Dorothy B SPEAK UP FOR STRIPERS!!!

[JBird]

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council, or ASMFC, is going to change the regulations coastwide for Striped Bass for the 2015 season.
Their data suggests that, although overfishing is NOT occuring (their own claim which we happen to agree with), the spawning biomass is in decline and therefor a reduction is the harvest is warranted.
We have been given a list of options intended to achieve that reduction during this period of public comment and none of them include keeping things STATUS QUO. Captain Kevin has been on the water since 1951 and firmly believes that Striped Bass are more abundant now than they have ever been. There are many more men like him that agree. Their opinions may not be founded in data collected from samples but they still merit as much consideration as any biologists projections that were cooked up in a lab.
The over six decades spent at sea by Capt. Kevin and others like him are as valid a qualification to assess striped bass stocks as any biologist with a degree and we feel that this has NOT been taken into account.
The ASMFC is accepting public comments now through September 30th and I strongly urge everyone in the NJFishing community to go to their website www.asmfc.org and read the proposals offered. Though status quo is not one of the official options that is our "write in" vote. The least of all evils is option 7, which is 1 fish at 28-34 inches and one fish over 36 inches. I guess we'll have to throw back the 34 and 1/16th inch to 35 and 15/16th inchers.
Like I said, it's the lesser of the many evils.
Speak up, folks! Let your opinions be known!

www.asmfc.org look in the "Breaking News" list on the right hand side of the webpage, Striped Bass Addendum IV

[KevinH]

Email sent. 130 views on this thread should mean 130 opinions sent. If you don't voice your opinion don't complain when were limited to 1 fish

[Joey Dah Fish]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Email sent. 130 views on this thread should mean 130 opinions sent. If you don't voice your opinion don't complain when were limited to 1 fish

Agreed email sent

[Gerry Zagorski]

Just sent mine in

Comments need to be sent via email to mwaine@asmfc.org

Here is how yours might go:

Subject : Striped Bass Draft Addendum IV Public Comment

I am for a status quo option for the Striped Bass Management Regulations. Since that does not seem to be one of the options available, of the options that are available I would prefer Option 7.

Your Name and Address

[HDMarc]

Done. Nice write up Jeremy, hopefully we can flood their e-mails to show our disgust with how they keep taking from the recreational fishermen and screw with the livelihood of all the captains, crews, and local tackle shops that survive off this industry.

[JamesDaChef]

Done and Done
Thanks for the great info!!

[tuna john]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Just sent mine in

Comments need to be sent via email to mwaine@asmfc.org

Here is how yours might go:

Subject : Striped Bass Draft Addendum IV Public Comment

I am for a status quo option for the Striped Bass Management Regulations. Since that does not seem to be one of the options available, of the options that are available I would prefer Option 7.

Your Name and Address

Thanks made it easy Im sure a lot will do know

[penn50w]

Unless I'm reading this wrong - why wouldn't we opt for C3, 1 fish @ 28" - 35" & 1 fish @ over 35" not having to throw back the 34 1/16" -35 7/8" fish? Would be like NY but 35" instead of 40". Yes, no ?

[ReelNauti]

Originally Posted by penn50w

Unless I'm reading this wrong - why wouldn't we opt for C3, 1 fish @ 28" - 35" & 1 fish @ over 35" not having to throw back the 34 1/16" -35 7/8" fish? Would be like NY but 35" instead of 40". Yes, no ?

thats the issue, you've mis-read

The tables below provide a suite of options for both the coastal and Chesapeake Bay recreational fisheries.

stick to the "B" options, write your email stating you'd prefer "status quo" but if forced to choose another, B7 or B8 is your preference (providing you'd like to see the sponsor boats who target striped bass stay in business

[Inishmore3]

I voted but...... My question is this. Where is Frank Pallone? A vocal captain in AH used to carry the flag for Frank Pallone. I don't see Frank Pallone's name mentioned. I don't see him stepping up to the plate for the fisherman. I don't see this vocal captain mention Frank Pallone. Did he stop helping? Did he give up?

The NJ Governor won't help. He is too busy getting ready to run for President and saving the total disater and failure that is Atlantic City. I don't think Booker and Menendez know what a Striper is.

The problem is in NJ the politicians are worried about the total failure that is Atlantic City casino's. Nationally, we have ISIS and other problems. Stripers are not on the radar and NMFS knows it. That is why there will be a change for the worse in regulations for Stripers, Fluke, Seabass and who knows what else.

Unfortunately the captains and fishermen are on their own and at the mercy of NMFS. Remember you could have had eight fluke but gave it up for five?

I hope I am wrong but I think this business is going the way of the Atlantic City Casino's.

The CAIII out of Barnegat Light, NJ will close after the fluke ending until the opening of sea bass. That is three weeks of not sailing. Then they will try to sail daily for a week depending on if the sea bass are in reach. If not, its weekends only or nothing at all and pray for the blackfish opener.

Last year in the LBI Surf Tournament we had maybe a couple of bluefish weighed in. Why is that? We had Stripers. They say the hurricane had something to do with it. It was two years ago. I don't know.

Here is a question for the educated stock market people on this site. If the fishing business, meaning party boats and or tackle shops were listed on the NYSE, would you buy the shares? Would it be in your IRA? Or 401k? The answer is no. I'm just talking about saltwater here.

This time of year I would buy stock in the Salmon River Sport Shop. I would in Bass Pro Shop with all the fishing at the big lakes like Toledo Bend in Louisiana and Texas, Table Rock in Missouri and the North Carolina lakes named Norman, Gaston and Kerr.

The bottom line is its so sad that this business is going away. We grew up with it. We passed it on to others. We helped people on board. They helped us.

I hope i am wrong. But I think I'm not.