Asbury Park Press today: Shore anglers losing federal fisheries fight?

[Fishfish]

Shore anglers losing federal fisheries fight?
New summer flounder quotas cut New Jersey's share and give much of it to New York




• A new system for setting summer flounder fishing limits was adopted in a contentious 7-4 vote Feb. 4 by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an interstate panel that determines annual quota limits for fish conservation.
• New York sought the change because it has long argued that its fishermen have been shortchanged under the old state-by-state quota system, which New Yorkers contend used inaccurate historic catch data to drastically undercut their share.
• The new “regional” system will cost New Jersey fishermen about 20 percent less flounder quota in 2014, likely meaning a much shorter fishing season.

Shore anglers losing federal fisheries fight?
New Jersey’s congressional delegation demanded to know Tuesday why federal fisheries and wildlife officials voted in favor of a new summer flounder management plan that will cut New Jersey fishermen’s share of the annual catch by about 20 percent — and give much of it to New York.

Shore-area Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., and Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., penned a letter signed by the rest of the delegation that went to Kathryn Sullivan, acting administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Both agencies have representatives on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which last month voted to switch to a “regional” approach to setting summer flounder catch limits, replacing an old system of state-by-state allocations. The letter demands to know the rationale for federal votes in favor on the 7-4 final tally.

One short answer could be Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. The influential Democratic lawmaker threw his weight behind New York state’s effort to change the summer flounder management system, introducing legislation that would have forced the change on the NOAA.

The letter calls for more analysis of the impact before going forward.

“While we appreciate the ASMFC’s efforts to address fluke management, this measure replaces the current summer flounder management plan with a misguided approach that has the effect of suddenly reallocating some of New Jersey’s fluke quota to New York,” the legislators wrote. “The ASMFC allegedly wanted to have similar size regulations between bordering states but all they did was shift the problem at the expense of New Jersey anglers, who are projected to lose approximately 20 percent of their fluke catch in 2014.

“As such, we are troubled that NFWS and NOAA would support the adoption of these new measures. We request that both of your agencies provide our offices with the rationale for your support, and explain what consideration your agency gave to the adverse impacts these measures would have on New Jersey’s anglers. In addition, we believe that the NFWS and the NOAA should take the lead and commit to a careful evaluation of the economic and management impacts of these new measures,” the letter states.

Kirk Moore: 609-709-5036; kmoore@app.com