Immediate Action Needed By 7/30 For Seabass

[Broad Bill]

Gerry will copy, paste and submit tomorrow. Thanks for your effort as well as Jim's, Greg's and Pat's.

The recreational angler hasn't been given a bone in a very long time. Stock declines, our quotas and possession limits decline. Stocks which very rarely are successfully rebuild, possession limits decline. It's been a lose lose proposition for a very very long time. The only way this changes is a state backed law suit against NMFS or voting out our representatives who don't support proper fisheries management and the recreational fishing community. This is the same shit that happened with Greenwood Lake. We spend a crap load of money to stimulate the economy, that might be our biggest negotiating tool. Small businesses would be crushed if not for our spend and it falls on deaf ears in Washington and at the state and local levels. These small businesses are the fabric of shore communities and we / they get shit on every year.

[captbogan]

Thank you Gerry

Done and done.

You couldn't make it easier for anyone who posts on this site to make a comment to fisheries.

Thank you for paying attention to fisheries. I do not know how I am not getting pertinent emails from NMFS, since I am subscribed, but I guess I know why.

I changed my comment a little:

Dear Members of the Black Seabass Fisheries Management Council,

I am concerned with the prospects of further cutbacks to our recreational sea bass limits. I am the owner of a recreational for-hire business. Our fishing community cannot sustain further restrictions on a black sea bass biomass that is more than 100% rebuilt. We need this fishery. The catch limits for recreation should be increasing --not decreasing.

Besides the obvious detriment to our already troubled fishing community --it needs to be noted that sea bass eat young lobster and other crustaceans at a high rate. This needs to be considered as a factor in the low lobster population estimates, rather than blaming lobster fishermen.

Science-based management is the foundation of successful conservation, and the recent data confirm that Black Sea Bass are thriving under the current framework. It is only fair and logical to allow regulations to evolve in response to this success. These regulations have worked for the fish, so now it’s time for them to work for the fishermen too. Maintaining overly restrictive measures in the face of abundant stock undermines public trust and risks alienating the very communities who have supported conservation efforts in good faith.

I appreciate the Council’s continued dedication to sustainable fisheries management and trust that you will weigh this request seriously as you begin planning for the 2026/2027 season.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Robert Bogan
For-hire vessel Gambler
Point Pleasant Bch NJ

[dales529]

Done / Thanks for the legwork!

[AndyS]

Would love to see a 25 per person limit in January and February again.

[Duffman]

So I’ll be devils advocate and become the most hated person on this board……

What exactly is this petition supposed to accomplish? To let the Black Sea Bass Board know a small portion of the rec fishing community disagrees with this decision?

And 2 days to get the responses submitted? As if the ultimate decision hasn’t already been made.

I’m all for the effort and enthusiasm but we are beat. Not beating the system.

[FishingSinceIWasThree]

Sent it in....here we go again...fighting for what we used to have without fighting....makes fishing a lot less fun....gotta do what we gotta do then

[hartattack]

Done and shared.
My greatest worry is regionalized regs,,, if we get grouped with NY we suffer even more..

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Duffman

So I’ll be devils advocate and become the most hated person on this board……

What exactly is this petition supposed to accomplish? To let the Black Sea Bass Board know a small portion of the rec fishing community disagrees with this decision?

And 2 days to get the responses submitted? As if the ultimate decision hasn’t already been made.

I’m all for the effort and enthusiasm but we are beat. Not beating the system.

On man you hurt me to my core…Lead follow or get out of the way. Me and others have a lot of time and effort invested in this. If you choose to give up and throw in the towel fine but why discourage others? Fight with us or die a slow death for you and you kids future.

[Duffman]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

On man you hurt me to my core…Lead follow or get out of the way. Me and others have a lot of time and effort invested in this. If you choose to give up and throw in the towel fine but why discourage others? Fight with us or die a slow death for you and you kids future.

Not discouraging anyone at all. Did my thing and signed. Just questioning what will it do? We have all been dying a slow death for years and years. Just an honest response to what’s going on. We aren’t comm fishermen nor have the political backing. You have 30 comm sponsers on this site. Where is there stance in this post? Capt Bobby. Just 1. Sad.

[frugalfisherman]

Who wants to go seabass fishing in January and February? Not me!