Fish vs. People

Time is short for citizens to weigh-in on a bureaucratic proposal to ban red snapper and grouper fishing in federal waters along the North Carolina coast. “Amendment 17” to the NOAA Fisheries Service plan, a regulatory scheme to control fishing by federal agents, proposes to ban “harvesting, processing or selling” these fish. August 5 is the deadline for public comments—otherwise government fish police will arrest fishermen who harvest or even possess the fish.

The prohibition, that could be imposed for a year, is based on previously “inaccurate data” about the reproduction age of the fish, according to a Wilmington Star-News article by Amy Hotz. The report says “a downward spiral (in fish populations?) is inevitable.” However, no evidence in population decline is cited. A NOAA administrator said, “we’re looking at some pretty tough stuff for red snapper.”

Maybe, but fishing industry people will be “looking at some pretty tough stuff” also. A local Monkey Junction businessman believes the government agency proposed ban will shut down his business. Recreational fishing excursions, local restaurants and seafood businesses will be damaged by the government mandate.

We should demand more evidence from the federal bureaucracy to justify harming businesses that provide food and recreation by harvesting a renewable natural resource. Fish populations rise and fall naturally, and agencies should have to prove with surveys and science-based statistics that fish populations are seriously depleted because of fishing before banning fishing. Environmental government agencies have a history of assuming more and more power to control our economy and our property, usually with little accountability for their bureaucratic decisions.

Concerned citizens can e-mail comment at Federal e-Rulemaking Portal (www.regulations.gov) (lot’s of luck with this confusion) and view the entire rule at the NOAA Web site, according to Ms. Hotz’s article.

What kind of change?

Writing in the Island Gazette of Carolina Beach, columnist Charlie Allo asks if voters really wanted the “change” that their voters appear to be bringing to government:

It would be admirable if a politician took a position to reduce the size of government in areas that were inefficient, duplicative, or nonessential. Government has gotten too involved with legislating actions that should fall under the individual’s responsibility; there needs to be more emphasis on the individual’s responsibility and the acceptance for the consequences of those actions.

SNIP

Our Nation has been continually moving away from the checks and balances that our Founding Fathers put in place. The message that is being sent by many of our elected officials is that they have the right to present their view and those of the special interest groups that have funded their campaigns.

Allen Strickland and arson

In the Whiteville News Reporter’s coverage of the suspicious fire that gutted a home purchased for Allen Strickland by state Sen. R.C. Soles, readers were reminded of a previous arson allegation involving Strickland:

Strickland was charged last September with extortion for threatening to harm Soles’ reputation after a dispute with the Tabor City attorney. This case was dismissed.

Strickland still faces a charge of arson involving the home of J.C. Phipps, the father of Bill Phipps, a former law partner of Soles who left the firm and opened his own office.

Jerry Dwayne Stanley, 46, of Tabor City, is a co-defendant of Strickland’s in the April 13, 2008 arson case of the Phipps house.

This is a weird story, to say the least, and it is far from over.