9/16 NJ Striped Bass Public Hearing 6-8PM

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

A big tell in my mind is what they do with Seabass next year since it's been 2x rebuilt, based on their own data. If we don't get significant increases in measures and regs, they've totally lost the public trust. Enough is enough and we may have to use some nuclear options like go out of compliance or go higher up in NOAA and call them out.

Gerry I'm not familiar with the process and consequences of going out of compliance, I only remember when this was discussed back in 2018 it means closing the fishery involved to both recreational and commercial harvest. If true, there is no way the commercial sector or powers to be would allow that to happen not to mention the impact it would have on the recreational sector. Small business owners would get crushed.

Going higher up in NOAA won't help unless it involves a lawsuit as NOAA, NMFS and the Department of Commerce are the agencies directly or indirectly putting these ridiculous regulations in place.

Anyone every hear of the Boston Tea Party?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Broad Bill

Gerry I'm not familiar with the process and consequences of going out of compliance, I only remember when this was discussed back in 2018 it means closing the fishery involved to both recreational and commercial harvest. If true, there is no way the commercial sector or powers to be would allow that to happen not to mention the impact it would have on the recreational sector. Small business owners would get crushed.

Going higher up in NOAA won't help unless it involves a lawsuit as NOAA, NMFS and the Department of Commerce are the agencies directly or indirectly putting these ridiculous regulations in place.

Anyone every hear of the Boston Tea Party?

If we have the right Governor in place who would support going out of compliance and now we have a seemingly more fishermen federal level people in place this might be the right time to. Just like Fluke back in the day, once it got escalated to a federal level, underlings were told to " figure it out" before we were actually out of compliance.

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

If we have the right Governor in place who would support going out of compliance and now we have a seemingly more fishermen federal level people in place this might be the right time to. Just like Fluke back in the day, once it got escalated to a federal level, underlings were told to " figure it out" before we were actually out of compliance.

Gerry stripers have a lesser percentage of the fishery allocated to commercial than recreational compared to fluke so you might be right. I still don't see the states influencing the Secretary of Commerce, NOAA, NMFS, ASMFC or MAFMC without a lawsuit involved or commercial agreeing to go out of compliance and agreeing to a closure which would be shocking if they ever did. Again I'm not sure how that entire process works but you know commercial will try to influence or fight that decision from ever being made. They have the money, the lobbying effort and the ear of the Department of Commerce, I think it's that simple but pray I'm wrong.

[Capt Sal]

Each state is for themself NJ is a producer state and the limit should reflect it.

[bunker dunker]

i am not saying we should ever stop trying,just saying the loss of interest is growing and growing.a great point made about the 2x growth of sea bass in our area and we have to wonder if the will cut the limits??