Sad article about the Party Boat industry

[Fish_Harder]

http://www.app.com/longform/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2015/08/06/party-new-jersey-party-boats/31214187/

[NoLimit]

No mention of the fact that the commercial boats are killing off the population with their by catch?

[Mike K]

The regulations are a factor, the disappearance of fish like whiting, mackerel, consistent summer bluefish all factors. More people own boats now. Competition from the charter fleet.

One thing for sure, it really is sad.

[NoLimit]

Fish population is down despite fewer people fishing. There are fewer private boats fishing than there was 20-30 years ago.

[MrAC1980]

Good read but its funny how no one mentioned the commercial fishing fleet and their impact...

[bunker dunker]

if peeps can't keep fish then they will not go.

[Fish_Harder]

I agree about the no mention of the commercial fleet and how they hurt the populations and the trickle down to the party boats

[bunker dunker]

I don't think the commercial fleet is doing as much damage as the rules and regs are.

[RC.]

There are fewer kids fishing now than there were in past generations. They have more entertainment options and if they ever do go fishing, they either catch nothing or have to throw it back, so they move on to the next thing...over time it really adds up.

Specific to the PB situation, do not underestimate the impact that the "open charter" industry has on PBs. Anyone who has a small boat can call themselves "Captain" and subsidize their fishing hobby by chartering. Those customers previously would have been on a PB.

RC.

[GDubya07]

Good article but no mention of commercial boats

It is just a matter of time before it is fishing to the highest bidder

They want to put recs and small business owners off the water

There are plenty of fish out there and if people cant keep some of what they catch at least dinner, they will not go

The younger generation has different priorities , video games , crazy homework and running from one sport to another

GDubs-:cool:

[dales529]

The regulations certainly play a big part and if you are truly concerned help us help the industry. Its a small part but signing up for the SSFFF Fluke Fundraiser on Capt Rons Fishermen PB is a way to contribute, Sticky thread on top of the page. You may not think it matters but it does.

[Capt Sal]

[QUOTE=bunker dunker;415461]I don't think the commercial fleet is doing as much damage as the rules and regs are.[/QH

And how did you come with that?

[Taxman]

I don't think the commercial fleet is doing as much damage as the rules and regs are.

Just think of all the fish that is for sale each day

I live in NY State

My town has 2 supermarkets, a fish store and a farm stand that sells "fresh" fish

We have 15 restaurants with fish on the menu.

The amount of waste has to be incredible because the display cases are always full and you can only sell it for a few days

Multiply this across the nation

The commercial fleet supplies all of this plus kills non targeted by-catch.

Recreation fishing is easy to blame but it is our "need" to have fish available just in case we want to buy it is what is depleting the stock. And yes I know everybody on this site only eats the fish they catch and never order it out in restaurants, it is all the other people to blame :p

[bunker dunker]

the commercials have been around as long as we have.they were there when
there were no limits on fluke and we caught them.they were there when they kept raising the size and cutting the limits.you go out and catch 100 sea bass at 12 inches and can't keep one??you catch 25 17inch fish on the a.m. trip on a pb and you can't keep one?? that's bulls**t plain and simple.they say now
that 90% of all fish over 18 inches are female so lets knock all the females out
so there are no more little fluke.they have been running on out dated data and
shoving it up our a**.I'm not saying I am against rules and regs but lets make them fare.

[june181901]

A lot of the problem can be attributed to the cost of fuel. As Mr Bogan stated many party boat patrons are not rich (paraphrasing). With catches limited more and more the rising fares make it tough to get enough fish to justify the cost.
This has become a very tough business to make a living in much less a profit. Fewer boats is the only solution. If I owned a boat I would give serious consideration to moving way south to at least giving me a chance for a 12 month income stream.

[HighHook94]

It mentions how the lack of whiting and mackerel fishing is hurting the PBs, but there's also winter flounder and weakfish too. Used to have PBs targeting them, not so much anymore. Winter flounder are there (not like they used to though), but you can only keep two. Not many ppl are going to waste their money on a PB for two fish. Weakfish you can only keep one, plus there are very little left anyway. Fluke fishing hasn't been great, bluefishing is inconsistent, and the sea bass are all over the place but you can only keep two....:confused:

[RATS]

I am going to add a comment to the kids interested in fishing. Homework and such,, it is keeping kids in the house and at school more.
Consider this factor, how much of the expanding 'Private Property" along lakes, rivers, etc impacts this also. I have rivers and lakes all around me withing walking distance, yet I have to get in a car and drive past them because somehow someone owns a 3 yard stretch of land from the road to the river FOR over 10 miles! And then above that the land is owned by a private club that is always full of people from several states away.
I remember living on a lake and walking around the entire lake fishing on peoples docks and yards without a complaint, now you will get the cops called on you or shot. I live near the Delaware Water Gap and on the NJ side there is nothing but state open land, HOWEVER somehow at the top of the mountain is a large lake that is private property off limits.
UGH!

[HighHook94]

I am going to add a comment to the kids interested in fishing. Homework and such,, it is keeping kids in the house and at school more.
Consider this factor, how much of the expanding 'Private Property" along lakes, rivers, etc impacts this also. I have rivers and lakes all around me withing walking distance, yet I have to get in a car and drive past them because somehow someone owns a 3 yard stretch of land from the road to the river FOR over 10 miles! And then above that the land is owned by a private club that is always full of people from several states away.
I remember living on a lake and walking around the entire lake fishing on peoples docks and yards without a complaint, now you will get the cops called on you or shot. I live near the Delaware Water Gap and on the NJ side there is nothing but state open land, HOWEVER somehow at the top of the mountain is a large lake that is private property off limits.
UGH!

Good point about the lack of opportunity for kids to fish. Like you said, i remember walking through ppls property and fishing around the whole lake. Nowadays, kids get the cops called on them for doing a little fishing, minding their own business. Then they get turned off of fishing. Same thing in saltwater. Try finding a spot to fish from shore in the coastal rivers (manasquan, navesink, shrewsbury, etc.). There are so many private docks and property owned by others, that there are only a couple spots to even fish from shore. Forget about the parking situation. If you want to go to a small stream for trout or smallmouth bass, good luck finding parking at most places. There are "no parking" signs all over the place, and the property is posted so you can't even walk through it. It is a disgrace.