PROWLER5 - TUES., JULY 30TH - FLUKE REPORT

[Prowler 5]

Hey gang, we had that real hard southerly wind today and had to go to Plan B again. We didn't have a lot of customers, we had 10 fares. We had 8 keeper fluke with decent short action again and a few knuckleheads. The keepers that we boated were big. TT Mac of Hamilton, NJ had 2 keeper fluke plus a sea bass and took the pool with a beautiful 7.1lb fluke. Nice to see her out-fish the guys today. Ocean Pete landed a couple big ones and Lenny from Staten Island had 2 nice keepers and lost a real big one at the top of the water. At least we got to see it. We will have the same wind tomorrow, but we will be lighting up to go fishing. So come on down and lets fish. The fare is $90 and we have everything else on the boat that you would need. We sail 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thanks, Capt. Scott

[Broad Bill]

Winds aside, 8 keeper fluke for 10 fares. Wow! That's not a knock on you Capt. Scott, you put the effort in. Years ago, and not as long as some might think, you could fish a jetty or a number of places from shore and catch a dozen keeper fluke in a day with some quality size fish. This fishery is so upside down, someone, and at this stage I don't know who that person or institution is because they're all complicit, has to change the regulations if this stock is to survive. In 2018, we all said enough is enough and the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Well that's precisely what's being done.

Someone help me understand the logic behind this. For 2024, the recreational harvest limit is 6.35 million pounds. For 2021, the recreational harvest limit was 8.32 million pounds. The recreational regulations for both 2021 and 2024 are identical at three fish and an 18" size minimum with 2024 having a longer season.

How exactly can the management of this stock have a 31% decrease in the annual quota yet have the same regulations both possession and size minimum in place with a longer season to boot. Another example of just how badly this stock is being managed by using the same management methodology and regulations over and over again and expecting different results is not only the definition of stupidity but a recipe for failure. It makes zero sense how the fishery is being managed and all the people depending on it are ultimately paying the price of management's utter incompetence.

[Solemate]

Just asking a simple question. How many fish were caught on this boat today that were legal last year?

[Prowler 5]

Exactly. Losing the 17 inch fish after having it for the last 2 years really hurts. As of tomorrow, Aug. 1st, NY goes from 19 to 19-1/2 just like that in the middle of the season. But, there are a lot of guys that will keep on fighting so maybe a change in the near future will help the industry.

[Broad Bill]

I've been advocating for a slot for years, the 1" slot between 17" and 18" completely missed the mark of why you use a slot for the benefit of the fishery. Slot the last two years should have been somewhere in the range of 15"-17" or 15.5"-17.5" initially. That would have taken pressure off the big breeders and started the process of once again harvesting younger age class fish which are being killed anyway by commercial operations or succumbing to 25% natural mortality rates. Then you assess the stock and decide where to go from there. But this onslaught of the primary spawning stock needs to stop along with the consequential damage it causes and they need to close the season to commercial dragging during the spawn. The stock would rebound to new highs within 3-5 years.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by Prowler 5

As of tomorrow, Aug. 1st, NY goes from 19 to 19-1/2 just like that in the middle of the season.

I wonder which sector pushed for the half inch increase in exchange for a longer season? A: NY Party Boats.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Lots of people complained about the slots the past few years, I think they would have helped us this year... Lots of 17 -18 inch fish going back.

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Lots of people complained about the slots the past few years, I think they would have helped us this year... Lots of 17 -18 inch fish going back.

Pat had brought it up at the final meeting . Since we had 2 years of keeping those smaller fish that age class of fish that would be 18-18 1/2” was pretty wiped out .
Most of the keepers have been 19-21”

I personally have no issue throwing back fish under 18” to have the limit we currently have .
Next years season should be back to where we were 2 years ago before the slot .

Until out of state commercial boats quota gets lowered we aren’t going to see much improvement .
As they hammer our stocks first before pushing towards states north of us .


Look at the reports from mid Long Island to Massachusetts. They are having the best fluke seasons they ever had .
Party boats limiting out and throwing LOTS of keepers back above 19 “


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[dales529]

Honestly this is where picking the longest season comes into play. My Guess is Aug and September (yeah blah, blah on hurricanes) Fluke going to quiet the crowd as we will be busy catching.

Not saying regs dont suck. the slot would have been huge this year and they (fisheries management) are missing the larger picture but years are cycles and this year will be a late bite. Only wish we started in July and went to November!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

Pat had brought it up at the final meeting . Since we had 2 years of keeping those smaller fish that age class of fish that would be 18-18 1/2” was pretty wiped out .
Most of the keepers have been 19-21”

I personally have no issue throwing back fish under 18” to have the limit we currently have .
Next years season should be back to where we were 2 years ago before the slot .

Until out of state commercial boats quota gets lowered we aren’t going to see much improvement .
As they hammer our stocks first before pushing towards states north of us .


Look at the reports from mid Long Island to Massachusetts. They are having the best fluke seasons they ever had .
Party boats limiting out and throwing LOTS of keepers back above 19 “


.

.

I know exactly where you're coming from Dan and I see your and others point of view.... The larger fish are what you target however, us Ham and Eggers would have a lot more for the table so far this this season with the slot.