Dino
05-03-2016, 02:15 PM
found this article so interesting..its crazy that 1997 was almost 20 yrs ago now .
N.j. Sets New Rules To Restore Fish Supply
By Stephen J. Morgan, FOR THE INQUIRER
POSTED: June 08, 1997
The New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife has approved new recreational-fishing regulations in an attempt to restore depleted stocks of several saltwater species.
The new rules establish a minimum-size requirement of 9 inches for black sea bass and 7 inches for scup, also known as porgy. Previously, recreational anglers could keep black sea bass or scup of any length.
The regulations also require that tautog be at least 13 inches long for anglers to creel them, up from 12 inches last year.
Anglers are required to measure black sea bass along the fish's midline from the tip of the snout to the middle portion of the tail, not all the way to the end of the tail filaments. The unusual tail filaments of black sea bass can be an inch or more, so officials want to make sure that anglers do not kill fish illegally through improper measurement.
In addition to the rules governing recreational angling for these fish, new regulations on size minimums and creel limits governing commercial fishing also have gone into effect, said Tom McCloy, acting administrator of the division's Marine Fisheries Administration.
``The whole objective is to manage these fish to get them back to levels of prior abundance and sustain them at decent levels to support both recreational and commercial fishing,'' McCloy said.
The new size and possession rules bring New Jersey into compliance with multi-state regulations.
The rules governing black sea bass and scup were mandated by a joint plan of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and two other councils representing New England and Southern coastal states. The councils are composed of representatives of state conservation agencies along the East Coast.
The rules governing tautog were mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, another consortium of state officials.
McCloy also reminded anglers that new regulations concerning summer flounder, also known as fluke, took effect earlier this spring. Last year, anglers could keep fluke 14 inches or longer, with a daily possession limit of eight fish. This year, fluke must be at least 14 1/2 inches long to be legal, and the daily limit has been raised to 10 fish, McCloy said.
McCloy said anglers should remember that any fish covered by minimum-size regulations cannot be filleted until they are brought to a boat ramp, pier or dock. The purpose of this rule is to keep people from killing and filleting undersize fish before they are brought to shore, where they are subject to inspection by officials.
Party- and charter-boat captains with special fillet permits are allowed to fillet black sea bass and scup at sea, provided the black sea bass fillets are at least five inches long and the scup fillets at least four inches long.
Bass alert. The season for smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass will open Saturday on most waters across Pennsylvania.
The creel limit on most waters is six bass, and fish must be at least 12 inches long to be kept.
But waters in the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's big-bass program and conservation lakes program are managed under special regulations. In big-bass waters, bass must measure 15 inches or more to be creeled and only four fish per day can be kept. On conservation lakes, anglers are allowed to creel two bass daily, provided they are at least 15 inches long.
A list of special-regulation waters and other details on bass angling can be found in the commission's 1997 Summary of Fishing Regulations and Laws, which is given to everyone who buys a fishing license.
Marina renovations. The marina at Neshaminy State Park in Bucks County has a new look, thanks to a $2.2 million renovation by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The completed renovations included installation of new floating docks, rehabilitation of a pier, special access for people with disabilities, and new electric service. The new docks at the park, which is on the Delaware River, can accommodate 235 boats, up from 191.
N.j. Sets New Rules To Restore Fish Supply
By Stephen J. Morgan, FOR THE INQUIRER
POSTED: June 08, 1997
The New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife has approved new recreational-fishing regulations in an attempt to restore depleted stocks of several saltwater species.
The new rules establish a minimum-size requirement of 9 inches for black sea bass and 7 inches for scup, also known as porgy. Previously, recreational anglers could keep black sea bass or scup of any length.
The regulations also require that tautog be at least 13 inches long for anglers to creel them, up from 12 inches last year.
Anglers are required to measure black sea bass along the fish's midline from the tip of the snout to the middle portion of the tail, not all the way to the end of the tail filaments. The unusual tail filaments of black sea bass can be an inch or more, so officials want to make sure that anglers do not kill fish illegally through improper measurement.
In addition to the rules governing recreational angling for these fish, new regulations on size minimums and creel limits governing commercial fishing also have gone into effect, said Tom McCloy, acting administrator of the division's Marine Fisheries Administration.
``The whole objective is to manage these fish to get them back to levels of prior abundance and sustain them at decent levels to support both recreational and commercial fishing,'' McCloy said.
The new size and possession rules bring New Jersey into compliance with multi-state regulations.
The rules governing black sea bass and scup were mandated by a joint plan of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and two other councils representing New England and Southern coastal states. The councils are composed of representatives of state conservation agencies along the East Coast.
The rules governing tautog were mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, another consortium of state officials.
McCloy also reminded anglers that new regulations concerning summer flounder, also known as fluke, took effect earlier this spring. Last year, anglers could keep fluke 14 inches or longer, with a daily possession limit of eight fish. This year, fluke must be at least 14 1/2 inches long to be legal, and the daily limit has been raised to 10 fish, McCloy said.
McCloy said anglers should remember that any fish covered by minimum-size regulations cannot be filleted until they are brought to a boat ramp, pier or dock. The purpose of this rule is to keep people from killing and filleting undersize fish before they are brought to shore, where they are subject to inspection by officials.
Party- and charter-boat captains with special fillet permits are allowed to fillet black sea bass and scup at sea, provided the black sea bass fillets are at least five inches long and the scup fillets at least four inches long.
Bass alert. The season for smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass will open Saturday on most waters across Pennsylvania.
The creel limit on most waters is six bass, and fish must be at least 12 inches long to be kept.
But waters in the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's big-bass program and conservation lakes program are managed under special regulations. In big-bass waters, bass must measure 15 inches or more to be creeled and only four fish per day can be kept. On conservation lakes, anglers are allowed to creel two bass daily, provided they are at least 15 inches long.
A list of special-regulation waters and other details on bass angling can be found in the commission's 1997 Summary of Fishing Regulations and Laws, which is given to everyone who buys a fishing license.
Marina renovations. The marina at Neshaminy State Park in Bucks County has a new look, thanks to a $2.2 million renovation by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The completed renovations included installation of new floating docks, rehabilitation of a pier, special access for people with disabilities, and new electric service. The new docks at the park, which is on the Delaware River, can accommodate 235 boats, up from 191.