NJ EEZ fishing, Enforcement of the regulations

[seamonkey]

There are a lot of boats catching big cow bass right now outside the 3 mile limit. My friend went on a charter out of Cape May this week. The captain wouldn't go past the 3 mile limit and was very professional about it. :thumbsup: However, there was radio chatter on all day from boats and charter captains of guys who were scoring bass to 40lbs by fishing 6 miles out. Some of these guys were putting the bass in the box and then scooting back inside the 3 mile limit to make the catches look legitimate.

Aren't these guys poachers?
Why isn't the DFG or the Coast Guard doing something about it?
What do you guys think of this?:burn:

[voyager35]

It's sleazy, pure and simple. Folks were talking about it at the marina yesterday. Kudos to your Captain for playing by the rules. I see this every fall when a large body of bass pass by offshore. Sometimes we see them when fishing the inshore wrecks. I try to be careful about where I fish, and feel the laws should apply equally to everyone. I feel any charter captain guilty of this should have his license suspended for a year. There is no kinder gentler way to stop it.

The guys doing this say they are "targeting" bluefish, and can't help it if they catch bass "by accident". :rolleyes:They have a great scam going and are no better than the gillnetters targeting smaller fish and killing bass as bycatch.

Call some numbers next time and demand action be taken.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=45

[baitstealer]

Absolutely wrong. It's a lame excuse to say you are fishing for bluefish when the whole charter paid to fish for bass. Throw the book at them.

[paco33]

Aren't these guys poachers?
Why isn't the DFG or the Coast Guard doing something about it?
What do you guys think of this?:burn:

1. sure they are
2. not enough manpower?
3. the rules should go for everyone, these guys doing this suck.

[crosseyedbass]

Can the local town police hand out tickets for eez fishing regulation violations in LI or jersey?

[Frankiesurf]

That is a very good question. I have yet to see it happen but you never know. I will see what i can find out.

[finchaser]

No they can't, only marine police in state waters or coast guard in federal and state waters

Another problem is all state offenders are tried in a regular court where judges don't have a clue about marine law. There are no courts or judges assigned to these marine issues.
If you are summonsed in federal waters you are tried in a federal court where judges have a vague idea as to whats going on.

[DarkSkies]

There was a big deal this winter about the guys from VA and NC fishing in the EEZ.

The bass had moved offshore up to 30 miles out where the water was warmer. Water inshore of the EEZ was in the high 30's, too cold for large numbers of bass and bait. Guys were going day after day with no catches, and some decided to "cheat" by fishing in the EEZ.

All sorts of excuses were thrown out to justify fishing in the EEZ. Lots of people said there was nothing that coukl be done and had been going on for years. I didn't believe that, wouldn't accept it.

I spent about 2 weeks doing some investigative reporting and developed the following thread as a comprehensive resource for concerned anglers.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5801

I learned a lot doing that research. I also learned that it's not fair to only slam those guys down there when there are people up here guilty of the same.

[DarkSkies]

The guys down there said it so many times it became a mantra. Although that doesn't justify what they were doing, they did get prosecuted. There were many undercover investigations, and undercover intelligence was developed.

Boats were boarded, summonses were regularly issued.

Yes, there was an offshoot of rogue captains who decided to flout the law and thumb their noses at the Coast Guard by dumping dead fish when the CG came poking around.

Yes, there were countless recreational anglers who justified what they were doing by saying "Aw everyone does it, why not leave us alone because you can't enforce the law!" :2flip:

Still, despite all the guys that got away with it, many were summonsed, and had to pay the fines. Although enforcement wasn't consistent, there was enough of a movement against this fishing that I believe it will be stronger next year.

The impossible goal was to stop it completely. The realistic goal was to raise awareness. I and others succeeded in reaching that goal.

[DarkSkies]

This bothered me the most.

Guys were violating a law and openly encouraging others to do it because they said it was unjust. My feeling is this: If you're not happy with a law, then at least try to get it changed. If you do that, and still get nowhere, then you can do whatever your conscience guides you to.

Without ranting, that's one of my beefs about society today, that there is no shame when people do something wtong. They justify the means as validating the end. This IMO encourages that behavior because it allows others to think it's OK and do the same.

[DarkSkies]

Like I said, if we want to point our fingers at the VA and NC guys, we have to be willing to shine the spotlight on our own behavior.

