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Originally Posted by scubanut
Just curious if in fact the seabass season will not open until 5/22 then why if you go to www.nj.gov and look up marine saltwater 2012 regs does it already state that the season opens up on 5/19. |
Because the state voted to open the season on May 19th, the same as the MAFMC voted to open it in federal waters on May 19th.
However, with federal rules the MAFMC does not set policy, it only makes recommendations to NMFS. All federal regulations must be implemented by NMFS, and they have not done that yet (even though the MAFMC voted for it in December of last year)
So, it may open in state waters on 5/19 but not necessarily in federal waters (outside 3 miles)
From NMFS last week:
Clarification -- MANAGEMENT MEASURES ARE FOR RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN ONLY!
NOAA is currently in the process of finalizing new federal fishery management measures for the summer flounder, scup and black sea bass recreational fishery for the 2012 fishing year. Included in these measures is a recommendation by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to open the black sea bass recreational fishing season three days earlier this year – on May 19. We remain hopeful that we will be able to implement these measures before the new start date. However, we do want to caution fishermen that there is a chance this will not happen. If we are not able to finalize the new regulations in time, the black sea bass recreational fishing season would open on May 22, 2012 as it has done in previous years.
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