[va-richmond-general] Re: Horseshoe Crab Bill
- From: WEalding@xxxxxxx
- To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 12:35:04 EST
One of the frustrations of the hearing was that no opportunity is given for
rebuttal, or for the public to ask that type of question. If the Delegates
don't ask, it doesn't get asked. Kind of like being on jury duty, when you
would love to ask certain questions but only the lawyers can.
The bill did have a time limit on the moratorium, if/when the Red Knot
population recovered to 240,000 from the present 15,000, it would be lifted.
Wendy Ealding
In a message dated 2/8/2006 12:23:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
madanthony3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I agree on the coaching, but also the argument should not have gone in the
direction of $700 binoculars. Certainly "ecotourism" boosts state coffers,
but a major reason environmentalists fight for species preservation is because
biodiversity is so important to human health and prosperity. Did anyone ask
the fishermen what they will do when the horseshoe crabs are all gone?
These debates have come up before over the Chesapeake Bay and its
inhabitants, e.g. oysters, blue crabs, rockfish (which have bounced back by
the way)
and the General Assembly usually ends up on the side of the fishermen. There
are a lot of ways to argue the issue. Researching for new baits is a good
one. Compromising on a moratorium, e.g. prohibiting horseshoe crab catches
for
a certain amount of time or establishing a season for them or prohibiting
catches of females with eggs. Was any of that offered? That's the kind of
thing that should be worked out through the state agency as Deanna said in
order
to improve the argument from the scientific angle. At any rate, the bottom
line is to get the facts straight first. That's why I asked if anyone had
any good hard facts on the decline of the Red Knot due to overfishing of
horseshoe crabs in the Chesapeake. Until we can produce the numbers and say
why
it's important to humans, and Virginians in particular, know legislator is
going to listen.
Mary Davis
-----Original Message-----
>From: katya <katya@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Feb 8, 2006 8:26 AM
>To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: Horseshoe Crab Bill
>
>
>My General impression was that the decision to table the bill had been made
before any arguments were heard. The attorney did make an excellent case,
but had to answer so few querries compared to those in favor of protecting
the horse shoe crab (who were really kind of grilled--frankly). "We don't
KNOW" that there is a connection between the Horse Shoe Crab and the Red Knot
(this was the stance taken--not mine.)
>
>I think our side was not as well prepared/coached and lacked clout. It
didn't look good when Birders were portrayed as having money to throw down for
$700 binoculars (mine surely didn't cost that) and whimsical trips to admire
birds as compared to struggling fishermen just trying to put a meal on their
family's table. I think we looked frivolous and my impression was that was
exactly how we were supposed to look. The question about the cost of the
binoculars struck me as a set-up.
>
>The Japanese are paying a lot of money for the delicacies of conch and eel.
These are expensive, gastronomic indulgences that may lead to the demise of
one or more species from our part of the world--so distant from theirs.
>
>
>I thought we lost from the beginning and Environmentalists, and surely that
is what all Birders are and MUST be, have to stick together. We are not an
organized group with the focused voting power of a concentrated interest,
such as the NRA. (I know there are overlaps between NRA & Enronmentalists &
Birders.) My point is lots of important environmental causes are being lost
now. The demise of or extreme weakening of The Endangered Species Act--well,
at this rate seems almost inevitable to me. There is so much profit to be had
if these plants and animals weren't standing in the way. I don't think a few
Birders can go in and win issue like this. We aren't a significant enough
voting block and we're not greasing anybody's palms.
>
>What can we possibly do?
>
>Katie
>South of the James
>
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