Fluke Discussions

[Gerry Zagorski]

All good commentary on the board here lately. Since the JCAA post and the fewer fluke reports post has been viewed over 3000 times, it's more then just a few regulars on this site who are getting information. Hopefully that means when the time comes for them to get involved, they're more comfortable doing so because they're more informed.

I know when I didn't really understand how the system worked all I did was go to one state meeting a year and fight for the option I wanted but by this time the options were already decided by the region... Fact is you have to be involved early and often to effect change and the more people and the earlier they are involved, the better chance we have of the regulations and options reflecting the will of the people, not just a few.

Sure our personal opinions may still differ but at the end of the day we're all on the same team and agree on the bigger picture. Fisheries have to be managed because regulations won't matter if there are no fish.


A few big picture items I see ahead of us.
- The process needs more transparency and accountability. One particular areas is public comments, they should be gathered, noted and published to the council in an organized and timely fashion so the public knows they are being heard and considered by the council.
- The meetings should continue to be held via webinar since this give people a more convenient way to get involved.
- We all need to ask the people representing us to understand what we want, While attending meetings a one way, you don't need to wait for a meeting to do that. You contract them personally if you want something.
- In the case of NJ we have 2 very important vacant positions on the Marine Fishery Council that need to be appointed and filled by the our Governor. See here how those open seats in the council stack the deck against our interests since we have less representation than we should have on the council?

Marine Fisheries Council
Richard N. Herb, Acting Chair (Sportfish)
Dr. Eleanor Ann Bochenek (Public)
Dr. Patrick Donnelly (Sportfish)
Warren Hollinger (Del. Bay Shellfish Council)
Jeff Kaelin (Processor)
John J. Maxwell (Atl. Coast Shellfish Council)
Joe Rizzo (Commercial)
Robert R. Rush, Jr. (Sportfish)
Kevin Wark (Commercial)
Vacant (Public)
Vacant (Sportfish)


Thanks to all who continue to fight and be materially involved. This is a contact sport...The process is far from perfect but it's what we have and we need to work the current process or fight to change it and that does not happen by casual involvement, posting your opinions on this site, sitting on the sidelines or in the bleachers. It happens in the trenches and you need to get involved and get your hands dirty if you want it to change.