Email from Bob Jones to Don Wilson of the Orlando Sentinel

May 10, 2002

Good morning,

The commercial fishing industry is not in favor of closing the gag grouper fishery for 4 months. We never have been. We view the proposal as a ploy to be used to rile the anglers and get them to storm the Gulf Council and demand an end to red grouper longlines. It seems to have worked so far and they will be out in force but this will be a bit different from how they got redfish away from the public.

The Egbert letter to Williams you referred to could more accurately be referred to as the Roy Williams letter to Roy Williams.

Allen Egbert, like any other agency head, does not write all of his own letters that he signs. Usually in an agency, you get the bureau chief or division director to write the letter as they have the expertise on the given subject. Allen is smart but just did not know the red grouper plan in the details shown in the letter.

It would be interesting if you could ask Roy Williams if he did in fact draft this letter to himself for Dr. Egbert's signature. We honestly believe that is the way it works and now refer to this letter as "Roy's letter to Roy."

This CCA political and misinformation campaign is how they work. They are very good at it and their efforts have resulted in most of the finfish in Florida being reserved for anglers at the expense of non-fishers and non-boaters who are also entitled to some of the fish that should be harvested by commercial fishermen.

Cheers,

Bob Jones, Executive Director
Southeastern Fisheries Association
1118-B Thomasville Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32303
850.224.0612
www.southeasternfish.org