Southern Offshore Fishing Association

10/17/2022

The Red Grouper lawsuit hearing in Federal Court in Washington DC happens Tuesday Oct 18. The Judge will hear our arguments and those of the NMFS, CCA, and State of Louisiana. Attorney fees are coming in and we still need to raise funds to pay the SOFA share.

While we fully understand many have been impacted by Hurricane IAN and need every penny they can find to support their families, we are asking for any funds anyone can donate to help with the lawsuit.

The attorneys have done an excellent job in their arguments to rescind Amendment 53 which hopefully will provide some much needed relief for the commercial fishers and processors and be a bit of good news for the west coast of Florida.

Please pass this request on to anyone you feel may be able to help.

10/07/2022

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3310b43

FWC waives 2022-2023 commercial stone crab trap tag requirements in affected counties Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 10/07/2022 09:14 AM EDT (Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Oct. 6, 2022 Suggested Tweet: Commercial stone trap ta...

10/07/2022

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAAFISHERIES/bulletins/330ef86

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3310b59

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3310b43

FWC waives 2022-2023 commercial stone crab trap tag requirements in affected counties Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 10/07/2022 09:14 AM EDT (Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Oct. 6, 2022 Suggested Tweet: Commercial stone trap ta...

10/07/2022

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3310b43

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3310b59

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAAFISHERIES/bulletins/330ef86

FWC waives 2022-2023 commercial stone crab trap tag requirements in affected counties Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 10/07/2022 09:14 AM EDT (Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Oct. 6, 2022 Suggested Tweet: Commercial stone trap ta...

08/11/2022

Protecting The Gulf Together!
Please Donate and Support Local Commercial Fishing!
Thank you for all your support in bringing together S.O.F.A. and the Shareholders’ Alliance. Our primary purpose is to raise money for litigation to protect commercial fishing quotas. In the process of doing this, you are also entrusted with the responsibility of outreach and education: to make sure that everyone who is impacted by this “reallocation-by-recalibration” understands what happened and how the seafood industry in the Gulf of Mexico (and throughout the country) is coming together to fight it. Whether it is an owner, captain, or deckhand; from the dock workers to the fish houses and processors; restaurants, wholesale and retail markets, even the consumers themselves – everyone should be aware of this battle to reduce public and consumer access and have the opportunity to support it.
Make checks payable to either of the following organizations:
S.O.F.A. Defense Fund Mail To:
Sofa Defense Fund
13417 Gulf Lane, Apt B
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 310-8993 ~ [email protected]
https://www.southernoffshorefishermen.com/
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance Mail To:
1902 Wharf Road
Galveston, TX 77550

If you don't have a boat or a way to catch fish the only way you can get fresh Florida fish is from a licensed commercial fisherman and dealers. The Southern Offshore Fishing Association is continually fighting To keep access open for the consumer.

03/11/2022

Here is the official notice that A53 has been approved. Its amazing that over 2800 comments made no difference.

Bob

02/09/2022

SOUTHERN OFFSHORE FISHING ASSOCIATION

CALL TO ACTION

February 8, 2022
As some of you may be aware, the National Marine Fisheries Service through the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is currently seeking comments on a new proposed rule (Amendment 53) that will significantly affect the Gulf Red Grouper Fishery and will set a precedent to affect other important commercial fish species in the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast. The proposed rule, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce, will
change the current commercial and recreational allocations from the historical 76% commercial/24% recreational to 60% commercial/40% recreational, a loss of 16% of the available commercial quota. This relates to a loss of 640,000 pounds of fresh Gulf red grouper available to you and your businesses.

A recent economic study by Thomas Murray and Associates shows that 85% of commercially harvested red grouper ends up on a restaurant plate. We have provided fresh Gulf harvested seafood to you for years and will continue to do so. We am requesting you to join us in providing comments to the NMFS opposing Gulf Council Amendment 53 and to send it back to the Gulf Council for reconsideration. Below is the link to the regulations.gov site where you can post your comments. The procedure on how to comment is listed below along with a link to the Federal Register
notice seeking comments should you wish to review it.
Here are several bullet points for you to use in your comments if you wish. The key to comment is how the possible
lack of red grouper and other fish species will adversely affect your business. Retailers and restaurateurs should comment on how the loss of fresh caught seafood will affect your customers. Comments should reflect the negative impacts to your income, employees, and consumers.
Fresh Gulf Seafood is extremely important to my business as customers and consumers request American Seafood
over imports.

