ASMFC Meeting Today 1/25

[Gerry Zagorski]

If you'd like to listen in and provide public comment, the Summer Flounder session starts at 2:45 and you must register here https://register.gotowebinar.com/reg...11188401300749

2:45 - 4:15 PM
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Supplemental

Welcome/Call to Order (J. Davis)
Board Consent
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Proceedings from August 2021
Public Comment
Review Information for 2022 Recreational Specifications
Reconsider 2022 Recreational Specifications Possible Final Action
Consider Methodology for Adjusting 2022 Recreational Measures Possible Action
Other Business/Adjourn

[TwoDDs]

Did anyone listen in or know if anything of interest came out of the meeting?

[Gerry Zagorski]

I listened in... Not much discussion on Fluke other then the states are to submit their regulation proposals on Feb 21 for review. I asked the question in the chat if states can submit proposals that contain slot fish and the answer was yes since we now have provisions for Min and Max size limits.

There was however a lot of discussion on Black Seabass. We were looking at a 28% reduction based on the high landings data they had at the time they announced that a while back... They got some more recent data on landings which when applied, made things a little better but not much so maybe a 26 or 27% reduction. They reviewed some of the landing data for certain state and sectors and the charts showed some rather large anomalies and they talked about a using a smoothing methodology which may help us but not sure. Suffices to say it appears we're going to get a reduction on Sea Bass but what that is remains to be determined.

The Seabass reduction seemed counter intuitive to me since the stock has been fully rebuilt above the Spawning Stock Biomass targets and has been for a number of years. Yes we've may have caught more then we did in years past but that's because there are a lot of fish out there indicating an abundant fishery. You can hardly drop down a piece of clam and not catch one.. As I was thinking this a charter boat captain from VA was allowed to give a public comment and basically said there's a ton of Sea Bass out there and based on the data which you are not sure about and some landings assumptions, you're looking for even more restrictive regulations and shorter seasons? All you need to do is get out there and fish and see you'll see how abundant they are! Good for him, but sadly that was the only recreational person to speak up...

[hammer4reel]

Commercial fluke weekly limit went from 4000 pounds a week to 6000 pounds a week today for the rest of January and February.

Beat them up twice as bad while they are all balled together spawning .

[dales529]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

Commercial fluke weekly limit went from 4000 pounds a week to 6000 pounds a week today for the rest of January and February.

Beat them up twice as bad while they are all balled together spawning .

This sucks. Management holds onto that commercial was and has been fishing the spawn even when the biomass was the strongest in the 80's and 90's so why is that an issue. While we continue the fight over that logic its hard but the fight goes on

[frugalfisherman]

over fished sea bass all right. By the time it reopened in October they were too far offshore for a day trip. Did one trip on J2. All the porgies you wanted. I had maybe 5 sea bass. From what I hear 2 of the boats you used to go sea bass fishing on January and February have commercial licenses and are out hook and lining them. 10 years ago they were getting 3 bucks a pound. The good news is you can go to Shoprite and get them whole for $8.99.

[Capt Sal]

Rules for the but not for me???? Sound familiar? The commercial guys win again!

[bunker dunker]

at least it is not a one sided situation.

[1captainron]

New Year, same Bullshit.....I'm going to guess 8 Sea Bass @ 13 inches with the same stupid schedule.

Keep killing the Breeding Fluke, twice SSFFF did detailed Sex assessments with the best scientists in the country proving 18 inch fish are 98% female.....What did we get? Crickets that's what. Still killing 18 inch fish both commercially & recreationaly after all these years.

You don't have to have a God Dam P.H.D. to know how this is going to end up. Trust the Science they said, we did, they didn't listen and here we are.
Bullshit.

[Slip It In]

It is quite amazing that the ASMFC knows how many Black Sea Bass I retained last year. In all the years fishing I have never been asked ONCE regarding BSB landings or releases. Yet another mismanaged operation, and very clear there is no solution any time soon.

Very sad for the many charter and head boats which are on the water and have REAL DATA dismissed and most likely not even asked for.


At least we have expected record low boat fuel prices..........

Simple solutions can solve all of these problems. But it will never happen.


Regards
Peter