What Just Happened with Seabass

[Gerry Zagorski]

As most know, according to fisheries management's own stock assessments, Seabass stocks are totally rebuilt and have been for a many years now... That is due in part to the very conservative regulations we've suffered through in the past. Based on this, you'd think we'd be rewarded with a liberalization but instead, we're staring down the barrel of a 20% reduction. That reduction was initially supposed to be 28% so I guess we're supposed to be happy it only turned out to be 20%??

So what happened here? This reduction is a direct result of the current framework of how fisheries are managed. Instead of taking into account the overall long term health of the fishery, part of which is indicated by stock assessments, they use the short term landing data from the prior year to determine the flowing years quotas. In this case, the 2021 landing data was abnormally high which meant we caught more fish then we should have so they slammed on the breaks for 2022.

Not sure how the 2022 regs are going shake out but in order to meet our reduction, I'm fairly certain we're looking at a lower bag limit, a higher minimum length, a shorter season or a combination of all the above.

Stay tuned here so when the time comes we're prepared to give public comment on which of the options our state will be forced to choose from which will likely happen in late March or April.

In the mean time lets hope some progress can be made with Fisheries Reform which will give the federal managers some other factors to manage fisheries with a more long term view.

[shrimpman steve]

Insane logic.

[reelfitter]

What a total crock of shit!

[Billfish715]

The fisheries' management people are obviously an arm of the federal government with the same influence and authoritative power as the CDC. No one tells the CDC what to do, especially the president. Who do you think will influence the fisheries' council? That's right. Nobody. They are insulated and autonomous, answering to no one.

Again, too much intervention by a federal agency that has no checks or balances. Their goals are nebulous at best and change on a whim and a convoluted idea that the future of fishing rests solely on their shoulders. That is a very dangerous belief and one that is almost impossible to dismiss.

[frugalfisherman]

Modern Fisheries Act?

[Capt. Debbie]

It's sad. We almost are trained now to expect to be screwed no matter what happens!

[henro]

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by henro

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.

... but only for recreational; commercial will still get to keep anything they want and throw back dead anything they don't

[RescueDogger]

Originally Posted by henro

****in idiotic. Pretty soon it's going to be illegal to keep anything.

...or pretty soon more people will care less about limits, and that's bad.

Kind of like how NJ has grown to have more "cash businesses" than anywhere else, and why so many services/contractors are happy to give you a "cash price." Cheating the government out of tax revenue isn't even considered unethical, or even poor form, to many.

I'm of the genuine belief that 9 out of 10 recreational fishermen consider keeping a fish outside of limits is something only an a**hole would do. We don't want to lose that. Unreasonable limits for recreational fishermen while giving a free-for-all for commercial guys isn't going to help.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by RescueDogger

...or pretty soon more people will care less about limits, and that's bad.

Kind of like how NJ has grown to have more "cash businesses" than anywhere else, and why so many services/contractors are happy to give you a "cash price." Cheating the government out of tax revenue isn't even considered unethical, or even poor form, to many.

I'm of the genuine belief that 9 out of 10 recreational fishermen consider keeping a fish outside of limits is something only an a**hole would do. We don't want to lose that. Unreasonable limits for recreational fishermen while giving a free-for-all for commercial guys isn't going to help.

Its ironic isn't it?.... Fishermen are rightfully pissed when the over reaching state dictates they aren't allowed to access a reasonable share of an abundant resource, but they will be all too happy to call minions of the over reaching state if they spot someone taking anything over what the state unreasonably dictates... Not a putdown or criticism at all- just an amused observation....