There were a few reports that came in here and on other sites of guys getting bass in deeper water. Well, some of the bass moved beyond there to federal waters. I can report at this time that yesterday, Sat April 17, a bunch of guys were boarded and summonsed for allegedly striped bass fishing in the EEZ. :clapping::clapping:

Some of these boaters saw the CG coming in the CG modified raft and allegedly decided to outrun them. Bad choice. :beatin:

The first rule I learned when I was a kid getting in lots of trouble was that when you get busted for something, caught red handed, you never fun from the cops. It just makes them mad and want to throw you down the stairs. :argue:

So in addition to summonses for (allegedly ;)) fishing in the EEZ, some of the boats out there got summonses for (allegedly) evading LE. You can plea down the EEZ violations, but judges are less likely to accept a plea to the "evading" charges.

Lesson learned, maybe. :learn:

The guys who got busted first were private boats. When they asked why the charters and party boats weren't being summonsed as well, they were told they were captured on video cam and would receive summonses back at the docks.

I'll try to report on this more as the facts come in. In the meantime, anyone who has anything to add, or corrections to be made, feel free.

I for one am glad to see these guys doing their job. While the guys who got popped might be angry, the law doesn't work when people think there is no enforcement. The apathy that develops when that happens leads to greater non-compliance.

I'll be updating this thread as people get summonsed for fishing in NJ's EEZ and posting the LE reports, which are a matter of public record. Anyone else who wants to post factual reports of people getting caught poaching there, feel free. :thumbsup:

[hookedonbass]

I for one am glad to see these guys doing their job. While the guys who got popped might be angry, the law doesn't work when people think there is no enforcement. The apathy that develops when that happens leads to greater non-compliance.



You said it! I'm glad they busted them. Throw the book at the aholes. :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

[wish4fish]

thats bs their poachers they should take the boatshttp://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.gif

[cardoc765]

:burn::burn::burn: OMG, yet another way for aholes to poach, for what bragging rights?????:burn::burn::beatin: I know a lot of you feel the same, but jeeze. It's bad enough that we deal with poachers on the shore lines taking more than they are supposed to and shorts. Yet these guys know they are not supposed to go out there and still do. Then get upset cause they got caught???? W_F. It's no wonder NOAA wants to impose more restrictions on fishing. The more they hear aobut this kinda stuff, the more they will be apt to saying "oh the catch this year was 2.4 million" as a guess and who is gonna say different. Party boat captains should be forced to a penalty of not being able to fish for a certain time if they are caught out there. Same goes for commercial fisherman. If they violate, they should get more than a slap on the hand. Couple years ago, there were 2 boats out of NY that were busted dragging the RB and because it was their livelyhood, the fines were not what law states it should have been.

Seems like, the more we see the fish not moving in at the time WE think they should, the more we see this kind of stuff happening. Let nature take its course. If the fish are not in close enough for you to catch, then EFFIN wait like the rest of us do.

There have been plenty of times, where we didn't get a good fluke season or bass, or whatever. It's life and that's fishing. WE can't change the weather to what we want, nor can we force the fish to feed. With these kinda aholes out there, there would be no fish population if we could control nature that way.

Anyway, sorry I had to vent. I'll leave it at that.

[gjb1969]

well seid hang them high i wont miss them take the boats from them and make reefs out of them:d:fishing:

[finchaser]

just the start of the circus:scared:

[bababooey]

Caught with their hands in the cookie jar, oops!:beatin: Hope the fines are big enough to hurt some of them. If I can't fish there why should they be able to?

[fishinmission78]

If I can't fish there why should they be able to?

tackle shop heroes.

[surferman]

Hey I don't know if it's ok to post this dark, but on the bassbarn there is a thread where they go back and forth about fishing in the EEZ off of Jersey. I can't believe some of the rationalizations a few guys are using to get out there and fish. For the most part, people want to do the right thing. But there are others who rationalize EEZ poaching as no worse than a traffic ticket! That's total BS!
If you cant catch a fish within 3 miles, then save your gas and stay home! I'm sick of the cheaters out there whojustify their behavior, OH I get it they are jigging for bluefish and "accidentally" caught 27 stripers!??:pig:
. Dark you can delete if it's not ok. I think we should put it out there that who are we to get angry at the southern guys if we are doing the same thing, and justifying it as no big deal! Here are some of the posts--


"Talked to some guy today on the beach,who tells me he chartered a boat last Sunday and they fished about 8 miles off.He said there were a few dozen boats out there too,private and chartered.I asked him the name of the boat but he wouldn't tell me.I would have dimed them out in a minute.It's pretty sad when professional charter captains run out 8 miles to find fish.If you cant find fish within the legal 3 mile limit your a pretty shotty capt......."


