[Angler Paul]

The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council met on 4/13 and set the sea bass regulations for this year. The season will open on 5/26 and extend through 6/18 with a ten fish bag limit at 12 ½”. The season will then be closed through 6/30. It will reopen on 7/1 and extend through 8/31 but with a two fish limit at 12 ½”. It will then be closed through 10/21. The season will then reopen on 10/22 and end on 12/31 with a 15 fish bag limit and a 12 ½” size limit. Last year during the fall season we had a 13” size limit but by shortening the season by just a few days we were allowed to reduce the size limit to 12 ½”. Though the regulations have been set, they are subject to change for better or worse depending on what is decided at the ASMFC/MAFMC joint meeting on 5/10.
The NJMFC took no further action on the fluke regulations as they await the ruling on our State’s appeal to the ASMFC. Therefore, as of now our regulations will remain exactly the same as they were in 2016. The season will begin on 5/21 and end on 9/25 with a 5 fish bag limit at 18”. This regulation is subject to change depending on the ruling of our appeal.
Refer to the JCAA Facebook page for up to the minute changes on any of the regulations.
Paul Haertel - JCAA Board Member/Past President