Looks like we should have taken 3 @ 19"

[splitshotbb]

Well it looks like i'm done with fluke. It's hard enough trying to go a couple of times on a fixed income. Now 3 fluke not worth it. I'll buy a couple lobster instead. I filled out the survey but do you think that anybody cares if your not able to afford it.

[Abrasion]

If this is the result you'll be the only one patting yourself on the back. This is a failure. The charter businesses and tackle businesses are screwed.

Originally Posted by Ttmako

Lets be clear:
1-Addendum XViii, never included an option for 3@18 with a shortened season. This was a last ditch effort to avoid being held out of compliance.
2-The position that was being advocated was to not change anything until the science was improved.
3-This still isn't approved and final regs are not published.

We took a stand and fought. To say we should have rolled over is insulting! We need to do something, anything to stop this BS. I'll continue to fight, thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the benefit.

[Abrasion]

All NJ has to say is the following:

You can implement whatever limits you want on the federal level, just know that we are not going to provide enforcement for a size and bag limit we don't agree with.


Think of it like weed in Colorado.

[Ice Cream Bill]

I've been saltwater fishing for just the past five years, and I'm an active member in four fishing clubs. I've been told by fellow anglers that the fluke regs used to be 10 fish---then reduced to 8 fish---then reduced to 5 fish (which is what I'm familiar with)---now reducing the bag limit to just 3 fish.

Enough is enough! Every year size and bag limits are reduced for fluke and sea bass. The Black Sea bass fishery is alive and well, with fish now being caught as far north as the Gulf of Maine. I participated in sea bass studies this past fall in south Jersey, and pulled up 380 fish on one trip!

Two friends went haddock fishing the past two weeks (on different boats) out of Gloucester, MA where NOAA shut down the cod fisher two years ago. The results: one told me 5:1 ratio of cod to haddock---the other who just went on Thursday, caught a 50/50 split of haddock and cod (including 10-15 lbers.), all which had to be released after being pulled up from 140 ft of water.

Insane! "Worse available science" prevails time and time again.

[SplitShot]

That's because it has more to do Bill with these characters trying to justify their jobs, lifetime salaries, pensions, etc. then them actually caring about the fishery. This makes them look " important " making these decisions!!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by SplitShot

That's because it has more to do Bill with these characters trying to justify their jobs, lifetime salaries, pensions, etc. then them actually caring about the fishery. This makes them look " important " making these decisions!!

While I don't think anyone is getting rich on the salaries being paid to Fisheries staff, what it creates is more government over site. I've said it once and I'll say it again. If you pay someone to do something, that's what they're going to do....

Having said this, I think all of us can agree that on the surface Fisheries Management is needed to protect the resource and make sure it does not get exploited. Further when the laws like Magnuson were written and passed, most of us thought it was a good idea since it protected the resource. But look what it's morphed into... We are the ones being exploited and the very resource we sought to protect is being held hostage...

You don't need to look too far to find other Government over sites that have gone bad. Healthcare is a perfect example.

Time to take back our country and our fishery and make it work for the people paying the bills around here...