Comment from Capt. Joe Shute

first off , none of the species that are going to be listed in the annual catch limits should be listed on a coast wide basis. These species need to be regulated state by state. Regulating them on a coast wide basis will unfairly exclude certain historical participants in the fisheries and some times cutting them out all together when the quota is filled. The majority of the species that are going to be subjected to the ACL's have not data that shows they are overfished nor do they have a credibal if any stock assessment. Setting ACL's on all the fish that are being fished for just because it can be done is not good sicence and is not right. It is getting harder and harder for anyone to make a living in the fishing industry, whether commercial or recreational between the weather and all the restrictions being added. It gets very hard to tell customers both for charters and retail sales in my tackle shop that they cannot fish for certain species of fish that are so abundant. I currently sit on the Dolphin/Wahoo advisory panel and there has not been any data that show me or anyone else on the panel that there is any indication of overfishing on either species. ACL's could have a very negative effect on North Carolina's charter and recreational fleets if for some reason the ACL was filled by other states before either of the speceis reached NC. North Carolina is one of the only states that actually relies on a directed wahoo fisheries in the fall. Over 30% of our charter business in based around the fall wahoo fishery. Closing that fishery early would totally destroy what is left of our offshore fleet. If there has to be ACL's, please make sure that you set the ACL at least 50% higher that any other previous years landings so there will be not chance of putting anyone out of business in these hard economic times. Thank you , Capt. Joe Shute