From today Star Ledger
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
BY AL RISTORI
Star-Ledger Staff
New York has filed a lawsuit against federal agencies, seeking a return to coastwise summer flounder limits rather than the conservation equivalency that has resulted in N.J. anglers "getting off" with an 18-inch minimum rather than the 20 1/2 inches required in the Empire State after they went way over their quota last year. Should N.Y. prevail, the net result will almost surely involve an increase in N.J.'s minimum size plus a decrease in bag limit and season length.
It's unfortunate that the lawsuit didn't instead seek a change in the inequitable 60-40 split of the fluke quota in favor of commercial fishermen even though the National Marine Fisheries Service MARMAP Contribution No. 1 of March, 1974 stated "An estimated 39 million pounds landed by anglers in 1970 is nearly seven times the commercial catch." Altering that split would be a change beneficial to anglers in all states.
New York officials are well aware that their lawsuit isn't likely to increase the overall quota. The main object is to restructure the division of the mere 40 percent of the overall quota more in their favor. We can't blame them for trying to improve their position, but it's important that N.J. officials support their recreational fishing industry by opposing that lawsuit. The 18-inch minimum is already creating severe difficulties for N.J. anglers and the economy dependent on them. New York's action, if successful, would be a severe blow.
