dales529
01-21-2017, 09:35 AM
Seems we are getting the desired attention. Have to keep the pressure up and follow through. Good work by all that chose to get involved!
Couple of links to follow in the future:
https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/AR206/2016
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/AR/206_I1.HTM
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JANUARY 19, 2017
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman BOB ANDRZEJCZAK
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman R. BRUCE LAND
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman DAVID P. RIBLE
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Urges National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct new summer flounder assessment before implementing catch limits for 2017.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct a new summer flounder assessment before implementing any catch limits for 2017.
Whereas, New Jersey fisheries are ranked among the best in the nation and it is estimated that there are as many as one million recreational saltwater anglers fishing in New Jersey; and
Whereas, Of the many varieties of fish found off of New Jersey’s shores, summer flounder are among the most sought after saltwater fish along the Atlantic Coast; and
Whereas, Summer flounder fisheries are managed cooperatively by the states through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); and
Whereas, Together, these managing entities are responsible for developing summer flounder fishery regulations as part of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan; and
Whereas, The management plan is implemented through regulations adopted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the Department of Commerce; and
Whereas, The management plan is designed to ensure the protection and maintenance of the summer flounder stock, primarily through the establishment of harvest limits, which are based on the most current stock assessment report published by NOAA; and
Whereas, Based on the 2016 Stock Assessment Update, the ASMFC and MAFMC have recommended a 40 percent cut in catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 summer flounder fishing seasons; and
Whereas, Highlighting NOAA’s heavy reliance on random sampling to gather data for the 2016 stock assessment report, a bipartisan group of legislators from New Jersey, including United States Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jr., Frank LoBiondo, and Tom MacArthur and United States Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, have expressed concern about the accuracy of the estimates contained in the report and have questioned the need to implement such a drastic reduction in catch limits for the upcoming season; and
Whereas, The Department of Environmental Protection has expressed similar concerns, warning that the drastic reduction in catch limits will devastate recreational and commercial fishing in New Jersey and have a detrimental effect on the economy of the New Jersey shore, particularly as the State continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy; and
Whereas, Many communities along the New Jersey shore that rely heavily on fishing are already struggling, in part, due to reduced summer flounder quotas from prior years; and
Whereas, According to the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, from 2007 to 2014, New Jersey lost two million fishing trips, 40 percent of which were in pursuit of summer flounder; and
Whereas, Despite significant opposition to the recommended reduction in summer flounder catch limits, and the potential for severe economic damage to the State, at the end of December 2016, the NMFS adopted a rule implementing the recommended reduction in summer flounder catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 fishing seasons; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1 This House respectfully urges the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to immediately conduct a new summer flounder assessment and refrain from enforcing the reduced summer flounder catch limit until a new benchmark assessment of the summer flounder stock has been conducted.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Chair of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and every member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to immediately conduct a new summer flounder assessment and refrain from enforcing a reduction in summer flounder catch limits until a new benchmark assessment has been conducted.
Based on the 2016 Stock Assessment Update report published by NOAA, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council jointly recommended a reduction in summer flounder catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The findings in the report were based largely on data obtained through random sampling. As a result, the assessments made are merely estimates which may not represent the actual status of the summer flounder stock.
Concerned parties, including the bill’s sponsors and members of the New Jersey delegation to the United States Congress, warn that the significant reduction in catch limits could destroy the recreational and commercial summer flounder industries in the State, and cause tremendous harm to the economy of the New Jersey shore. Many communities along the New Jersey shore that rely heavily on fishing are already struggling, in part, due to reduced summer flounder quotas from prior years. According to the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, from 2007 to 2014, New Jersey lost two million fishing trips, 40 percent of which were in pursuit of summer flounder.
This resolution urges NOAA to conduct a new benchmark assessment of the summer flounder stock to ensure that the assessments are accurate, and a potentially-devastating reduction in summer flounder quotas is not implemented unnecessarily.