"Fishing and targeting Striped Bass beyond three miles is against the law. Speeding is against the law; but ride on the Parkway and show me who is doing 65MPH or less. Every person speeds and they are breaking the law. When you live in a glass house do not throw stones. "

"
I heard about this from a neighbor. Very large fish -- Majority of fish were in the 35-40# class with a couple pushing 50#. Odd thing was almost all fish were cookie cutter--almost the same size. A guy who has been fishing a long time from montauk to Virginia said he had never seen anything like it. Seems like a small group are keyed into it as the same small fleet of boats were hitting the same area over the course of the past 2 weeks as there is an enormous amount of bait holding the fish. "


"I think more people fish the eez than don't haha! they all use the "Im going after bluefish arguement" At the end of the day it doesn't really matter because if the state or Govt were really worried about it they would be enforcing it more! "


"Why is everyone so worried about the Stripers? They are by far the best fishery we have available to us and I'm talking about inshore and offshore. This is the only time of year where you really see some serious life in the damn ocean and can catch a good number of fish. What about the weakfish? Maybe instead of beating the EEZ topic to death every year people should starting banging on their keyboards writing something about what we can do about the weakfish stock."

[plugginpete]

I think that sucks if guys are doing that in NJ. I know for a fact people do it out of Montauk every year. I have a few friends in the charter industry, and there's not a lot of enforcement when you are out off Block fishing 5-10 miles out. It is what it is. I do think that everyone should obey the law, whether you think it's fair or not. Otherwise we will have anarchy.

[clamchucker]

"Why is everyone so worried about the Stripers? They are by far the best fishery we have available to us and I'm talking about inshore and offshore. This is the only time of year where you really see some serious life in the damn ocean and can catch a good number of fish. What about the weakfish? Maybe instead of beating the EEZ topic to death every year people should starting banging on their keyboards writing something about what we can do about the weakfish stock."


I don't believe the person who wrote this has been fishing very long, but it seems that is what you get with these kinds of posts. You have the inexperienced angler who has only been fishing a few years, or a decade at most. They are very enthusiastic talking about how great things are, because that is their perspective. They have no knowledge of how things were 30 years ago. It is of no concern to them. As far as they are concerned, their view of the striped bass fishery is the only one that makes sense. Of course that helps them to justify fishing in the EEZ. That, in my view, is very selfish and a poor outlook for the future.
We cannot allow fishing the EEZ because it then opens the door to commercial fishermen pushing to fish there. The EEZ was created as a buffer zone. We worked long and hard to see that happen. We should think about that (for those who can remember) before dismissing the restrictions so easily. I think there will always be people who cheat and think they are above the law. I do not care what any of their reasons are. To me they are being short-sighted and selfish. We must not allow the EEZ to be opened to striped bass fishing for any reason. Otherwise all the progress we have made will be wiped out. I know this because I have lived through it.

[finchaser]

Bush made striped bass a game fish in federal waters the EEZ zone.

It is illegal to target ,fish for,have in your possession a striped bass more than 3 miles off any coast that also includes catch and release period.

[bababooey]

It is illegal to target ,fish for,have in your possession a striped bass more than 3 miles off any coast that also includes catch and release period.

I wish guys would pay attention to this. I'm not talking about guys who are fishing bluefish and bring in a stray bass or 2. It doesn't make sense to be a Nazi about it. You are spot on about the law though finchaser. Too many guys say they are fishing for bluefish "wink wink:rolleyes: " and really go out there with the intention of targeting bass. I have heard conversations on the radio where guys brag how well they did on the bass, and then there is a pregnant pause, or hesitation and double meaning phrases thrown around to justify it. I hope all those tools get nailed by the CG. Just remember folks the CG monitors these sites and all the radio channels. It gets me angry that not only do some guys feel the need to justify this, they also feel ego driven to brag about it as well.
Just remember, he who laughs last gets the poacher ticket.
And if that's what you're doing, whether you catch and release or not, you're a poacher.:2flip:

