Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Going to those links found this: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/visit/fis...ishingrec.html

It looks like the Stellwagon Banks are now a refuge and the big question is Will they chase out the draggers and help recreational fishing?

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Are these groups doing anything to stop draggers? That is the only thing that is killing recreational fishing.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

It was supposed to be closed to the draggers but after the draggers bitched and moaned that they couldn't get their limit on Georges, fishing was opened to the draggers and they wiped the cod out again. Now that there is nothing left, its closed to draggers.

I believe this is correct but let me know if I'm wrong.

Leif

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

So the first question for this new group is

- What will you do about stopping the draggers that have decimated the population of winter and summer flounder that used to live in these rivers and bays.

- What will they do about preventing the destruction of fluke stocks in the rivers and bay by stopping the forced taking of breeders and allowing the harvesting of mature males

This is what we need done and I am not sure if anyone except Captain Ron and a few others are doing anything about it. I am not going to donate to any group that includes draggers.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

RFA is monitoring the situation and will be present for the March 16 meeting in Red Bank to question this nomination for a NMS. All I can say right now as details are being evaluated is this is a major concern as to what the real agenda is. Will keep you posted

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Again dales529 thanks for you support. At least the RFA can see that there is some danger here. Unfortunately, it looks like a lot of people on this forum don't.

Gotta love the guy that was bothered by having to read through four pages of "hysteria". SMFH

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

From the RFA
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/C...id=YhNkMe0XyAM

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Just in case anybody can't click on a link.

RFA SAYS NO TO PROPOSED RARITAN BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY


New Gretna, NJ - An effort is underway by the Navesink Marine Heritage Association to have Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay, the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and their tributaries declared a "National Marine Sanctuary." According to the proponents, if it is enacted by federal authorities it would add more than 12,500 acres of public-use parkland to eastern Monmouth County, while extending the federal National Park philosophy "in perpetuity" to these local waters.

The idea might sound good, but past experience with Marine Sanctuaries in California, Florida and other coastal areas has ultimately resulted in loss of access for recreational fishermen and having one in such a highly populated area that is also home to some of the best inshore fishing on the coast would lead to just such overzealous regulatory actions.

"This action is a solution looking for a problem," says Jim Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance. "The proponents of the NMS claim they want the areas protected and preserved, but New Jersey already has some of the most progressive environmental and development laws of any state so little is to be gained by a listing. What an NMS designation does is open the Pandora's Box of denying public access and recreational fishing is usually the first to lose."

"RFA has dealt with the broken promises of no further restrictions touted by the promoters of marine protected areas for two decades," Donofrio continued. "California, the Dry Tortugas, Biscayne Bay and Stellwagen Bank off Massachusetts just to name a few. The real goal behind the high minded idealism always ends up being reduced access. That's why we are asking fishermen to attend the hearings next week to voice their concerns and to just say no!"

Public hearings on the proposed National Marine Sanctuary initiative in Sandy Hook Bay, the Navesink and the Shrewsbury will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 13 at the Keyport Yacht Club in Keyport, and at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16 at the Red Bank Library, 84 West Front Street in Red Bank. Click on the facebook link below to let us know if will be attending the hearings.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

The presentation at the Keyport Yacht Club is not open to the public. Per Mr. Van Hemmen.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

I wouldn't take this Rik V Hemmens word for anything. He posts up on his website here are PUBLIC dates and now he tells you Private. :confused:

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

The Government controls 30% of the land in the country now and we want them to control more. I think there is a problem with that. It's in NJ and should be controlled by NJ not the Fed.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Yep - first step is National Marine Sanctuary, next is Marine Protected Area. And this is all in state of NJ waters so why does the Federal Government need to be involved. What ever happened to the sovereignty of the states?

It's a slippery slope here and it needs to be stopped in its tracks now or we risk going the way of way of California where there are all sorts of areas closed to fishing.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

I got our chant LOL.
I Stand with the RFA Don't Take Away Our Bay !!!! ;)

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

MARCH 13TH SANDY HOOK BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC

New Gretna, NJ - The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) has been contacted by the Navesink Marine Heritage Association, the organization pursuing to have Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay, the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers and their tributaries designated as a National Marine Sanctuary, and informed that the Sunday, March 13th meeting to be held at the Key Point Yacht Club is not open to the pubic since the meeting location is a private facility. Those wishing to attend Sunday's meeting need to request permission to attend from Rik van Hemmen, vice president of the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association at 732 224-1133.

