Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: The rules to know for the 2017 fluke & sea bass seasons

May 23, 2017 — After an offseason filled with heated public debate, it’s time for the summer flounder fishing season to actually begin.

At an emergency session last Wednesday the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council made its recommendation for this year’s regulations, which were approved the following day by Bob Martin, N.J. Department of Environmental Protection commissioner.

The season starts Thursday. The regulations are as follows:

For all N.J. coastal waters

  • 18-inch minimum size limit
  • 3-fish possession limit
  • Open season May 25 – Sept. 5

Delaware Bay and tributaries

  • 17-inch minimum size limit
  • 3-fish possession limit
  • Open season May 25 – Sept. 5

Island Beach State Park (shore fishing only)

  • 16-inch minimum size limit
  • 2-fish possession limit
  • Open season May 25 – Sept. 5

On Friday fishermen can also target black sea bass season. It will be another season of starts and stops. The regulations are as follows:

  • 10-fish possession limit, 12.5-inch minimum size limit, May 26 – June 18
  • 2-fish possession limit, 12.5-inch minimum size limit,  July 1 – Aug. 31
  • 15 fish possession limit, 12.5-inch minimum size limit, Oct. 22 – Dec. 31   

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

N.J.’s summer flounder regulations rejected by fishery commission

May 23, 2017 — Four days before New Jersey was set to open its recreational summer flounder season, a regional fisheries management board did not approve the state’s regulations, which were adopted by emergency action last Thursday.

However, it appears fishermen will still be able to fish on opening day, according to state spokespeople, as the issue gets worked out.

Toni Kerns, the director of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s summer flounder interstate fisheries management plan, said the regulations would not meet the harvest reductions voted on by the commission.

In February the commission voted for a nearly 30-percent reduction in the total coastwide harvest of summer flounder from Massachusetts to North Carolina.

To meet the reduction the commission voted on an option that would give New Jersey’s recreational summer flounder fishery a 19-inch size limit, a three-fish bag limit and a 128 day season.

The state put forth a compromise on an 18-inch fish size limit, three-fish bag limit and a shortened season from May 25 to Sept. 5. The state’s Marine Fisheries Council adopted that regulation last week.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

Meeting Summary, Motions and Presentation from May 22 Meeting of the ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board Now Available

May 23, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The meeting summary, motions and presentations from the May 22, 2017 meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board are available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/meeting-archive. The audio proceedings of that meeting will be posted to the website by 1 PM.

Supplemental Materials for May 22 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Conference Call

May 19, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The supplemental meeting materials for Monday’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board are available at http://www.asmfc.org/calendar/5/2017/Summer-Flounder,-Scup-and-Black-Sea-Bass-Board-Conf-Call/1052.

The materials include the Technical Committee Report on New Jersey’s Proposal and New Jersey’s Notification to Implement Conservation Equivalency Measures. The direct link to those materials is http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/SFLScBSB_BoardConfCallSuppMaterials_May22_2017.pdf.  

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Schedules Conference Call to Consider New Jersey Conservation-Equivalency Proposal for the 2017 Summer Flounder Recreational Fishery

May 18, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board will meet via conference call on Monday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m. to review the Technical Committee’s report on New Jersey’s 2017 summer flounder recreational fishery proposal and consider final action on New Jersey’s measures.

 The Board tasked the Technical Committee with reviewing the technical merits of the New Jersey’s proposal in meeting both the objectives of the proposal and the objectives of Addendum XXVIII. Addendum XXVIII, approved by the Board in February 2017, requires a one‐inch increase in size limit and a reduction in possession limits to no more than four fish to constrain coastwide harvest to the 2017 recreational harvest limit (RHL). These measures are broadly applied across all states to reduce harvest and provide for more coastwide consistency in regulations. The measures approved in the Addendum seek to achieve the 2017 RHL.

The public is welcome to listen to the discussion by phone (888.394.8197; passcode 815277) and view the webinar using the following link – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/499991200830679809.

The meeting agenda and materials are available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/SFLScBSB_BoardConfCallMaterials_May22_2017.pdf.  

The Technical Committee report on New Jersey’s proposal will be posted, no later than 5 PM on May 19th, at http://www.asmfc.org/calendar/5/2017/Summer-Flounder,-Scup-and-Black-Sea-Bass-Board-Conf-Call/1052.

Time permitting, there will be a limited opportunity to provide comments at the end of the agenda. The Board Chair will outline the procedures for accepting public comment at the beginning of the conference call. We ask the public and other nonparticipating attendees to please mute their phones in order to minimize distractions to the Board’s deliberations.

