Many in the recreational fishing community are stunned over National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s decision to close the black sea bass fishery.
"What the NOAA released failed to state is the fact that the quota in 2009 was set too low and they are allowing the same low quota to be in place for 2010," said Tom Fote, legislative chairman for the Jersey Coast Anglers Association. "They set the original quota in 2008 believing the stock was being over fished and that over fishing was taking place and they raised the size limit to 12½ inches to implement the smaller quota."
NOAA did not raise the quota after learning there were more than enough fish. Instead, according to Fote, they kept an arbitrarily low quota that guaranteed over harvesting because it did not take into consideration that the stocks were larger than they estimated.In 2008, the new stock assessment was published and it basically stated that the stock was not over fished.
"We can’t have Dr. Jane Lubchenco, [NOAA administrator], taking arbitrary action with no regard for or understanding of recreational fishing and the industry it supports," Fote said. "This just reinforces our concerns when she replaced the recreational representatives on the Mid-Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council."
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