[stripermania]

You are spot on about the law though finchaser. Too many guys say they are fishing for bluefish "wink wink:rolleyes: " and really go out there with the intention of targeting bass. I have heard conversations on the radio where guys brag how well they did on the bass, and then there is a pregnant pause, or hesitation and double meaning phrases thrown around to justify it. I hope all those tools get nailed by the CG. It gets me angry that not only do some guys feel the need to justify this, they also feel ego driven to brag about it as well.
Just remember, he who laughs last gets the poacher ticket.
And if that's what you're doing, whether you catch and release or not, you're a poacher.:2flip:

Yes, and it seems like guys are still doing it. Found this on another site, under the striped bass forum. I WONDER what kind of fish they are talking about. What's worse is if you go to that thread, someone reminds them the area they are talking about is beyond the line, and they tell him to shut up. I hope they get busted by the Coast Guard, they deserve it!!:burn:

Here are the quotes -



Sea Isle Lump/Avalon Shoal


Sea Isle Lump/Avalon Shoal
Anyone do anything at these spots lately?


avalon shoal is 7 miles from the beach


The Sea Isle Lumps are past 3 miles also, except for the bouy that is right on the line. SO WHAT
There have been fish at both, not easy to get a bit without trolling though.


I don't care where they are located in proximity to the beach, just asking the question. Is everyone on this site a bone smugler?


Nothing but bluefish last weekend for us......very little bird action but we all know that can change daily.


didn't you last week give people a hard time about fishing at the 2fb buoy?????? now you want info 7 miles out????? i'm a little confused!!! i guess you like catching bluefish right??????? :) just saying

[clamchucker]

Some of those folks have been getting away with it for years. They feel they are entitled, as there is only sporadic enforcement in that area. You are only thinking it is more prevalent now because of the internet. Take my word for it. I have some fishing buddies I will not fish anymore because they think nothing of crossing the line to get fish.
I understand if the fish are right on the line, many of us would be tempted if there was a nice body of fish that was at 2.8 miles out and it moved to 3.2 miles. However, in many cases here we are talking about bass that are 5-10 miles offshore. That is clearly illegal no matter how you try to justify it.
What you folks need to do if you see them is report them. Take their boat numbers down and contact the authorities.

[fishinmission78]

Stripermania, I saw that thread, as it was originally posted on that site. Half of those guys beating thier chests about catching fish in the EEZ, you put them on the beach wity a surf stick and some plugs and they couldn't catch ****. That's the only way some of them can catch a bass, they're handicapped. End of story.

[basshunter]

Bush made striped bass a game fish in federal waters the EEZ zone.

It is illegal to target ,fish for,have in your possession a striped bass more than 3 miles off any coast that also includes catch and release period.

Tell that to the guys who were fishing at the shrewsbury rocks in todays internet report:


"thrsday 12/22 report
Rounded the hook around 720am And found no life any where. Ran around for awhile and finally found birds way south of the hook in rocky areas. Bite lasted only a little while till the fleet found them too. Love the charter capt who trolls between all the boats and runs through the birds. So we managed 1 keeper and a few shorts and some blues in 30 minutes till the fish got spread out and laid down. Ran all over chasing birds and dropping on good marks but the fish were not biting. Some boats were fishing way past the 3 mile line and were doing ok but I try to stay where I belong."

[nitestrikes]

Guys were doing it off of Jones in the Spring as well. They didn't get caught, but they were doing it. Friends were out there at the 2.5 mile line and marked other guys at least a mile further offshore. All fishing for bass. This goes on every season.

[plugcrazy]

Here is a report I found on the internet for April 13:




"PSA: Be very skeptical of the reports that you hear from boats working the southern grounds today. Off of long branch there was a decent size fleet of boats with at least one well named boat from the area fishing; talk on the radio was that there was good fishing to be had in the "deep water". The funny thing was with my radar set to 8 miles, the closest boat to long branch was 6.5 miles offshore. I was not there myself to see big bass making a one way trip over the rail. But there was plenty of talk of these bass being caught; and for the life of me I could not find a boat in the area within the legal limit.

