2017 Fluke Regulations Not Looking Good

[Gerry Zagorski]

Based on this looks like we are going to take a hit on 2017 Fluke Regulations https://www.greateratlantic.fisherie..._proposed.html

[Ismellfishy]

YIKES!!! Bucktails and Gulp! for sale!!

[Walleyed]

Fluke is going to go the way of winter flounder.....2 fish and done.

[tjd24]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Based on this looks like we are going to take a hit on 2017 Fluke Regulations https://www.greateratlantic.fisherie..._proposed.html

Does the SSFFF have any preliminary study results to submit to NOAA to preempt this attack?

[Detour66]

"We are proposing these measures in order to ensure sustainability of summer flounder stocks for future generations of fishermen and "CONSUMERS".

I am willing to bet that more short Fluke are released dead as bycatch by commercial fisherman for the "CONSUMERS" than rod and reel fisherman keep on any given day. So will this reduction be across the board for commercial and recreational? Most recreational fishing is done on the weekends. The bay and ocean are lightly fished during the week. So really most of the fish caught by recreational guys are caught on weekends that's it. What about bad weather days during the summer and also most of September is a washout tropical storms etc. I really like to know how they are coming up with this information. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens before we jump the gun but from this statement is doesn't look good. Here we go again!

[Del River Rat]

🙄

[atcojg]

maybe the new party in control can be reasoned with

Saw winter flounder the other day at Shop Rite for 16.99 a lb.! When fisheries management have commercial concerns hamstrung by the same regulations recreational guys are I'll consider abiding by their regulations. Until then I'll make my own. Most of us work our asses off our entire lives so we can enjoy a few simple pleasures in life. For most fisherman that pleasure is fishing. NOAA with their questionable data and biased regulations and allocations won't take that pleasure away. For what now 7 years the winter flounder fishing has either been closed or a two fish limit which essentially means it's closed. Where the hell are all these fish? 30 years ago you'd catch 50 flounder a day of all sizes in skinny water like Shark River when there were no restrictions and fish were absolutely abundant year in year out. There was actually a sizable party boat fleet targeting them in the spring, healthy rental boat livery and an amazing fall / spring season enjoyed by many anglers fishing from shore. There should be millions of flounder flooding the rivers and bays every year after all these years of closed season. The amount of eggs hatched every year has to be off the charts. Eggs are either dying, cormorants are devastating the young before they leave the bays or commercial guys are absolutely decimating the stocks off shore. Something is completely wrong with this fishery and NOTHING is being done to find out what and address it. I can't believe this isn't either 100% commercial related or cormorants. Two years ago while waiting to launch our boat in Shark River I watched one cormorant in a half hour come up with 8 flounder of varying sizes. 8 flounder in a half hour by one bird! So instead of trying to identify the problem, all we get are closed seasons and restrictions. How about cause and effect analysis and remedial steps to address the problem. Recreational guys get screwed, we get a crumb thrown our way so we can spend $100 bucks to catch two flounder (after spending $13 for a dozen blood worms!) and if you don't catch any you can go buy a few for $16.99 lb. at Shop Rite! %$@# NOAA! The poster who said summer flounder is on track to be EXACTLY like winter flounder in a few years hit it right on the head. When the powers to be show parity regarding commercial and recreational regulations and address the real problems, I'll abide by their reg's but until then as far as I'm concerned this is self regulation. NOAA has their heads so far up their ass I'm surprised they can even propose regulations. As someone already mentioned, it wouldn't surprise me if the amount of fish which die from being culled by commercial concerns probably exceeds the entire annual catch made by recreational anglers. It's tragic what is happening to our past time!

[Irish Jigger]

At this point it seems after everything that's been done the endless hours of research marching ect... and the Money donated on top of that it is what it is. Always put money in Petes Jar when he was in Atlantic. Left countless filleted fish in his freezers and all for what??? NADA!!!! It's not about the commercial guys or the rod and reel guys at this point it's government doing what they want to do!!!!!

[1captainron]

I hate to get Political, but I am tiered after a LONG Career of getting it shoved up my #@*!! Hopefully our newly elect President, through the RFA, will see how we have been getting screwed year after year.....This non-sense has to stop! SSFFF has been working hard for several years with real data on Sexting Studies that we now have to show how the Regulations have taken the fishery down the wrong road! Will the powers that be except the data and do the right thing? Time will tell....less Government involvement and Fire the *******s who got us to this place of No return!!!

Too many people have to justify their jobs....Never "Status Quo", or your not doing your job. That's Bullshit! While way too many Party and Charter boats go out of Business every year and the Customer base declines are worse than the God Dam depreciation, who has had our Back? Hope and change my Ass, how did that work out? Let's talk some real hope for the future. Give us all a chance to enjoy a Simple day out on the Water catching a few fish, without looking over our shoulders! "WE THE PEOPLE" Demand it!