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#11
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Re: Sandy Hook
Historically, sept storm systems usually prompt fluke marching orders to start migrating offshore. Where they will inevitably end up in the nets of comm trawlers from all over the mid Atlantic.
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"There's no losing in fishing. You either catch or you learn." |
#12
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Re: Sandy Hook
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I'm just curious to know if 2024 does go down as one of the worst fluke seasons on record, how is that determined? Is it a poundage landed thing? Or some other formula?
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OX66 ADDICT KUKUBABY FISHING TEAM EST. 1995 |
#13
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Re: Sandy Hook
Jeremy, exactly. Fish have been staging in deeper water and feeding for a few weeks. A low pressure system triggers when they head east and that's what we have the next 2-3 days. The migration traditionally isn't gradual, when it's go time it's a massive migration which is why the stock is so vulnerable to commercial netting over the next few months. These highly concentrated schools will be met by a gauntlet of commercial netters including the larger NC and VA boats and will be annihilated with a tremendous number of shorts we've been releasing all season killed. When I got involved in researching this stock, I became friends with a handful of federal on board observers and believe me when I say people have no idea the amount of waste that's involved in the commercial fishery. 42% reduction in the commercial quota this year spells major trouble for this fishery and the powers to be responsible for managing it leave all other regulations status quo. That doesn't suggest, it dictates, that the future of this stock will be impacted by the same challenges that have caused its current declines which is an incredible commentary on just how poorly this stock is being managed.
Last edited by Broad Bill; 09-06-2024 at 10:40 AM.. |
#14
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Re: Sandy Hook
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When we had a biomass significantly greater than today of proportionately younger age class fish (substantially lower concentration of risk), the regulations didn't mandate or incent the targeting of the spawning stock, we didn't have the build up in the offshore winter fishery we have today which is substantially greater, this fishery thrived year in year out. That's all changed and the regulations need to change to adopt to today's environment. If anyone believes 2024 doesn't represent the worst fluke season in decades I'd be curious to hear your opinion and what you believe the future of this fishery will be in the absence of substantial changes in how it's currently being managed. Last edited by Broad Bill; 09-06-2024 at 10:48 AM.. |
#15
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Re: Sandy Hook
Anecdotally, the resources I've spoken with who spend substantial numbers of hours shore fishing fluke in the back bays, rivers and ocean beach fronts have all echoed comparable sentiments regarding the fluke fishing. Short city. Total lack of keepers. While I've spent less time fluking this year, I've only gotten 2 keepers and prob 200 shorts.
__________________
"There's no losing in fishing. You either catch or you learn." |
#16
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Re: Sandy Hook
OK, I just didn't know if this was hard numbers thing or a perception of what people have seen.
Personally, it wasn't a great year but it was by far not the worst by a long shot. Another thing is, how many people are fishing now compared to years ago? AHMH is down to what? 3 boats? And they sail light from pics I've seen. Another reason catch numbers may be down. Going by posted reports is meaningless IMO. I haven't posted a fluke report in a long time and also talk with many guys who no longer post and fish 3-4 days per week. I'm not saying the fishery is in good health, just that its changed tremendously.
__________________
OX66 ADDICT KUKUBABY FISHING TEAM EST. 1995 |
#17
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Re: Sandy Hook
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#18
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Re: Sandy Hook
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From me perception and perspective coupled with on water results. As I said, 42% quota cuts are indicative of a failing fishery. Are less people fishing because the fishery is in the tank or for other reasons. Personally spending a couple hundred dollars to maybe catch a keeper fluke isn't very motivating. That's not exactly why I fish but for many it is. The economics have become brutal with inflation and regulatory restrictions. Posted reports are just a piece of the picture but telling in my opinion. In 2018 we all said "Definition of insanity is doing the same thing all over again and expecting different results" and 6 or 7 years later management is doing just that. Remember the boat "New Age" from Massachusetts which was just fined for harvesting 200,000 lbs. of illegal fluke. At 3 lbs. per fish, that's almost 67,000 fish illegally harvested by one commercial operator. I'd bet New Jersey recreational anglers including party and charter boat operators combined in 2024 didn't come close to harvesting that many fish. I've said my piece so we'll see where the cards fall. Last edited by Broad Bill; 09-07-2024 at 12:05 AM.. |
#19
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Re: Sandy Hook
It's a shame but fluke seem to be on the same course as weakfish, winter flounder and bluefish.
Besides the regs what other factors are involved? 20+ years ago catching a smooth dog in the Raritan or SH Bay was rare, at least for me. Searobins and Skates paved the bottom along with fluke. I don't think i caught 5-6 searobins both bay or oceanside all season. But doggies? Forget about it!!!! Like fleas! Enviromental changes playing a big part too.
__________________
OX66 ADDICT KUKUBABY FISHING TEAM EST. 1995 |
#20
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Re: Sandy Hook
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I think fluke are on a much more accelerated course because of the nature of the fishery commercially. It's one of the few year round fisheries for commercial operators within access to all coastal ports. Winter flounder as we knew it were essentially wiped out in a few short years when the fluke stock crashed in the late 80's. With today's demand and technology, it's going to happen quickly with fluke and as I've been saying we're already experiencing that decline. Dogfish are like cormorants, they'll eat anything they can get their mouths on in massive quantities. Environment impacts everything but I don't believe it's impacting this stock nearly as much as the regulations and relentless pounding year round the stock is being subjected to. No stock can survive that and fluke won't either. It's a mathematical impossibility. Remove one fish from the food chain and the entire food chain becomes unbalanced. Look at pics of commercial netting and see how many skates and sea robins are killed as bycatch. Bluefish and weakfish were overharvested, with weakfish the big tide runner breeders we're destroyed combined with the fall gill netters and that ended that fishery. Waste both recreationally and commercially which the regulations turned a blind eye to killed each of the fisheries you mentioned. Same is happening with fluke. Cut an annual quota by almost 50% but leave the regulations essentially the same, does it really get any more insane than that? Management is trying to protect catch values of commercial interests, grow the economic benefits and revenues generated from both the commercial and recreational sector while completely ignoring what matters most which is the stability and health of the stock. I have nothing against commercial operators carving a living from the oceans resources, as a matter of fact I'm all for it. But it can't come at the expense of those resources and the public's right to harvest those same resources any more than recreational access can come at the commercial sectors expense. Fair and equitable distribution, Magnuson Stevens Act states it very clearly, it's just ignored. I pray I'm wrong, I don't believe I am. I've been researching this stock for seven years now and it's in trouble with nothing on the horizon to address the root cause of the problems causing it's decline. |
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