fluke size limit

[rgw]

anyone here any thing yet. last I herd they were making nj 3 fish @19" but if nj refused to follow this there were making it 2 fish @ 20".

[mazzgolf]

In other words, 0 fish.

 

20"? What? They think we live near the bikini islands with radioactive mutant fish?

[hemlock]

 There's gobs of smaller fish but let's kill the breeders makes no sense. 

[1563621]

Commercial fishermen take all!

[GhostBear]

Yep, gotta think this ones a throw back!!!

[rgw]

if they do that one of two things is going to happen.

1) jersey shore is going to be really hurting from loss of income and a lot of boats will be for sale.

2) the blowfish population is going to drop big time

[GhostBear]

Or 3, people are just gonna keep more shorts.

[rgw]

it isnt wort it with fines and possibly loose boat

[Bucksnbows]

Governor Christie stepped up and is fighting it, that much I do know.  Maryland grabbed our quota from what little I understand about it.  I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about this topic will weigh in, but the fight continues that I do know.  

[Bucksnbows]

Some of what is out there if you just use Google to search.....

 

http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2017/17_0012.htm

 

http://www.nj.com/ocean/index.ssf/2017/01/nj_fisherman_officials_demand_feds_back_off_propos.html

 

http://brick.shorebeat.com/2017/02/feds-decide-is-2017-fluke-season-dead-in-new-jersey/

[mightyhunter]

Shameful, fluke are headed down the same road as the winter flounder. Not worth buying bait & putting gas in the boat for them.

[GhostBear]

it isnt wort it with fines and possibly loose boat

not much checking going on I'm sure, and you know it's happening now, I follow the limits, but you know as well as I do them 16-17" fish can be pretty thick.

 

Since it's just me, catching one keeper for dinner is fine by me. I remember when I was a kid and we had a 14" size and a libral bag, the folks I fished with never kept anything under 16", we'd hold them up to the sun, if you saw light? You tossed it back.

[Double G]

From what I've read it kinda goes like this.  The Feds opted for 3 @ 19" and NJ said no were are not complying, we are keeping what we had last year.  Now the Feds have to review what NJ has and either say ok or find NJ in Non Compliance.  If found in Non Compliance, we would get a warning, either take the 3 @ 19" or you will be in Non Compliance and the limit would be 2 @ 20" with a very short season.  NJ will then take the 3 @ 19" and take the Feds to court to try and have it over turned.  From what I've read, the Feds don't want to rule on this until all of the department heads are appointed from the new administration. I'll try and find the write up I recently read explaining this.  So, as of today, NJ is using last year's regs of 5 @ 18" until told otherwise.

[Double G]

This is the write up I was talking about and a few other things worth reading.  I copied it from NJFishing.com

 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

NEW Fluke Regulation Update 2-2-17

At the ASMFC's Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board meeting on 2/2 there was a three hour discussion on which fluke option to choose from Addendum XXVIII. The meeting began with DEP Commissioner Bob Martin speaking on behalf of New Jersey's fishermen. He made it clear that none of the options in the addendum were acceptable to our state and urged the board to maintain status quo. He made it clear that our state will fight any of the other options with whatever means is necessary. The Commissioner was followed by a representative from Congressman Frank Pallone's office who also spoke passionately on our behalf. We need to thank both of them for making the trip to Alexandria, Virginia and doing this. New Jersey representative Tom Baum then made a motion for status quo which I believe was seconded by Delaware. In addition to Tom, our other representatives, Adam Nowalsky and Chris Zemen presented our case very well but unfortunately the motion failed with only Delaware supporting us.
A lengthy discussion ensued but eventually it was option 5 that was approved by the board. This option was approved by the board despite the fact that it could be overruled by NOAA if it is determined that this option does not result in the mandated reduction. Option 5 seems to be the least restrictive of the five options in the addendum. Under this option, NJ would be faced with a 3 fluke bag limit with a 19" size limit and a 128 day season.
Regardless, our state is rejecting this option and intends to leave our 2016 regulations in place for this year. Our State is working with the new Trump administration with hope that the cuts mandated by NOAA will be overruled. However, for now though, based on the ASMFC's decision today, each state or region will now have approximately two months to develop regulations that would comply with option 5. Though NJ has already decided to go out of compliance, I don't believe that we could actually be found out of compliance until the deadline to enact regulations has passed. Then, I believe at the ASMFC meeting in May, we could be found out of compliance and our state would probably be given a warning notice with 30 days to comply. If we fail to comply, it would then be sent to the Secretary of Commerce who would then have to find that our regulations were hurting the fishery and if so, the default measures would be enacted upon us. That would be 2 fish at 20" with a season of 7/1 - 8/31. However, all this would take time and there is also a chance the Secretary of Commerce could give a favorable ruling. If it goes this route, a decision will probably not be made until mid-summer. This is a big risk we are taking but we have now drawn a line in the sand. As the Commissioner stated, "Enough is enough". Please continue to contact your legislative representatives and ask for their support.
Therefore as of right now, our season is slated to begin on 5/21 and continue through 9/25 with a 5 fish limit at 18" for most of the State. The only exceptions are for Delaware Bay where there is a 4 fish limit at 17" and at Island Beach State Park where there is a two fish limit at 16".

Paul Haertel, JCAA Past President

 

<<<<<<< Further down in the post from the same guy

 

The way it works is that the feds do not have the authority to set our specific regs right now. The NJMFC must do that. If they fail to act, the law remains the same as it was the previous year. However, if eventually the Secreary of Commerce finds that we are out of compliance and rules against us, the default measures would the become law, 2 fluke at 20" with a season from 7/31 -8/31.
If that happens though, I am confident that the NJMFC would have an emergency meeting and quickly set the regs so that we would be back in compliance. (Probably the 3 fish at 19" and a 128 day season)

 

<<<<<<<

 

Governor Christie Joins the fight http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2017/17_0012.htm

 

<<<<<<

 

Looks like our new Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross got all the memos and is taking interest in our Fisheries.  You'll see in his first address below, right at 10:12 he mentions that one of his goals is to "attain maximum sustainable yields for our fisheries".

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gJJg86FvFSk

 

<<<<<<

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/l...social-inbound

 

Anyway, I hope this helps

 

G

[hammer4reel]

when NJ is found out of compliance, the secretary of commerce will be asked to come into compliance or be forced to the 2 fish at 20"
UNLESS NJ can show they have a management plan that meets the reductions of POUNDAGE
that can easily be done by lowering the size limit allowing smaller fish that reduces the overall weight AND will end up helping the fishery by not harvesting all the prime females, and allowing male fluke back into the mix.

Time to push for a smaller slot fish is RIGHT NOW