Tentative Friday 1/27 @ 10 AM NJDEP Fluke Regulations Press Conference

[Gerry Zagorski]

If you were not aware, the NJDEP is has been fairly vocal about their disappointment with the proposed 2017 Fluke Regulations. They are requesting to keep the 2016 regulations in place until a new stock assessment can be done.

See this article by Jim Hutchinson from Fisherman Magazine http://www.thefisherman.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=1613&ParentCat=19

There is a tentative press conference scheduled by the NJDEP to express their concerns publicly on Friday 1/27 @ 10:00 AM 1/27 in the parking lot at Fisheman's Supply in Point Pleasant.

This meeting is not 100% firm right now but please hold the date. If it does take place it's going to be very important to make a strong showing here.

Will keep you posted here as things get firmed up.

[Rocky]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Charlie B]

69 Channel Drive
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 Here is the address...Charlie

[Sullivan]

Most people probably have to work . Hope for a good turnout .

[SaltLife1980]

I dont get why they make these events at a time when most are working. 10am on a Friday. WTF is that... They do it so no one will come and they can just jerk us off with no one to say anything. Like im gonna tell me boss i have to come in late bc at 10am i have a press conference to attend.... Yeah thats gonna go over real big.. I take enough days off just to go fishing. If they made it a normal time on and Saturday or Sunday the place would be mobbed. Everyone then can make a showing and get our point across. But when they do it at odd times and days only a few people make it out to it and it shows them that no one cares and what they are doing is ok... F THAT........

[Pennsy Guy]

It's government, 9-5, 5 days/week no weekends, that's time and a half, double time on Sunday, even if the NJDEP wants a moratorium...That's MHO...

[Gerry Zagorski]

I dont get why they make these events at a time when most are working. 10am on a Friday. WTF is that... They do it so no one will come and they can just jerk us off with no one to say anything. Like im gonna tell me boss i have to come in late bc at 10am i have a press conference to attend.... Yeah thats gonna go over real big.. I take enough days off just to go fishing. If they made it a normal time on and Saturday or Sunday the place would be mobbed. Everyone then can make a showing and get our point across. But when they do it at odd times and days only a few people make it out to it and it shows them that no one cares and what they are doing is ok... F THAT........

Yes the timing sucks but we need to take any support we can get at any time we can get it. These people are on the same team so support them by showing up if you can and not bashing them if you can't.

[SaltLife1980]

Not bashing just saying its hard to make a showing when most are working and that to them is like us saying we dont care.

[Foul Hook]

Pretty Funny shit Jeff!!:D

[TerriMc223]

Although I will be at work, this is actually a good location and time for a press conference. It's in front of a popular local small business that serves the fishing community that will be adversely affected by the proposed restrictions. !0 am is a good time for reporters to cover the story and meet their particular deadlines. It may even make the 12:00 news.

[acabtp]

I dont get why they make these events at a time when most are working. 10am on a Friday. WTF is that... They do it so no one will come and they can just jerk us off with no one to say anything. Like im gonna tell me boss i have to come in late bc at 10am i have a press conference to attend.... Yeah thats gonna go over real big.. I take enough days off just to go fishing. If they made it a normal time on and Saturday or Sunday the place would be mobbed. Everyone then can make a showing and get our point across. But when they do it at odd times and days only a few people make it out to it and it shows them that no one cares and what they are doing is ok... F THAT........

NJDEP are state workers, so 10 am on a friday is business hours for them just like the rest of us. you going to pay them to come in on a weekend to hold a press conference?

[Rocky]

Is the meeting a go, or not?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Is the meeting a go, or not?

Still waiting on a confirmation and will post here as soon as I know.

[Rocky]

Still waiting on a confirmation and will post here as soon as I know.

Thanks.

[tropics]

Doesn't look like it is going to have a good turn out. with all the head boats & the Charters making their living this page should have had,a much better response.
I may still go
Richie

[Sullivan]

Someone should call channel 12 , NJ news , and if you get a microphone in your face , tell them most people have to go to work at that time .


Someone should call channel 12 , NJ news . And if you get a microphone in your face tell them most people have to work , or there would be more people . If it's on , I'm going .

[SaltLife1980]

NJDEP are state workers, so 10 am on a friday is business hours for them just like the rest of us. you going to pay them to come in on a weekend to hold a press conference?

Yeah bc one weekend is gonna break the bank for these guys. They piss money away every day.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Press conference is confirmed so it's a go.

[Rocky]

I will make every effort to be there.

[Billfish715]

What's with all of the sarcasm? A dedicated group of people have given their own valuable time ( Which costs them money too!) so that we ( the fishermen) can have a voice in saving a pastime we all enjoy. A short amount of your time is not asking too much. If you can be there, then please do. If you can't, then appreciate the fact that someone is speaking and backing YOU! Stop the B..chin' about someone who is on our side!

If I were Dave or Nick or Pete, I'd be pretty pissed at some of the comments that have been made. Requests are being made to all of the bait and tackle shop owners and charter and party boat skippers to attend. They risk losing their livelihoods if we can't fish for fluke. They have their lives invested in this. What is our investment......a lunch break?

If you can't be there, then at least send an email to, or call the NJDEP and offer a word of thanks. Remember.....we are not the bad guys! Show them you care.....obviously, THEY do.

