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Now I read today that NOAA, in all its wisdom, wants to put loggerhead turtles on the endangered species list. Now, that may not seem to be bad - in fact, protecting an endangered animal species is what we need top do. But - is this turtle really endangered? I see at least one loggerhead on every trip I make. In fact, we often purposely look for one, because they are generally diving over live bottom, and that means fish are down there.

During the recent cold weather in Florida, hundreds of turtles were rescued and saved from death to be released back into the ocean when the water warmed. I just don't see the problem in my experience.

The report talks about Japanese nesting areas for the northern Pacific loggerhead. Ok - go after the Japanese. I wonder why we always seem to have to be the saviors of the world. It's just like the whaling industry in Japan and the blue fin tuna fishery in Japan. World stocks are depleted, but they seem to not care. So - to cure the problem, we let them fish and shut down our own fisheries.

So why is the loggerhead an issue? Well just watch. Top protect these turtles, commercial fishermen will be shut down in certain areas. Beach fronts that are nesting areas will be closed to public access. Boat traffic will be eliminated in areas where loggerheads roam - it just goes on and on. And, if you think I am making this up, just look at the manatee restrictions put in place in Florida over the past several years.

I am sure to get emails blasting me for this - PETA, et al, always watch what I write and then blast me. But - someone has to make some rational sense out of all of this.

You must realize that you have not heard from PETA and the other environmental groups for quite a while. I said years ago that they were well funded and they were taking their fight to lobbyists to quietly change fishing regulations. They have latched onto and gotten the ear of the government now and things will be changing fast over the next few years. IT IS TIME TO STOP THIS MADNESS!

If you fish - and by reading this either you do or you are one of the many tree-huggers that are trying to stop fishing altogether - you need to get hold of your congressman's and senators' ears and tell them - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Stop the Madness!! originally appeared on About.com Saltwater Fishing on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 10:17:02.

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