RFA News Letter Fluke Management Article by Dakota

[Gerry Zagorski]

https://issuu.com/recreationalfishin...7_making_waves

Flip to page 10 on the RFA News Letter link above and check out the analysis of our own Tom Smith (AKA Dakota) did on the NFMS using their own data....It's a pretty compelling article that points out how this fishery is being mismanaged.

Thank you Tom for taking the time to boil down this data and point out the short comings so we can help manage this fishery better.

And for those you who haven't been close to these issues and the people involved, there's a great back story here that has a lesson in it.

Just like most of us here on NJFishing.com, Tom is a regular guy and recreational fisherman who had a deep concern with what was going on with our Fluke fishery. Rather then just complain about it, he decided to get involved. He attended the Galloway meeting, saw the data they presented, got dug in to understand it more and once he did, the alarms went off and he put the analysis together you see in the article.

Tom wasn't sure what to do with it and neither was I, so I put him in touch with the right people and his work opened some eyes and was published in this article, the recent Fisherman Magazine article and even shared with some scientists.

Lesson here is you don't need to be a Marine Biologist, be on some private, state or federal committee, or have some sort of title in a fishing related organization to make a difference. We can all make a difference.

Tom has a gift for analyzing data, your gift might be communications or helping to organize things, others donate money to organizations that support their causes.

Volunteer your time, your brain, your money, your voice, whatever.... Just get involved.

[dales529]

Well said Gerry. Had the pleasure of speaking and trading emails with Tom (Dakota) through his process. Very impressed with the time and detail he contributed. Obviously by the articles and science response so were others.

As Gerry pointed out there is no volunteer time , donation or help in any way you can to better our sport that is too small.

We have said for many years:
Imagine if every fishermen in NJ donated just one dollar we would have over $250,000.00 every time.

Imagine if every fishermen in NJ donated 1 hour a month or 1 day to man a booth at a show, write a letter , teach a kid how to fish, help a vet etc etc

Don't wait to REACT. Step IN
Many have and its always appreciated

Thanks Tom for all you are doing and talk soon

[Sullivan]

Thank you to the three of you for all you are doing , and for what you guy's have already done !

[Joey Dah Fish]

great job Tom!!! So well done

[Blackfish Doug]

Thank you Tom for doing what you It's great to know that there's somebody out there like you fighting for us fisherman.

[Angler Paul]

Nice article Tom, I shared the version that was in the Fisherman Magazine on the JCAA FB page a few days ago.

Paul Haertel
JCAA Past President

[bender]

A phenomenally well written assessment.
Call them out with their own reported numbers.
Well done.