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Proposed fluke regulations (Poll Added)


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Which option do you prefer?  

1 member has voted

  1. 1. Which option do you prefer?

    • 5 fish @ 17.5", May 11 – September 4 (117 days)
    • 5 fish @ 17.5", May 18 – September 16 (122 days)
    • 5 fish @ 17.5", May 24 – September 22 (122 days)
    • 5 fish @ 18", May 25 – October 2 (131 days)
    • 5 fish @ 18", May 18 – September 26 (132 days)
    • 5 fish @ 18", May 1 – September 12 (135 days)


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Here are the proposed fluke regulations with some comentary from Agler Paul on NJfishing.. I borrowed/quoted his post because it has some good info and commentary... I hope its ok..so what do you guys think??

 

 

Below are the options that were just released today followed by my comments.

 

 

Option Size Limit (inches) Bag Limit Open Season # days open

2012 regs 17.5 5 May 5 – September 28 147

1 17.5 5 May 11 – September 4 117

2 17.5 5 May 18 – September 16 122

3 17.5 5 May 24 – September 22 122

4 18 5 May 25 – October 2 131

5 18 5 May 18 – September 26 132

6 18 5 May 1 – September 12 135

 

Committee preferred option - #2

 

 

 

In 2012 the option that was favored by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council Fluke Committee Members was for a 170 day season with an 8 fish bag limit and an 18” size limit. However, a slight majority of the public spoke in favor of reducing the season to 147 days with a bag limit of only 5 fish so that the size limit could be lowered to 17 ½”.

The commercial representatives, who outnumber the recreational representatives on the

Council then made a motion to favor that alternative and it became law despite the fact

that our recreational representatives voted against it.

I attended the advisors meeting last week the NJMFC committee now favors

reducing last years season length an additional 25 days. I spoke in favor of increasing the size limit to 18” so that we could have a longer season but I was in the minority. The option I liked best would have been for a season that ran from 5/4-9/29 with an 18” size limit and a 5 fish bag limit. That would have resulted in a 149 day season. Despite the fact that this option was approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council, it was removed from the list of those that will make it to the public hearing. This is due to concerns from the majority of advisors and council members present that a season that long might result in us exceeding our quota.

The majority of those at the advisors meeting were in favor of keeping the size limit at

17 ½” with a bag limit of 5. Most favored the option that would do that while keeping

the season open though 9/22. However, some representatives who were mostly from the

southern part of the State or back bay fishermen requested an earlier opening to the

season. There is also a possibility that after all the states have set their regulations, the

ASMFC might allow New York and New Jersey to further relax their regulations if there

appears that there might me a coast wide estimated underage. Most advisors spoke

against utilizing it if it became available for fear of it causing us to exceed our quota. I

urged the council to take a least partial advantage of it if it becomes available. I

mentioned that we are more likely to underfish our quota this year as there will be far less

participation. This is due to the fact that many of our marinas, private boats and coastal

homes were devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

The Council’s preferred option is for a season from 5/18-9/16. It will be hard to

change that unless a big majority of us show up at the Council meeting to support a

longer season or at least one that extends the season further into September. It should be

noted that in prior years that we would have had to give up 2-3 days in May to gain one

day in September. This year their statistics show that it would be a one for one swap.

I also asked if there could be any options could be developed that would allow us to

return to an 8 fish bag limit. I was told that there was insufficient data to increase the bag

limit this year with any of the options. I then requested that data be gathered so that we

might be able to increase the bag limit in the future.

Below are some of the points that I made in support of the longer season. I intend to

bring them up again at the Council meeting:

 

1.) Having a longer season is most beneficial for our various fisheries. When the fluke season is closed many fishermen are forced to target other species such as stripers, sea bass, and blackfish. This may put undue pressure on these species as well as others and cause us to exceed our quotas for some of them. We urge you to consider the effects that a shorter season for one species may have on other species.

 

2.) It is imperative that we have a fluke season that will extend well into the fall because the other species that we normally fish for then will be closed. More specifically, blackfish will either be closed or there may be a limit of just one. Compounding the issue further it the fact that fishing for sea bass is expected to be closed from 10/15 to 11/1. In recent years stripers have not been arriving in force until November so if the fluke season is not open further into the fall there will be virtually nothing for surfcasters and inshore fishermen to fish for. If there is nothing to fish for in our state at that time, some of us will fish in others states or not fish at all. It is particularly important for surfcasters to be able to fish for fluke late into the fall as many of us believe that our best chance of catching a couple keepers occurs during the fall mullet run.

 

3.) The fall is a time when many of those who target doormats have a good chance at success. The big fish have fattened up over the summer and are on the feed as they stop at wrecks and rough spots as they migrate offshore. As is the case with surf fishermen, this traditional fishery has been taken away from the trophy fishermen in some recent years.

 

4.) A longer season is better for the economy simply because it gives everyone regardless of whether they are surfcasters, private boaters or charter and party boat fishermen more days to fish. For example consider the impact it might have on tackle stores, who cater to surf fishermen, if their customers are left with nothing to fish for in the early fall. This is particularly true this year as shore area businesses struggle to recover from the hurricane.

