NJ FLuke Regs for 2009

[Capt. Joe G]

Word is shorter season May thru sept4, 6 fish and 18"s again we miss out on the fall season!! I would like to know what commercial season is!  I know more will come from members who went to meeting..

[Luna Sea 5]

 

[ChrisL]

 

[CapBob]

Just got the call


May 23 to Sept 4th 6 fish at 18 inches

[Great American Fisherman]

What about the Sea Bass and Porgy?

[IrishAyes]

Jim, porgy is to remain the same. Sea bass may go up to 12 1/2". That depends on the Feds. First word was that the seabass was overfished. Therefore talk of 12 1/2". Second look showed it was not overfished so if the Feds keep their regs at 12 the council will put in for the same.

Yes, I was at the meeting and CaptBob has the dates correct.

Very interesting to finally go to one of these and see firsthand what was happening. They did have a session where guys who signed up before the meeting to speak could speak when the time came for that. It was split almost in half between the option that won and an option that was for the same amount of fish and size but for a June 1 to Sept 7 season.

Guys would tell the council what option they liked and why. Most, of course, spoke of what season was best for their area but not all from the same areas agreed on the same option. Most of the bait & tackles wanted the earlier season to give it a shot in the arm to get started (also for the extra days guys would be on the water).

Conclusion: The earlier season does give more fishing days. Up north, that will not matter as the fluking does not get into full swing until later in June any more. If the water temp does not warm up (like the last several years) the beginning of the season will be a bust.

The most important thing I learned from the experience of going to this meeting. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO ATTEND!!!

Truth be told, more people need to attend the meetings PRIOR to this one so we can have a bigger voice in what options are available to us at this meeting.

[Capt. Joe G]

Capt. Joe.. Sorry I could go but think about most sportsmen fish weekends. They hold the meeting in Galloway at 4pm??? thats Fair?? Whats sad is once we start losing days and numbers we will never get them back..please check your pm have a question but don't want a war!!

[The Broken One]

Truth be told, more people need to attend the meetings PRIOR to this one so we can have a bigger voice in what options are available to us at this meeting.

Joe Joe.... I have attend these meetings for other species as well.... And the TRUTH is that no matter what was said THEY had the season rules set in their minds BEFORE ANYONE WALKED IN THAT ROOM 

[CapBob]

Truth be told, more people need to attend the meetings PRIOR to this one so we can have a bigger voice in what options are available to us at this meeting.

Tom
You got that right

[gjb1969]

they are dummmmmmm get all the big breeders A HOLES

[IrishAyes]

Tom, you are probably 100% correct on this, BUT, I truely believe that if enough of us get out and let them know that we mean business and will not settle for business as usual we can and will make a difference.

We, as fishermen, have to challange the people who are coming up with these insane rules and regulations. We must hold them to a higher standard than they have now. They can only do what they are doing because no one is there to keep them in check. If we were to gather as a group and show up for these meeting it will work.

It worked when the NJOA, then a new organization, gathered up the troups and stormed Monmouth and caused the ouster of State Sen. Ellen Karcher, Assemblymen Michael Panter.

[Hunter 2]

Sounds good Joe,  Maybe we can go as a NJSWF.com group and have a common plan prior to the meeting.

[CapBob]

Joe

I agree about being heard as one voice...but the main problem is we have so many organizations looking out for us, the message gets diluted as they do not want to give up home rule to help each other out.

Until we can totally unify, we are doomed

[IrishAyes]

CaptBob, another thing we agree on. 

We do have to have one group leading the battle, not a bunch of splintered groups each with their own agenda. Not that there is anything wrong with their agenda, but we do need to be more organized as a group with one voice.

[Great American Fisherman]

Joe,

You have to go after the people who work for us.  You have to threaten them.  Help us or you are out.  Bottom line. Our tax money pays their salaries.  Bottom line.  But as I said, with a failing economy, job loss, sinking DOW.  Who will listen?  I do.  But who else will.

[Bucktail]

...but the main problem is we have so many organizations looking out for us, the message gets diluted as they do not want to give up home rule to help each other out.

Until we can totally unify, we are doomed

We do have to have one group leading the battle... we do need to be more organized as a group with one voice.

  Absolutely 100%!

Although I'm still opposed to the saltwater registration (license), it may help to get our numbers counted as a whole.  In fact it may wind up being the only benefit achieved by its implementation.

[CaptTB]

Truth be told, more people need to attend the meetings PRIOR to this one so we can have a bigger voice in what options are available to us at this meeting.

Joe Joe.... I have attend these meetings for other species as well.... And the TRUTH is that no matter what was said THEY had the season rules set in their minds BEFORE ANYONE WALKED IN THAT ROOM 

That statement is patently untrue. I can assure you that up until the vote no one knew what it was going to be, and many believed (including at the council) that it would likely have gone with the Labor Day option, myself included.

The simple fact is the conspiracy theories are BS, plain and simple.

Some comments have been made about holding the people who make the decision to a higher standard, the people who make up the numbers, etc., and I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. It's also been commented about organizing, examples of NJOA with state senators etc.

One thing to remember here is the people who voted at the meeting yesterday are NOT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE NUMBERS OR APPROVE THE OPTIONS.

the state works within the guidelines that come from NMFS and ASFMC, which is where the pressure needs to be.

Obviously there are issues at the state level as well, I'm not arguing that point. My point is in the case of what options we can pick from, the state works with what ASMFC and NMFS allow them to work with.

If people want to know how things work and who decides what etc. please feel free to start threads asking any question you want (probably in the fisheries management forum I guess) and I will gladly answer any questions I can when I can.

Specifically for the meeting yesterday though, the fact is no one knew what the option chosen would be, and I can assure you there were quite a few surprised people when the decision was made (and all of us were disappointed, even the ones that wanted the option chosen because they ALL SUCKED!!

[IrishAyes]

The talk in the room and the body language of the members on the council indicated to me that option number 2 was going to be chosen. I was very surprised that option 5 was the one approved.

There were good points brought out by people who favored one option over the other as to why they preferred that option.

I do commend the people on the council for listening to the people who spoke out and I feel that what was said did have a bearing on how they voted.

I estimated about 100 people to be in the audience with about 20 or so speaking to council.

[Bucktail]

Thanks for setting the record straight TB.  Where rumors abound it's nice to have someone who can cut through all the BS!

[Scode68]

Sea Bass had the probably had every Fluke fisherman after them because they could not fish for the Fluke in the fall. 

I know I switched over to them when the Fluke season closed.