2015 NJ Striper Regulations

[finchaser]

http://www.thefisherman.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=949&ParentCat=19

[Monty]

Was hoping for common sense.
Instead greed and lack of responsibility prevails.

tom fote sucks.

[fishrich]

[QUOTE=Monty;83826]Was hoping for common sense.
Instead greed and lack of responsibility prevails.

tom fote sucks.

Agree. They are so greedy that they won't even give up the bonus tag. You can still kill two of the big breeders plus keep another up to 42 inches !!

[finchaser]

Except for NJ all states are 1 fish at 28" which could still be mandated here.

may have a reduced season to accommodate these NJ proposals


there is an exception being considered because NJ has the most for hire charter and party boats

[seamonkey]

[QUOTE=Monty;83826]Was hoping for common sense.
Instead greed and lack of responsibility prevails.

tom fote sucks.

Agree. They are so greedy that they won't even give up the bonus tag. You can still kill two of the big breeders plus keep another up to 42 inches !!

Cape may used to have both a good spring and fall run of nice stripers. Now its mostly in the spring and the captains are not crushing them in the rips in the fall like they used to. What will it take for people to wake up?

[cowherder]

I agree why should nj be any different than the other states? We should all take the cuts together until the striped bass population improves. Too many people only think of themselves nowadays.

[jigfreak]

^^^^Why? Because some of the politicians and appointees that vote on these things are in the pockets of the commercial industry which includes party and charter boats. There is no other way they could have allowed it to get this bad without some backroom influence peddling. my .02

[Monty]

^^^^Why? Because some of the politicians and appointees that vote on these things are in the pockets of the commercial industry which includes party and charter boats. There is no other way they could have allowed it to get this bad without some backroom influence peddling. my .02

I think the same as you do.
Corruption. It disgusts me.

[jigfreak]

^^^^^ The most frustrating thing a lot of times is theres not much you can do about it unless you actually catch them doing something wrong which can be next to impossible.

[lostatsea]

Was hoping for common sense.
Instead greed and lack of responsibility prevails.

tom fote sucks.

Agreed.
"To comply with this directive, the Council is considering two options and both of them allow for a possession of two striped bass" - See more at: http://www.thefisherman.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=949&ParentCat=19#sthash.My0mLGZy.dpuf

As long as you allow 2 fish there is really not much of a change.

[lostatsea]

Except for NJ all states are 1 fish at 28" which could still be mandated here.

may have a reduced season to accommodate these NJ proposals


there is an exception being considered because NJ has the most for hire charter and party boats

Why should NJ be the only exception?

[clamchucker]

there is an exception being considered because NJ has the most for hire charter and party boats

Catering to this group will surely cause the collapse of the striped bass as surely as catering to the whims of the commercial industry did it last time.

[finchaser]

Recreational Fishing Alliance Contact: Jim Hutchinson, Jr. / 888-564-6732

For Immediate Release January 9, 2015















NJ COUNCIL SUPPORTS NEW STRIPER REGULATIONS
Proposed Limits for 2015 Must Now Be Considered by Legislature



The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council unanimously voted to support a two fish bag limit for striped bass beginning sometime in 2015, with one fish at 28 to less than 43 inches, and a second fish equal to or greater than 43 inches.

Yesterday's decision at the council's regular meeting in Galloway Township must now be picked up by New Jersey legislators, as any changes to striped bass regulations in the state must be made through Trenton by an act of law.

It is expected that both a Senate and Assembly bill will be adopted next week, with the appropriate committees in Trenton then responsible for reviewing, discussing and ultimately approving the change before it can be voted on by the full legislature.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) recently mandated a 25% or better reduction by all coastal states on striped bass harvest beginning in 2015, with ASMFC technical committee members approving New Jersey's proposal of one striper at less than 43 and one striper at 43 or greater as meeting that 25% reduction goal.

As for New Jersey's bonus striped bass program which utilizes the unused commercial quota of striped bass through a $2 tag system, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council also voted to convene their striped bass advisory committee to look at possible changes to the program.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) also put forward a new regulatory proposal for fixed gear on New Jersey's artificial reef sites which was unanimously approved by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council. NJDEP expects the new regulations to go into effect before the summer and should help improve public access at Axel Carlson and Sandy Hook reef sites in New Jersey coastal waters.

