Fluke Season is Open

[Billfish715]

There is no doubt that there are many large fish which are discarded by the commercials draggers once their quota is filled. There is video of large fluke being thrown back, dead, by a commercial dragger once his quota was filled. Small fish become large fish eventually, except for the males. Whether a commercial fisherman or a recreational fisherman harvests those fish should not make a difference. In my opinion, charter boats are in the commercial business too. This has been argued before. Charter captains should be able to get their fair share of the pot for their customers as well. How do you explain to fishermen who only want to have fun and take home some fish, that they have to throw practically everything back even though they paid more money to fish than they would spend in a supermarket for a fish dinner? When and "if" there is a decline in the fluke population, then, perhaps, regulations like we have now, should be imposed. Right now, leave it alone. If we drop the size limits it would mean we would be catching more of the male fish which would seem to be to your point about taking the pressure off the reproductive larger females. Fishing for smaller males along the beaches takes pressure off the larger females in the deeper, sticky places. If you are looking for bigger fish then go there. If not, leave them alone and fish for the table, inshore where we have always fished for them.

Also raising the commercials size limits could be a double edge sword.

Based on the science (which oh by the way is being party funded by the SSFFF) practically every Fluke over 18 inches is a female. I don't think we want their quota filled with female breeder fish. I'd much rather see them keep smaller fish.

Lastly, if you increase their size limit what happens to the smaller by catch fish? It makes no sense for them to be discarded, shouldn't they be kept and couunt towards their quota?

I'm certainly no expert here and would be interested to hear others opinions.[/QUOTE]