The loss of over 640,000 lbs of available red grouper will reduce my ability to provide fresh Gulf red grouper and could cause a substantial loss of the red grouper market over time.

The economic impact will negatively impact my business income which will impact my family and my community.
The proposed amendment 53 and reduction of the commercial allocation is based on a flawed recreational data system using computer models to recalibrate historical recreational data to highly questionable levels.

If A53 is approved, it will set a precedent that will be used to change the commercial allocation in other popular
species further impacting my business.

Any change in sector allocation should only be made using the Gulf Council Allocation Protocol that considers all social, economic, and other relevant impacts, not just based on a change in recreational data.

The negative impacts of proposed A53 have already affected the markets as the January ’22 harvest is 2/3rds of last January and availability is limited.

Our business is still recovering from the impacts of Covid as we are beginning to see increases in business and customers only to be further curtailed due to the proposed A53.

Loss of fresh Gulf red grouper resulting in fewer sales could result in more employee layoffs adversely affecting
other families.

Here is info on how to provide comments. Open the link “ http://www.regulations.gov/.” Click on that and you will
see a box that says, “search for rules, proposed rules, notices or supporting documents.” In that box enter “noaa-
NMFS-2021-0098” without the quotation marks. Hit enter. It should take you to the proposed rule. You will see a
box that has “comment” in it. Click on that and it will take you to where you can provide your comments. The
federal register notice link is here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-01-19/html/2022-00646.htm.

Comments are due no later than February 18. Please comment and provide this to others to comment.

Thank you

S.O.F.A. - We are a non-profit organization formed to promote fresh, high quality, domestic fish. Formed in Madeira Beach over 30 years ago, S.O.F.A.

10/11/2021

Support Southern Offshore Fishing Association to raise the defense funds for litigation to protect commercial fishing quotas today!
https://www.southernoffshorefishermen.com/support.html

Click the link above or Make checks payable to either of the following organizations:
S.O.F.A. Defense Fund Mail To:
Sofa Defense Fund
13417 Gulf Lane, Apt B
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 310-8993 ~ [email protected]
https://www.southernoffshorefishermen.com/
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance Mail To:
1902 Wharf Road
Galveston, TX 77550

If you don't have a boat or a way to catch fish the only way you can get fresh Florida fish is from a licensed commercial fisherman and dealers. The Southern Offshore Fishing Association is continually fighting To keep access open for the consumer.

10/01/2021

Protecting The Gulf Together!
Please Donate and Support Local Commercial Fishing!

Thank you for all your support in bringing together S.O.F.A. and the Shareholders’ Alliance. Our primary purpose is to raise money for litigation to protect commercial fishing quotas. In the process of doing this, you are also entrusted with the responsibility of outreach and education: to make sure that everyone who is impacted by this “reallocation-by-recalibration” understands what happened and how the seafood industry in the Gulf of Mexico (and throughout the country) is coming together to fight it. Whether it is an owner, captain, or deckhand; from the dock workers to the fish houses and processors; restaurants, wholesale and retail markets, even the consumers themselves – everyone should be aware of this battle to reduce public and consumer access and have the opportunity to support it.

Make checks payable to either of the following organizations:

S.O.F.A. Defense Fund Mail To:
Sofa Defense Fund
13417 Gulf Lane, Apt B
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
(727) 310-8993 ~ [email protected]
https://www.southernoffshorefishermen.com/

Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance Mail To:
1902 Wharf Road
Galveston, TX 77550

S.O.F.A. - We are a non-profit organization formed to promote fresh, high quality, domestic fish. Formed in Madeira Beach over 30 years ago, S.O.F.A.

09/27/2021

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/2f4c203

FWC to meet October 6-7 in St. Augustine Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 09/27/2021 09:17 AM EDT (Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Sept. 27, 2021 Suggested Tweet: In-person fish & Commission meeting on 10/6 & 10/7 open to publ...

09/27/2021

https://mailchi.mp/savingseafood/129-fishing-industry-representatives-ask-congress-to-oppose-duplicative-new-vessel-monitoring-requirements?e=339071be76

09/03/2021

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAAFISHERIES/bulletins/2ef8d74

FishNews – September 2, 2021 NOAA Fisheries sent this bulletin at 09/02/2021 01:38 PM EDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 U.S. Seafood–A Leader in Sustainability Have you ever wondered how NOAA ensures the sustainability of U.S. seafood? Watch this sho...