Comment from Jan Margeson

Dear Sir or Madam, I am deeply disappointed to discover that the skate TAL will not increase this year. I have been following reccomendations from the New England Council and have been trying to formulate some kind of business plan for the upcoming year and cannot grasp why you rule against increasing the limit. I fish out of Chatham Ma. and our inshore fishing areas have been overrun with skates and dogfish over the last few years. We have had to direct our focus on catching skates and dogs because of the lack of codfish . The latest report comming out of the science center states that the skate population is not overfished and there are a lot more there than we thought. You would only need to come fishing just once to see with your own eyes how many skates there are. Just like the dogfish, the skates are overunning the inshore areas and this is decimating the real body of cod. I know your decision has been made and i can't change anything , however , your decision is incorrect. Like dogfish, no one would listen to the people that are fishing them. Now they have overrun the inshore areas and i'll be very suprised if the cod ever come back to the inshore ares east of Chatham. I am a very unhappy fisherman and very disappointed in our fishery representatives . Sincerely, Jan Margeson F/V Decisive F/V Great Pumpkin