June 18, 2018 — Fisheries agencies are considering changes to the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan and will hold public hearings this month to hear from recreational and commercial fishing interests.
The amendments are being considered by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
They would change commercial and recreational allotments, fishery management plan goals and objectives, commercial allocations among states and the commercial quota transfer process.
Public hearings in New Jersey will be held 6 to 8 p.m. June 27 at the Ocean City Library, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City; and 6 to 8 p.m. June 28 at the Ocean County Administration Building, 101 Hopper Ave., Toms River.
Currently, the allocation is 83 percent for recreational and 17 percent for commercial fisheries, but transfers from the recreational to commercial sector have happened every year since 2001, the agencies said.