Lets talk regulations

[porgy75]

This question may seem a little ignorant but states up and down the east coast have all different regulations for catching the same type of fish.

What is discussed to achieve those regulations and how come it is not uniformed for the same species?

[surfstix1963]

So the entire breeding stock is being taken by the whole eastern coastline and we are left with juvenile fish and hope they live long enough to breed between predation and being caught and thrown back so many times they can only survive so much.This is a major cause of fish decline here between commercial and recs size limits the whole breeding slot of fish are susceptible to demise.Not much is discussed about this occasionally it is brought up but the commercials only want saleable fish 14" fits on a dinner plate nicely then every state wants different regs. which is a problem as you mentioned.We need a standard size along the entire coast so some fish can continue to breed personally I would like to see something in the area of 18" @ 2 fish fish per angler down the eastern sea board.

[Frankiesurf]

It has to do with quotas also. If the recreational quota is eclipsed then the next year the regulations will shift to accommodate this overage.

That is why NY is being unfairly punished with Fluke regulations. All it takes is one year of bad information and the regs get tighter and tighter.