I am entitled to my opinion but in my mind a true sportsman does not poach or target fish outside the regulations knowingly. If the chatter on the radio is true; you guys should be ashamed of yourselves the radar surely confirmed that a bunch of you guys were out there doing something for quite some time. And after seeing you do a drive by of the junk drawer and then heading outside the line it was pretty upsetting knowing that at the start of the day you were all bass fishing... "

[finchaser]

Goes on everyday everywhere, yesterday they all moved in when the coast guard helicopter came ans went right back out when they left the bite lasted 2 hours

[DarkSkies]

Thanks for posting this Plugcrazy. When I saw it I was hoping that someone who had been out fishing in that area would be able to comment. Thanks for confirming it Finchaser.

It occurs to me that some of the guys doing this may be Charter Capts. Their fares have to have some idea that something is out of the ordinary when the land disappears from view and they are still going further to get bass. (I think land is visible for about 3 miles, please correct me if I'm wrong).







The thing that is so hypocritical is that a there was a lot of whining when guys did it off the Coast of NC. I spent weeks puttting together the intel and documentation for this thread:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?5801-Fishing-in-the-EEZ-a-Moral-dilemma-or-Economic-decision&highlight=fishing+in+the+eez


Yet some of the guys who were whining the loudest, are out there now, fishing in the EEZ, and running back like scared puppies when the Coast Guard comes flying around.

We should all be playing by the same set of rules.....Shame on the guys who are doing this.

[ledhead36]

That makes me sick. We had to wait till March 1 to fish for bass. In the ocean you are never allowed to go past the 3 mile limit. How do these guys get away with it? Someone should rat them out.:2flip:

[finchaser]

Yesterday 6 head boats 4 charter boats and 6 private boats no one gives a sh_t people pay and want fish. Lubchenco has shut down everything so many head and charter boats are almost out of business. The cost of fuel on the river is $4.28 and expected to rise a another $1 gallon by memorial day effecting all who use gas. . It's against the law for even us catch and release guys to fish there. It's not right but it is what it is until some one enforces the law checking boats as they enter the inlet is after the fact the fish are dead .

[plugginpete]

That is absolutely piggish that guys are doing this!

[finchaser]

Same thing today boats were 4 to 5 off

[cowherder]

How can they keep getting away with that finchaser. Why doesn't someone make a call?

[finchaser]

falls on deaf ears no one comes

[bababooey]

falls on deaf ears no one comes

Well someone finally did something. On 4-29 the Renegade got busted and fined. Caught with 12 or 13 fish. Good to see the Coast Guard getting it done, my tax dollars at work. :clapping:


"The huge fleet fishing over the 3 mile line today got a huge surprise when the orange USCG boat came flying out this morning. As we were fishing inside we could see the 50+ boat fleet quickly trying to run for the border but about 15 boats where detained, not sure of the outcome other then a $100 fine which isn't much.......... "

[dogfish]

They should throw the book at them and take their boat.

[voyager35]

Some of these guys are at it every week, Enough is enough.

[plugginpete]

Its poaching.

[nitestrikes]

For those who fish new jersey is EEZ bass fishing as rampant as it is in long island?

[finchaser]

yep some of the head boats were out as far as 5-6 miles yesterday oh yeah that's right they were looking for blues how stupid of me to think other wise

[robmedina]

So a guy on another forum brags about how since he could not find fish on the surf him and his buddys went JUST 5 miles out and loaded the boat with a 4 man limit plus bonus tags!!! Yeah man the bite was hot and they did it in only 45 minutes! Another forum member points out to him with a link- that they are only allowed to catch fish up to 3 miles out, after that they are in federal waters and have to abide by federal law. The guy replies.."Oopps oh well it is what it is"

[J Barbosa]

Rob,

That report was a spoof.

He didn't catch any fish in the EEZ.

[jigfreak]

Like finchaser said plenty of guys are doing it. They are not talking about it on the internet though. Kind of like the guy who tells you all the time how many chicks he is banging, he probably is paying for it. Its the silent ones who are getting the action.

[seamonkey]

. Its the silent ones who are getting the action.


This guy isnt so silent. He bragged that he did it and defended it.
Can you target striped bass in federal waters? I thought that you could not?

The post:
11-2 mi
"Started out heading South and had few if any marks.....Did a 180 and finally found the fish 5-6 miles off of Belmar in Federal waters. Lots of big blues and the bass were mixed in. Biggest was 40" today...................Yes they were all released! "


Then he posted again defending it? ***?