The general public will still have an opportunity to weigh in on this proposal. The Wednesday, March 16 meeting at the Red Bank Library, 84 West Front Street in Red Bank is being held at a public facility and no one can be turned away. Click on the facebook link below to let us know if will be attending the hearing.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

njdiver

I am not seeing any Facebook link.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Go after them and do notback down. When the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary was established, fisherman were very skeptical and not on board. They were told the establishment was to prevent oil exploration and mining and would NEVER affect fisherman. Nothing was in writing in the House Bill which created the 842 square mile National Marine Sanctuary. Here we are now 20 years later having to watch the Sanctuary Manager, his staff, the National Sanctuary Foundation, everyone they are in bed with, PEW, WWF, academia and others who want fisherman off the water and have their own little marine playground. Don't believe the hype, they hate fisherman and fishing. Look at all of the MPAs created in CA and FL.

Last year the Stellwagen Bank Charter Boat Assoc worked their asses off when the sanctuary proposed closing 55 Square NM on Stellwagen Bank to recreational bottom fishing. It was a grass roots campaign filling two meetings to where people were in the hallway with the message being NO. May folks on here like CaptBob, Gerry and others sent letters of support. Look what is going on now with the push to make Cashes Ledge and much of the Canyons and Seamounts area a National Monument.

Go and fight this and if you need a letter supporting the fishermen's cause, please let us know and our association will send one in support. We all need to stick together no matter where we do or not fish.

Respectfully,

Dave

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Thanks capt Dave.. Sadly some on this very fine site seem to fall into the age old trap.. "Oh that can't happen here"... Uh, yeah, it can... NJ like my state of NY, is FULL of liberal elites that feel they know best whats good for society and the natural world around them, and feel that the masses are just destroying everything, and that they need to step in and "fix" things..

You know, keep us from destroying the world and ourselves while we're at it... Our "guardians"...
They can and will keep us from fishing/hunting/owning guns if they can, and if we let them ..
Each person that reads this need to do a search on this term.Agenda 21..
Its real, and its coming.. the US IS a signatory... We WILL have our hunting/fishing/ownership rights taken by the government unless we are proactive... bob

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

As mentioned above, there are people who are probably thinking this could never happen in NJ.

Lets face it, there are more an more environmental groups out there who would prefer that we aren't allowed to fish at all. You might say to yourself that this is not the case here in NJ like it is in CA but look at what happened to Stellwagen. If our area becomes a National Marine Sanctuary it becomes a federal matter and the national groups who are very well organized and funded will be all over it.

Give them and inch and they will take a mile.

Once again, we need to stop this in it's tracts and take a stand now.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Thanks Capt Dave

The absolute ironic thing is that of all the party boat captains and charter boat captains that are on here I've seen very little support on this thread. I went on Sunday and can tell you first hand that this is no joke and that if this is not stopped it will get through. I hope everybody goes on Wednesday because if you don't god forgive your complacency.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

These questions for Rik remain:
1) WHY does he feel a change as large as an NMS is necessary as well as another layer of governing that comes with it to accomplish his goal? It appears there are enough avenues to use for improvement (if even required)with the existing state agencies laws that run the area.
2)What specific issues and what areas are really in such desperate need for improvement to warrant a NMS?

The lack to date of these answers are my concern for doubt as to the legitimacy of the NMS Nomination and in my opinion the risk is not worth the reward.


RFA-NJ attended the presentation at Keypoint Yacht club. RFA NJ and RFA National will be in attendance on Wed. Will keep you posted on the complete position and what's next.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

How about an NJ Fishing online petition. I'm in for whatever it takes.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Thank you for your support. I will be there supporting you and NJFishing. Hopefully, we get better than the usual zero point five (0.5)percent that normally shows up.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

I'm trying to work it out so I can come down. It's not easy for me to trek down there on a Wednesday night but I'm gonna try

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Mr Zagorski: Re "sovereignty of the states".

Perhaps you recall years ago when the MADD group got Congress and the DOT to institute a .08 DWI limit. Those states that said no were told simply "there would be no future highway funds if your state was non-compliant". All 50 states and all territories acquiesced soon thereafter.

