Snapper Slaughter

[porgylber]

Originally Posted by Hookmanski

x2, they're super fun to catch but you couldn't pay me to eat one!

Properly handled after catching (bled, iced, filleted, blood line removed), blues especially smaller ones are delicious. Without these steps, they get nasty.

[RescueDogger]

They're yummy with a good dose of lemon juice.

[Billfish715]

I don't want this to start another long gripe session about fluke fishing regulations so here is the bottom line. The advisors/scientists/mathematicians who gather and collate the data about saltwater fisheries programs and those who use that data to advise the voting members of the various regulatory agencies have to get on the same page.

The fluke recovery plan is in no way similar to the plan to help bluefish stocks recover; yet, the purpose of both plans is to increase the population of both species. The council members who vote for the regulations are completely inconsistent in their use of the data. They apparently think that the same three fish possession limit and no size restrictions will work to help the bluefish but not the fluke. If we limit the number of fluke we keep to three, we should be able to keep whatever size fluke we want just like we do for bluefish.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

The advisors/scientists/mathematicians who gather and collate the data about saltwater fisheries programs and those who use that data to advise the voting members of the various regulatory agencies have to get on the same page.

And this inconsistency should lead you to the opposite conclusion: not that fluke size limits be abolished, but size limits be imposed on bluefish. However, the 3 fish limit for private anglers was already a compromise for not imposing size limits.

From Charles Witek's blog:

...would require reducing the bag limit from 15 bluefish to 3.

Of course, there are other ways to achieve the needed reduction. At last Tuesday’s meeting of New York’s Marine Resources Advisory Council, a senior member of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Marine Division mentioned that the bag limit could probably be increased to 5, if it was accompanied by a 19-inch minimum size.

The Monitoring Committee didn’t consider a size limit, noting that

“Size limit alternatives have been proposed but are not recommended due to angler preference to often harvest smaller fish since larger bluefish are deemed less desirable [as table fare],”

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by Hookmanski

x2, they're super fun to catch but you couldn't pay me to eat one!

You need to be culinarily trained! They actually taste great if poached and if i made ‘fish cakes’ out of them, i could trick you into believing they are crab cakes!

[Charlie B]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

You need to be culinarily trained! They actually taste great if poached and if i made ‘fish cakes’ out of them, i could trick you into believing they are crab cakes!

Agreed. And that is not the only way to make them taste good. The thing is proper preparation is key...Charlie

[dales529]

Originally Posted by reason162

And this inconsistency should lead you to the opposite conclusion: not that fluke size limits be abolished, but size limits be imposed on bluefish. However, the 3 fish limit for private anglers was already a compromise for not imposing size limits.

From Charles Witek's blog:

...would require reducing the bag limit from 15 bluefish to 3.

Of course, there are other ways to achieve the needed reduction. At last Tuesday’s meeting of New York’s Marine Resources Advisory Council, a senior member of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Marine Division mentioned that the bag limit could probably be increased to 5, if it was accompanied by a 19-inch minimum size.

The Monitoring Committee didn’t consider a size limit, noting that

“Size limit alternatives have been proposed but are not recommended due to angler preference to often harvest smaller fish since larger bluefish are deemed less desirable [as table fare],”

Wow does this sound familiar! You are correct Size limits will be in the future but unfortunately with zero science behind it.

[dales529]

Originally Posted by Charlie B

Agreed. And that is not the only way to make them taste good. The thing is proper preparation is key...Charlie

Billys Red room used to serve "fish of the day" sandwich or dinner, most thought it was flounder but it was Bluefish. he went a long way in prep from boat to plate and it sold!

[dales529]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

Maybe the question I want answered is: " If rebuilding the bluefish stocks to former levels is going to be based on the scientific theory that no size limits are necessary and that only using bag limits will do the trick: why can't the same theory be used for striped bass and fluke? If keeping three 12" snappers doesn't hurt the chances of a bluefish comeback, then, keeping a couple of 16" fluke shouldn't affect their recovery either. If only bag limits are used to restore the bluefish numbers, why wouldn't it work for striped bass too?

Something is really wrong with the science and how the science is used to regulate recreational fishing.We are encouraged to harvest the large female fluke so they can't spawn and expect the stocks to recover. We don't harvest the large female striped bass so they can spawn. We can keep any size bluefish and yet, they will still be back to the acceptable levels they once were.

Welcome to the party albeit late. many have been doing this for YEARS.
Go to the MAMFC , ASMFC and NOAA websites. On there you will find the proposals to read and the council members tab. In the Council members tab their emails exist by moving your mouse over the name. Email them , some will answer your question but applying logic LOL

[Hookmanski]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

You need to be culinarily trained! They actually taste great if poached and if i made ‘fish cakes’ out of them, i could trick you into believing they are crab cakes!

funny you mention that, a guy i was fishing near on Sunday was telling me how the only fish his daughter will eat is bluefish made into fish cakes... might have to give it a try sometime!