"Oh and just for the record. I was one of about 30 boats at the spot. 10 of which were the Jamaica, Dauntless, **** Robin, Skylarker, and more. I suppose we should all be fined and jailed? I suppose the party boats were releasing their bass at the waterline right? This site has become a drag. (pun intended....as in its slipping!) I truly enjoy fighting big Stripers and then reviving them boat side and have them shake their big tails and pull out of my hands. And as far as bluefish.....We keep a few each spring for shark bait and release the rest. Believe me or don't. I don't care either way. "

[cowherder]

Thats just arrogant like has been said if you are doing it why brag about it. what a d-bag! http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png

[lostatsea]

I agree, don't understand the mentality of someone who would boast about breaking the law.

[J Barbosa]

I think there is some confusion here...

Rob was posting about a spoof report that a guy posted spoofing on the report seamonkey quoted.

[seamonkey]

Johnbarbosa I was not confused. I took that post directly from the ****barn. Don't know if I can say that here but you get the drift. The guy posted on Nov 2 and saw no reason for it being illegal. Guys went on to talk about it and say as long as you are targeting bluefish (wink wink) that is legal. I think that attitude sucks so I posted about it. He said the big jamaica was doing it too. He posted his bass pics also.

I was wondering if anyone here knows if it is legal to do that, to target bass in the eez? I thought it was illegal. Some people are above the law I guess.

[J Barbosa]

Johnbarbosa I was not confused. I took that post directly from the ****barn. Don't know if I can say that here but you get the drift. The guy posted on Nov 2 and saw no reason for it being illegal. Guys went on to talk about it and say as long as you are targeting bluefish (wink wink) that is legal. I think that attitude sucks so I posted about it. He said the big jamaica was doing it too. He posted his bass pics also.

I was wondering if anyone here knows if it is legal to do that, to target bass in the eez? I thought it was illegal. Some people are above the law I guess.

The post Rob was referring to was a spoof report posted on SOL poking fun at the bass barn thread.

[seamonkey]

JB I believe Robs post was referring to a thread 10/29.
this happened 11/2 - 4 days later. The post is still up on the barn you can check it if you want,

I think your timeline is off here and these are 2 different cases.
So - is it ok to target these bass in the eez that's what I still want to know?
How many of you guys would do it?

[J Barbosa]

Okay I'm confused now to be honest...LOL

I assumed Robs post was for the SOL spoof on the thread you mentioned as it was posted shortly after that.

I don't want to read any more ******** than I have to. There's 125 useless page report of last weeks weather conditions and skunk or the fish are all in LI reports...

I know it's illegal but I think they should change the laws to allow C&R fishing.

[jigfreak]

So many are dishonest about it. I say the Coast Guard or F&G should hire some new deputies. When you get out there and find the ones past the eez with bass, have the deputy go over to the other boat. Count the illegal bass and p-iss on all the bass. Then they have to pay 50 fine on each after picking up the p-issed on bass. Bet the problem would be solved in a week.

[seamonkey]

Haha dude you are sick!:kooky:
Maybe it would work who knows.

[basshunter]

What is the deal with this eez fishing in NJ. now they are advertizing it? is that even legal. I think it sucks!!!!!!!!!:2flip:




AHOY **** Robin Faithful! - Turkey day weekend recap
Bassing remains GOOD....a new body of SHORTS has entered the scene and last weeks mini Nor'Easter has shaken the bait over the 3 mile line, so we are playing catch and release at the moment.

We believe the bait will make up and head inshore as the water clears and we will be back to KEEPING very shortly.

[cowherder]

Despicable how can they get away with that?

[bababooey]

It happens a lot more than you think. The renegade charter got busted doing it in 2011. They said it was the first and only time they did it. Yep, right, and the easter bunny also comes every easter

[hookset]

Despicable how can they get away with that?

Dunno as far as I know you cannot target retain or catch stripers in the EEZ. If you are bluefishing and there is incidental catch thats ok. You have to release immediately. Don't know how a party boat as well known as the **** robin could mention they are targeting striped bass. Even c&r is prohibited. Maybe they interpret the law differently

[jigfreak]

Dunno as far as I know you cannot target retain or catch stripers in the EEZ. If you are bluefishing and there is incidental catch thats ok. You have to release immediately.


