Weakfish regulations reviewed

[Pfishingruven]

By Kirk Moore • STAFF WRITER • September 28, 2009

TOMS RIVER — After a brief, dismal 2009 season for weakfish, recreational anglers may be limited to catching one or two weakfish on their 2010 trips - or not fishing for the species at all.

Working to expedite the rulemaking for 2010, interstate regulators held a telephone conference today to finalize proposed weakfish regulations. A public hearing to discuss those options will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Toms River municipal building, 33 Washington St.

The proposed recreational rules include limiting fishermen to keeping one or two fish per day - compared to a daily limit of up to six fish now allowed in New Jersey. Another option is a weakfish moratorium - a virtual shutdown of the fishery that's a traditional spring opener and late-summer mainstay for anglers.

Those options are a possibility now because of the "unfortunately grim picture of the (weakfish) stock right now," said Robert E. Beal, director of the Interstate Fisheries Management Program with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the interstate group that coordinates weakfish conservation measures.

In 2008, total reported weakfish landings "at 1.1 million pounds were the lowest on record," Beal said. But in this case, it's not from overfishing, Beal and commissioners said.

The weakfish population should be good, with healthy numbers of young fish reported in recent years, Beal said. But they do not make it to adulthood, meaning it's most like that juvenile weakfish are being eaten by more abundant species such as dogfish or striped bass, ASMFC officials say.

"I don't want to give people false hope, if we put a moratorium on and nothing happens - and nothing could happen," cautioned Thomas P. Fote of Toms River, who represents New Jersey on the commission.

Members of the ASMFC's weakfish management board agreed to drop one proposal for shorter weakfish seasons as an option. That would not necessarily save more weakfish, Fote pointed out: "There were no weakfish in New Jersey this spring at all. Then in late summer we had a big slug of fish."

APP Article

[IrishAyes]

Yep, they agree that dogfish and stripers are eating a lot of the young weakfish and they still want to put the burden on the rec angler to save the species. 

Maybe, just maybe, they should look at putting out a bounty for the doggies. That would save a great many smaller fish, and not just limited to weakies.

[wb]

arrrr it's a bounty ye shall have

I'm in; doggies are killin everything

[CapBob]

As Joe said, instead of addressing the problem and coming up with a solution they will just stope Rec fishing.

Great planning boys.


Here are the New Regs for nexts years fishing:

ANY FISH YOU WOULD LIKE TO CATCH YOU CAN'T

[Pfishingruven]

I personally like this quote:

Members of the ASMFC's weakfish management board agreed to drop one proposal for shorter weakfish seasons as an option. That would not necessarily save more weakfish, Fote pointed out: "There were no weakfish in New Jersey this spring at all. Then in late summer we had a big slug of fish."

I hope this statement was made on the basis that there were not an abundance of weakfish this spring...not that there weren't any weakfish here at all??  Because, if this is true, Bucktail, what did you catch in May??  This would just illustrate how flawed their system is!

 

[Bucktail]

I personally like this quote:

Members of the ASMFC's weakfish management board agreed to drop one proposal for shorter weakfish seasons as an option. That would not necessarily save more weakfish, Fote pointed out: "There were no weakfish in New Jersey this spring at all. Then in late summer we had a big slug of fish."

I hope this statement was made on the basis that there were not an abundance of weakfish this spring...not that there weren't any weakfish here at all??  Because, if this is true, Bucktail, what did you catch in May??  This would just illustrate how flawed their system is!

 

Fanged tooth yellow finned dogfish.

[Pops Soul]

And don't forget Next year we have to buy a license to play catch and release!! 

[NJHEMIRT]

there is a website dedicated to sea robins, dogfish, and skates...recipes, filleting techniques, etc.  Better start eating those - because soon those will be regulated too!  dont want to post the site - since they may not be a sponsor here.  Skate is yummy - but I never ate one caught in Jersey waters.   

[Hotrod]

   Yea.. I recall that site.  it's posted here somewhere