hook and line commercial- a viable option?

[bulletbob]

Just wondering.. It would seem to me that if commercial fishing was more or less confined to rod and reel , prices for product would go through the roof.
Prices for gear would go down, fish stocks would go way up, as bycatch mortality of juveniles and non targets would be eliminated..
I dunno, I realize thats an overly simplistic estimation,but if you think about it, it would benefit everyone.. Some netting allowances would have to be made for some pelagics of course like herring or bunker, but bottom feeding desirable food fish, like various flounders, Sea Bass, scup ,cod, Cod family such as hake species, haddock, Pollock etc, would rebound big time, the bottom would heal, and prices for these premium "eating species, would go through the ceiling.. It would expand the market for farm raised fish as well, as they would be more in demand because of the much cheaper price.. I know, ridiculous premise, but I always thought that it would benefit commercial guys a lot more than they realize..
look at shrimp.. Its majority farm raised thats for sale in our area, and no one complains, they just buy it when they want shrimp.. You CAN get "real" Gulf shrimp if you want to pay the big price, and some do, but the farm raised stuff gets most of the play these days..
I think the same thing would happen with fish.. The value of ocean bottom fish would go way up, and licensed commercials would have a very valuable commodity thats always there in good numbers... Just a thought... bob

[Garone Custom Rods]

Hook and line (not long line) is in my opinion the only sustainable way to harvest fish. Nets have gotten too big, sonar is too good, and dead discard are huge issues! The fish don't stand a chance, and bottom trawling destroys habitat. We need to wake up and figure out a way for recreational and commercial anglers harvest fish in a sustainable manner.

I have to laugh when species are labeled as sustainably harvested. Basically the powers at be are saying we aren't in danger of wiping this fish off the face of the planet yet, but the methods we are using to do it will change that in a few years.

[fishguy]

Regulations can and do sometimes protect the little guy.
I think the local clammers are an example. The rules say you can't harvest mechanically, only by hand. That forces the fishery to stay small and local, prevents the widespread damage that large scale mechanical dredging would do and sustainability can be achieved while still providing jobs.

There are a few hook and line fluke permits still out there. I'm pretty sure they're never going to issue another but why? I think the quota could better serve us all if a portion was re-allocated to small time hook and line commercial fishing. Those fish would be harvested in a far more sustainable way than dragging.

Mind you I'm not saying we should take anything away from the recreational quota for this. Just an idea.

[dakota560]

BB....while I agree with your comments and concepts, the challenges to get there would make what we're dealing with in managing the fishery seem miniscule. Meaning MONEY, POWER, LOBBYING STRENGTH of commercial would represent a daunting challenge to put it mildly. I can just hear the politicians and lobbyists now "How dare you deprive my constituents from their ability to harvest a public resource and prevent them from supplying the growing demand of all the citizens of this great nations from being able to purchase a very healthy, nutritional and highly regarded fish at the market!" Agree with your thought process, just don't think we'll see it in our lifetime but good thought nonetheless. If operators can catch 5,000 lbs a week in the winter and grab $5 / lb. or $100,0000 gross a month these fish will be targeted and mostly females harvested based on market price conditions. Males and smaller females will become dead discard. Change the price volatility between size fish and the entire paradigm changes. If everything fetched the same price back at the docks, as soon as the daily quota was met guys would have no reason to drop their nets again. High grading / culling would effectively be eliminated.

[reason162]

On a smaller scale, redistributing a % of comm quota to hook/line can be extremely viable in the NYC area. I'm thinking about the restaurant market in particular, the chefs who deal in local/organic/sustainable products and the clientele who support them. Bonus points if your hook and line operation learns how to properly brain-spike/bleed the catch (one reason top NYC sushi restaurants don't source locally but rather fly their fish in from Japan is bc they want guarantee that their fish went through ike-jime).

On a larger scale, how would hook and line guys compete with draggers? Probably an all or nothing proposition.

[NoLimit]

Years ago in Cape Cod before winter flounder was decimated by trawlers, hook and line fishermen would haul hundreds of lbs of flounder per tide. I am talking about two guys in a skiff going out 1/4 mile into the bay. They did that day after day, well into the summer and well into winter.

[Mike K]

I think that's one of the primary ways Red Snapper are harvested in the Gulf. They use bandit gear, but it's still hook and line.

