Sea Bass Update 3/5/13

[Angler Paul]

I thought I would start this new thread because the sea bass situation is being discussed in other threads and is mixed in with the fluke so it becomes confusing. Here is the latest I have but we might get an update from the NJBMF at the council meeting on Thursday.

The sea bass regs are still up in the air. The options will probably not be ready for this Thursday's meeting as originally anticipated. This is due in part to the recent 1/2 million lb. increase that was approved by the ASMFC for the recreational sector less than two weeks ago. We were looking at a 42-53% reduction but now it will be a 32% reduction. That will cause us to have a greatly reduced season unless the size limit is raised to 13". My best gues is that there will be a mid season closure either way. It will be much shorter if we raise the size limit though. Most of the advisors and council members seem to support the mid-season closure so that it can re-open and we will be able to fish for sea bass after fluke season closes

[SaltLife1980]

Why is there going to be a 32% reduction..? Does not make sense.. We already took a cut on limit and the season.. So how come they are making more cuts when we bearly have a season to begin with.. Something is not right there.. Maybe its time to find a new way to collect the data because the way they use now does not work...

[RnK]

Why don't they just open it 2-3 weeks later, and give us that time at the back end? protect the spawn. last year when they opened it May 25 (I think I recall the date), and for 3 more weeks, the females had not spawned. The fish we were catching from No. Jersey to Cape May were full of roe, bulging. And there consistently were limits up and down the NJ coast with a majority unspawned females.

Where are the marine biologists who supposed to know these things? This is basic stuff. No wonder the regulators get no respect.

[Jay]

Couldn't agree with you guys more! These guys that make these decisions probably never held a rod and reel in their life! I appreciate the information as usual.

[Angler Paul]

I fully agree with you guys. In my opinion the sea bass population has been exploding and because of that their range is increasing. This caused an excessive overage of the total allowable catch along the mid-atlantic coast which has resulted in New Jersey and the states north of us having to take a signifcant reduction. In reality the problem is not that there are not enough sea bass out there but rather that the total allowable catch that is set by the MAMFC is far too low.

[Angler Paul]

To answer RNK's question I too would much rather see a later start so that I would not have to throw back all the big sea bass I catch while fluking in the summer. However, the party and charter boat industry usually lobbies for an early start as the fluke are not biting to well in May and June.

[CaptTB]

One reason some people (it is not just the partyboats mind you) don't want a later start could be:

A later start gives you less savings. You need to close far more days in the early part of the year to achieve the same reduction as closing fewer days later. The majority of landings do not come in May and June, therefore when you give up May and/or June days you get less value for them then days from summer and fall when more Sea Bass are caught, primarily due to more people fishing overall.

It is like bag limit in some fisheries. When you drop from 20 fish to 10, people think "Hey, we took a 50% reduction!"

However, since the vast majority of anglers rarely catch 10 (making this up for an example, not saying these numbers apply to sea bass) when you drop from 20 to 10 you really gave up almost nothing. You gave up fish that are almost never caught, therefore it does next to nothing in reducing your landings the following year.

Same goes with season. Giving up days from a time of year where a small percentage of the fish are caught does not yield as much reduction as giving up days from a time when most of the fish are caught.

610 fish caught in May and June = an average of 10 fish per day.

6100 fish caught in September and October = an average of 100 fish a day.

A day in May does not have the same reduction value that a day in September does.

This is but one reason people have fought in the past to not lose a month to save a week or two.

[tautog]

Plus mid May to mid June is some of the best inshore fishing of the year. Usually plenty of keepers, many of which are 15"-17". No blackfish or porgies can be kept. Keeps some pressure off the ling.

[GDubya07]

What I have learned about reductions and the government - Why do they do it ? because they can adn somebody got paid , it doesnt have to make sense they make the rules as they go along - It Sucks

Using science and intelligence - NOT

Salt I agree a 32% reduction when the population is clearly rebuilt - I dont think so

Somebody is getting paid somewhere for this / lobbyist

G-

[Blackfish Doug]

Most of the advisors and council members seem to support the mid-season closure so that it can re-open and we will be able to fish for sea bass after fluke season closes[/QUOTE]

Remember last year we closed mid-season & it never got reopened because Mass. filled the quota . If it filled last years quota what makes you think it wont fill this years quota again being ther's less fish allowable These states were open while we were closed just watching them fill the quota we had no fall season . As long as NJ is counted in with the northern region we will never see a fall season again.