On the fluke front, the next important meeting coming up for public comment for New Jersey anglers is Monday, January 12th at the Toms River Township Administrative Building, L.M. Hirshblond Room at 33 Washington Street in Toms River. This meeting will not be focused on striped bass, but on Draft Addendum XXVI for summer flounder management.

[hookedonbass]

Thank you sir. Does anyone know if there will still be a bonus fish allowed?

[storminsteve]

I don't know. Thought there was only supposed to be one fish though. Well at least it's a little more restrictive than it was. The meat men won't be happy less meat for them to bring home.

[hookset]

You will never stop a true meatman from filling his cooler. He will find a way because it is ever so important to pound your chest on the internet about what a great fisherman you are. These regs are prob not the best but they will save some fish. My .02

[fishinmission78]

The averageangler blog posted this today. I agree with him

"One fish 28 to 43 inches and a second fish over 43 inches. That my friends is a travesty. You can do all the math you want and can even try and figure that a second fish over 43 inches isn't an easy fish to catch.......but it really isn't......at least for the boat angler.


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8WMkkhjGD8/VLETr5_EdeI/AAAAAAAAP7s/3tTHwRi9lzE/s1600/10917966_10205832405748157_72422431322792787_o.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J8WMkkhjGD8/VLETr5_EdeI/AAAAAAAAP7s/3tTHwRi9lzE/s1600/10917966_10205832405748157_72422431322792787_o.jpg )




What they have done is now started, or just ended, a war between the boat and beach angler. It used to be that the recreational and commercial fisherman we pointing fingers at each other. That was easy. They would use the argument that recreational anglers took 27 million pounds of striped bass each year to the commercials 9 million. And those numbers aren't factual. I always said that charter boats, from six packs to party, numbers should be put into the commercial category. They are vessels for hire. They are commercial operations. Even though the fares are fishing for and taking "meat" home for their own recreational pleasure.




http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyBF1R0m5tQ/UmK5SePCvvI/AAAAAAAAOV8/lh9lCpGDc-k/s1600/101913%2BGLBERG-7.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WyBF1R0m5tQ/UmK5SePCvvI/AAAAAAAAOV8/lh9lCpGDc-k/s1600/101913%2BGLBERG-7.jpg)




But what this new regulation does is pin surf fishermen against boat fisherman, well there was always a divide, but now it will get ugly. In this age of social media, from blogs to fishing forums to fishing report pages, readers are able to see, almost in real time, who is catching when and where and how.




http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGgDklWQKi4/UnlamJlf0mI/AAAAAAAAL3M/AdUoejOAAWM/s1600/110513%2BFISHMN%2B-1.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGgDklWQKi4/UnlamJlf0mI/AAAAAAAAL3M/AdUoejOAAWM/s1600/110513%2BFISHMN%2B-1.jpg)




What it came down to was pressure from charter boat captains who feared that reducing a paying customers haul to one fish would hurt an already hurting industry. Duh, yes it will. But that already hurting industry is happening because of the reduced number of fish available to catch and kill. You want to save a fishery......its simple......reduce mortality.




So the early spring clam and bunker bite massacre that happens in Raritan Bay to pre-spawn Hudson fish will continue. Then the bunker snag and drop massacre will continue into the early summer. Then in the fall it will pick up again.



We will continue to see charter boats decks and docks loaded with dead bass. We will now see anglers "catch and releasing" those second fish that don't make the 43 inch mark. So, if your fellow angler next to you doesn't want your second 38 inch fish, and the captain doesn't want it for the boat.....guess what? That means that 10/0 treble snagging hook stuck deep into the striped bass' esophagus will be ripped out and that fish released, if you can call it that, so the angler can catch a "legal" greater than 43" fish. "








I keep a lot of fish but I don't always catch my limit or keep it. 1 nice fish is usually enough for me. I don't need to feed the widows and orphans with striped bass lol. This is just going to make the divide between surf and boat fishermen worse.

[Monty]

The averageangler blog posted this today.

But what this new regulation does is pin surf fishermen against boat fisherman, well there was always a divide, but now it will get ugly. In this age of social media, from blogs to fishing forums to fishing report pages, readers are able to see, almost in real time, who is catching when and where and how.