If you're trolling in the eez with niner or shad rigs it should be an automatic $500 fine for each fish. This catch and release stuff is bs. That's what all the guys say "oh officer I was trolling for bluefish and accidentally caught these big bass" Total bs. . Something stronger needs to happen though. Too many laughing at the regs - "yeah just tell em yur fishing for blues, wink-wink".

if you get caught doing this the f&g officer should be allowed to take a dump right on your steering wheel. Obviously my opinion only. Wink at my big brown eye as I dump on your wheelhouse.

[captnemo]

We gave it our best fishing for bass today. Unfortunately the bass did not cooperate. Started just E of the hook where we found and netted bunker. Tossed one out to have it chopped in half by a big bluefish so we decided to move down the beach. We worked bunker pods from the shrewsbury rocks to asbury. No luck. We did see a group of boats clustered off monmouth beach past the shrewsbury rocks. They were way over the line. From the looks of it they were fishing bunker for bass and I did see some busting when I checked with the binocs. We ventured out further and saw they were fishing for bass. Saw some of the big name sponsors and advertisers on some of the fishing websites out there as well as a party boat. The party boat advertises as a bluefish trip but the other private boats and charters were not bluefishing. I put a call in to the CG and hope they did something about it. It is not fair that some of us have to play by the rules and others feel they do not.

[cowherder]

captnemo thanks for taking a stand and calling those scum in! You are right the law should apply to everyone.:2flip: to the idiots that think they are above it.

[VSdreams]

How can they keep getting away with it. Seems like that boat C-o-c-k Robin is a repeat offender. Cant F&G be notified of this and go out and bust them dudes?

[7deadlyplugs]

Recent news about stepping up enforcement.

"Coast Guard will step up striped bass poaching patrols"
http://www.app.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2014/11/11/coast-guard-will-step-striped-bass-poaching-patrols/18849445/

[baitstealer]

Hey guys maybe you can help me figure this one out. I read a recent report where someone was trolling off of manasquan and they got stripers in 65 feet of water. How far out do you have to be off that area for the depth to be 65 feet? I am not looking to stir the pot I really don't know the answer. When I read it it seemed that 65 feet had to be pretty far off. Also wondering why a lot of stripers don't seem to be coming in close to the surf in monmouth county this year? thanks

[finchaser]

2 1/2 to 3 miles

No bait and everything is filled in with sand

[DarkSkies]

Some were asking me about this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrose_Light
Some light summer reading in case anyone has an interest. ;) :HappyWave:

[seamonkey]

A lot of guys do this where I fish out of in south jersey because the beaches are so flat and shallow. They claim you don't even begin to find a lot of fish until you come close to the line. That's funny because we have a lot of nice stripers in the surf in april and may. After that they are very hard to catch though.

[surferman]

True. It's so ironic that a lot of the bass are just over the line. I found this from the Coast Guard. If striped bass are in such good shape as some say, why does the Coast Guard say they are not fully recovered?

"Though most striped bass fishing takes place close to shore and in the back bays because that is where the fish are mainly located, some anglers choose to ignore a rule that bans fishing for the species in what is known as the Exclusive Economic Zone, or EEZ, defined as any distance between three and 200 nautical miles from shore. An uptick in poaching has led the Coast Guard to plan stepped up enforcement of the ban, officials said.

?It?s important to remember Atlantic striped bass have not fully recovered from years of overfishing,? said Capt. Kathy Moore, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia, which is responsible for the waters off the New Jersey coast from Shark River Inlet to Cape May. ?Complying with these rules will ensure this resource is available to future generations.

A person caught fishing for, or in possession of striped bass while in the EEZ is subject to civil fines.

As for poaching, the public is being encouraged by the Coast Guard to report any suspected poaching activity to Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay (http://www.uscg.mil/d5/sectDelawareBay/default.asp) at 215-271-4974. Calls should include a description of the activity, those involved, the location and the time of the suspected offense. Such information greatly increases the effectiveness of law enforcement operations"

[hookedonbass]

What do you guys who go out there every day think of these pics. Does the land look far away? Like more than 3 miles away maybe? They were posted yesterday by a boat who claims they slaughtered bass to 45lbs. Looks a little far off the beach to me. Do you think some of these guys are fishing over the 3 mile limit? If so where is the coast guard? Just wondering, thanks.

