Fluke anglers bracing for another rules hit

[buckethead]

Fluke anglers bracing for another rules hit

by Al Ristori For The Star-Ledger Thursday November 27, 2008, 9:14 PM


The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has proposed a coastwide summer flounder regulation of a 20-inch minimum length with a two-fish possession limit, and a season from May 1 to Sept. 30. The National Marine Fisheries Service has expressed a preference for going back to coastwide regulations, though they would be particularly difficult for the southern states that have smaller fluke. New Jersey surely will be fighting to retain conservation equivalency that allocates quotas to the states and allows them to develop regulations that should keep the recreational catch within that limit.

Despite high minimum sizes and short seasons during a year of economic downturn and record high fuel prices, the MRFSS Survey indicated that only Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina didn't exceed their quotas this year. New Jersey was only 7 percent over, and won't have to take as severe a hit as if the coastwide measure were to be adopted. On the other hand, New York was over by 39 percent even with their 20 1/2-inch minimum, and will need a 42 percent reduction for 2009 that actually makes the coastwide proposal attractive to them. Much more will be known about the 2009 fluke season after the Council meeting in Montauk next month.

Striped bass, bluefish and blackfish top the weekend angling menu. With ocean water temperatures below the 40-degree mark, stripers are now well established all along the Shore. Yet, bluefish are refusing to leave the abundant bait -- often making it difficult to get through them to the bass.

[gjb1969]

what a bunch of bs i didnot get one keeper all season and most guys i know had a very poor year even the ones on the boat

[DarkSkies]

^ What gjb said, 20 inches is insane.

I know NY had that limit (20 1/2?), and guys threw back fish all season, I think when they start managing the process from the standpoint of the biomass, and stop concentrating on the "sustainable harvest", then we'll get somewhere.

By this, I mean that more effort should be put into collecting accurate catch numbers from all fishermen. If this were possible, even though it would be a PITA for us, they could decide what the biomass total should be to GROW the fishery, not just sustain it.

The way they are doing things ain't working. I'm not saying I have the answers, but we as fishermen should get more involved, go to more of these meetings.

As is is now, bumping the size limit up each year means more females are caught. It doesn't make sense targeting the breeders. It would make a lot more sence if they would let guys keep 16" fish, that's all most fishermen are catching anyway. Even with throwing them back,you still have a mortality rate.

Let people keep smaller fish until the maximum catch number is reached, whatever they decide that is, and then close the fishery down for the season, like they do in Alaska.

This might sound crazy, but I don't know of a better way to NOT target the breeder fluke. Anyone else out there have any thoughts?

Most of the guys sho fish for fluke follow the regs, but if you have guys fishing all season without a keeper, how long do you expect everyone to comply fully with the law?

[cowherder]

Catching fish is fun, but once in a while you want to bring one home for dinner. Something is wrong here.

[bababooey]

I agree, it's crazy. The publisher of the NJ Angler did an editorial a few months ago where he predicted there would be selective compliance if the rules got too restrictive.

Guess what, they are now too restrictive.

[gjb1969]

this whole thing stinks i go by the rules but if this keeps up i may have to go there i got lots of fluke that were just short they looked reel good but like iseid i go by the rules but i dont how much i can take this is crazy i know the fish are not over fished me my partner and brother in law in one day got over 100 fish and we were on shore and a lot were close so i guess they are still useing that bad info but they know more than we do and they dont fish but we domakes u wonder they can kiss it

[williehookem]

Theres no way you can expect to go on party boats time after time and not bring anything home. Something's gotta give, this is just stupid.