Summer Flounder Scup and Seabass Commercial/Recreation Allocation Hearings

[Gerry Zagorski]

https://content.govdelivery.com/atta...g-Hearings.pdf

Monday, Feb. 24
6:00-8:00 PM
Belmar Municipal Court Room
601 Main Street, Belmar, NJ 07719

Tuesday, Feb. 25
6:00-8:00 PM
Galloway Township Branch Library
306 East Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway, NJ 08205

This amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The commercial and
recreational allocations for all three species were set in the mid-1990s based on historical proportions of landings (for summer flounder and black sea bass) or catch (for scup) from each sector. In July 2018, the Marine
Recreational Information Program released revisions to its time series of catch (harvest and discards) estimates. These revisions resulted in much higher recreational catch estimates compared to previous estimates, affecting the entire time series of data going back to 1981. Some changes have also been made to commercial catch data since the allocations were established. The current commercial and recreational allocation percentages for all three species do not reflect the current understanding of the recent and historic proportions of catch and landings from the two sectors. This amendment will consider whether changes to these allocations are
warranted. Scoping is the first and best opportunity to raise concerns related to the scope of issues that will be considered. You are encouraged to submit comments on which options may or may not be useful or practical for meeting the goal of this action and any other relevant issues the Council and Commission should consider.

[Fishin Polski]

Oh boy, here we go again!!