Nwe Blackfish and Sea Bass Regulations Imminent

[Angler Paul]

New Blackfish and Sea Bass Regulations Imminent


At the advisors meeting of the NJMFC on 4/17 we learned that the 2012 regulations for blackfish and sea bass will be changed at the May meeting of the NJMF. The next meeting of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council will be held on the 2nd Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. at the Galloway Township Library, Jimmie Leeds Road, Absecon, NJ.

There is some good news for blackfish. The one option on the table at the meeting will be to liberalize our blackfish season. The change will now allow us to keep one blackfish from July 17th – November 15th and 6 fish from November 16th to December 31st. The size limit will remain at 15”.

The sea bass situation is not so good. There will be several different options presented to the public prior to the May 10th meeting. All will require about a 3 week cut in the season from what was previously approved. However,
even with the cut, we should end up with a season that that is about 3 weeks longer than the last year’s. Our state developed 10 different options but only a few of them will be presented at the meeting. While I do not know for certain it seemed that the following two will be among those considered.
May 19th – September 25th and November 1st – December 31st. This was the option that was favored by law enforcement personnel as it is the least confusing. However, another option was favored by some of the advisors. That option would allow us to have something to fish for after fluke season ends but also be open when fish can also be kept in federal waters. This option would allow a season from May 19th – September 3rd, September 23rd – October 14th and November 1st – December 31st. Other options that may be considered would cut time from June or varying parts of September while some would allow us to fish later into October even though federal waters will be closed from 10/15 – 10/31.

With all the options, the size limit will remain at 12.5” and the bag limit will remain at 25. I encourage those interested in fishing for sea bass to attend the meeting and voice their opinions.

Paul Haertel
2nd VP JCAA

[Islander II]

Why wouldn't they cut the bag limit in half, at least, and give us more time to fish for them. Very fustrating!

[captadamnj]

Cutting the bag limit in half has no impact on conservation since the average harvest per angler is calculated to be around 5 fish per person. Thus, the bag limit would have to be less than 5 to start seeing a realized conservation benefit. That's how the math works.

[GOTCHA1224]

where do you come up with an average of 5 seabass? you have obviosoly never fished for seabass they are like catching sunnies we catch triple headers every drop down talk about flawed numbers we need a winter season .not only for the few party boats that rely on like my favorite boat the big j.but for us fisherman who want to go out in the cold and catch knuckleheads.how does someone come up with an average of five seabass per person per trip?:confused: sounds like a bunch of bs to me.

Gotcha - I think you owe Captain Adam an appology. Maybe next time you should think a bit more, give people the benefit of the doubt or be more informed on subjects before you start typing and calling people out.

Gerry

[shrimpman steve]

capt. adam fights for our rights, lets not come down on him!

he does not come up with these numbers.

[Capt. Lou]

Precisely , Capt. Adam has to work within these numbers , he sure as he'll doesn't come up with them!
You ought to be thanking him & others who man the ftont lines so that we have a season at all! Nobody likes it , so come down on the parties that actually make these at times absurd rrgs'

[CaptTB]

where do you come up with an average of 5 seabass? you have obviosoly never fished for seabass they are like catching sunnies we catch triple headers every drop down talk about flawed numbers we need a winter season .not only for the few party boats that rely on like my favorite boat the big j.but for us fisherman who want to go out in the cold and catch knuckleheads.how does someone come up with an average of five seabass per person per trip?:confused: sounds like a bunch of bs to me.
The federal government comes up with these numbers, not a charterboat captain from south jersey.

The simple fact of the matter is they calculate that the average catch per person (fish taken home) from ALL trips by ALL fishermen from ALL states equals less than 10 keepers per person per trip. Whether you believe that or not is irrelevant, those are the numbers they use and therefore those are the numbers we are forced to work with.

So, when you go from 25 to 12, according to the governments math, you save 0%. Since the average person does not catch twelve keepers anyway they give you no credit for reducing the bag limit until you drop it below the number that the average angler catches. Then you START getting savings, but until you go well below the average number you still get little.

Wanna sea bass for 4 fish?

If the answer is yes then go to the meetings and state your case.

[Perfect Drift]

The federal government comes up with these numbers, not a charterboat captain from south jersey.

The simple fact of the matter is they calculate that the average catch per person (fish taken home) from ALL trips by ALL fishermen from ALL states equals less than 10 keepers per person per trip. Whether you believe that or not is irrelevant, those are the numbers they use and therefore those are the numbers we are forced to work with.

So, when you go from 25 to 12, according to the governments math, you save 0%. Since the average person does not catch twelve keepers anyway they give you no credit for reducing the bag limit until you drop it below the number that the average angler catches. Then you START getting savings, but until you go well below the average number you still get little.

Wanna sea bass for 4 fish?

If the answer is yes then go to the meetings and state your case.

Thanks for the clarification TB. I have never heard of anything so stupid in my life.

[snowbank104]

how many party boats in jersey go for sea bass in the summer just wondering

[Madman9132]

i thought there where talks of a longer season in the winter. Dec-Feb. What happened to that??? i know the offshore knuckle heads get better Jan and Feb.. Not trying to start anything.... Just curious what happened to that proposal.. And thank you for taking the time to go to these meetings as well as keeping us up to date.

