2017 Fluke quota reductions....

[Abrasion]

http://www.onthewater.com/stricter-f...possible-2017/

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission have announced an approximate 30% decrease in the commercial and recreational summer flounder (fluke) quotas for 2017.

The cuts come in response to the 2016 assessment update, which estimated biomass has been trending down since 2010 and indicates summer flounder has been experiencing overfishing since 2008. Details on how the cuts will translate to recreational regulations in the Northeast states remain to be seen.

However, a grassroots organization called Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund (SSFFF) is hoping that better data could improve the stock assessment models before the cuts are implemented.

The group, which formed seven years ago when the fluke fishery appeared in danger of a shutdown and funded research that caused managers to reevaluate their numbers, is currently funding independent fishery scientists with the goal of creating a more comprehensive fluke stock assessment model.

“This proposed cut is precisely why the research currently being conducted by teams from Rutgers and Cornell with full funding from SSFFF and its partners is so important,” said Nick Cicero, Sales Manager at Folsom Corporation and a founding member of SSFFF. “The new stock modeling information the project will deliver should help NOAA Fisheries managers make decisions based on more comprehensive and timely information than is currently available. We sincerely hope that NOAA Fisheries can put off the proposed cuts till they conduct and peer review a new fluke stock assessment.” ‎

[bulletbob]

of course... Just one time, one damn time I would LOVE to read something like this...


The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission have announced an approximate 30% INCREASE in the commercial and recreational summer flounder (fluke) quotas for 2017.

[bulletbob]

Rutgers and Cornell??? They searched only to find the 2 most radical leftist tree hugging schools in the country, and hired THEM to save the rec fishery.. Rutgers and cornell you say?? Working together to help sport fishermen??.. Great.....

[SaltLife1980]

I think deep down we all knew this was coming

[SNAPS]

Overfish not on any of my trips although if the size limit was 16 to 17" i would have limited out voodoo science.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Well guys. I he opened to attend the SSFF meeting a couple weeks ago. Met the people conducting the independent study and collecting the data. It was quite eye opening to me. The good news is we are no longer relying on the governments science and assessment . So from my stand point I think it's progress. I'm sure all of you would like to know if the current science , data and assements are accurate. Hopefully we are going to find that out. Saving this fishery is certainly a priority of mine as well as many other. I don't know if we are going to like or dislike the results but either way one question that has been out there for a long time will be answered. Is the science good or voodoo. So sit back or perhaps get involved and support the cause.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Rutgers and Cornell??? They searched only to find the 2 most radical leftist tree hugging schools in the country, and hired THEM to save the rec fishery.. Rutgers and cornell you say?? Working together to help sport fishermen??.. Great.....

Strongly disagree.They are out there collecting data on head boats and they are independent and do not work for NOAA.

[liveitup1.75liter]

All I know is fluke get hammered n for the most part big ones go home shorts go back.. my question is when will the data be considered "correct" when it benefits who??

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Capt Sal

Strongly disagree.They are out there collecting data on head boats and they are independent and do not work for NOAA.

Correct. They are doing the job of gathering the data by fishing on for hire boats. They count, measure and determine the sex of the fish and record that data. That information is then used by scientists who provide feedback to NFMS and its the NFMS that determines the quotas/regs.

[bunker dunker]

bs,they have been taking steady since the 80's and will keep taking.we gave an
inch and they take 10 miles.its not just the fluke its all fish.i'll bet they are on the tog next year too.like it was said earlier,wouldn't be nice just once to get
something back.