Comment from Ralph Pratt

March 31, 2013 John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service RE: Comments on the Proposed Rule for NE Multispecies Framework Adjustment 50 NOAA-NMFS-2013-0053 Dear Mr. Bullard I am supportive of the proposed 2013 GOM recreational cod daily bag limit of 9 fish at 19” and also in support of the proposed 21” unlimited possession limit for GOM haddock. I recognize that managing our goundfish stocks for recreational and commercial use is a shared responsibility between Federal regulators and local state fisheries managers and I encourage this relationship to become more strengthened. I have fished both waters in both industries, in fact, I tub traweled the GOM closure prior to its closing (that long ago). Over the years I have survived many necessary fishery management changes in the GOM, increasing fish sizes, varying lower trip limits, gear restrictions , supported closing of state in shore spawning areas ect. Things were looking up for us, then trip limits were abandoned, and poor lease regulations under catch shares caused increased effort to be focused in small areas. Many small boats, commercial and recreational a like had given up so much in the past to rebuild our back yard (GOM). I do not believe the demise of our local stock could have been intentionally orchestrated in a more efficient manor; I am disappointed that the repairs to the failed management measures are too slow to come. It does not make sense to me that we track down the only few areas left that might hold some fish to expose them to the same failed rules that got us here in the first place. Please do not open any portion of the GOM closed area. My allocation under catch shares went unfished this year, please support the little that I have left by maintaining a reasonable expectation by my charter customers. Ralph Pratt Marshfield Ma.