NOAA fluke harvest 30% reduction for 2016

[7deadlyplugs]

Here it is, reduction in fluke 30%. Sucks.

NOAA Fisheries announces the 2016-2018 regulations for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass.

The summer flounder catch limit is reduced by 30 percent (from 23 million lbs to 16 million lbs) due to 4 years of below average recruitment (young fish entering the fishery). The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has requested a stock assessment update for next year.

The scup catch limit is slightly reduced compared to 2015 levels, but is still well above recent catch.

The black sea bass catch limit will increase from 5.5 million lbs to 6.67 million lbs for 2016 and 2017. This is based on the revised recommendation of the Mid-Atlantic Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The 2018 regulations will be determined after the next scheduled stock assessment.

http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries...m_medium=email

[captnemo]

Found this on nj.com. Article talks about the quota with some comments.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...is_summer.html

[voyager35]

"I am most disappointed in the restrictive rule for our commercial and recreational fishermen in New Jersey," said Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "They depend on a sufficient summer flounder quota and without one, New Jersey's economy faces a threat as it continues to rebound from Superstorm Sandy."
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said the limits were needed to avoid overfishing as there has been a decline in young fish. Pallone said he would work with other members of the state's congressional delegation "for more favorable catch limits in the future."

That is all BS as far as I am concerned. Pallone has been talking about "working for fishermen" for years. Years later and he has not accomplished much at all. Just a bunch of political grandstanding to look good for the press. jmo

[jigfreak]

Every word that comes out of Pallone's mouth is a lie. End of story.

[baitstealer]

Read that there is going to be a meeting-
A public hearing on Amendment XXVII of the 2016 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan will be held on Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Stafford Township Municipal Building at 260 East Bay Ave., Manahawkin. A proposal for a Delaware Bay Special region that will allow N.J. boats to keep fluke at the lower Delaware size will be discussed.

[captnemo]

The latest meeting is tomorrow. From nj.com

The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council will be meeting at 4PM on Thursday, March 3rd at the Galloway Township Public Library, 306 E Jimmie Leeds Rd, Galloway, NJ 08205. The regulations for fluke and sea bass are expected to be set at this meeting. Though public comment will be accepted, it appears that there will only be one regulatory option offered for each species. The NJ Bureau of Marine Fisheries worked hard to develop various options. They were tweaked a little at the Advisers meeting and the end result was that a clear majority of advisers supported the following options.

Fluke – 5 fish at 18" with a season beginning on 5/21 and ending on 9/25 --- except for Delaware Bay, where there will be a 4 fish limit at 17" -- and at Island Beach State Park where there will be a 2 fish limit at 16".

Sea Bass – 10 fish at 12.5" from 5/23-6/19, 2 fish at 12.5" from 7/1-8/31 and 15 fish at 13" from 10/22-12/31.

Striped Bass – An overview of the 2015 fishery will be given but the regulations, including those for the bonus bass program, are expected to remain the same.