Re: MAFMC- Summer Flounder-Sea Bass-Scup
 

Man, my sentiments exactly --they want us off their ocean. I agree with everything you've said.

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

.........and remember to sign the Saltwater Registry also.
Conger eel, aka Pout still at zero ? What about Weakfish ? Looks like I won't be buying any new saltwater equipment.

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

When we write letters (or speak at a meeting) are we asking to shift some of the commercial quota to the recreational quota, or just asking them to be reasonable when making the regulations?
Andy

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

so true.

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

The biggest flaw of all with the science being used to regulate our fishery is the assumption of a historical stock. Europeans started fishing here over 500 years ago but nobody started anything one could call a scientific count or assessment of fish populations until well into the 20th century. The only certain thing is that there were far fewer fish by the time anyone started counting and it sure as hell wasn't recreational fisherman doing the damage. We are being penalized for the last several centuries of poor management, overfishing, greed and shortsightedness of the commercial sector. Why should we suffer when we are a drop in the ocean as far as the damage already done? WE should be getting any scraps the NMFS deems worthy of doling out NOT the commercial guys.

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

Everyone we need to go to the public hearing asfmc if they drop us down to 4 fluke pp @ 18 it's gonna put us out of business and if they drop sea bass down to 5 fish we will suffer the same fate as the southern atlantic states !!!
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
January 13, 2014 at 7 PM
Ocean County Administration Building
Public Hearing Room 119
101 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

........ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT...........:mad:

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

Not sure if everyone has read the document through but here's an effort to try and simplify what the Public Comment Meetings are all about. Below is an excerpt from an RFA press release which pretty much sums up the options for comment on Summer Flounder and Seabass.

[B[]]"January 8, 2014 - The Atlantic coast states of Massachusetts through Virginia have scheduled hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum XXV to the Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan.

For summer flounder, Draft Addendum XXV includes options that would allow for management measures by region, and the sharing of unused quota, both with the intent of providing more equity in recreational harvest opportunities along the coast.

The specific regions being considered are (1) Massachusetts; Rhode Island through New Jersey; Delaware through Virginia; and North Carolina and (2) Massachusetts and Rhode Island; Connecticut through New Jersey; Delaware through Virginia; and North Carolina.

Under region 1 above for example, Massachusetts would have a five fish bag limit, 16-inch size and 132-day season, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey would all have a four fish bag limit, 18-inch size limit and 135-day season, while Delaware, Maryland and Virginia would each get a four fish bag limit, 16-inch size limit and a 365-day season. North Carolina meanwhile would maintain its six fish, 15-inch size limit and 365-day season.

The quota sharing concept is part of Option 2 in draft Addendum XXV which offers a mechanism to allow the transfer of unused summer flounder quota between states to offset overages or to allow states to liberalize regulations while maintaining the state by state baseline allocations set using MRFSS data from 1998.[/B]

The Draft Addendum also proposes two options for the 2014 black sea bass recreational fishery (1) coastwide measures, currently proposed at 13-inch TL minimum size, a five fish possession limit, and a season from June 1 to September 30, or (2) the continued use of management measures by northern (MA-NJ) and southern regions (DE-NC). The regional management approach has been used since 2011.[/B]

MY Interpretation and Opinion is below:

For Summer Flounder the Options as described above are:
1) Regional Management:
2) Status Quo with Quota Sharing between states (like we had last year)

MY opinion is that I would be opposed to Regional Management and accepting the Bag / Size Limits and seasons as described. I would favor the Option for Quota sharing which means the ability to request and have transferred unused quota from other states to NJ if available. This is how we got the 8 day season extension last year although that most likely wouldn't happen this year.

For Seabass the Options are as described above:
1) Coastwide measures which would include the 13" / 5 Fish Limit
2)The continued use of Regional measures as we have had since 2011.

Again MY opinion is this is a no brainer and I would be opposed to coastwide measures.

My understanding is that the meetings and public comments are being heard directly about this document and Landings / quota are a separate issue.
Basically you are commenting on HOW you want our Summer Flounder and Seabass "Managed" . After that determination is made then size and bag limits would be handled at a later time.

Again this is strictly MY understanding and opinions and not an Official position of any group although after speaking with some very knowledgeable and more so than me people that this viewpoint is aligned with their interpretation as well.

This Public Comment is VERY Important to all of us and as many who can attend the meeting or share a comment SHOULD. If you cant attend the meeting Comments can be sent via email or regular mail at:

You can also provide input through the commission website on the Public Input page at www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. The deadline for comment is 5 p.m. on January 24th.


Send comments to Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (fax) or via email at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Addendum XXV).

Make sure they hear YOU

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

Thanks for posting this Dave. I have sent off my email as you suggested (I also sent them to: comments@asmfc.org)

& I urge everyone who reads this to do the same !!

Re: 2014 Pending Fishing Regulations Master Thread
 

Thank you for the post Dave, this is exactly what is needed, what is being discussed at these hearings, the possible ramifications and a position. People can form their own opinions, but educating the public as to what is being discussed and providing some data will help to galvanize the fishing community and help us present an intelligent argument. I also think the more legitimate information we have the easier it is to get more people speak at public hearings.
Thanks again,
Andy

Please forgive my low post numbers, while I might be a bit of a jerk, I'm not a spammer. I'm not even sure what a spammer is.