pro-CurePhilPirone-PresidentSalem,ORBobRees’GuideServiceBobRees-OwnerTillamook,OR

100+ Sportfishing Businesses Support New Solutions for Swordfishing