Charter boats and Party boats should be considered commercial fisherman.
I think these new regulations fall solidly short of what is needed. Hopefully get rid of that bonus tag.



"The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) recently mandated a 25% or better reduction by all coastal states on striped bass harvest beginning in 2015, with ASMFC technical committee members approving New Jersey's proposal of one striper at less than 43 and one striper at 43 or greater as meeting that 25% reduction goal"

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has no balls.

[surfrob]

The fishery the charter and party boats need to bemoan is the overall coastal fishery, not the stripers.

What happened to winter flounder? What happened to weakfish? Bluefish, porgies, cod and ling. What ever happened
to whiting, herring, mackerel?

The entire coastal fish population is under seige.

We are regulating a resource that cannot sustain the overall amount of pressure, and our inshore environmental policies (e.g.
beach replenishment) are killing the renewable resource.

How many charter boats are out there? I know of a relatively few, long time, head boats. Yes, they kill a lot of fish. But the charter
"6 pack" industry seems to have exploded (maybe it's just my perception).

And I can't stand reading about this "feeding their families" argument. It's a life style and industry choice. Heck, I used to be
in the "telephone" business. It collapsed. I moved on. Someone want to regulate the phone business to allow guys like I used
to be to "feed their families"? (sorry, it's been tried already) It's a dead business. No, I take that back. People still make phone
calls but the business has changed and what was sustainable (job wise) in past years no longer is.

Fishing is no different... we can't support an ever growing number of recreational, pseudo commercial (charter/head boat) and real commercial
pressures on a resource that is fixed (or in fact shrinking).

THE ASMFC just went along with what NJ recommended. No balls? Heck, that's in their charter.

And what is up with this "bonus tag" nonsense. I've been told forever that it came about from the NJ's "commercial quota" but what
the heck are we doing with a quota of something we don't have (a "commercial" fishery)? What is this? Everyone gets a trophy mentality?

I always thought a bonus tag was a good idea IF it was implemented as a 1 a year, trophy fish. One a year seems reasonable.
But even that doesn't work, because you were able to get a new tag after using your old tag. So, it became the limit of 3 per person
rather than a once in a lifetime type of "bonus".

BTW, note that there will be very few 42" bass caught this year.

[lostatsea]

The entire coastal fish population is under seige.

We are regulating a resource that cannot sustain the overall amount of pressure, and our inshore environmental policies (e.g.
beach replenishment) are killing the renewable resource.

How many charter boats are out there? I know of a relatively few, long time, head boats. Yes, they kill a lot of fish. But the charter
"6 pack" industry seems to have exploded (maybe it's just my perception).

And I can't stand reading about this "feeding their families" argument. It's a life style and industry choice. Heck, I used to be
in the "telephone" business. It collapsed. I moved on. Someone want to regulate the phone business to allow guys like I used
to be to "feed their families"? (sorry, it's been tried already) It's a dead business. No, I take that back. People still make phone
calls but the business has changed and what was sustainable (job wise) in past years no longer is.

Fishing is no different... we can't support an ever growing number of recreational, pseudo commercial (charter/head boat) and real commercial
pressures on a resource that is fixed (or in fact shrinking).

THE ASMFC just went along with what NJ recommended. No balls? Heck, that's in their charter.



:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:Dude I have read many rants which didn't have any substance. Just venting. What you said here is it in a nutshell. The read deal! There are tons of ppl fishing and not enough fish to go around. So simple why can't ppl see that?

That word sustainable almost sounds like something folks who are criticized as enviro freaks. But no disrespect meant towards what you said. I agree 200%! What kind of fishing will it be if we don't talk about sustainability? I'm no expert but it seems every year they figure out the maximum fish that can be killed before the population starts to tank. What happens if they are wrong with that guesstimate? Well then there are less fish overall, as you have noticed. My Dad rants about this too. When he and his buddies get together you should hear the stories they tell about all the species of fish they used to catch. Thats ancient history - those fish are no more. And if they don't pay closer attention I think the same thing will happen to stripers.

You make a lot of sense. If you ever decide you want to run for the ASMFC or one of these commissioner jobs, post up. I would def vote for you.