[Blind Squirrel]

Just wondering.. It would seem to me that if commercial fishing was more or less confined to rod and reel , prices for product would go through the roof.
Prices for gear would go down, fish stocks would go way up, as bycatch mortality of juveniles and non targets would be eliminated..
I dunno, I realize thats an overly simplistic estimation,but if you think about it, it would benefit everyone.. Some netting allowances would have to be made for some pelagics of course like herring or bunker, but bottom feeding desirable food fish, like various flounders, Sea Bass, scup ,cod, Cod family such as hake species, haddock, Pollock etc, would rebound big time, the bottom would heal, and prices for these premium "eating species, would go through the ceiling.. It would expand the market for farm raised fish as well, as they would be more in demand because of the much cheaper price.. I know, ridiculous premise, but I always thought that it would benefit commercial guys a lot more than they realize..
look at shrimp.. Its majority farm raised thats for sale in our area, and no one complains, they just buy it when they want shrimp.. You CAN get "real" Gulf shrimp if you want to pay the big price, and some do, but the farm raised stuff gets most of the play these days..
I think the same thing would happen with fish.. The value of ocean bottom fish would go way up, and licensed commercials would have a very valuable commodity thats always there in good numbers... Just a thought... bob
Just wondering.. It would seem to me that if digging a hole in the ground was more or less confined to a bunch of guys with shovels instead of one guy on a Case 580 backhoe with a few gallons of diesel fuel, prices for holes in the ground would go through the roof. It would benefit the backhoe guys a lot more than they realize...

[Ryelof]

Just wondering.. It would seem to me that if digging a hole in the ground was more or less confined to a bunch of guys with shovels instead of one guy on a Case 580 backhoe with a few gallons of diesel fuel, prices for holes in the ground would go through the roof. It would benefit the backhoe guys a lot more than they realize...

Reality check.....bad analogy........have you looked at the guys digging holes lately.........they usually don't have green cards and you can hire about 20 of them for the price of a case with an operator per hour......the price of digging holes goes down.

[PortlyRedhead]

This crew (https://www.newenglandfishmongers.com/) in New Hampshire is making a living by rod-and-reel groundfishing.

Read about them in a recent Portland Press-Herald article here: http://www.pressherald.com/2017/01/29/fishing-without-a-net/

[bulletbob]

Just wondering.. It would seem to me that if digging a hole in the ground was more or less confined to a bunch of guys with shovels instead of one guy on a Case 580 backhoe with a few gallons of diesel fuel, prices for holes in the ground would go through the roof. It would benefit the backhoe guys a lot more than they realize...

ridiculous analogy, but not unexpected from certain members... bob

[bulletbob]

This crew (https://www.newenglandfishmongers.com/) in New Hampshire is making a living by rod-and-reel groundfishing.

Read about them in a recent Portland Press-Herald article here: http://www.pressherald.com/2017/01/29/fishing-without-a-net/

Exactly what was in my mind when thinking about this thread thanks for this link.. The market is there.
Most guys here probably don't remember when tog were worthless.. I do, and it wasn't that long ago.. Now they are worth a fortune if you know where to sell them.. I recall a member either here or on Noreast posting about selling 4 big ones for $100 to a sushi restaurant.
I have always thought that rod and reel only for commercials would lead to much higher prices and lower operating costs for commercials, with less waste, and way less environmental destruction. In my opinion, with todays technology, dragging the bottom relentlessly for fish is like killing off the buffalo for its tongue, or killing off the passenger pigeons for pies.

If it doesn't end, we WILL get to a day where there simply will not be enough fish to sustain populations and they will collapse.. We've already seen it with Whiting.Ling, Winter Flounder, Weakfish, and Cod, although Cod seem to be on a minor upswing for the past few years.. Like I said, its just a thought for whatever its worth.. Not much I suppose.... bob

[Finprof]

In Chesapeake Bay gill nets are prohibited and hook-and-line fishing for striped bass is the primary commercial catch method. The commercial hook-and-line fishermen have to tag each fish and the weight of the caught fish is logged. Once the monthly quota is reached the commercial fishing is stopped until the beginning of next month. The quota can often be reached by the 5th or 6th of the month.
I have been anchored 50 feet from a hook and line commercial fisherman and watched them catch fish after fish.
One boat had three guys in it. One baited, another reeled the fish in and another unhooked fish and tagged them. It was an assembly line. We did OK but nothing like a fish a minute.
Speaking of old time methods, also in Chesapeake Bay, dragline oystering can only be done under sail and not under power. The skipjacks do not even have an engine for maneuvering but have a pusher tender instead.