POWER OF THE PURSE! Or as we used to say in Bayonne 'money talks and bs walks'.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Same thing with Common Core Education and Obama Care. If you want the feds money as a state you must comply.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Thats exactly what we can expect from the federal government IF they get involved.. Strong arm tactics/......

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

My first question is what is the benefit of making the area a National Marine Sanctuary? If the benefits are compelling enough, can we have some sort of Iron Clad protection from ever making the area an Marine Protected Area.

Another interesting bit of information would be to find out who the people are behind advocating the National Marine Sanctuary and what their underlying motivations are.

See you all at the meeting.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Typical Shrimpman response :confused:

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

I propose a class action suit against this organization and or the federal government by as many NJ residence as we can get to sign on. Nothing speaks louder than a law suit.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

This just announced via email:

https://m.facebook.com/sandyhooknati...rinesanctuary/

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

It's the "rest assured" part that makes me nervous. I hate to be a doubting Thomas.. but last time I heard a politician say "Rest Assured" .... there was something about being able to keep your Plan and your Doctor in it. Sorry about even putting something as pure as our recreational fishing access and politics in the same post... but getting the Federal Gov involved in NJ Rec fishing access in any way invites this kind of skepticism. :confused:

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

The Director told me that new rules for National Marine Sanctuary nomination have been published and that now the public would take on the most significant role in making nominations for National Marine Sanctuary status.

So I asked him: “Can you still fish in National Marine Sanctuaries?”

He said: “Yes, but according to a fishery management plan.”


- That's really all you need to know about the future of fishing in the bay if this is ever approved.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

All I can say is I have no idea what the true goals are by those who support the NMS. But if the RFA is against it that's good enough for me until I'm shown otherwise. We have too many bad regulations as it is, And this would just open the door for more regulations. Support the RFA...Charlie

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Right you are Canyon.... First step is National Marine Sanctuary, yes you can still fish but now the feds are involved and as we all know how they cow tow to environmental special interests groups. So the the next step could be Marine Protected Area. No fishing allowed there.

A slippery slope in my opinion...

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Let’s Create the Sandy Hook Bay National Marine Sanctuary
December 22, 2015

trtwebcommentaryby Rik Van Hemmen

I have traveled far and wide as a marine consultant and often try to capture a bit of local maritime culture and beauty in my business travels. There are countless interesting maritime areas and cultures in the world, but I always come back to our Two Rivers estuary with a slight feeling of awe. I simply have not been able to find a small area like it in the world. For many peculiar reasons, this little corner of New Jersey is subject to forces that provide endless change completely out of proportion to its size. It is not just the boats, it is also related to our excellent county park system, to the interaction of sea, shore, beach, land, hills, farms and wooded areas, to the feel of real seasons, to the Atlantic Flyway, to the interaction of blue and white collar occupations, and to both a feeling of local history and a cosmopolitan and international outlook.

Our local waters are a cultural laboratory; an experimental station; a Zen garden. In 400 years these waters have gone from a pre modern native culture, to an idyllic farm community, to a light industrial society, to a somewhat worn out estuary in the 1970’s and then to something else that includes much improved water quality, further development, higher levels of environmental appreciation and a more varied use of the river.

Today, it consists of three layers; the estuary itself with everything natural in it, the river uses and then the surrounding human community. All three change, not necessarily in concert, but they change and they change remarkably quickly.

During a business trip I met the director of the National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation. National Marine Sanctuaries are the equivalent of National Parks, but exist on (and in) water instead of land. National Marine Sanctuaries range in size from a single submerged shipwreck in the Atlantic, to the size of several states in the Pacific Ocean. Just like National Parks they can fulfill a multitude of purposes ranging from nature preservation, to historical preservation, to education and recreation. Our own Sandy Hook National Park is an example where all these missions and goals come together in one park.

The Director told me that new rules for National Marine Sanctuary nomination have been published and that now the public would take on the most significant role in making nominations for National Marine Sanctuary status.

So I asked him: “Can you still fish in National Marine Sanctuaries?”

He said: “Yes, but according to a fishery management plan.” “Does it restrict construction around the sanctuary?” He said: “Not specifically, but a well designed sanctuary tries to establish goals that allow the land and the water to work together.”

In 2014 the sanctuary nomination rules were published and they indicate that the following criteria would support nomination and the establishment of a National Marine Sanctuary:

Does the place have natural resources or habitat with special ecological significance?

