Thursday 2/2 Fluke Meeting

[Gerry Zagorski]

Things are now getting very interesting http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/n...0c7bf44b7.html

So here's what's going on...

The National Marine Fisheries Service that is part of NOAA told us we over fished for Fluke and are mandating 41% reduction in quota. Our 2 local councils, the Mid Atlantic and NJ, who usually provide input and try to get consensus on suggested regulations to achieve our quotas refused all the options. In the public comments meeting in Galloway they instead voted to not accept any of the options until a new assessment survey can be done and "Be out of Compliance" and want the same regulations we had last year "Status Quo" until a new Stock Assessment can be done.

The NJ Commissioner of Fish and Game also came out in support of status quo as did Govenor Christie.

The National Marine Fisheries Management Service can now force regulations on us and that is what they will likely do since they have to abide by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. That is what will likely be talked about or decided at this Thursday 2/2 meeting.

In the meantime we've asked our local politicians to get involved and ask for an emergency action to be taken by Federal Secretary of Commerce to give us status quo (same regulations as last year) until a new stock assessment study can be done.

Lots of moving parts here and we have a long fight on our hands so we need to follow this closely.

So stay tuned.... This is not over yet