ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board to Meet February

[The dropoff]

The following is a news release from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

 Discuss Recreational Measures for Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass

Arlington, VA - The ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board will meet via a web-based conference call on February 3, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting will be for the Board to consider approval of the 2011 state conservation equivalency proposals for summer flounder, as well as review possible options for recreational black sea bass management.

In December, the Board tasked staff with developing options for regional and state-by-state black sea bass measures. The Board may choose to move forward with including these options in a draft addendum for public comment to be approved on the conference call. The Board decided to meet via conference call in February to allow the necessary administrative time for the states to implement their summer flounder recreational measures before the start of the 2011 fishery.

To join the call, please go to the ASMFC website under meetings for instructions for the web and telephone portions of the call, http://www.asmfc.org/meetings.htm. For more nformation, please contact Toni Kerns, Senior FMP Coordinator for Management, at (703) 842-0740 or <tkerns@asmfc.org>.
*************************
Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, VA 22201-2196
(p) 703.842.0740
(f) 703.842.0741
tberger@asmfc.org
www.asmfc.org






New Jersey
2010 Harvest Target: 997,000 fish
2010 Landings: 593,677 fish
2011 Harvest Target: 1,335,000
Alteration for 2010 unadjusted: 125% liberalization
2010 Regulations:
 Minimum Size: 18”
 Possession Limit: 6 fish
 Open Season: May 29-September 6
Proposed 2011 Measures:
 
Option Min Size Bag
Limit       Open Season        Liberalization*
1 18”       6 May 28-September 5       31%
2 17.5”    6 May 28-September 5       117%
3 17”       6 May 28-September 5       207%
4 17.5”    6 May 21-September 11       139%
5 17.5”    8 May 21-September 11       145%
6 18”       6 May 14-September 18       61%
7 18”       8 May 14-September 18       62%
8 18”       6 May 2 – Sept 30          88%
9 17”/18”    1/5 May 28-September 5       97%
10 17”/18”    1/5 May 14-September 18       141%
11 17”/18”    1/7 May 28-September 5       97%
12 17”/18”    1/7 May 14-September 18       142%
13 17.5”/18”    1/5 May 28-September 5       72%
14 17.5”/18”    1/5 May 14-September 18       110%
15 17.5”/18”    1/7 May 28-September 5       73%
16 17.5”/18”    1/7 May 14-September 18       111%
Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015

* Liberalization results based on catch per trip from NJ VAS and average coastwide weight per fish of 3.35 pounds
Additional Factors accounted for in proposal:
Averages of the most recent three years of data (2008 through 2010) were used, this was more conservative than if only 2010 data were used.
 
Technical Committee Recommendation:   
Approve all options but 3, 4, 5, 10, and 12. Technically in the proposal the dual size limit will work but it will make future years analysis more difficult. 
 

[Tacklebox Joe]

thanks for the info

[Bucktail]

 

[Reckless]

Good info! Thanks!!

[Scott G.]

 

[The dropoff]

Before anyone asks from option  nine  down are the slot  

[Reckless]

I would like to see the longer season and 6 fish is plenty. I would be happy with 4 if they extended it into October.

[IrishAyes]

Any update on the meeting? I tried to log on but could not even get to the site to do so. 

[Capt. Carl]

Funny how that didnt work Joe...i tried as well and couldnt get past the download. HMMMM.

[IrishAyes]

Happened to me the last time also. Does make you go...hmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

[The dropoff]

They had a problem with the log in.  The had to change the meeting room and that changed the log in.  If you were on the phone you could listen to the meeting.  It was not Asmfc falt. ASMFC  was tell everyone about the change.  

I just got done a talk at the Fishhawks. I will try to let you know what happen at the meeting.

They took some options off the table.  if it did not meet the 125% then they took it of the table.  

3, 4, 5, 10 and 12 were the ones taken off.


They also talked about Sea Bass.  I still do not know if they are going to find away to get us any early season.  They might put something out in the near future for public comment. 

[IrishAyes]

Thanks for the info Capt Fran. 

[Tacklebox Joe]

Thanks for the info Capt Fran. 

 

[The Broken One]

#8...... 

[IrishAyes]

#8...... 

That gets my vote.

[Reckless]

#8 seems to be the best. May 2nd is a little early.
May 15 to Oct 15 would be nice. Is there a reason they don't want to go into October?

[Tacklebox Joe]

Is there a reason they don't want to go into October?

because that's when we will start catching the keepers! 

[paul-e]

Thanks for the information Capt.

But reading all this technical BS and statistics that go along with it gives me a headache

Why can't we just go out and have some fun and keep a few reasonable size for the table ?

I guess it's not that simple to be sensible.
 

[Wreckfish]

#8

[Capt. Carl]

Going out on a limb here.....based on the results from the boats fishing on the RSA permits....the fishing after the season shut down was still as bad as the open season as far as keepers and not too many boats actually filled the quotas they paid for...which wasnt a whole lot to begin with.
with that being said...i would accept option #2 due to the mere fact of the numbers of 17.5 inch fish that got thrown back.....that is, i could live with that as long as there is an open scup and sea bass fishery on Sept. 6th