Orange Beach Fishermen Protest

Orange Beach Dozens of boats crowded Perdido Pass waters to send a message to fishing regulators.

by Chad Petri

Published: Sat, November 07, 2009 - 11:22 pm CST Last Updated: Sat, November 07, 2009 - 11:26 pm CST

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama - Horns blared in solidarity between boats near Perdido Pass this morning, 11/7/09. That's the sound of fishermen who want to send a message to the feds.

“What we want is sound, common sense management so we can plan our businesses,” says Charter Boat Captain Ben Fairy.

Ben Fairey is one of dozens of commercial fishermen circling Perdido Pass. Some carried signs and words of warning--but many echoed the same message--they've done plenty to help the fish population already. They say they’ve helped make fisheries sustainable but regulators are making it hard for them to stay afloat.

“To save these fish and make sure we're going to have fish for future generations and now that they're there they won't let us harvest them,” says Charter Boat Captain Joe Nash. The bottom line is that many of these fishermen say these regulations shorten their seasons and make it harder to make a living.

“Last year it was a good you know 15% to 20% of the gross and the year before that was even harder because of the fuel prices,” says Nash. Organizers say they want regulators to include data from real fishermen in their studies. For more information on plans from the protesters you can go to this website. The protest on the water also had fans on shore.

“It's like the lawyers say everybody has rights but if you don't fight for them you don't have them so you have to stand up and show we're not going to take it anymore,” says recreational fisherman Tim Wilson. He’s one of several recreational fishermen gathering along the water's edge to show their support for fellow fisherman and frustration with regulation.

“The government wants to control everything you do after a while, I'm surprised they don't tell us we can't go out on our boat without sunscreen,” says Wilson. I tried contacting the National Marine Fisheries Service for some sort of comment or reaction to the protest. Calls and an e-mail message were not returned. However, it is Saturday and their offices are closed.

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Caring Says:

Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 8:42 am

I feel that the laws on deep sea fishing has gotten totally ridiculous. Anyone that owns a boat large enough to take out in the gulf or has been on one should realize the expense associated with a fishing trip. The low limits of catch allowed by law and the rules that apply to be legal is totally bizarre. Hopefully the fishermen will get support needed from someone in changing some of the rules.

rmseek1234 Says:

Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Nice boats!

freedomtofascismcom Says:

Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 12:59 pm

Think about it. If this were about environmental protection we would not have the huge dead zone from pollution extending from Louisana to Mississippi in the gulf.

freedomtofascismcom Says:

Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 12:46 pm

This really has nothing at all to do with fisheries being healthy , or not. It is the precursor to the implimentation of the Codex Alimentarius in Dec this year. This UN codex will make vitamins and supplements illegal. There are many foods we have enjoyed for years that are being labled as toxic by this plan for global depopulation. I suggest you look into it. Please look to youtube and the scientitst broadcast explaining the codex.Because they have made it so complicated that the layperson will not understand.

berew Says:

Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 10:03 am

Support our cause on face book. search change red snapper limits.