Interesting WSB thread on Bloodydecks

[mg2969]

In case you all didnt see this post

I guess some angler alleges he saw CSUN (northridge) marine researchers gill net a cove in catalina and was involved in the
"mortal destruction of hundreds of heavily egg laden white seabass"

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/in...st-cove-2.html

[dorf]

Sounds "F"ed up. Can't say more until I see pictures/video.

[Handymansd]

Wow, well, it sounds horrible!
But without evidence, it is hard to just start sending e-mails and bringing the house down. If it is true, send the guys responsible to jail for awhile. Maybe that will "smarten" them up a bit.

[Billy V]

I personally would wait to see this Video before I sent out any E- Mails.

If the video shows clear evidence of a violation then CSUN is in for a world of shit, but until then its all rhetoric and will be treated as such.

We need to see the Video of what went on out there. A complaint can swiftly be filed thereafter.

The witnesses to the event need to be the 1st. people to speak.

[mg2969]

My post from BD

I cannot get involved for personal reasons , any questions PM me

A few points that might be interesting for concerned parties.

1. All the CSUs are headquartered in Long Beach by the chancellors office.

2. The office is next to catalina landing in LB

3. The address is:
401 Golden Shore, Suite 641
Long Beach, California 90802-4210
Phone (562) 951-4700
Fax (562) 951-4986

4. The public link for the chancellor as well as the rest of the executive staff is:
http://www.calstate.edu/scripts/main...ment=Executive

5. The chacellor's name / email is:
Charles B. Reed csreed@calstate.edu


BTW - In case anybody cares
Heres the public link from the Sacramento Bee to a database which you can look up almost ANY state employees salary.(can't check from current location)
http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/738462.html

Enjoy

Again this is all PUBLIC knowledge available to all who seek

[dgax65]

From a recreational fishing perspective, nobody wants to see WSB gill-netted, but there has to be some perspective applied to this situation. Without adequate information on WSB stocks the DFG would not be able to properly manage this fishery. Like it or not, the use of gill nets provides researchers with a standardized method of measuring WSB populations. Diver observations and commercial/recreational catch reports provide some anecdotal information but it is not as precise as using nets. The use of nets for sampling is, obviously, not a perfect method, but it is more accurate than other methods. They aren't just throwing nets out to kill everything that swims by. The nets used have specific mesh size, overall size and are laid at known locations in a specific orientation. This allows the researchers to compare results of samplings taken over several years. This is the most accurate means of obtaining VALID population data. Also realize that this is not the only data collection method that is being used.

Take some time to look through some studies of WSB populations. You will understand that there is a reason for the data collection methods. They have been using these sampling techniques for years and they have documented that the WSB stocks are recovering. It is obvious that the sampling is not killing off the species.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/response/white_seabass.pdf

http://departments.oxy.edu/vrg/publications/pdfs/Craig%20et%20al%202004%20CMJ.pdf >>

http://departments.oxy.edu/vrg/publications/pdfs/pondella%20and%20allen%202000.pdf

[bajadog]

Why not at least do something constructive with the "by-catch"?

We used to electrocute salmon in the Kasilof river for the
fish count. I'd keep my share of reds.

[nmbrinkman]

I see what your saying Dgax but regardless, there has got to be a better way. If what they're saying about the amount dead is true, it's a shame. Especially pre-spawn fish. Ethical science would have waited until they already spawned. Like what was already said, those fish could feed a lot of people.

[tylerdurden]

Just tried to read through all the internet BS going around in that post. I wonder if the "hundreds of fish" is kind of like the post of "hundreds of kayakers" at catapolooza. Internet hyperbole maybe? Nothing like a small part of a broader story to get the peanut gallery riled up and ready for a tar and feather session before the real facts and whole story is brought out and confirmed.

The hatchery guys gillnet to collect wsb. They told me that on the tour last year. They gillnet locally too. They try and recover wsb, especially ones with tags so they can tell where they've been. The marine biology programs do it for fish population studies too. Doesn't seem like a problem to me as long as they don't overdo it. If they were overdoing it, then yeah, complain, send emails, contact WON, Fishrap and all that.

Someone stated in the thread that fish caught for research purposes can't be used for other purposes according to the permit. Don't know if this is true or not, but it makes sense that they shouldn't be able to profit from the killing or taking of samples. Giving the fish to charitable causes would be a good median I believe.

[dgax65]

It isn't easy to get accurate fish counts in the wild. Every method is going to be flawed to some degree. The use of nets is the most accurate that I can think of. Nets provide some constants in the sampling (net area, mesh size, location, orientation, depth and time deployed). It still leaves a lot of variables, but significantly fewer than other sampling methods.

I don't like the fact that they have to use destructive sampling methods, but, given the environment and the nature of the research subject, I can't think of any other way to achieve results that would be as accurate.

If you read through this report The Nearshore Fish Assemblage of the Scripps Coastal Reserve you will see that similar sampling methods were used right here in La Jolla for this 2002 report. They used otter trawl, gill net, diver survey and ichthyocide sampling and collection methods. Judging by the comments on the other forum, I think that some people are not aware that gill netting and other destructive sampling methods are allowed under scientific take permits. This is not new and it is not illegal.

[dgax65]

Originally Posted by tylerdurden

Someone stated in the thread that fish caught for research purposes can't be used for other purposes according to the permit. Don't know if this is true or not, but it makes sense that they shouldn't be able to profit from the killing or taking of samples. Giving the fish to charitable causes would be a good median I believe.

That's the difference between the US and the Japanese. They allow whales and dolphin to be taken for "scientific study" After the "study" is completed, 100% of the take ends up in the seafood markets; sold for profit. It is just a rather transparent vehicle to allow commercial whaling. At least with our system there can be no question of ulterior motive. Still hate to see all that fish wasted.

[Billy V]

The WSB Video never materialized over on Bloody Decks, and the thread has been closed with no follow up.

Its amazing how quick people are to pull the trigger just on hearsay.

[umoa]

it has been posted and i am happy to say, it seems like it was blown WAY out of proportions.

[lamb]

Internet...

I'm telling you,

we should turn it off...

Someone hit the button!

http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/

[JPSURF]

http://www.976-tuna.com/westcovegillnets.wmv

JP

[Handymansd]

It may be "in the name of science" but it is still inhumane. We can put man on the moon, robots on Mars but we can't get a fish count without klilling eveything in the area?