[clamchucker]

I agree. The charter boats will be the death of this fishery. The ones who are most disrespectful seem to be the ones in the raritan bay. I don't like to name names because I am not from that area. These Captains do a disservice to others out there by claiming the health of the striped bass. It is just not true.
Back in the 80's when striped bass came back most folks had stopped fishing for them regularly. Even at Island beach there wasn't much activity outside of the spring and fall migration. The fish weren't there and most stopped fishing for them. Instead we targeted flounder, fluke, blackfish, and bluefish to keep it interesting. It was very difficult to catch a striped bass during that time. You could go for weeks without catching one. The interest started up again when it was heralded that they were recovered. The outdoor writers started publicizing it. Some bait shops were struggling and it was seen as a way to increase business. It worked and folks started to show up at the beaches regularly again. This was a good thing. The thing that some fail to see is that we need to manage these fish better. The folks at the agencies need to listen more closely to actual fishermen across a broad spectrum. If this does not happen the population will crash again. I have lived through it and seen it. The watered down regulations just voted on are not enough.

[fishinmission78]

I agree. The charter boats will be the death of this fishery. The ones who are most disrespectful seem to be the ones in the raritan bay. I don't like to name names because I am not from that area. These Captains do a disservice to others out there by claiming the health of the striped bass. It is just not true.


X2. Also keep up the pressure on the meatmen thread. I keep fish to but those guys in that thread are just greedy pigs. No other way to describe them. Most of them are charter capts. I forgot who started it but thank you Sir. Also thanks for keeping it open, dark. I hope you never bow to pressure to close it. There has to be something under the freedom of speech act that protects that. I sure hope so. Keep up the good work guys.

[nitestrikes]

^^^^^I agree we need to keep the pressure on. Think it was bound to happen. Lots of fishermen comments now but where were those folks when they were having the meetings? Here is a summary or one of our state's meetings to help put it all in perspective.

http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/community/MRAC/bulletins/MRACBulletin2014-11-18.pdf

[buckethead]

I think the same as you do.
Corruption. It disgusts me.

It bothers me as well. I have noticed something interesting in modern society. There are quite a few discussions on this on the internet. We don't like corruption and are angry about it. When it comes down to mobilizing against it - Pallone, Fote, fisheries management, etc, there are very few who will go to the meetings and speak up. So in a way we are our own worst enemies. Fishermen comprise a big % of the user groups that NOAA and the other management agencies talk about.

Only a small % have ever been willing to organize and do something to push for real change. And when we do, we are angered by the corruption. If we can get angry about it on the web we should be collectively able to get angry enough to protest against the corruption. This is not a dig at you monty. The same thing happened in the 1980's. It took the federal gov't to do something. By then it was too late and they had to close the striped bass fishery. Wouldn't it be great if we could all act as a collective voice together and influence some real change. My .02

[finchaser]

NY goes with 2 fish limit also

[BassBuddah]

^^^The target for NY was a 28% reduction. The battles behind the scenes were fierce. I tend to believe some of our fisheries officials are corrupt and can be easily manipulated or bought. This is just speaking from experience with them being slow to action last time and this time as well.

[hookedonbass]

Well then vote the bums out!

[jigfreak]

I don't know if any of you folks are following the groups on facebook. Some of this talk has gotten ugly. Anyone who talks about conserving stripers or limiting the catch is now called a tree hugger. Same for the people calling for a 32" limit of one. Ugly, ugly. And it will get worse. I predict some angry battles this year between surf fishermen and the boat and charter industry. They keep saying over and over their rights to fish are being stepped on and I just read one capt today saying he doesn't know how it got this way. It got this way because of the greed of the capts putting their fares on the meat day in and day out. They will never admit it. Thats why it's going to get ugly. I really can't believe a capt talking about how he remembers the moratorium in one sentence and in the next sentence saying the regulations today are really unfair. how are they supposed to make a living with all the peta folks jumping on them. Shameless lies.

[seamonkey]

All you have to do is look at the cape may reports for the year. Spring was ok, fall was bad. Where did all the stripers go? Are they all in the raritan bay? Just because you keep repeating a lie over and over doesn't make it true.