[Blind Squirrel]

ridiculous analogy, but not unexpected from certain members... bob
I realize this is an overly simplistic estimation, Robert, but if you think about it, there are nearly 320 million people in the US, and many of us would leap at the opportunity to hand-dig some holes for pennies an hour if someone gave us a shovel. Those who are unfit or disinclined to dig holes with shovels could be trained to catch shrimp with rod & reel. The value of Case 580s and wild-caught shrimp would go way up, and licensed excavating contractors and netters would have a very valuable commodity that's always there in good numbers... Just a thought... Blind Squirrel :)

[Blind Squirrel]

Reality check.....bad analogy........have you looked at the guys digging holes lately.........they usually don't have green cards and you can hire about 20 of them for the price of a case with an operator per hour......the price of digging holes goes down.
Reality check.....have you looked at what's in the White House lately? The folks who don't have green cards will all be rounded up by our military and law enforcement personnel and sent to the south side of a yuge magnificent border wall that they will pay us to build......the price of digging holes goes way up. ;)

[bulletbob]

Reality check.....have you looked at what's in the White House lately? The folks who don't have green cards will all be rounded up by our military and law enforcement personnel and sent to the south side of a yuge magnificent border wall that they will pay us to build......the price of digging holes goes way up. ;)

The LAST thing i was expecting in this thread was political bullshit.. However now that we are there, you might be correct.. If CITIZENS had to dig the holes, they would have to be paid what its actually worth, or the holes wouldn't get dug..
If fish were harvested by hand in limited quantities, they would become a LOT more valuable to those doing the harvesting, and it would ensure a long and profitable future for them as the stocks would rebound.. Not too difficult to visualize, right?..

btw, the "folks who don't have green cards" ARE criminals, as are those that enable them.. You do understand that- don't you?.... bob

[Capt Sal]

Reality check.....have you looked at what's in the White House lately? The folks who don't have green cards will all be rounded up by our military and law enforcement personnel and sent to the south side of a yuge magnificent border wall that they will pay us to build......the price of digging holes goes way up. ;)

Just plain stupid!

[Blind Squirrel]

The LAST thing i was expecting in this thread was political bullshit.. However now that we are there, you might be correct.. If CITIZENS had to dig the holes, they would have to be paid what its actually worth, or the holes wouldn't get dug..
If fish were harvested by hand in limited quantities, they would become a LOT more valuable to those doing the harvesting, and it would ensure a long and profitable future for them as the stocks would rebound.. Not too difficult to visualize, right?..

btw, the "folks who don't have green cards" ARE criminals, as are those that enable them.. You do understand that- don't you?.... bob
Jeepers Bob; I'm beginning to think I can't even agree with you anymore. :(
btw, the sooner the US, state, and local governments implement our fishing and digging ideas the better. The well-tuned White House machine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8) should make it a top priority...

[dakota560]

Reality check.....have you looked at what's in the White House lately? The folks who don't have green cards will all be rounded up by our military and law enforcement personnel and sent to the south side of a huge magnificent border wall that they will pay us to build......the price of digging holes goes way up. ;)

Green cards or green crabs! If the later I want to make sure I grab a bushel this weekend before the military comes calling.

[bulletbob]

Jeepers Bob; I'm beginning to think I can't even agree with you anymore. :(
btw, the sooner the US, state, and local governments implement our fishing and digging ideas the better. The well-tuned White House machine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8) should make it a top priority...

We both like to fish, and are concerned about that resource, so yes indeed we can agree! However,we are NOT all liberals here, some of us vote for those that best represent the more conservative political ideology.. Don't want to make this a political thread however. Our good friend and benevolent host Gerry will come crashing through with his ban hammer, and I really did want constructive dialog, and sincere debate concerning hook and line commercial fishing becoming law... bob

[Blind Squirrel]

We both like to fish, and are concerned about that resource, so yes indeed we can agree! However,we are NOT all liberals here, some of us vote for those that best represent the more conservative political ideology.. Don't want to make this a political thread however. Our good friend and benevolent host Gerry will come crashing through with his ban hammer, and I really did want constructive dialog, and sincere debate concerning hook and line commercial fishing becoming law... bob
You really don't want compulsory hook and line commercial fishing, Bob, and it's already in use by BFT and other commercial fishermen.

