What Just Happened with Seabass

[Gerry Zagorski]

As most know, according to fisheries management's own stock assessments, Seabass stocks are totally rebuilt and have been for a many years now... That is due in part to the very conservative regulations we've suffered through in the past. Based on this, you'd think we'd be rewarded with a liberalization but instead, we're staring down the barrel of a 20% reduction. That reduction was initially supposed to be 28% so I guess we're supposed to be happy it only turned out to be 20%??

So what happened here? This reduction is a direct result of the current framework of how fisheries are managed. Instead of taking into account the overall long term health of the fishery, part of which is indicated by stock assessments, they use the short term landing data from the prior year to determine the flowing years quotas. In this case, the 2021 landing data was abnormally high which meant we caught more fish then we should have so they slammed on the breaks for 2022.

Not sure how the 2022 regs are going shake out but in order to meet our reduction, I'm fairly certain we're looking at a lower bag limit, a higher minimum length, a shorter season or a combination of all the above.

Stay tuned here so when the time comes we're prepared to give public comment on which of the options our state will be forced to choose from which will likely happen in late March or April.

In the mean time lets hope some progress can be made with Fisheries Reform which will give the federal managers some other factors to manage fisheries with a more long term view.

[shrimpman steve]

Insane logic.

[reelfitter]

What a total crock of shit!

[Billfish715]

The fisheries' management people are obviously an arm of the federal government with the same influence and authoritative power as the CDC. No one tells the CDC what to do, especially the president. Who do you think will influence the fisheries' council? That's right. Nobody. They are insulated and autonomous, answering to no one.

Again, too much intervention by a federal agency that has no checks or balances. Their goals are nebulous at best and change on a whim and a convoluted idea that the future of fishing rests solely on their shoulders. That is a very dangerous belief and one that is almost impossible to dismiss.

[frugalfisherman]

Modern Fisheries Act?

[Capt. Debbie]

It's sad. We almost are trained now to expect to be screwed no matter what happens!

[henro]

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.

[acabtp]

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.
... but only for recreational; commercial will still get to keep anything they want and throw back dead anything they don't

[RescueDogger]

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.

...or pretty soon more people will care less about limits, and that's bad.

Kind of like how NJ has grown to have more "cash businesses" than anywhere else, and why so many services/contractors are happy to give you a "cash price." Cheating the government out of tax revenue isn't even considered unethical, or even poor form, to many.

I'm of the genuine belief that 9 out of 10 recreational fishermen consider keeping a fish outside of limits is something only an a**hole would do. We don't want to lose that. Unreasonable limits for recreational fishermen while giving a free-for-all for commercial guys isn't going to help.

[bulletbob]

...or pretty soon more people will care less about limits, and that's bad.

Kind of like how NJ has grown to have more "cash businesses" than anywhere else, and why so many services/contractors are happy to give you a "cash price." Cheating the government out of tax revenue isn't even considered unethical, or even poor form, to many.

I'm of the genuine belief that 9 out of 10 recreational fishermen consider keeping a fish outside of limits is something only an a**hole would do. We don't want to lose that. Unreasonable limits for recreational fishermen while giving a free-for-all for commercial guys isn't going to help.

Its ironic isn't it?.... Fishermen are rightfully pissed when the over reaching state dictates they aren't allowed to access a reasonable share of an abundant resource, but they will be all too happy to call minions of the over reaching state if they spot someone taking anything over what the state unreasonably dictates... Not a putdown or criticism at all- just an amused observation....

[frugalfisherman]

I'll be one of those a**holes!

[Billfish715]

See a tree. Hug a tree before someone cuts it down. See a fish. Hug a fish before someone takes it home for dinner. Set a size limit. Change a size limit. Set a bag limit. Change a bag limit. Estimate species population numbers. Decide how to estimate population numbers. There is no rhyme or reason to the decisions that are being made at our expense by the people who are supposed to be managing our resources.

The fisheries' decision makers have taken it upon themselves to save all of the fish in the ocean. Their well-intentioned actions will always be their political spin which they instantly fall back on when their decisions are challenged. They are in charge and they will emphatically remind everyone of it and they are doing it all because they care.

Their philosophy is at the root of our problem. They believe they are right and won't budge since doing so would be a sign of weakness or an admission that their philosophy might be wrong. We are dealing with a mindset, that once entrenched in the bureaucratic system of government is almost impossible to move. As long as we have people in charge whose purpose is to save everything from extinction, our tactics have to be to change that way of thinking. Their ideas have to be challenged one by one with facts and data.

We've been strapped with governmental edicts which are fueled by fear. Look no farther than Covid fears and the mandates which were and still are in place. Once fear sets in, minds are hard to change. In the case of the fisheries' councils, they are afraid that if they don't act, fish populations will be decimated and it will be their fault. They are afraid. They overcome their fears with their decisions to maintain the status quo since change is their biggest fear. Making a decision that might side with the recreational sector will be a concession and they consider concession to be a sign of weakness.

As a result, they will always be right. They will take no chances since that might put them at odds with their peers which may cost them their position on the council.

We have always had fish to catch. There will always be fish to catch with or without a governmental agency.

[kurtisb]

It is idiotic that is not open now, Fished out of OCMD a couple days this month. Caught lots of 5 pound sea bass that floated away dead. An absolute waste!!!

[dales529]

Billfish your quote below
We've been strapped with governmental edicts which are fueled by fear. Look no farther than Covid fears and the mandates which were and still are in place. Once fear sets in, minds are hard to change.

While I can agree with some of your post I picked this statement out as obviously you have been lucky enough I assume to not have lost anyone to Covid. Explain those fears to the mother who just lost her 35 year old son at a wake I attended last week who got it 3 times . He was a healthy GYM rat with zero underlying conditions but didnt want to get the vax which would have saved him.

Also explain those "fears" to my daughter's best friend who was an oncology nurse moved to ICU for Covid and watched multiple people die daily in Summit NJ only to tell their family on an IPAD. She the nurse at 32 is ruined, moved home and got a dog to stay in her room while she tries to expel what she saw first hand recently

Sorry this hit home and think you need to rethink "fear on Covid"

Keep it to Fishing because you missed the boat on Covid

[bunker dunker]

raise of hands,who thought we were going to get a fare shake??

[Jigman13]

Now I know where your coming from.[/QUOTE]

The hardest things to come by in politics are facts and rationale thought, no matter what side of the fence you sit on. But I digress...this is a sea bass post.

[frugalfisherman]

Authorities giving mandates or quotas based on false science and made up numbers. Not bothering to use any kind of common sense. Most of the public following like panicked sheep not having a say for fear of being fined or jailed for not falling in line. Am I talking about covid or seabass?

[hammer4reel]

It is idiotic that is not open now, Fished out of OCMD a couple days this month. Caught lots of 5 pound sea bass that floated away dead. An absolute waste!!!

Curious why you didn’t vent them .
Studies have proven it is extremely effective.

[Capt Sal]

It is idiotic that is not open now, Fished out of OCMD a couple days this month. Caught lots of 5 pound sea bass that floated away dead. An absolute waste!!!

So why did the Capt make the trip??? $$$$$$$$$$ HYPOCRACY!! Put the boat in the yard until spring!!

[jmurr711]

So why did the Capt make the trip??? $$$$$$$$$$ HYPOCRACY!! Put the boat in the yard until spring!!

because that boat also catches 20+lb blackfish out there

[Gerry Zagorski]

Hey guys let's keep the political stuff off of here please.

[shrimpman steve]

My apologies Gerry!