JCAA Alert - FLUKE Hearing

[Angler Paul]

JERSEY COAST ANGLERS ASSOCIATION ALERT HEARING on FLUKE ADDENDUM XXV
Please support Options 1 and 2

The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding addendum XXV at any time during the public comment period. The final date comments will be accepted is January 24, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. You may submit public comment in one or more of the following ways:

1. Attend public hearings in your state or jurisdiction.
2. Refer comments to your state’s members on the Summer Flounder, Scup, and
Black Sea Bass Management Board or Advisory Panel, if applicable.
3. Mail, fax or email written comment to the following address:
Mail: Kirby Rootes-Murdy Email: krootes-murdy@asmfc.org
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Phone: (703) 842-0740
1050 North Highland Street, Suite 200A-N Fax: (703) 842-0741
Arlington, VA 22201

A public hearing will be held on the addendum as listed below:

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
January 13, 2014 at 7 PM
Ocean County Administration Building
Public Hearing Room 119
101 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Tom Baum at 609.748.2020

The Jersey Coast Anglers Association represents approximately 75 clubs throughout our state. We appreciate this opportunity to comment on Draft Addendum XXV to the summer flounder, scup and black sea bass fishery management plan.

Regarding summer flounder in section 3.1 we support option 1: Status Quo: Coastwide or Conservation Equivalency. We believe that the state-by-state measures under the conservation equivalency are the fairest way to divide the quota. While quotas are, in fact, based on harvest estimates for a single year (1998), there was sound reasoning for this. When the Management Board first considered how to equitably allocate the quota, and, thus, the conservation burden among its member states, it spent considerable time in analyzing various time periods. After much discussion it was agreed by the states that the single year of 1998 was the most representative and fairest.

Additionally, state-by-state measures allow our state to be flexible in setting regulations. Our state is often divided between back bays and southern New Jersey fishermen preferring an earlier shorter season with a smaller size limit and central and northern New Jersey fishermen preferring a later and longer season with a higher size limit. State-by-state measures allow the public to have input and the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council considers all of this before voting on the compromise they feel meets the needs of the majority of our fishermen. We would lose this flexibility under any regional plan.

We also support Option 2: Utilization of Additional RHL. This option would allow New Jersey and other states facing a reduction to not to have as severe a cut. This worked out well last year in that it allowed New Jersey to extend its season and allowed New York to lower their size limit. Though New Jersey was granted an extra 88,000 fish which should have been more than ample to extend our season by 11 days, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council chose to only extend the season by 8 days. That was because the Council justifiably does not trust the numbers generated by the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS) or Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). The Council's concerns were confirmed again in 2013 by the distorted MRIP numbers that were changed several times.

We are strongly opposed to any mandatory regionalization plan as described in option 3. The existing FMP allows for states to voluntarily combine their quotas with neighboring states, i.e., regionalize, yet none have done so. While we sympathize with the tougher regulations that our fellow fishermen in New York have, we are concerned that regionalization may result in some of New Jersey's target quota being reallocated to New York. Most likely, any regionalized plan would result in New York's regulations being liberalized at the expense of New Jersey's regulations being made more stringent. Further, under the adaptive regional approach outlined in option 3, if a region was to over fish, that region would be penalized the following year. If we opted to go back to conservation equivalency the following year “the technical committee will use the harvest from 2014 to predict the harvest in 2015 and compare that to the 2015 state harvest target (derived from the state’s 1998 based portion of the 2015 RHL). If a state’s predicted harvest is higher than the target, the state must adjust their regulations to constrain harvest to the 2015 target.” It is almost a certainty that with relaxed regulations, New York would harvest far more fish in 2014 than in 2013. Then New York would be forced to make draconian cuts in 2015.

We also suggest that New York or anyone else develop a plan that shows how each state would benefit from a regional plan and then it could be considered. More specifically, pertaining to the stated problem in section 2.1., we would like to see studies showing how the distribution, abundance, and size composition of fluke as well as the abundance and distribution of fluke anglers along the coast have changed over the years.