Does the place have maritime heritage resources with special historical, cultural, archeological significance?

Does the place have important economic uses like tourism, fishing, diving and other recreational activities?

Do all of these things depend on conservation and management of resources?

Then the reviewers look for:

Opportunities for marine research, education or partner ships;

Potential threats & impacts for the place’s marine resources;

Existing management/regulation that could help with conservation efforts; and Importantly, broad community based support.

This is for nomination only, and the actual designation is a national public process and nobody expects a nomination and designation to take place in a few months or even years. Still, can anybody think of a place that fits this list of requirements as well as our Two Rivers? Each question can be reasonable answered with a strong “yes.”

Quite reasonably all of the Raritan Bay and its estuaries would be able to fit within the description, but that is a huge area with possibly too many competing interests. But what if we nominate Sandy Hook Bay, extending from the tip of the Earle Weapon Center to the tip of Sandy Hook and all the estuaries within it? It would be bounded on one side by a federal military installation on the other side by a national park, and upstream it would contain the waterfronts of Middletown, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, Rumson, Fair Haven, Sea Bright, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Little Silver, Tinton Falls, Oceanport, Eatontown, Long Branch, West Long Branch, and Monmouth Beach, together with various abutting county parks.

It is a remarkably varied collection of communities, but each is becoming more and more interested in the sustainable and balanced use of the Two Rivers and Sandy Hook Bay. The Sandy Hook Bay Marine Sanctuary would be a suburban marine sanctuary y that can serve as an example of carefully designed and executed sustainable use and could serve as an example for the world. Possibly, this first experiment will allow gradual expansion of the sanctuary, maybe to include all of the Raritan Bay and all its estuaries. Maybe, in the not too distant future, New York City will be positioned within a National Marine Sanctuary.

The thought of it alone boggles the mind. It will not mean that industry and commerce will leave the area. Instead commerce and industry will be supported for its historical and economic significance, but it will mean that each and every one of us can look at the water and say: “That water is part of me just like our magnificent national parks are part of me and together they pro vide a deeper meaning to our existence on earth.”

Can it be done? Maybe, maybe not, but change is this area’s middle name, and if the experiment is worth starting, it certainly is best started here. Let’s use our community’s ability to create change and create something that will make us all proud for centuries to come.

In the coming year I plan to start working on putting the pieces for the application together. Join me if you are interested in creating something that those who follow us will be thankful for.

Rik van Hemmen is a naval architect and marine engineer and the President of Martin & Ottaway, a 135 year old marine consulting company based in Red Bank that deals with issues ranging from marine sustainability to ship design and construction. He also is the Vice President of Navesink Maritime Heritage Association. He just published the second edition of “A Chronology of Boating on The Navesink.” He can be reached at rhemmen@martinottaway.com.

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

The above quite clearly states that you WILL have more regulations and Construction restrictions !!!

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

Are you kidding me??.. That guys word usage reads like a a leftist radicals wet dream...
"Zen Garden".. are you serious?.. THIS is the type of people we are dealing with.. Tree huggers that want you to NOT fish in Sandy Hook bay or anywhere.. Bernie must love this bullshit,,He talks the same way..

Look ,call me a right wing fascist if you must, but this leftist utopia crap must end.. Can't catch a few fish at Sandy hook pretty soon??? Not to mention the Shrewsbury and Navesink!!... Its coming if this granola loving kook has anything to do with it... NJ sportsmen, please consider carefully who gets your vote.. From an outsiders viewpoint, that WAS an insider for many decades, I can say that as NJ became more and more liberal politically, the fishing and gun ownership rights have become more restrictive... bob

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

These waters are with state waters boundaries. We need the fed out of our state and out of our life period. It will be another Wacco

Re: Sandy Hook Bay Shutdown to Fishing
 

The issues / reasons specified in the Facebook link can all be remedied under the current State regulation and Laws. While maybe not perfect and there is always room for improvement you do NOT need a NMS to maintain this environment.

"NMS Presentation by this group believes that a "National" sanctuary would result in more local control. His proposal assumes a 25 member advisory council including the 18 municipalities in the watershed, as well as representatives from special interest groups including commercial and recreational fishing, hunters and marina operators."

This would ONLY be a local "ADVISORY" council with "ONE" recreational fishery member to advise guess who. NOAA! We all know how much they listen to our opinions!

Enough said.