[bulletbob]

You really don't want compulsory hook and line commercial fishing, Bob, and it's already in use by BFT and other commercial fishermen.

actually, I don't like ANYTHING to be compulsory.. I am a total free market kind of guy{Me being a right wing Nazi Christian terrorist radical fascist and all:)]. However, the images I have seen for some time are disturbing.. TINY Whiting the size of smelt in seafood markets, skinny emaciated looking Ling a foot long, not to mention the fact that Ling seem to be MIA more and more these days except during the summer.

whiting-Gone
Mackerel-Scarce
Weaks-Gone
Flounder-scarce
Fluke Tog Seabass.. still around but regulated up the butt and usually in favor of commercials...


I just think if more fisheries were managed for rod and line only, the stocks would go way up, for no other reason than the net kill would be gone.. they wouldn't be dragging up 1,000 dead pounds of wasted babies for 100 pounds of market fish.

Its done for certain species with good result, and even though I am free market, sadly in this case I see no recourse if we want enough fish for everybody...

I am forced to fish freshwater mostly.. Its sad that I can fish for 2 hours and catch 3 keeper walleyes, and 10 big smallmouths standing on the same rock, but if I fish in the ocean for 7 hours, I am lucky to catch 1 keeper Blackfish.. Believe me, it was NOT that way years ago.. The lust for salt water fish flesh in the modern age is frightening, and IMHO the guys with the nets are doing too uch damge to be ignored any longer.. We recs have been holding up our part of the bargain.. yes we take fish, but we don't destroy the entire marine ecosphere while we do it... Nets just kill every damn thing, and once the bottom is torn up, it takes a while to heal... there has to be a better way...
In my opinion, its time for hook and line only on a lot more species.
If guys want to stick with it, they'll do fine.. the market IS there, and waste and bottom destruction would be cut dramatically . I wish it weren't that way.. i wish it was like the 60's.. Water was polluted as hell, compared to today, but damn it was FULL of fish, at least in the marine environment......bob

[Blind Squirrel]

actually, I don't like ANYTHING to be compulsory.. I am a total free market kind of guy{Me being a right wing Nazi Christian terrorist radical fascist and all:)]. However, the images I have seen for some time are disturbing.. TINY Whiting the size of smelt in seafood markets, skinny emaciated looking Ling a foot long, not to mention the fact that Ling seem to be MIA more and more these days except during the summer.

whiting-Gone
Mackerel-Scarce
Weaks-Gone
Flounder-scarce
Fluke Tog Seabass.. still around but regulated up the butt and usually in favor of commercials...


I just think if more fisheries were managed for rod and line only, the stocks would go way up, for no other reason than the net kill would be gone.. they wouldn't be dragging up 1,000 dead pounds of wasted babies for 100 pounds of market fish.

Its done for certain species with good result, and even though I am free market, sadly in this case I see no recourse if we want enough fish for everybody...

I am forced to fish freshwater mostly.. Its sad that I can fish for 2 hours and catch 3 keeper walleyes, and 10 big smallmouths standing on the same rock, but if I fish in the ocean for 7 hours, I am lucky to catch 1 keeper Blackfish.. Believe me, it was NOT that way years ago.. The lust for salt water fish flesh in the modern age is frightening, and IMHO the guys with the nets are doing too uch damge to be ignored any longer.. We recs have been holding up our part of the bargain.. yes we take fish, but we don't destroy the entire marine ecosphere while we do it... Nets just kill every damn thing, and once the bottom is torn up, it takes a while to heal... there has to be a better way...
In my opinion, its time for hook and line only on a lot more species.
If guys want to stick with it, they'll do fine.. the market IS there, and waste and bottom destruction would be cut dramatically . I wish it weren't that way.. i wish it was like the 60's.. Water was polluted as hell, compared to today, but damn it was FULL of fish, at least in the marine environment......bob
So you want the government to impose regulations (http://www.forbes.com/sites/omribenshahar/2017/02/17/trumps-2-for-1-folly/#1ed07cdc22f5) that restrict free-market capitalism at its best? :confused:
Despite us tree-huggers, the water is still polluted as hell, and those walleyes and smallmouth are unfit for human consumption. :(

[bulletbob]

So you want the government to impose regulations (http://www.forbes.com/sites/omribenshahar/2017/02/17/trumps-2-for-1-folly/#1ed07cdc22f5) that restrict free-market capitalism at its best? :confused:
Despite us tree-huggers, the water is still polluted as hell, and those walleyes and smallmouth are unfit for human consumption. :(

Look, I can see you're trying your best to piss me off, but thats ok, I'm used to it.. I am a free market guy, yes, but what good is a free market if the market has nothing to sell, because everything was wantonly killed and eaten, and the production area was destroyed?...