Addendum XXV suggests that under a regional approach we might have an 18" size limit with a 4 fish bag limit and a season from May 1st - September 30th. However, that is based on the current MRIP numbers that might change yet again. We also believe that these potential regulations would cause New York to significantly overfish their target quota which would negatively impact the entire region the following year. Consider the fact that in 2013, New York overfished its quota with a 19" size limit. For a regionalized plan to work, any region with New York in it would have to receive a substantially higher quota than the sum of what each state in that region would receive under state-by-state measures. Again, any regionalization plan should be voluntary and it should be mutually beneficial to all the states within a particular region.

We also question why you would consider making a small state like Massachusetts its own region. They should be in a region with other states. If any state should be its own region, it should be New Jersey because we account for the most fluke. There are also vast differences in the times and sizes of fluke that are available in different parts of our state.

NJ has the most fluke and the most fluke fishermen. A higher percentage of our fishing trips target fluke than any other state. Still we are forced to have a shorter season than almost all the other states. In many of the more recent years our traditional early spring and late fall fishing has been taken away from us while other states are open year round. How is that fair?

We would also like to point out that the commercial quota is divided up on a state-by-state basis. It is simply the fairest way to do things whether it applies to commercial or recreational fishermen.

Regarding sea bass, we believe that they should be managed on a state-by-state basis through conservation equivalency as well. Since that is not an option, regarding section 3.2, we reluctantly support option 1: Status Quo We are aware that over fishing has occurred in many years but believe this is due to an unrealistically low RHL. We also do not agree with the fact that the overall coastal quota is being reduced due to over fishing that occurred in Massachusetts state waters.

[RussA]

You know Paul this NJ against all other states is what NJ's down fall will be because it is inevitable that they will be doing coast wide regulations.

How about working with NY, because the old adage always rings true, Together we stand, divided we fall...

But good luck with your fight.

[RussA]

Originally Posted by Angler Paul

NJ has the most fluke and the most fluke fishermen. A higher percentage of our fishing trips target fluke than any other state. Still we are forced to have a shorter season than almost all the other states. In many of the more recent years our traditional early spring and late fall fishing has been taken away from us while other states are open year round. How is that fair?

Fair!?!?!? If it weren't for NY's strict regulations your fluke season would suck balls like it used to.

Circa 1996 the fluke fish sucked so bad that a pool fish would go 3lbs, but because of NY regulations NJ benefited in the rebound of the fluke fishery, so how do you think you guys have more fluke fishermen? Then move to 1999 and that was an all out suck fest or fluke fishing. Then they started to implement HARD fluke regulations.

You guys in NJ did nothing in the way of regulating, you people were bitching when you were able to keep 8 fish per person at 18" while us in NY were at 2 at 21".

Then you are bitching about a shorter season well you guys do that to yourselves, and the South Jersey guys really screwed you guys by giving up 3 fish for a 1/2 an inch.

Just an FYI I have been around for a long time and have heard a lot of things, and your state is the only state that allows the harvesting of bunker commercially and fish pots on reefs and roller gear on reefs and you have the audacity to say you deserve a longer fishing season.

You seem like a really greedy person.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Originally Posted by RussA

Fair!?!?!? If it weren't for NY's strict regulations your fluke season would suck balls like it used to.

Circa 1996 the fluke fish sucked so bad that a pool fish would go 3lbs, but because of NY regulations NJ benefited in the rebound of the fluke fishery, so how do you think you guys have more fluke fishermen? Then move to 1999 and that was an all out suck fest or fluke fishing. Then they started to implement HARD fluke regulations.

You guys in NJ did nothing in the way of regulating, you people were bitching when you were able to keep 8 fish per person at 18" while us in NY were at 2 at 21".

Then you are bitching about a shorter season well you guys do that to yourselves, and the South Jersey guys really screwed you guys by giving up 3 fish for a 1/2 an inch.

