RFA Says Unregulated Pot Fishery Needs To Be Addressed

[The dropoff]

STALLED REEF LEGISLATION FAILS TO ADDRESS CONSERVATION PROBLEM
RFA Says Unregulated Pot Fishery Needs To Be Addressed
 
Trenton, NJ (3/4/2010) - A meeting was held in the New Jersey Senate President's office today in an effort to discuss a compromise between legislators, recreational anglers and commercial fishing lobbyists.  However, despite the best efforts by Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-3), the two parties were unable to reach an agreement, although there was common ground between both recreational and commercial representatives on the proliferation of fish pots and traps on New Jersey's reefs.
 
Legislation in the New Jersey senate which would limit fishing gear used on reefs to hook and line and spears, is meant to address the exponential increase of pots and traps that has occurred in the last decade on New Jersey's artificial reefs.  However, Senate Bill 221 (S 221) has been stalled in the Senate because of the continued disparity between members of each sector.
 
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) continues to support the legislation to ban fish pots and traps from New Jersey's reefs, and remains unwilling to compromise with the commercial fishing industry on any plans which would permit continued use of fish pots on New Jersey's artificial reef sites.  The RFA is also highly concerned about the conservation problem associated with the current lack of regulations regarding the pot and trap fishery.  According to John DePersenaire, Fisheries Policy and Science Researcher for the RFA, there's more to the pots off reef bill than just getting those pots off the reef.  "As it stands now, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (Division) has no limit on the amount of pots a license holder can set nor are there any regulations on tending pots in any of the state's coastal waters," said DePersenaire.    
 
"It just defies common sense," said Capt. Adam Nowalsky, chairman of the RFA-NJ chapter.  "New Jersey does not even require license holders to remove their gear during seasonal closures which results in many pot fishermen storing their pots and traps on and around the reefs where they continue to catch and kill fish 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Nowalsky said.  The RFA also points out that there are no regulations prohibiting out-of-state commercial fishermen from dumping their gear on New Jersey's reefs.  RFA believes this is a conservation problem that can no longer be ignored and one that cannot wait for a long, drawn out legislative battle in the Senate.
  
"RFA is supporting the legislation because we cannot deny the fact New Jersey is in violation of federal Sportfishing Restoration Act funding requirements by allowing pots and traps on the reefs even in some limited fashion," explained Jim Donofrio, RFA's Executive Director.  "The construction of New Jersey's artificial reefs was for the benefit of recreational and diving opportunities as explicitly described in the New Jersey Artificial Reef Plan," Donofrio said.  "However, the legislation does not address the significant conservation problem associated with the unregulated trap fishery once they are removed from the artificial reefs in state and federal waters," Donofrio added.
 
"Pots do not belong on artificial reefs," said Herb Moore, Jr., RFA counsel who was in on the meeting in Sen. Sweeney's office along with Nowalksy.  "However, the legislation which would simply ban pots from the two artificial reefs in State waters and start a process with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is not a real solution. We need to get the pots off the reefs and we need a comprehensive policy that limits the number of pots that can be deployed in State waters and reduces the gear conflicts we're dealing with now," Moore said.  
 
The RFA has also expressed fear that if this legislation is passed, the commercial pots and traps will simply be moved outside of the reef demarcation and laid out strategically to intercept fish moving to and from the reefs.  "Certainly this legislation would reduce commercial and recreational interaction on the reefs and bring New Jersey into compliance with the federal funding program but I don't think we will have addressed the real conservation problem of the unregulated pot fishery," said Donofrio.
 
RFA first opened a dialog with the Division in March of 2006 concerned about the impact this unregulated fishery has on important recreational fisheries such as tog and black sea bass.  RFA specifically requested the Division immediately determine the number of pots being fished, implement a limited pot tag system and require that all gear be removed during seasonal closures.  The Division shared a similar concern but indicated that they have very little or no information about the number of pots being fished as expressed in a letter from Director Dave Chanda to the RFA in February of 2007.  To date, the Division has failed to take meaningful efforts to fulfill these requests.
 
"We commend Senate President Sweeney in his efforts to find some common ground on this issue. However, the Reef Plan, Wallop Breaux requirements, and the pending regulatory package prohibiting pots and traps on the reefs does not allow any compromise," said Nowalsky.  "While this legislation has wallowed in the past three sessions, nothing has been done to address the real conservation problem and RFA-NJ is looking forward to working with legislators, the Division and stakeholders on finding a real solution," the RFA-NJ chair added.
 
