Slot Summer Flounder - Immediate Action Needed!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Here is the link to register for the NJMFC meeting https://register.gotowebinar.com/reg...44952985452300
You’ll need to do this ahead of time. They will ask for your name and email address and send you a link to the webinar.

What’s involved in getting a slot fish introduced into our regulations in 2022 and beyond and why hasn’t it been done? Although it’s a complex answer, let’s try and simplify it:
- First of all I know the NJ council and the board are 100% behind getting a slot fish. There is and has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes with the RFA and others to try and do just that, like getting
other state managers as well as scientists to agree.
- We are working directly with the councils / board members and are trying to provide as much transparency to the process as possible with more updates to follow as they come available.
- They understand that over time, a large portion of recreational harvest was focused on mature female breeding stock, which had recreational anglers targeting fish needed to sustain the fishery.
- Previous management efforts for a slot would have led to a significantly shorter season and this year and beyond our goal is to keep our season length and get a slot.
- In the past many of us got involved in the process when state options and final regulations were being decided and by that time, it was too late and virtually impossible to influence anything.
- This needs to change and we need to get involved at key points earlier in process and continue to stay involved all year long.

What are the action items for all of us?
- There is a meeting/webinar of the NJ Marines Fisheries Council on Thursday, January the 6th at 5:00PM. While a slot fish is not specifically on the agenda or any decisions made, it will likely be
discussed and we need to make our preferences are known when public comments are taken
- You can plan to listen in on the webinar meeting but you will need to register beforehand to be admitted. The link to register https://register.gotowebinar.com/reg...44952985452300
- At the end of this meeting there will be an opportunity for Public Comments and this is when we need to encourage the council to push for introducing a slot fish.
- If you can’t attend the meeting and would prefer to send comments you can send an email to marinefisheriescouncil@dep.nj.gov between now and Wednesday, 1/5/2022
- See sample email below
- Please email, share on social media and send this to as many people as you can.
- The link you can copy and paste to share is https://www.njfishing.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=117595
- After this meeting, the ASMFC will be meeting with a larger regional audience to include other states in and we’ll need your help again but more on that later.

We’re looking for people to help spread the word to others. If you are part of a group, club or organization that can help, please email me at njfishing@aol.com with your name and email address so I can keep you informed and email you directly when future public action is needed.

Lastly, there is no guarantee this will get done. If it does, it might not be the way we’d like or as soon as we’d all like. There are a lot of moving parts here and other things that can influence the future like quotas, landings, stock assessments etc. The only thing we can do is try and influence the outcome. It's ort of like being a parent, it’s a constant and ongoing job we need to continually focus on and it’s never over. In the end, the only guarantee is a lot of twists and turns along the way but if left unattended, it’s has no chance of it being even close to what we’d all want it to be. This is a marathon, not a sprint!


Sample email to be sent to marinefisheriescouncil@dep.nj.gov before 1/5/22

To: NJ Marine Fisheries Council

From : Your Name
: Your Home Address including City and State

Subject: Public Comments for NJ 2022 Summer Flounder Regulation Options

As a recreational fishermen residing in NJ, I would like to encourage the NJMFC to consider introducing a slot fish into the 2022 and beyond Summer Flounder fishing options. I feel this option will benefit the long term health of the fishery since our current regulations force us to retain larger female fish, which are needed to sustain and increase the Spawning Stock Biomass.