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.

[IrishHokie]

Seems the most important thing is to write/contact the govenor and press him to appoint the vacant members. It would be even better if we could suggest two names. As you point out, we are losing two votes due to current vacancy.

[Billfish715]

Will someone be kind enough to post the names and emails or addresses of those people we should contact. Start with the state legislators and governor. If at all possible, list the contact information for the members of the Mid Atlantic Council who might lend an ear. Thanks.

One thing that should be suggested by everyone is for the closure of the spawning grounds during the fluke spawning season or for restrictions on fishing in designated areas offshore where fluke spawn. I think everyone is on board with this proposal.

[hammer4reel]

Jim Hutchison has been very vocal to the Governors office trying to fill these seats .
Not many of his weekly reports doesn’t have something said in them about it also.

.I believe more than a few have applied to be added and it just hasn’t been done .

.

[reely]

Agree or disagree with this? female summer flounder dominate the recreational catch, although it was also demonstrated that this does not hold below the legal size limit where fish smaller than the legal limit were predominately male. On average, across all ports, dates and depths, the sex ratio approximates 50:50 at 15.35 inches in length, with males dominant in the size classes less than that mark and females dominant above the 15.35-inch (39 cm) mark. If this is true should are slot size be smaller like the 14 inch commercial size limit ?

[Skolmann]

Gov. Bucktooth Barney (Murphy) has been well aware of the 2 vacancies for months (if not longer). He and his administration have either been dragging their collective paws or are blatantly ignoring filling the seats.

As previously posted, Jim Hutchinson Jr. has been raging about this for months. He has sent numerous emails & letters to Murphy and his administration with regards to this and has heard crickets in return.

[june181901]

Skolman: What does anyone's physical appearance have to do with fluke discussions? No need for it to make your point!

[Skolmann]

June181901: Would you prefer that I refer to him as Gov. Ferret Face ?

[Billfish715]

As long as the governor drags his feet on the appointments to fill the fisheries' council openings, you can expect negative comments about him and his performance from the fishing public. Even if you are a Democrat, you have to be honest and break from political biases and honestly evaluate Gov. Murphy's attention to the NJ fishing community. If he gets blasted for his physical features, and receives negative blowback, it still doesn't detract from his performance. Comments about appearances may not be "nice", but trying to curb a person's thoughts is impossible. So, it was said. big deal! Said or thought, it's the same thing. Personally, I think he looks a little like Dracula. I would think that about him anyhow, not because I might have a dislike for him or his policies.

Someone needs to invite him to go fishing on a party boat. He'd be a captive audience and could hear from fishermen, first hand, about his lack of interest in something we all love. It' ain't gonna happen, but we can hope and dream. Remember, though, this is his swan song. It's his last term. My guess is that he could care less about the fishing since he's too concerned about how to raise and spend more of our tax dollars.

The longer he ignores filling the positions, them more he's going to be criticized.

[june181901]

Skolmann: My only point is that there is absolutely no reason to mention anyone's physical appearance especially in discussing fish. Had thought that was all left behind by the 6th or 7th grade.