About Recreational Fishing Alliance & RFA-NJ
The RFA is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues.  The RFA-NJ chapter mission is to safeguard the rights of New Jersey's saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries.  
 For information, visit www.joinrfa.org.
 

[Kensdock]

How is the seas bass commercial pot fisheries regulated in NJ. Is it limited entry, Do they need a federal permit? Do they have a quota or just a season?

[The dropoff]

You would need to buy a permit from someone that has one and willing to sell it.

You would need a Federal Permit.

They have a quote and when they get the quote they are shut done.  But that does not mean that they take there gear off the reefs.

Hope this help you

[Kensdock]

Dropoff, Thank you. I'm sure there is grant money available to commercial fishermen,they should seek it out, and use it to build reefs exclusively for commercial fishing. They stay off the reefs recreational fishermen have paid for and vise versa.End of problem.

[CaptTB]

Kensdock, you are missing the point of the press release.

THERE IS CURRENTLY NO LIMIT TO HOW MANY POTS THEY CAN FISH!!

Fishing is not the issue here, when the quota is filled for a given species for a given period of time it is filled, period.

The point is that they can have 200, 500, 1500, as many pots as they want. When the pots are "off the reefs" they are not going to magically disappear. You could not build enough commercial reefs to equal the amount of area currently covered on existing reefs by commercial gear (at least not without decades of work) and that does not even count the countless spots that are not on reffs that are covered (or at least fished maybe not "covered") by commercial gear as well.

Now, remove the pots tomorrow from all artificial reefs. Where do you think that gear is going to go?

Answer: Outside the physical reefs themselves and on every other hang, wreck and lump.

How many pots?

No one knows! There are not currently limits on the gear (other than size, openings etc. but we are talking number of actual pots)

Time to look at the bigger picture Ken. Perhaps the commercial sector should start buying SWL's, then they can get hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to grow their fish 

[Kensdock]

I did not miss the point, I just did not read it all. I stand corrected. As far as putting a number on the amount of pots per fisherman, that unfortunately is totally unenforceable.

[CaptTB]

I did not miss the point, I just did not read it all. I stand corrected. As far as putting a number on the amount of pots per fisherman, that unfortunately is totally unenforceable.

Ummmm...... NO.

Hate to break it to you Ken but gear restrictions, marking requirements, tags, gear limits, etc.  are commonplace in commercial fisheries. Will people cheat? Duh, of course they will. But, is that a reason to not bother simply because someone might cheat?

I understand you know little about fisheries management and even less about commercial fisheries Ken, but suffice to say that having gear marking requirements and quantity restrictions has worked in just about every other state in the union.

So you are right, you did not miss the point, you just have no concept of what you are talking about.

[Kensdock]

TB,You have no idea of what I know or do not know about commercial fishing. What you should know is that regulators routinely take enforceability into consideration.

[Pfishingruven]

TB,You have no idea of what I know or do not know about commercial fishing. What you should know is that regulators routinely take enforceability into consideration.

OK...I am not trying to be mean or nasty, like I have stated before.  ...But, if you know more or have more knowledge of regulations and fisheries how come you don't share this.  Everything is so secretive with you and all of your posts are 99% propaganda with no basis on facts!  They come off very ignorant and insincere.  Opinions are like @$$holes, everyone has one, some are cleaner than others and some spew more effin $*@! than others...yours seems to spew non stop.  I think, I can speak for all of the other members here, who are very, very good people, excellent and knowledgeable fishermen/women, who have no problem having a healthy argument, yet giving you the shirt off their back if you needed it, WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF READING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN!  WE GET IT...you want a saltwater license.  That is your choice and your opinion and if you believe this is best then stick with that.  You are certainly not winning over others here with your half @ss campaign and propaganda.

Now, with that being said, how about posting some fishing information and joining this great community for what it is...the real reason we are all here.  I think if you join us this way, you will see the knowledge and expertise of the people here and we will see yours as well.  I don't doubt that you are a passionate, experienced and talented fisherman...so contribute to the positives and leave the argumentative stuff for the politicians!

 

[Tacklebox Joe]

Here! Here! Well said. Pfishingruven, I think I'll buy you a beer sir! 

[IrishAyes]