Fluke Regs this year

Originally Posted by Detour66

@Dakota560... What I posted was 1 option not 3 separate options. This way people can bring home some fish. It's just my opinion. I can see you are much more educated on the subject than I am. I am just putting in my own 2 cents. I think smaller slot fish would help the industry without wiping out the fish. That is something I do not want to see.

Detour I thought it was two options but understand your point. NMFS has ONLY attempted to manage this fishery by focusing on catch through size increases, possession limit reductions, shortened seasons or reduced overall quotas. It was working to some degree until they broached the high 16" / 17" size limit, then everything went to hell. Prior to that as their data shows, the balance between reduced catch from the early to mid 80's coupled with relatively strong reproduction numbers the biomass responded very favorably through 2002. When they continued increasing size limits beyond that point with the intent again of reducing catch, they created the unintended consequence of changing the gender composition of the biomass destroying egg reproduction in the process. Add to that what's happening with commercials and that's why the fishery is suffering.