There are simply in this modern age, too many people wanting to kill and eat too many fish, and too many guys after the dollars that these fish generate, with equipment and knowledge that greatly overpowers the target species ability to replenish itself.. Therefore, we must have limitations.. The commercials do most of the damage , not only to the stocks, but to the habitat. Hook and line will catch plenty of valuable fish for those that want take them on a commercial basis.
Catch numbers will be much lower yes, but value of catch will be much greater. Want Gulf shrimp over farm raised?.. great pay the difference.. Want Sea Bass or Flounder instead of farm raised Catfish ,Tilapia, or Salmon?.. Fine, pay market value...

People are eating friggin Lionfish at a record pace, and those damn things have to be speared as they won't touch lures or bait, so they are expensive as hell.. Know what?.. People ARE buying.. I have seen them at Wegmans at like $17 a pound.. you MUST eat salt water fish??.. fine, but its gotten more expensive.. It really as simple as that... Hook and line commercial fishing is sustainable, the bottom will heal, and the fish will come back in good numbers - with proper management.

btw, i don't eat SMB, and the Walleyes out of the susquehanna aren't always that great, kind of muddy in the fall, better in the spring, but its either that or not eat fresh fish during the times I can't make the 10 hour round trip to the NJ shore.. The rest of the time, its sunnies, perch, and some nasty Lake Trout... However, I don;t worry about pollution , mercury or similar nonsense at my age.. If I feel like taking a sweet water fish or two home, I take it home, cook it, and enjoy it... bob

[Pennsy Guy]

It's a nice idea but while the "local" comm. caught hook 'n line fish would be priced higher, 99.5% of frozen fish in super markets are foreign caught, packaged & marketed. Think most people shop in super markets...Check out a large Chinese market's fish section-frozen 8" beheaded fluke-that's just wrong. Look at the Aussies, encircling entire large schools of tuna and towing them back to port. How about the disregard of the Mediterranean BFT fleet to observe the minimum size-think they still use nets...
All manner of restrictions and laws to regulate the U.S. commercial fisherman can be made but until the rest of the world's comm. fisherman abide by the same rules, the fish lose and so do the U.S. comm. fisherman.....my thoughts....Chucky

[Blind Squirrel]

Look, I can see you're trying your best to piss me off, but thats ok, I'm used to it.. I am a free market guy, yes, but what good is a free market if the market has nothing to sell, because everything was wantonly killed and eaten, and the production area was destroyed?...

There are simply in this modern age, too many people wanting to kill and eat too many fish, and too many guys after the dollars that these fish generate, with equipment and knowledge that greatly overpowers the target species ability to replenish itself.. Therefore, we must have limitations.. The commercials do most of the damage , not only to the stocks, but to the habitat. Hook and line will catch plenty of valuable fish for those that want take them on a commercial basis.
Catch numbers will be much lower yes, but value of catch will be much greater. Want Gulf shrimp over farm raised?.. great pay the difference.. Want Sea Bass or Flounder instead of farm raised Catfish ,Tilapia, or Salmon?.. Fine, pay market value...

People are eating friggin Lionfish at a record pace, and those damn things have to be speared as they won't touch lures or bait, so they are expensive as hell.. Know what?.. People ARE buying.. I have seen them at Wegmans at like $17 a pound.. you MUST eat salt water fish??.. fine, but its gotten more expensive.. It really as simple as that... Hook and line commercial fishing is sustainable, the bottom will heal, and the fish will come back in good numbers - with proper management.

btw, i don't eat SMB, and the Walleyes out of the susquehanna aren't always that great, kind of muddy in the fall, better in the spring, but its either that or not eat fresh fish during the times I can't make the 10 hour round trip to the NJ shore.. The rest of the time, its sunnies, perch, and some nasty Lake Trout... However, I don;t worry about pollution , mercury or similar nonsense at my age.. If I feel like taking a sweet water fish or two home, I take it home, cook it, and enjoy it... bob
You're either a free-market and anti-regulation guy or you aren't, Bob. Just sayin'...

[bulletbob]

You're either a free-market and anti-regulation guy or you aren't, Bob. Just sayin'...

Sorry, but thats a bullshit strawman.

Free markets do NOT give any person or entity license to destroy the means of production.. Regulations are needed in a world thats closing in on 8 billion people, like it or not... conservatives are amenable to common sense oversight.. leftists just like to argue pointlessly. This thread is a case in point.