[surfstix1963]

As far as I'm concerned the party was over 5 years ago.The writing was on the wall very few read the wall, only the honest people suffer for the idiots.Politicians forget them they will not help you,fisheries management will not help you,we can jump up and down all we want the fishery is shot.Economically a moratorium hurts business,but we should have had one at least 3 years ago to actually do something productive.I don't sugar coat anything this is purely my opinion you can throw all the numbers around you want the wrong damn people are counting them and the wrong damn people are making the rules, these regs will only continue to cause a total collapse in the fishery they aren't saving the percentage that is needed year after year they don't care when it's over they don't have to regulate it and their deep pockets will have already been filled.They all just follow suit politicians are all of the same mold get what you can before you get caught and still get to retire with their ridiculous perks.I've done my fair share of meetings and arguing over the last 30 years quite honestly it's a waste of oxygen nowadays.Look over the last 10 years what has really changed?We are out numbered by being conservative fishermen we are doing it to keep peace in our own minds that we are doing the right thing, while millions of others are just crapping on us.Just my .02 cents take it or leave it.

[Monty]

^^^^^^^^^^
Thanks Stix, I agree with you 100%.

[fishrich]

I agree with surfstix. If we had a moratorium 3 years ago it might have done some good to help the fishery start to recover. With the proposed regulations it will most likely keep getting worse before it gets better.

[lostatsea]

You guys make a lot of sense. Why is it we can't understand the consequences until it is too late? I def agree politics has a lot to do with it. They only act when it seems they are looking for re-election. Otherwise the public be damned.

[finchaser]

http://www.app.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2015/01/28/fishing-stripers-regulations-legislation/22489601/

[seamonkey]

"He suggests going to one fish between April 1 and July 1 when the cows are coming out of the spawn and vulnerable, then going to a two-fish limit through the fall fishery."There are little nuanced things they (the ASMFC) could do to start to save the big breeders, and they're not doing them," he said."

I wonder why they don't do that? I mean how hard would it be to make it a lower limit during the spawn. I think they are already doing this in the chesapeake, why not nj?

[Monty]

"He suggests going to one fish between April 1 and July 1 when the cows are coming out of the spawn and vulnerable, then going to a two-fish limit through the fall fishery."There are little nuanced things they (the ASMFC) could do to start to save the big breeders, and they're not doing them," he said."

I wonder why they don't do that? I mean how hard would it be to make it a lower limit during the spawn. I think they are already doing this in the chesapeake, why not nj?

Because NJ sucks.
Corruption, greed and ******** everywhere.
It just disgusts me.

[hookset]

^^^^What he said, and the fact that it makes perfect sense to do it. So we won't. That, and the meatmen of raritan bay would cry too much that their livelihood would be crushed.

[finchaser]

The 1 fish 28 to 43 and 1 fish over 43 was turned down as it is written by the ASMF according to my sources.

[surfstix1963]

It should only be one fish period coastal wide no bonus BS.

[finchaser]

I agree but NJ and NY want 2 fish because of the large charter, head boat and out of state people that come to fish for them

[Monty]

The 1 fish 28 to 43 and 1 fish over 43 was turned down as it is written by the ASMF according to my sources.

I take this as a good thing, possibly stronger/tighter regulations?

[surfstix1963]

They better tighten it up or we won't have to worry about regs there won't be enough fish to regulate.

[finchaser]

Some one I guess got to the AFMFC and they now approved it:


For possibly the last time, the N.J. Legislature is taking up bills to set new striped bass regulations in the state. The current two bass at a minimum of 28 inches will be changed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) - approved one striper of 28 to 43 inches plus a second of 43 inches or more. Current law requires that this be done by legislation in the case of striped bass, but the new bills change that so the Marine Fisheries Council can set the regulations without further delay.
Though the striped bass season in the ocean remains open all year, internal waters are closed until March 1. The Assembly could vote on the bill, which has already been approved in committee, as early as this week, but the next voting session of the Senate is on March 5. There's no apparent opposition to the new regs that were accepted by the Marine Fisheries Council and approved by the ASMFC.

[cowherder]

Good article talking about the regulations and the stripers
http://conservefish.org/2015/05/20/of-striped-bass-and-bluefish-and-bad-legislation/