[Capt John]

Gerry and to all my fellow anglers....

Here is a news flash that was reported just yesterday about a witch flounder reassessment for the Gloucester area fishing fleet. If NOAA totally missed the mark on this assessment, what does that say about their assessment for summer flounder here in NJ?

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/fishing_industry_news/in-boon-for-local-fleet-flounder-limits-doubled/article_541daf13-6777-5b78-bb00-a57203bf2767.html

Am I missing something here? Show your support and attend Friday's press conference. 2 fish @ 19"....yea right!

[dales529]

What's with all of the sarcasm? A dedicated group of people have given their own valuable time ( Which costs them money too!) so that we ( the fishermen) can have a voice in saving a pastime we all enjoy. A short amount of your time is not asking too much. If you can be there, then please do. If you can't, then appreciate the fact that someone is speaking and backing YOU! Stop the B..chin' about someone who is on our side!

If I were Dave or Nick or Pete, I'd be pretty pissed at some of the comments that have been made. Requests are being made to all of the bait and tackle shop owners and charter and party boat skippers to attend. They risk losing their livelihoods if we can't fish for fluke. They have their lives invested in this. What is our investment......a lunch break?

If you can't be there, then at least send an email to, or call the NJDEP and offer a word of thanks. Remember.....we are not the bad guys! Show them you care.....obviously, THEY do.

Agreed (you beat me to it). A lot of work went into getting support for this and now that we have it we better do our part again. Commissioner Bob Martin going public with this press conference for non compliance should be applauded. A good showing tomorrow will re enforce that the risk is worth taking and what we fishermen and fishing industries here in NJ want and deserve.
Yes its short notice, on a work day and inconvenient but sometimes the reward is worth the risk or its no chance. We have all gotten that call for a fishing trip last minute and took the day off, convinced the wife etc even when we knew we really shouldn't go fishing so look at this as protecting your right to piss everyone off again next season when those trips come up.

If the regs get passed the way they are you wont have to worry about taking time off as much.

Having said all that if anyone needs a ride or wants to meet at the rest stop at exit 123 for a car pool let me know via PM. I can fit at least 3

[dakota560]

Agreed (you beat me to it). A lot of work went into getting support for this and now that we have it we better do our part again. Commissioner Bob Martin going public with this press conference for non compliance should be applauded. A good showing tomorrow will re enforce that the risk is worth taking and what we fishermen and fishing industries here in NJ want and deserve.
Yes its short notice, on a work day and inconvenient but sometimes the reward is worth the risk or its no chance. We have all gotten that call for a fishing trip last minute and took the day off, convinced the wife etc even when we knew we really shouldn't go fishing so look at this as protecting your right to piss everyone off again next season when those trips come up.

If the regs get passed the way they are you wont have to worry about taking time off as much.

Having said all that if anyone needs a ride or wants to meet at the rest stop at exit 123 for a car pool let me know via PM. I can fit at least 3

Very well said. Almost to a person we all piss and moan about unfair regulations across the board. This meeting, while focusing on summer flounder, is about so much more. This is as much about different sectors of the fishing community coming together to create a greater voice in opposition of how regulations are being set and mandated in general. We have a rare opportunity to create that voice and if we let it slip by without support we waste a valuable opportunity. This is about anglers, party and charter boat captains, tackle shop owners, suppliers, commercial operators, marina and restaurant owners, boat manufacturers etc., anyone whose business is impacted by the millions of dollars invested in this industry. No individual group has the funds or voice to get the federal government's attention, collectively we can create that voice. There's two things that draw attention to an issue, money and people and by people I mean potential votes. Crowds draw attention to cameras and media which we sorely need. As others have mentioned, 10:00 on Friday may not be a convenient time BUT we should be thankful we have the opportunity. Someone with a political affiliation is willing to take his time to create awareness which is what we've all wanted and asked for. How great would it be to have such a showing that Channel Drive or Broadway had to be shut down! I guarantee you every news channel would have their choppers hovering and cover that story.

This is what we all asked for gentlemen. I credit Commissioner Bob Martin taking his time to support our cause. He doesn't need our support nearly as much as we need his. And if we don't provide it, we won't get the opportunity again and truthfully we deserve the fate of whatever decision NMFS forces down our throat next month. With the amount of businesses potentially effected by this, there should be an overwhelming turn out at tomorrow's conference but we saw what happened at the Galloway meeting last month. Good showing but no where near the numbers there should have been.

Will be there tomorrow to support the cause, hopefully the closest parking spot I can find is at Spike's!

[tropics]

Dales I like this one

"If the regs get passed the way they are you wont have to worry about taking time off as much."

The ones making the rules are trying to save marriages :rolleyes:

See ya tomorrow
Richie

[Gerry Zagorski]

Managed to move some work meetings around that I had scheduled so looking forward to seeing everyone there....

[stevelikes2fish]

See you there!

[Ry609]

Video is on NJ FWS facebook page. Kudos to all who attended and to DEP for fighting for all of us who could not attend.

[Rocky]

I just got back from the press conference and I honestly can say "There is some hope still to save our summer fluke season." For all that attended today and those who reached out to your politicians thank you, and keep up the good work.
Status quo for now might be a possibility which is much better than the alternatives that they offered us initially.