 

5.) Weather is more of a factor when the seasons are shorter. A sustained period of bad weather can be disastrous during a shortened season. A longer season provides everyone with more of an opportunity to reschedule trips that had been cancelled due to bad weather.

 

6.) A 17 ½” – 18” fluke is really hard to catch. I was out on the water many days last year and in fact logged in numerous fluke trips for the NJ volunteer anglers survey. I might have caught 5 or 6 fluke between 17 ½” and 18” the entire season. Giving up many additional days of fishing just to be able to keep an occasional 17 ½” – 18” fluke is not worth it.

 

Regardless if you agree with me or not, it is important to attend the Council meeting and voice your opinions. The fluke regulations are going to be voted on by the Council immediately after the public comment period. The meeting will be held at 4Pm on 3/7 at

the Galloway Township Library on Jimmie Leeds Rd. in Absecon.

 

 

Paul Haertel

2nd VP JCAA

NJOA representative

Berleley Striper Club member

NJBBA member

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I like option number 5 18.5 inch ons open till Sep26.I love the guys statment number 6 17.5 to 18 inch fluke art hard to come by haha and he only had 6 the whole year.Doesnt say much about what kinda fisherman he is.Got to be kidding me last year was one of the best years we have had in a long time.

Hunting and fishing is not a sport to me its a way of life:rock:

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Chris, I like the idea about the slot fish approach as well. That way everyone for the most part would get some dinner. Sucks when people pay to go out and have to throw back dozens of fish and go home empty handed. There are a ton of fluke out there, allowing for even 1 per person at 16" minimum would be a huge boost for many anglers.

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I don't think that most people kill the smaller ones.That's apretty broad statment.If they say we overfish now imigan what they will say if we kept any size.We have a 18 inch size limit now and they say we overfish now what will they say if the lower the size limit.We already gave up 3 fish thanks to the screwed up science and the RFA working against us to a stock that if fully rebuilt.

Hunting and fishing is not a sport to me its a way of life:rock:

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I don't like the fact that we gave up 3 fish last year going from 8 to 5 and this year we don't even have an option for 8. I see this continuing on a downward trend and in 5 years from now were looking at 2 fish. Next season they'll have an option for 3 fish instead of 5 with smaller size limits and longer season and that will get voted in. Then the following year all our options will be at 3 fish. Maybe I'm just over thinking it but it seems that way. I just think its something to worry about it since all our other fisheries have been screwed up

 

 

"I am the MacGyver of cooking. If you bring me a piece of bread, cabbage, coconut, mustard greens, pigs feet, pine cones...and a woodpecker, I'll make you a good chicken pot pie." — Si Robertson

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Well if they are driving toward NY regs...yeah we're working towards 2 fish at like 36" with enough time.

The winter flounder recreational fishing activity has declined significantly as a result of the regulations dropping to just 2 fish.

And as you start cutting back the fluke (summer flounder) recreational fishing opportunities, that too will cause a decline in activity.

What that all translates to is a weaker economy that trickles through the ranks of local businesses from top to bottom.

Granted, the environment and sustainable fish populations trump all of that IMO, but I just don't see any evidence pointing to summer flounder (especially) being "low" in population to any degree.

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Well if they are driving toward NY regs...yeah we're working towards 2 fish at like 36" with enough time.

The winter flounder recreational fishing activity has declined significantly as a result of the regulations dropping to just 2 fish.

And as you start cutting back the fluke (summer flounder) recreational fishing opportunities' date=' that too will cause a decline in activity.

What that all translates to is a weaker economy that trickles through the ranks of local businesses from top to bottom.

Granted, the environment and sustainable fish populations trump all of that IMO, but I just don't see any evidence pointing to summer flounder (especially) being "low" in population to any degree.

[/quote']

 

Exactly Matt. I haven't seen any evidence of that and anybody I talk to says the same. Doesn't make much sense

 

 

"I am the MacGyver of cooking. If you bring me a piece of bread, cabbage, coconut, mustard greens, pigs feet, pine cones...and a woodpecker, I'll make you a good chicken pot pie." — Si Robertson

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Although the fishing in the ocean was good last year. The fishing in the Delaware bay for fluke absolutely stunk last year. The guys down south didn't fair much better from what I hear. We all know fluke travel and the bigger fish are normally out front. The bay is a huge estuary and if the fish aren't breeding there then where is tomorrows stock?

Fluke will normally spawn twice a summer and each winter they head out to the shelf. when they come back the following summer its normally 15-30 miles farther north. The bays fish come from Delaware and points south. They have a bigger size limit then us.

The average fisherman doesn't even realize that commercial guys have a much smaller size limit for fluke than recreational fisherman have. Commercial guys take a huge amount of next years fish before they ever reach a keeper size.

What about all the fluke that die as bycatch?

don't think its happening?

I suggest you check out the guys dredging for conch right at this very moment!!!!!!!!!!! See how many fluke they are bringing up....

Are the roller rink netters really taking that many fish that not many are making it into the bay?

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