One of many species in trouble again. Fish On 2/17/08

[Fishonw/Ron]

Did You Know?
Time is running out for New Jersey recreational anglers. Just when fishing seemed to be healthy in all categories the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission mandates a reduction in blackfish by almost 26%
On March 7th New Jersey has 60 days in which to come up with a plan agreed by ASMFC or the fishery will be shut down.

States such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island were forced to cut back and settled on a 12% reduction.

The problem is with the commercial fisherman who pot and net blackfish for the live blackfish market and will not be affected by the 26% reduction or shut down.

This is where it gets heated. How can anyone in their right mind think or assume that recreational fisherman can reduce the overall stock biomass over the impact of commercial potters and netters. This is mind boggling to all fishermen when already there is a 4 fish 14 inch limit in place. One pot can catch a dozen and one net can catch several dozen. Where is the logic in all this?

To add even more salt to the wound the ASMFC's tautog (blackfish) board has quoted that recreational fishermen are responsible for 90 percent of the blackfish harvest. I personally find this to be a disturbing up hill battle.

The true issue is the illegal trade in the live blackfish market. James A. Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance is upset due to the constant pressure applied to recreational anglers when all around us are illegal and undocumented trade in live blackfish throughout the coast.
According to Mr. Donofrio "There were no problems with blackfish until that live market opened up.”Commercial potters, roller-riggers, trawlers — none of them were interested in blackfish years ago. There was no market for blackfish — live or dead."

Mr.Donofrio also reported that in New Jersey officials do not know who many fishermen are involved in the commercial fishery or how much gear the licensed fishermen are employing.

"They have no idea whether some of these people have 10 pots or 10,000 pots out there," he said.

His answer is to make the blackfish a game fish by state law, and prohibit the possession of any live blackfish.

"This has to be done by law — the council can't do it," he said. "But it must be done. Once the commercial harvest is prohibited, then the recreational side must be cut back until over fishing is not occurring.”

At the end of the day we need to find answers. Summer Flounder (Fluke) are also on the chopping block once again and I will leave that for another day. The problem is with all the regulations applied to the recreational fisherman the true resources are overlooking the illegal and commercial trade of our fish stocks. This is only one fish, we need to go after the illegal trade first not the recreational fisherman who wants to take his family out on a boat or beach to bond and build strong family values and traditions.

True story, if a grandfather takes his grand children fishing or crabbing and is approached by a game warden and fined $200 for each 4 inch crabs or a short fluke in his bucket what kind of example are we really setting. I agree rules are rules but there is ethics and education that need be applied on both ends.

The recreational market in NJ is what most shore town businesses and charter captains live on. We need to give them some room and look the other way .Commercial and illegal markets are the true culprits that impact the stocks and that to me is common sense. Our tax dollars and resources are looking in the wrong direction. To comment and read more about our fishery regulations log onto NJSaltwaterfisherman.com

Fish On 

[IrishAyes]

Perhaps it will take all of the recreational fishermen to stop fishing completely for one year.  Stop purchasing all fishing items and anything that has to do with a fishing trip, lunch, fuel for the car, boat, etc.  Then, when the business people start closing their doors because they have no business, they will finally see that it is us, the recs, who are their real bread and butter.

When the taxes dry up from the closed businesses, the pols will then realize that the recs are the ones who keep the wheel turning, not the comms or the antis.

It is getting to the point where there will be a lot of pirates out there, and who can blame them.  When you do things under the color of law and still get the shaft, people will start going outside of the law.

Something has to be done to get the attention of the politicians who make these assinine decisions.

[Luna Sea 5]

nice post

[ped579]

 

Its a damn shame that we free of will and with the most freedom in the world have to put up with those that want to take awhat what so many have fought and died for, away.

What is it going to take?

I wish I knew...