Fishery Management

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

this is were i have a problem with folks saying "they don't care".lets just say they do care but are tired of fighting for 40 years and not seeing anything go their way.i see other states were a certain fish is in decline and they close the season only to open it again when the stocks are back up.how come not in new jersey????how about all the giant tackle companies,were is there donations or support.our senators and congress peeps always say"we hear and understand"
but we never hear or see any change.as some on this site will say this is a negative response. it is not,it is only showing the reality of what is real.

Lot of questions and criticisms, so what's you're suggestion on how to proceed and what's your involvement personally to change the situation we find ourselves in?

[Detour66]

The only way the regulations will change in our favor is votes and money! We need to organize as one group and put our votes and money where our mouths are. If all fisherman including myself put more passion into making their voice heard it could be done. Look at so many other much bigger social issues that have been changed due to people being passionate about their cause and not giving up. Until fisherman decide to put a real effort into change. Nothing will change in our favor.

[bunker dunker]

like i said folks would say i was being negative,shocker!!!!! hypothetically what
if we all gathered at a certain marina and filled all the boats.we then all catch and keep 1 short fluke.we then call the co's and report it.we all get tickets and
tell them we want court dates.we fill the court rooms and tie up the courts or something like that.i'll bet we would be heard then,just saying

BD I'm not saying your negative, if my reply came across that way I apologize. We're all frustrated for good reason.

I'll make another suggestion to keep people from having to appear in court. There's been opinion polls on this site over the years. Not sure how it's done, think Gerry might have to do it. I'd be interested in a site survey which outlines percentage keepers on trips. Would like to capture three streams of data, number or range of fish caught, number of shorts and number of trips reported. Maybe it's arranged as percentage of shorts caught on trip in ranges that are broken by increments of 10% as in over 90%, over 80%, over 70% etc. Fish caught could be shown in increments of 25 or more, less than 25, between 25 and 50, between 50 and 75, between 75 and 100 and over 100.

My guess is we'll see huge amounts of shorts which we're being penalized for a ~35% in discard rates, a low percentage of keepers in the absolute and per trip. The recreational regulations in place right now due to the imbalance caused by increased size limits driving higher discard rates will almost guarantee we'll never see another increase in possession limits until wholesale changes are made by the Council.

Gerry is that possible?

[bunker dunker]

no worries mr dakota,all is good.i just think they will not stop or bend until we hit them were is hurts,their wallet.hypothetically if 300 peeps showed up with
summons i believe that would tie up the courts and cost them money.again i believe it what all are doing,including yourself.i just don't believe that the state
government believes or cares.

[Detour66]

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

like i said folks would say i was being negative,shocker!!!!! hypothetically what
if we all gathered at a certain marina and filled all the boats.we then all catch and keep 1 short fluke.we then call the co's and report it.we all get tickets and
tell them we want court dates.we fill the court rooms and tie up the courts or something like that.i'll bet we would be heard then,just saying

What if every private boat...party boat...charter boat...kayak..land fisherman all decide to keep short fluke state wide in protest. Pick a date or dates and we all do it! That might get some attention.

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by bunker dunker

this is were i have a problem with folks saying "they don't care".lets just say they do care but are tried of fighting for 40 years and not seeing anything go their way.i see other states were a certain fish is in decline and they close the season only to open it again when the stocks are back up.how come not in new jersey????how about all the giant tackle companies,were is there donations or support.our senators and congress peeps always say"we hear and understand"
but we never hear or see any change.as some on this site will say this is a negative respone. it is not,it is only showing the reality of what is real.

EVERY tackle manufacture donates a percentage of ALL tackle sales directly to the AMERICAN SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION as well as proceeds from ICAST instead of sending it to many little groups.

WE tried at the last Salt water show here in NJ to get their ear, Tom was there as well as myself and other who care enough to try and make changes.
Sadly it seemed they would help but also wanted input on the wind farms soon to hit our fishing areas.

It is the ASA choice to spend that money fighting for fisherman, of course groups who actually get off their ass are the ones who get the most from them,
IF NJ fisherman would all write to them possibly a larger voice would come from it.
BUT instead its easier to just spend 5 minutes and bitch here on deaf ears.

.
.

[Brewlugger]

I'm in no position to complain as I have not been involved with any meetings rallies or letter writing. I do care about the health of the fishery and I like to stay informed but I really haven't done anything for the cause besides trying to be an ethical sport fisherman and only keep enough Fluke for my family and my mom and dad to eat. The guys I fish with get mad at me for throwing keepers back but they haven't done anything for the cause either but they keep as much fish as they can legally take. I have been doing alot of land based fishing this year and I really enjoy meeting other anglers and to a man they are complaining about fisheries mismanagement and they are all disgusted. When I was in Gloucester Mass they guys were mad about not being able to keep Cod up there , so it seems like it's a pretty broad problem. As far as me complaining I try and keep my mouth shut and my ears open.

[Capt Sal]

Money!!!!!!!!!!!

[bunker dunker]

hey hammer,you seem like you got all the knowledge on this so let me ask you one question please.what has new jersey done for the rec saltwater angler in regards to fluke in the last 30 years???