The BILL AR206 Passed with a 5 yea to 0 no vote and is out of assembly for further legislation process. I will update when more is available
__________________
SUPPORTER / CONTRIBUTOR SSFFF
RFA-NJ Member
Couple of links to follow in the future:
https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/AR206/2016
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/AR/206_I1.HTM
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JANUARY 19, 2017
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman BOB ANDRZEJCZAK
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman R. BRUCE LAND
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman DAVID P. RIBLE
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Urges National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct new summer flounder assessment before implementing catch limits for 2017.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct a new summer flounder assessment before implementing any catch limits for 2017.
Whereas, New Jersey fisheries are ranked among the best in the nation and it is estimated that there are as many as one million recreational saltwater anglers fishing in New Jersey; and
Whereas, Of the many varieties of fish found off of New Jersey’s shores, summer flounder are among the most sought after saltwater fish along the Atlantic Coast; and
Whereas, Summer flounder fisheries are managed cooperatively by the states through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); and
Whereas, Together, these managing entities are responsible for developing summer flounder fishery regulations as part of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan; and
Whereas, The management plan is implemented through regulations adopted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the Department of Commerce; and
Whereas, The management plan is designed to ensure the protection and maintenance of the summer flounder stock, primarily through the establishment of harvest limits, which are based on the most current stock assessment report published by NOAA; and
Whereas, Based on the 2016 Stock Assessment Update, the ASMFC and MAFMC have recommended a 40 percent cut in catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 summer flounder fishing seasons; and
Whereas, Highlighting NOAA’s heavy reliance on random sampling to gather data for the 2016 stock assessment report, a bipartisan group of legislators from New Jersey, including United States Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jr., Frank LoBiondo, and Tom MacArthur and United States Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, have expressed concern about the accuracy of the estimates contained in the report and have questioned the need to implement such a drastic reduction in catch limits for the upcoming season; and
Whereas, The Department of Environmental Protection has expressed similar concerns, warning that the drastic reduction in catch limits will devastate recreational and commercial fishing in New Jersey and have a detrimental effect on the economy of the New Jersey shore, particularly as the State continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy; and
Whereas, Many communities along the New Jersey shore that rely heavily on fishing are already struggling, in part, due to reduced summer flounder quotas from prior years; and
Whereas, According to the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, from 2007 to 2014, New Jersey lost two million fishing trips, 40 percent of which were in pursuit of summer flounder; and
Whereas, Despite significant opposition to the recommended reduction in summer flounder catch limits, and the potential for severe economic damage to the State, at the end of December 2016, the NMFS adopted a rule implementing the recommended reduction in summer flounder catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 fishing seasons; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1 This House respectfully urges the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to immediately conduct a new summer flounder assessment and refrain from enforcing the reduced summer flounder catch limit until a new benchmark assessment of the summer flounder stock has been conducted.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Chair of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and every member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to immediately conduct a new summer flounder assessment and refrain from enforcing a reduction in summer flounder catch limits until a new benchmark assessment has been conducted.
Based on the 2016 Stock Assessment Update report published by NOAA, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council jointly recommended a reduction in summer flounder catch limits for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The findings in the report were based largely on data obtained through random sampling. As a result, the assessments made are merely estimates which may not represent the actual status of the summer flounder stock.
Concerned parties, including the bill’s sponsors and members of the New Jersey delegation to the United States Congress, warn that the significant reduction in catch limits could destroy the recreational and commercial summer flounder industries in the State, and cause tremendous harm to the economy of the New Jersey shore. Many communities along the New Jersey shore that rely heavily on fishing are already struggling, in part, due to reduced summer flounder quotas from prior years. According to the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, from 2007 to 2014, New Jersey lost two million fishing trips, 40 percent of which were in pursuit of summer flounder.
This resolution urges NOAA to conduct a new benchmark assessment of the summer flounder stock to ensure that the assessments are accurate, and a potentially-devastating reduction in summer flounder quotas is not implemented unnecessarily.
The BILL AR206 Passed with a 5 yea to 0 no vote and is out of assembly for further legislation process. I will update when more is available
__________________
SUPPORTER / CONTRIBUTOR SSFFF
RFA-NJ Member