Again, I would really prefer to stay on topic as I would like opinions from the many knowledgeable members here, and not go off into political tangents and pissing contests... I value your contribution to this topic, but why the political hassles? It goes in circles, and doesn't address the initial questions put forth in the topic.. bob

[bulletbob]

It's a nice idea but while the "local" comm. caught hook 'n line fish would be priced higher, 99.5% of frozen fish in super markets are foreign caught, packaged & marketed. Think most people shop in super markets...Check out a large Chinese market's fish section-frozen 8" beheaded fluke-that's just wrong. Look at the Aussies, encircling entire large schools of tuna and towing them back to port. How about the disregard of the Mediterranean BFT fleet to observe the minimum size-think they still use nets...
All manner of restrictions and laws to regulate the U.S. commercial fisherman can be made but until the rest of the world's comm. fisherman abide by the same rules, the fish lose and so do the U.S. comm. fisherman.....my thoughts....Chucky

I understand your point and am in agreement.. However, I was thinking more along the lines of coastal USA species within say 100 miles of the coast.. If other countries want to decimate their stocks and sell them here, fine, have at it,,, I am most concerned about the easily exploitable inshore bottom dwelling species that are prime food fish, as well as migratory fish such as Atlantic Mackerel,other small tuna species, Weakfish , Bluefish, Stripers etc ,, Even eels at this point are over exploited .. NEVER thought in a hundred years that could happen, but here we are..... bob

[Pennsy Guy]

Bob, I agree...my point (a bit obtusely put) was that the hook 'n line caught fish would be priced higher than the foreign marketed fish...I think the majority of shoppers are much more cost conscious today & would choose the lesser priced product. Our commercial guys would suffer; wouldn't be a problem on the fresh fish markets. I work part-time in a large super market & see it every day...hear them say they're not paying that much for -XXX- and walk away, they do without...oh, and I don't buy "fresh" seafood up here in Pa....but the landlocked do....gone are the days of plentiful fish and won't return unless the thought process of managers change....Chucky

[Blind Squirrel]

Sorry, but thats a bullshit strawman.

Free markets do NOT give any person or entity license to destroy the means of production.. Regulations are needed in a world thats closing in on 8 billion people, like it or not... conservatives are amenable to common sense oversight.. leftists just like to argue pointlessly. This thread is a case in point.

Again, I would really prefer to stay on topic as I would like opinions from the many knowledgeable members here, and not go off into political tangents and pissing contests... I value your contribution to this topic, but why the political hassles? It goes in circles, and doesn't address the initial questions put forth in the topic.. bob
Regulations give us the only realistic way to preserve the means of production, Bob, and they're only effective when administered by the same government that some folks on here don't even trust to forecast the marine weather or research global climate change accurately. Your hook-and-line idea would obviously require government regs and oversight, and is totally at odds with conservatives' cherished free-market capitalism at any cost. If implemented, only we sport fishermen and the financial peers of our populist leader and his newly-drained DC swamp dwellers (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38168382) would have the means to dine on the most desirable bottom feeding food fish.
That's simple economic fact that's right on topic, not a straw man or a pointless and gratuitous political tangent.

[bulletbob]

Bob, I agree...my point (a bit obtusely put) was that the hook 'n line caught fish would be priced higher than the foreign marketed fish...I think the majority of shoppers are much more cost conscious today & would choose the lesser priced product. Our commercial guys would suffer; wouldn't be a problem on the fresh fish markets. I work part-time in a large super market & see it every day...hear them say they're not paying that much for -XXX- and walk away, they do without...oh, and I don't buy "fresh" seafood up here in Pa....but the landlocked do....gone are the days of plentiful fish and won't return unless the thought process of managers change....Chucky

Understood, but there are other markets... high end restaurants, sushi places, higher end supermarkets that cater to more affluent clientele...
Yeah maybe Shoprite customers won't pay the prices, same as I wouldn't, but a lot of people will, especially at restaurants... The overall market might shrink, but the product that is available would be worth a lot more.
Its only my opinion, but if we don't stop with the netting, there will be no more Ling before very long, and we'll be down to a Fluke limit of 2 fish at 21 or something like that.... bob

[Pennsy Guy]

Understood, but there are other markets... high end restaurants, sushi places, higher end supermarkets that cater to more affluent clientele...
Yeah maybe Shoprite customers won't pay the prices, same as I wouldn't, but a lot of people will, especially at restaurants... The overall market might shrink, but the product that is available would be worth a lot more.
Its only my opinion, but if we don't stop with the netting, there will be no more Ling before very long, and we'll be down to a Fluke limit of 2 fish at 21 or something like that.... bob

I agree 100%...