New Regulations for 2024

[Dclark2]

Has anyone heard of when the new size, limits and dates will be determined ?

People maybe want to schedule vacations ETC.......

[1captainron]

Dano.....
CVS is having a sale on Vaseline, better stock up!

[Dclark2]

I JUST MIGHT DO THAT .......................

[pectoralfin]

Proposed changes are: fluke- 28% reduction, scup- 10% reduction, and Black Sea bass- no change.

[Gerry Zagorski]

If history repeats itself which I think is very likely, the state will finalize our Fluke and Seabass regs last minute in the April monthly meeting which usually occurs the first or 2nd Thursday of the month so either the 4th or the 11th. The reason for this is that the feds and the regional councils have to complete their work before the states can do anything to come up with their options for public comment.

Stripers regs will likely be decided before that since we already have emergency measures in place and there's been a ton of focus on them early in the cycle. That and I don't think the states are going to have a choice in the matter and the regs will likely be decided at the federal level unless the majority of the states take issues with them. Like last year, NJ will be the only state to try and push back but we'll get out voted.

Update.... If everything goes as planed, it looks like the final Fluke regs will be decided on the 3/7/2024 NJ Marine Fisheries Council Meeting. Not sure what the options are yet but will keep everyone informed. Looks like Seabass will remain the same as last year.

[PortlyRedhead]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

If history repeats itself which I think is very likely, the state will finalize our Fluke and Seabass regs last minute in the April monthly meeting which usually occurs the first or 2nd Thursday of the month so either the 4th or the 11th.

Thanks Gerry for this information!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by pectoralfin

Proposed changes are: fluke- 28% reduction, scup- 10% reduction, and Black Sea bass- no change.

Going to be really interesting to see how these Fluke reductions are going to play out in our regulations. Fluke are probably the most sought after fish in our waters and tourism and I would think have the most economic impact on all the various businesses that rely on this recreational fishery in our state. We might have a very important fight on our hands here just like we did back in 2017 so stay tuned as this unfolds.

Seabass status quo defies all logic and has for the last 4 or 5 years. It's a crime that we can't get some liberalization since this fishery has been rebuilt as a result of the tighter regulations we all suffered through. Seems to me if you suffer at some point with regulations to restore the fishery you should be rewarded when things get better. Apparently not so with Seabass...

As far as Scup, not too concerned on that end since it's not like we have people and businesses that focus and rely on them.


Thoughts, opinions??

[dales529]

Originally Posted by pectoralfin

Proposed changes are: fluke- 28% reduction, scup- 10% reduction, and Black Sea bass- no change.

Do you have a link to these proposals? Is this from MAMFC or ASMFC?
Just asking as I haven't located this information.
Thanks

[cletus109]

we can only hope the changes aren't a turn your head and cough event

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by dales529

Do you have a link to these proposals? Is this from MAMFC or ASMFC?
Just asking as I haven't located this information.
Thanks

Hearing rumors of {2} fish over 18 1/2” with a short season
.

Thanks to all the idiots asking for the long season and ridiculous small slot , that we got slammed with the last 2 years .

Hutch wrote this a few months ago.
From Fisherman

. In early August the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) met jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board to set specifications and commercial measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Members of the MAFMC also convened together with the ASMFC’s Bluefish Management Board to set specifications and recreational measures for bluefish.



In terms of summer flounder, the 2023 management track assessment indicated that the fluke stock was not overfished but overfishing was occurring in 2022 which is expected to result in a reduction of the recreational harvest limit (RHL) by nearly 40% – from 10.62 million pounds to 6.35 million pounds – for the 2024 season.

The 2023 management track assessment found that scup was not overfished and overfishing was not occurring in 2022, which according to the table means that recreational fishermen should see an increase in the RHL for porgies in 2024, from 9.27 million pounds to 13.18 million pounds in 2024.

The 2023 management track assessment found that bluefish was not overfished and overfishing was not occurring in 2022. However according to MAFMC the stock was not fully rebuilt to the biomass target. As for black sea bass, any potential updates to recreational bag, size, and season limits for 2024 will be discussed during the December 2023 meeting of ASMFC and MAFMC.