Menhaden/Bunker Quota in 2013

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

We saw a lot of boats in Sandy Hook bay as well. Not the big reduction boats but the seining bait boats.

Just like in Raritan Bay there were loads of Bunker all through the summer but nothing harassing them.

The reduction boats have to be beyond the three mile limit.We have some out of state ''purse sieners'' working Raritan Bay.Most are out of Manasquan.There was alot of bunker in the bay last year but when the water was too warm for bass.When will our Governor ban purse sieners from Raritan Bay?NY did it along time ago and it is the same bay.As far alot of bunker in the bay?That is the way it is supposed to be and had been since i was a kid.The south side of the bay is as good as the NY side for stripers until the bunker are wiped out by the purse sieners.This spring is going to be a good one for bass in the bay as well as oceanside!

[TT2]

Paul

PM sent

Ken

Originally Posted by paulyfish

@ Wonderful-
Hi. I am thinking the "out of state seiners" that are "grandfathered" into the system will most likely be fishing jersey waters until the bunker population increases in there own home waters.
The ultimate goal in implementing the annual catch limit is to have adult bunker from Maine to Florida thick as thieves.. and for it to be a self sustaining population. I see no reason whatsover for a trucker to have to haul bunker 400 miles north.

Here in Jersey we are definetely sitting right on the mother load of the population. Really sucks to have so many bunker with no predators under them so often though.
Now that there is a state based quota in place, I am wondering how long the true jersey based seiners are going to put up with out of state guys landing bunkers here in NJ, especially when the quota is close to being met.
Majority of these boats we see seining are feeding the New England Lobster bait market. The lobster guys all took a serious beatdown last year when lobster prices went into the dumps. This will be a big factor this year.

Anybody out there ever see any "out of state" boat inside Raritan or Sandy Hook bay? I only see the Belford based bunker boats fishing inside.
Paul

[SaltLife1980]

Friend of mine was out there this morning.. Bunker are invading as we speak! Said he saw a good amount of em!