[SaltLife1980]

This is the tenth time they say they are going to change things for the better.. I will believe it when i see it..

[eagleyankfan]

your math is fcked up

OH yes, Capt Adam is the one with problems understanding :rolleyes:

I can't even imagine what Capt Adam(and others) have to go through in fighting for the cause and then he has turn around and hear garbage from the people he's fighting for...

I'm not speaking for Capt Adam but sometimes he probably reads posts and think ....

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very(fishing :D ) freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way

[captadamnj]

OH yes, Capt Adam is the one with problems understanding :rolleyes:

I can't even imagine what Capt Adam(and others) have to go through in fighting for the cause and then he has turn around and hear garbage from the people he's fighting for...

I'm not speaking for Capt Adam but sometimes he probably reads posts and think ....

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very(fishing :D ) freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way

I just want the truth (even if I can't handle it). :D

[eagleyankfan]

LMAO!!! Exactly!

[Islander II]

I did not know that they used an average. So why don't they make the bag limit 5 or 10 fish. Do you really need 25 fish per person? I realize that is the way they figure the tonage, but if they lowered the bag limit, that would lower the average. Simple math. If the average is lowered, than maybe they would extend the season and give the party boats their winter fishery back. Give and take.

[Angler Paul]

Islander, Please read Capt. TB's post on page 1 of this thread. Reducing the bag limit to 10 would do nothing. Going to 5 fish would allow us to have a longer season but there are a lot of people who would not want to pay all the money just to keep 5 sea bass especially on those long range trips.
We are still hopeful that we will be able to have a January and February season in 2013 but no definite determination has been made on that at this point.

[Islander II]

I did read the post. Give and take

[eagleyankfan]

I did not know that they used an average.

How else, logically(or as scientifically possible) can it be done? Give each individual angler a number of fish he/she can catch? They don't just give a random number of fish to keep. Have hope that "the number givers" are 1) trying their best to find a solution for the fishery and 2) they are using the best data possible.

We have seen that number 2, at times, inaccurate but they seem to adjust.

Have faith in the guys fighting the cause....

[CaptTB]

I did read the post. Give and takeBut the problem with lowering the bag is for the first year at least you will still get 0% savings. if the current CPUE is below ten then only dropping below ten will give you any savings, period. If you wish to lower the CPUE over time then you can certainly do what you suggest, but that will still not have any effect on the current year. Therefore, you get 0% savings by cutting the bag limit in half or more.

[Ryan W]

OH yes, Capt Adam is the one with problems understanding :rolleyes:

I can't even imagine what Capt Adam(and others) have to go through in fighting for the cause and then he has turn around and hear garbage from the people he's fighting for...

I'm not speaking for Capt Adam but sometimes he probably reads posts and think ....

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very(fishing :D ) freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way


Thank you Adam and tony

Short, sweet, and to the point.

[Solemate]

Well if lowering the bag limit doesn't help then increasing it shouldn't hurt. Maybe we should all just take the night off.

[Topeka Boy]

I did not know that they used an average. So why don't they make the bag limit 5 or 10 fish. Do you really need 25 fish per person? I realize that is the way they figure the tonage, but if they lowered the bag limit, that would lower the average. Simple math. If the average is lowered, than maybe they would extend the season and give the party boats their winter fishery back. Give and take.
Do you really want to pay $200 for an offshore seabass trip???:eek: :eek: :eek: for 5or 10 fish. get real!!!

[frugalfisherman]

how many party boats in jersey go for sea bass in the summer just wondering
Only the Dauntless and Paramount and sometimes the Angler on fridays. Those are the only ones I can think of. Seabass are basically a fluke trip bycatch.

[RnK]

Only the Dauntless and Paramount and sometimes the Angler on fridays. Those are the only ones I can think of.

Seabass are basically a fluke trip bycatch.

Some statement - incorrect!

As far as the nexus of NJFishing, for those of us who love to catch and find seabass wonderful to eat, there are quite a few charter/6-packs that target seabass, and there is a good following of people who who want to go and essentially pay double for a seat, compared to a PB. Besides great knowledge of wrecks and rough bottom that hold a lot of seabass, these boats can cover far more water in a day finding them for their patrons than a PB. You know their names from posts on here.

From BI south to Cape May these are many very good PB targeting seabass in the summer, and for the less frugal, some other very good charter operations.

[frugalfisherman]

Some statement - incorrect!

As far as the nexus of NJFishing, for those of us who love to catch and find seabass wonderful to eat, there are quite a few charter/6-packs that target seabass, and there is a good following of people who who want to go and essentially pay double for a seat, compared to a PB. Besides great knowledge of wrecks and rough bottom that hold a lot of seabass, these boats can cover far more water in a day finding them for their patrons than a PB. You know their names from posts on here.

From BI south to Cape May these are many very good PB targeting seabass in the summer, and for the less frugal, some other very good charter operations.
Question was about party boats. Name one I didn't mention?

[Pokerman1]

I'm not speaking for Capt Adam but sometimes he probably reads posts and think ....

I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very(fishing :D ) freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way

Gold.