What do you think?

[JerseyCoast]

This is something I have posted several times over the years. I just finally had a commercial captain answer me. 3 years probably.... only 1 serious answer.

Lets try it here...

Why not allow the commercial boats to keep & sell their bycatch? Here is my thinking.

1- They are already killing 95% of it.
2- Many times, it is a species that has a market, but the "season is closed", or they dont have that permit!
3- They can fish less, make more $$ and save " A sh*t load of bycatch by not being on the water everyday" dumping dead fish back in the water!

These boats are restricted either way. These guys work hard, to make a pay check. If they went out on day 1, were allowed to keep most of what comes into the nets, they would be able to take Tues & Weds off most likely, or for that matter force them to take it off!

They are not on the water the next 2 days, not killing the " non targeted" species, which in reality is saving a bunch of fish!!

I know this is pretty basic here and there would have to be more to it, but the idea in general........WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH IT?? It makes sense, saves fish, provides a decent pay check for the boats and just may make sense!

Anybody agree? or for that matter.... have a reason why this is not something that can be put into place? Im being serious here. No joke. :)

[truthyone]

I think that if you let commercial boats keep bycatch they would target out of season fish. Would they be able to keep stripers? Tomorrow recreational fisherman like myself will be releasing sea bass to float away and die.

[june181901]

I am 100% against that proposal. The commercial guys would take "the Lord off the cross" if they could.

[tropics]

My guess is greed would set in.
like today we had a good catch and made a lot of money,then the next day same thing, my kid is going off to college maybe I can pull 3 or 4 days this week, and so on and so on.
Take the by catch bring it to a food bank instead of dumping it.
Good post Tom

[dfish28]

In the end everything is based on a quota. so the way I would think most fishermen would do is get to the easiest to catch, to make bank, and once all those easy to catch fish were caught up to quota they now become your next bycatch while trying to target the next easiest fish in the ocean. The idea you have makes some sense but that would be taken advantage of,by them too. The only real fix is to limit or eliminate the netters all together in areas where by- catch is too high of a percentage.

[JerseyCoast]

I think that if you let commercial boats keep bycatch they would target out of season fish. Would they be able to keep stripers? Tomorrow recreational fisherman like myself will be releasing sea bass to float away and die.

No .... no bass. I'm talking about the same fish they are tossing back today, but allowed to keep in a few weeks " in season". I'm not talking about giving them a permit to run wild. I don't see the sense from a conservation point... of throwing dead fish back, that are targeted in a months time,or some cases a week later. The fish is dead..... if we count it, let the boat make a fortune on that trip and keep him from fishing the next time.

Many capts. say they would like this idea, but a few bad apples would ruin it. IMHO.... if your discarding a dead fish.... good or bad apple.... it's a waste. I say let them keep it but enforce the amount of days they can fish. All of the catches are recorded now ...so they claim. Counting the quotas. Let the boat make 4 days of pay in one day....but keep him in the next 3 days. It saves 3 days of bycatch.

I want to make sure I am explaining this correct. Hope so. It's not a license to slaughter by an means. Protected species stay protected.... we can regulate the amount allowed of each species still.

I just see no sense in q boat killing 100 tons of fish. ... to keep 2 tons for the pay check. That's a lot of waste!!!

[Captain Rich]

Your initial premise is wrong, commercial fisherman are already allowed to sell bycatch with in certain limits. They are not going to talk about it anymore than you or I would open up our books to the general public. Lobsterman in our area make as much or more money selling their sea bass bycatch as they do the lobsters they catch. I don't know what they regs are now, but I believe they used to be able to keep 300 lbs of seabass per day.

[NJ Dave]

How about we just ban the rock hoppers in NJ or put them at least 10 miles out.
Nothing like great fishing one day only to have the wreck cleaned out the next.

[JerseyCoast]

The only real fix is to limit or eliminate the netters all together in areas where by- catch is too high of a percentage.

This is a great idea. ;) Never crossed my mind. I like it.

My issue is with the dead fish being tossed back EVERYDAY! Kill 1000 fish to keep 1 or 2. Then blame the rec guys for the numbers.


I have nothing against the commercial boats in general. They work hard, need to make a living, and we all enjoy their catch in the form of dinner at times. I have had comm capts tell me that guys will take advantage of it as well. But... these guys are also doing it today, in addition to the damage being done already.

I just dont get how its so dam hard to place "common sense" rules into effect. It frustrates me to sit back and do nothing.

I have to find the videos of the boats dumping fish back that they were targeting 8 days later. It will make you sick. It was 8 days early, had they let them keep them that trip.... they could have taken the next week off.

And NO... I was unaware that they are able to keep sea bass as by-catch Capt Rich. Thank you for the info.

[Capt Sal]

Ever watch a gill netter on Shrewsbury Rocks?They target blues and skates.The big bass are floating on top dead and they just do not care!No I have no respect for these people.Trawlers will work over an area that the rec fleet is on and wipe it out in one day.But they say I have to make a living!Buy them out like Florida did and I will gladly pay for a salt water lic.By catch restrictions are in place to keep them honest.Just look at what small mesh nets did to our whiting and ling!This fishery was once the best in the world now it is a memory.Don't feel sorry for netters because they are the ones that devastated our fish stocks.Fish traps on Flynns Knoll loaded with blackfish making thousands of dollars when it is closed to us?Just my opinion.

[Sharkyispy]

I am 100% against that proposal. The commercial guys would take "the Lord off the cross" if they could.


Couldn't agree with you more. Give an inch they would take a mile...absurd thought at best.:mad:...