Fishermen's Surveys

[Billfish715]

Was anyone recently surveyed about his saltwater fishing activities? The reason I'm curious is because part of the NMFS's formula for determining the status of fish stocks and quotas and limit sizes comes from survey information from fishermen. I have a problem with the "science" that is being used because it fails to take into account many variables. One of those variables is how few surveys were actually taken. From the minimal amount of information that was collected, the scientists "estimated" (their words) final figures that will affect us all. The only real data they have about fish landings is from the commercial catch which has to be logged in every week.

The NMFS does admit that the fluke fishery has increased sixfold. It does not say when they feel the fishery will be restored to their satisfaction. They say that the migration of fluke has been more northward into our region and that is why we are catching more fluke than the states to our south. But from whom are they getting their information? Have the party boat captains been submitting their logs? Has their been a substantial number of fishermen who have submitted survey information?

Most of the fluke stock is made up of 14 to 17 inch fish which we throw back. Those fish and other larger ones are then harvested by the draggers leaving a few of the larger fish for us to keep. This pressure on the majority of the fluke stock (the 14-17inch fish) will never allow enough of them to reach the 18" size limit for us take home. The fluke population will remain steady at those same 14 - 17 inch fish and we won't be able to keep any of them. If more fluke are thrown overboard (like in the video) because the commercial limits were met, we will lose even more. I don't expect the limits to become more liberal anytime soon. Since when have the size limits decreased? We need a slot limit or we will all be buying our fresh fluke from a fish market.