Jcaa alert - pots off the reefs and fluke

[Angler Paul]

JCAA ALERT - POTS OFF THE REEFS AND FLUKE The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) is meeting next week to discuss two issues that are of great interest to recreational saltwater anglers. There will be a session on Monday, December 12th at 3:30 - 5:00 PM to take final action on New Jersey's request for Special Management Zone status for the 13 artificial reefs located in Federal waters. The purpose of the request is to remove fixed commercial fishing gear from the reefs. Conflicts caused by the presence of fixed gear has caused a suspension of funding to the NJ Artificial Reef Program.
The other issue is the proposed reduction in the summer flounder quota for 2017. This session will be held at 1:00 - 3:00 PM on Wednesday, December 14th. A two fish limit at 19" with a significantly shorter season is on the table. This is a draconian measure that will have a very serious negative effect on the fishing community. JCAA requests that NO reduction in quota be made until an updated stock assessment and fishery management plan has been completed.
We urge all concerned anglers to try to attend these meetings. The location is:
Royal Senesta Harbor Baltimore
550 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-234-0550
Full details can be found at:
http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/december-2016

[SaltLife1980]

Wow 2 fish at 19in! Shit is getting outta control!! We are all going to have to take up Golf soon bc you wont be allowed to fish.

[Jpell15]

What will the boats do if its two fish at 19? Switch to bottom fishing and wipe out all the ling and winter flounder?

[chrislars]

Have to wonder how much abandoned or cut off gear is on the reefs! I know we brought up a few this year along on the party boats' anchors that had been down there for a long time.

It would be a monumental task, but recovery of those old pots to clean off the reefs should be the next task after tethered ones are removed. Anyone else seen the videos of the piles and piles of rope and fishing line that comes off the reefs when divers get down to them? It's crazy!

[frugalfisherman]

How about catch and kill? If they implement ANY stupid fluke regulations then we recreational fishermen kill all shorts before throwing them back. I think that might get their attention. We can be as stupid as they are. As for "pots off the reefs" keep dreaming.

Two fluke will put the party boat fleet out of business and put a major dent in the recreational fleet. I don't see this having a good ending especially with commercial guys flooding the markets with smaller fish the retailers sell at 16.99 a pound. For that matter look at the prices Spike's in Pt Pleasant charges for uncooked fish, it's absolutely insane. BUT recreational guys who support the boating industry and local economies made up primarily of small businesses continue to get screwed. Where is the boating industry lobby in all this because these regulations continue in the direction they are the boating industry is out of business as well. As I've said before, when there's a fair allocation of a public resource between commercial and recreational interests, I'll abide. If the resource was shut down for EVERYONE for three years to rebuild like flounder (even though we know what good that did!) I'll abide. But to spend the kind of money we spend to have a sport we enjoy yanked out from under us so a special interest group or government can benefit they can all collectively kiss my ass!

[Detour66]

Why is it that the Recreational fisherman and Party/Charter boat Captains are always the ones on the front lines fighting these terrible regulations? What about the big companies that sell bait,lures,reels, boats electronics etc etc fighting this with lobbying to preserve this industry and their businesses. They have the BIG bucks and have millions to lose. Either there heads are in the sand or they are moving on to something else cause this sport is going to disappear fast if it continues the way things are going.

[Ry609]

2 fish @ 19" is ludicrous and would force a lot of people to spend their money at the fish market than on a party boat

[dales529]

Interesting read: https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...r+Measures.pdf

MAMFC meeting on Summer Flounder starts at 1:30. I believe if you go on the MAMFC website under council meetings you can listen on Webinar as a quest.

[Matt_Conway71]

Wow