Fishing Fortunes sinking in NJ
This was on NJ.com, great article detailing how things have unfolded with the economy and increasing size limits.
Hurt by reeling economy and catch limits, fishing's fortunes sinking in N.J.
Published: Wednesday, August 08, 2012, 10:10 AM
This is about the big one that got away.
Not a fish, but fishing, a sport and an economic engine in decline.
In recent years, the sport of saltwater fishing in New Jersey has lost more than one of every 10 jobs lost industry-wide, nearly $200 million in sales and $109 million in contributions to the state?€™s gross domestic product, according to the most recent economic data from the National Marine Fisheries Service. And since 2007, the industry has continued to lose ground here, according to a Star-Ledger analysis of federal data tracking anglers and the trips they take off of New Jersey?€™s shores.
For a morning fishing excursion a few weeks ago, the Sea Hunter out of Atlantic Highlands was less than half full, with 32 anglers on board at $42 a head. Capt. Rob Semkewyc said that was a good day for him. Factoring expenses, such as bait, marine fuel, dock fees and two deck hands, he estimates he made about $10 an hour for the 4.5-hour cruise.
"It?€™s tough living on the water," Semkewyc said. "Every year it gets tougher."
Experts point to the recession and an increase in gas prices for curbing the number of fishermen chartering boats and pleasure craft. Anglers also say restrictive catch limits make the sport less appealing for many.
"That?€™s a major part of the New Jersey tourism industry ?€” it trickles down to restaurants and hotels," said Thomas Fote, legislative operations manager for the Jersey Coast Anglers?€™ Association, a cooperative of more than 75 saltwater fishing clubs. "Five years ago, you couldn?€™t get a space in a marina. There?€™s a lot of empty spaces in the marinas nowadays."
Fote said the boat and tackle industries have not been doing as much business lately. Participation in fishing tournaments has also dropped, he said.
"I look at peoples?€™ backyards and their boats are still sitting there," he said. "They haven?€™t put their boats in the water the last couple of years."
Economic data for the past few years is not yet available, but federal fishing data shows people are taking fewer trips every year in New Jersey, with a 27 percent decrease in saltwater excursions from 2006 to 2011, a loss of about 1.9 million trips.
Half full party boats at Atlantic Highlands reflects a decline in the recreational fishing industryFrom 2006 to 2009 the sport fishing industry has lost more than one in every ten jobs, nearly $200 million in sales and $109 million in contributions to the state's gross domestic product, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. The cause for the decline is likely a combination of rising gas prices, economic recession and restrictions on catch size and limits. During the summer months, most boats in the Atlantic Highlands are targeting summer flounder, also known as fluke. Currently, fluke must measure a minimum of 17.5 inches and anglers are limited to five keeper fish. While many fish are being caught, the majority are 'short' fish. Disappointed anglers looking to take home a meal are forced to throw back a lot of these undersized fish. (Video by Andre Malok / The Star-Ledger)Watch video
The decline in the number of anglers is slightly less steep, indicating people are still fishing but taking fewer trips, said Brandon Muffley, chief of the Bureau of Marine Fisheries in New Jersey?€™s Department of Environmental Sciences.
Other activities such as hunting and freshwater fishing have suffered as well, he said. "General outdoor activities like that have declined over the past five to 10 years."
There has been about a 26 percent decrease in the number of anglers from out of state who are fishing in New Jersey?€™s coastal waters. These anglers most often come from Pennsylvania or New York and have made up more than 40 percent of all the anglers fishing here in the past, according to federal fisheries estimates.
Over the past three decades, saltwater fishing trips trended upward until about six years ago, according to the federal data. New Jersey leads the Atlantic Coast in sports fishing catches of summer flounder, bluefish, black sea bass and weakfish, Muffley said.
The drop-off in fishing trips is sharpest among the party and charter boats that take anglers out into deeper waters for a chance at larger fish. While the number of people fishing from shore or on private or rental boats has increased over the years, the for-hire industry has experienced a steady decline in business.
The number of party boats sailing from the Atlantic Highlands Marina has dropped from nine to seven in recent years. Semkewyc said some party boat captains have left the industry altogether, looking for more gainful employment elsewhere.
Semkewyc and his father went into business together in 1993, buying the Sea Hunter and launching it as a party boat. Since then, fishing trips on boats such as his operating in New Jersey have decreased by 60 percent.
Like many in the industry, Semkewyc blames his woes on catch limits put in place the same year he started the business. The limits were instituted to protect several different species that had been overfished. Because of the limits, live release rates for summer flounder climbed from a low of 12 percent in 1985 to 92 percent last year, according to federal fisheries estimates.
"The success rate per angler is one-quarter what it was back in 1992 when the stocks collapsed," Fote said. "We now force the people to discard more fish than they take home.
Muffley said restrictions have been easing over the past few years as the fishing stock rebuilds.
Anglers on Semkewyc?€™s morning fishing trip caught 16 "keepers" above the minimum size limit. They also tossed back an estimated 80 "shorts" that did not meet the requirement.
Ralph Sibona of Lakewood was the only one to catch the limit on Semkewyc?€™s boat, but he had to throw back 16 fish from his position on the starboard side of the stern.
"Today was a very good day," he said.
Fifteen feet away on the port side, Kevin Brown of Roselle had a different sort of luck. He caught only two fish ?€” both about 15 inches ?€” and had to throw them back. He toyed briefly with the idea of paying another $42 for another trip in the afternoon.
"I might be lucky, but I don?€™t want to take a chance," he said, adding that he spent $70 for the morning outing. "I?€™m going to go home and get some fish out of my freezer and enjoy that."
The half-dozen anglers fishing from a nearby pier also had a bad day. They too fish for fluke, but all they managed to catch were a couple of handfuls of baitfish.
"I love being on the piers, it doesn?€™t cost me," said Rocco Galante of Jackson.
Galante is retired with a fixed income, living off of Social Security.
"I?€™d like to be on a boat ?€” anybody does ?€” but if you ain?€™t got the money you don?€™t do it," he said. "It?€™s a lot cheaper to come here."
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Originally Posted by cowherder