Just an FYI I have been around for a long time and have heard a lot of things, and your state is the only state that allows the harvesting of bunker commercially and fish pots on reefs and roller gear on reefs and you have the audacity to say you deserve a longer fishing season.

You seem like a really greedy person.

You have a valid point Paul. But what we are fighting for is to insure the recreational fishing fleet we all have had our whole lives. To shut down the recreational fishery and all the head and charter boats just to give to the commercial guys that kill everything especially the by catch and destroying the reefs and bait is plain terrible. Commercial guys are doing all the over fishing and destruction.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by RussA

Fair!?!?!? If it weren't for NY's strict regulations your fluke season would suck balls like it used to.

Circa 1996 the fluke fish sucked so bad that a pool fish would go 3lbs, but because of NY regulations NJ benefited in the rebound of the fluke fishery, so how do you think you guys have more fluke fishermen? Then move to 1999 and that was an all out suck fest or fluke fishing. Then they started to implement HARD fluke regulations.

You guys in NJ did nothing in the way of regulating, you people were bitching when you were able to keep 8 fish per person at 18" while us in NY were at 2 at 21".

Then you are bitching about a shorter season well you guys do that to yourselves, and the South Jersey guys really screwed you guys by giving up 3 fish for a 1/2 an inch.

Just an FYI I have been around for a long time and have heard a lot of things, and your state is the only state that allows the harvesting of bunker commercially and fish pots on reefs and roller gear on reefs and you have the audacity to say you deserve a longer fishing season.

You seem like a really greedy person.

Get educated before comments like that.It is apparent you live in NY but are on a NJ board.It is not NY against NJ.No one is perfect,we have bunker boats in NJ and you have Billy Joel lol

[Gerry Zagorski]

The New York Fluke regs put a lot of NY Fluke boats out of business. You fight for your interests and we will fight for ours.

[dfish28]

Two "slots" at 14" and go from there, at least we could get a sammich for around $100 when we get out!! I'm getting one of those grills in the rod holder next season...

[rumster]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

The New York Fluke regs put a lot of NY Fluke boats out of business. You fight for your interests and we will fight for ours.

Absolutely! Could not have put it better.

[italianfisherman]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

The New York Fluke regs put a lot of NY Fluke boats out of business. You fight for your interests and we will fight for ours.

Tell me what NY fluke boats went out of Business?

[RussA]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

The New York Fluke regs put a lot of NY Fluke boats out of business. You fight for your interests and we will fight for ours.

Gerry you clearly don't remember when fluking sucked. I am only 36 and remember it vividly.

We used to call it drifting and dreaming.

NJ didn't do anything to help the fluke trouble, NY stepped up and because of that you have the fluke fishing you have today.

Now in 1999 fluke measures were set (Amendment 12) to go into affect in 2000 under the Magnuson Stevens Act.

This was supposed to go 10 years, They reaccessed the number of fluke in 2007 and found the number have rebounded back to a stable biomass, but they continued the shenanigans and extended it till 2013. (edit) some how a piece was erased.

You in NJ never wanted to give anything up and still fight even though NY did the right thing and because of that you enjoy great fluke fishing.

3 Years ago I warned you guys in NJ that you are going to face the same fate NY did and you were all gun-ho and stated it wouldn't happen we have a voice well just last year you people gave up 3 fish to gain a half an inch.

NY is now stabilizing and yes we did lose a few boats, but that isn't stopping the new boats that have acquired a slip in Sheepshead Bay as now the Bay is full of fishing boats! It will be back stronger than ever.

Now back to NJ, you are going to start losing boats faster and faster as the steam roller comes barreling through.

I say join forces with NY because you are looking at 4 fish at 18" soon you will be at the same as NY 4 fish at 19".

The bottom line is they want you o fight and they want you to lose boats so that they knock the number of boats down, because thats what they are doing.