[VSdreams]

The shore does look a little far off to me. You can barely see it and the water towers. Looks like lavalette ortley by the towers in the background and where they have been getting them based on the reports I read. I am a bad judge of distance so it's not up to me to judge. I would think the CG should be monitoring that as you said.

[finchaser]

Nope yesterday the head boat fleet stayed past the 3 mile limit most of the day we were about 2 1/2 miles off They did move in for a while when the following happened.


Bounty Hunter regular Ed Sobjak had his annual charter on board today. Along with Ed were Kyle, Steve, Jim, Mike & Bruce. Paul ran to the area where he had the Bass yesterday. The reads were solid and after putting out the Trolling gear the guys were into the Bass big time. We had plenty of hook ups but only managed to put 3 Bass in the box while losing over 10. After some discussion the guys settled down and the next 2 Bass were landed nicely. Steve a member of the charter fought the last Bass a 44 1/2" beauty and as the fish hit the deck Steve collapsed. Paul immediately seen that Steve was in need of medical assistance and called the Manasquan CG. Fortunately the CG had a fast boat within 3 miles of our position and they responded to our call within minutes. We transferred Steve to the CG vessel and they were off to the Hospital where unfortunately Steve did not survive. Steve was an avid fisherman and he passed away doing what he loved. He will be missed by all of us. Capt. Paul and the crew of the Bounty Hunter send their Condolences and Prayers to Steve's family during this very difficult time.

[blitzhunter]

What a bunch of a-holes. Hope their fines are the max. allowed.

December 11, 2015
CAPE MAY, N.J. - The Coast Guard issued violations Tuesday and Wednesday during two separate cases off Cape May due to the possession of Atlantic striped bass within the exclusive economic zone.


Coast Guard law enforcement crews conduct boardings on a routine basis throughout the Mid-Atlantic and place an emphasis on the protection of the Atlantic striped bass against commercial and recreational fishing within the EEZ.


A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cape May discovered three Atlantic striped bass Wednesday while boarding a pleasure craft approximately eight miles off Cape May.


A boarding team from the Virginia-based Coast Guard Cutter Dependable found five Atlantic striped bass Tuesday while boarding a pleasure craft approximately three and a half nautical miles off Cape May within the EEZ.

In each case, the Coast Guard issued an enforcement action report.
Atlantic striped bass, commonly referred to as stripers or rockfish, normally migrate south during the winter seasons, following their ideal sea temperatures. While striped bass are typically found closer to shore, changing sea temperatures can cause them to migrate farther than three miles offshore.

More stringent regulations adopted in the 1980s were lifted in the mid-90s as stocks replenished; however, the prohibition of catching, fishing for or possessing Atlantic Striped Bass in the EEZ continues to be a federal offense.


"It is illegal to possess or target the Atlantic striped bass in federal waters, which begin three miles from shore," said Lt. Cmdr. Patricia Bennett, the deputy enforcement chief for the Fifth Coast Guard District in Portsmouth, Virginia. "In state waters - waters less than three miles from the coast - each state has its own laws designed to protect stripers. Even though the Coast Guard does not enforce those state laws, if we find a violation at the state level, we may notify state authorities."
http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2749802/Coast-Guard-issues-2-striped-bass-violations-in-2-days-off-South-Jersey

[blitzhunter]

Quote from another article
"“The three-mile line is clearly marked on nautical charts,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen Atchley, officer in charge aboard Coast Guard Cutter Cochito out of Portsmouth. “With all the modern navigation equipment, it is every mariners responsibility to know where they are when they are on the water. That means knowing if you’re fishing in state or federal waters.”
http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2635546/

Video of them starting out.
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/441916/striped-bass-2015#.VnKfhVLQrMl







(https://www.dvidshub.net/video/441916/striped-bass-2015#.VnKfhVLQrMl)

[finchaser]

:don't know why:No one enforces it so no one cares right up there with the bonus tag both are total BS in IMO

[finchaser]

Its not allowed to target or catch in the EEZ zone period

[surferman]

well, maybe the enforcement just got a little stricter. I for one am glad to see it.
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/citations-for-illegal-striper-fishing-on-rise-in-south-jersey/article_2a4ad65e-8f47-5f46-9820-448c8b84dff4.html

[plugcrazy]

Just busted some guys last week. Heads up.
http://www.moremonmouthmusings.net/2017/11/27/coast-guard-striped-bass-fishing-3-miles-offshore-could-catch-hefty-fine/