Comment from BRUCE SMITH

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. THE TWENTY YEAR SAGA OF FEDERAL CONTROLS OF THE PUBLICS SHARE OF THIS NATURAL RESOURSE HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE TRAGIC SHAME. tHE LOOP HOLES IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR ALLOWS BIG BUSINESS TO OVER HARVEST AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PUBLIC SHARE OF THIS RESOURSE. tHE MAGNESON ACT CLEARLY STATES ABOUT PROTECTING HABITAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BY THE FISHERY MANAGEMENT GROUPS. MERELY LOOKED AT WITH A BLIND EYE ALLOWING THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR TO SLAUGHTER THE STOCKS. tHE POLITICAL CLOUT OF THE LOBBYISTS THAT REPRESENT THESE BUSINESSES IN THE FISHERY SEEM TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND ON THE PUBLIC. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE SEEN NO ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM ALL THE PUBLICS SACRIFICE THESE TWENTY YEARS TRYING TO STABILIZE THE BIOMASS. THERE SHOULD BE NO FISH ZONES FOR COMMERCIAL GEAR ALLOWING A SAFE HAVEN FOR MARINE SPECIES TO GROW TO FULL ADULT SIZE AND PROAGATE TO THEIR FULLEST POTENCIAL. WHEN I WATCH SEVERAL DRAGGERS WORKING IN TANDON WITH GPS WORKING GRIDS LEAVING NOTHING FOR THE PUBLIC TO CATCH AFTER THIS ACTION THIS AREA IS FISHED CLEAN NOTHING REMAINS. THERE HAS BEEN BOGUS RULES AND NET SIZE TO SUPOSENLY ALLOW SMALL FISH TO ESCAPE THE DRAGGERS NETS BUT FRANKLY THIS DOESN'T WORK AS THE FISH STACK UP IN THE NET THE WEIGHT PULLS THEM ELONGATED NOTHING ESCAPES. THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT THE BIO MASS IS LIMITED ENTRY FOR THE COMMERCIAL FISHING FLEET. AS FOR THE PUBLIC USING PARALICTHYS DENATUS OR SUMMER FLOUNDER AS AN EXAMPLE. IN THE 1990s NEW JERSEY SEA GREAT DID A THREE YEAR STUDY ON THIS SPECIE THEIR FINDINGS WAS 75% OF THIS BIOMASS WAS 12-14 INCHES IN SIZE THE REST OF THE LARGER FISH IS IN THIS REMAINING 25% THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR HAS REMAINED 13 INCH LEGAL CATCH SIZE WHILE THE PUBLICC HAS BEEN GERRYMANDERED INTO 16-19 INCH DEPENDING ON THE STATE. THE PUBLIC FISHES FOR LESS THAN 10% OF THIS SPECIE PRESENTLY BECAUSE OF THESE REGULATIONS WHILE THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT OWN THE LOBBYISTS FISH FOR 100%. IF YOU DON'T APPLY THE LAWS FAIRLY ITS TYRANNY!