For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, ISFMP Director, at tkerns@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.                

NEW JERSEY: A compromise is close on summer flounder regulations

May 12, 2017 — It appears that a compromise may be close on this year’s summer flounder regulations.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the state are close to agreeing on a recreational season of three summer flounder at 18 inches. The season would be shortened to 104 days from May 25 to September 5.

The commission had voted on Option 5, which was a 19-inch size limit, a three-fish bag limit and a 128 day season. New Jersey then appealed it, and has still not approved the summer flounder regulations for this year.

The compromise will need to be reviewed by the commission’s Technical Committee and then voted on by the ASMFC, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said.

“We look forward to the ASFMC’s Technical Committee’s review next week and, hopefully, a final positive commission decision. We still have some steps to go through, but we’re hopeful that New Jersey’s economically vital recreational fishing industry will be saved this summer,” said Bob Martin, Commissioner of the NJDEP.

The compromise would allow New Jersey to keep a three-fish at 17-inch fish limit in place in Delaware bay west of the COLREGS line, the water boundary line between the state and Delaware.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board Approves Scup Addendum XXIX & Finalizes 2017 Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures

May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIX to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum shortens the length of the commercial scup summer period and extends the length of the winter II period (Table 1).

Table 1. New Quota Periods approved in Addendum XXIX

Winter I January 1-April 30 (120 days)
Summer May 1- September 30 (153 days)
Winter II October 1-December 31 (92 days)

This action seeks to allow for the better utilization of the commercial quota, which has been under-harvested since 2011. Specifically, the change in quota period length allows for higher possession limits for a longer period of time each year, thus increasing the likelihood the commercial fishery will fully harvest the quota. The quota allocation for each period remains unchanged. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) also took the same action through Framework 10. The Council will forward its recommendation to NOAA Fisheries for final approval.The Board and Council’s action will not affect the 2017 quota period start and end dates; these changes will likely be implemented for 2018 commercial quota. The Addendum will be finalized and available on the Commission website, www.asmfc.org (on the Scup webpage), within the next few weeks.

The Board also reviewed the final 2016 black sea bass recreational harvest estimates and considered changes to current measures to meet the 2017 RHL. Based on the performance of the 2016 fishery, which indicated a reduction is needed to stay within the 2017 RHL, the Board set the possession limit for wave 6 (November/December 2017) at five fish in state waters from Rhode Island through New Jersey. All other state measures remain unchanged from 2016.

ASMFC Summer Flounder Management Board to Consider New Jersey Conservation Equivalency Proposal for 2017 Summer Flounder Recreational Fishery

May 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board has accepted a request by the State of New Jersey to consider a proposal for conservationally-equivalent management measures for the 2017 recreational summer flounder fishery. The action responds to New Jersey’s concern about the lack of availability of large fish (19” or greater) in state waters.

In February 2017, the Board approved Addendum XXVIII to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, maintaining regional management for the 2017 recreational summer flounder fishery and requiring all states (with the exception of North Carolina) to implement a one-inch increase in size limit and a reduced possession limit. These measures are required in order to stay within the 2017 recreational harvest limit. New Jersey has contended a one-inch increase in size will have significant economic impacts to its recreational and for-hire industries, since 19” fish have reduced availability in its waters.

The next step in the process is for the Technical Committee to review New Jersey’s proposal, which is anticipated to occur next week. The Board will then meet via conference call to receive the Technical Committee’s review and consider action on the proposal. If the proposal is accepted by the Board, New Jersey will have until May 21st to implement the approved measures. If conservationally-equivalent measures are not approved, New Jersey will need to implement the following measures by May 21st or the Commission will move forward with a non-compliance finding regarding New Jersey’s failure to implement Addendum XXVIII’s required management measures.

  • Shore mode for Island Beach State Park only: 17-inch minimum size limit; 2-fish possession limit and 128-day open season.
  • Delaware Bay only (west of the colregs line):   18-inch minimum size limit; 3-fish possession limit and 128-day open season.
  • All other marine waters (east of the colregs line):  19-inch minimum size limit; 3-fish possession limit and 128-day open season

ASMFC 2017 Spring Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

May 3, 2017 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2017 Spring Meeting are available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2017-spring-meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental materials for all Boards/Section, with the exception of the South Atlantic Board, have been combined into one PDF.

Atlantic Herring Section – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview; FMP Review; Correspondence Regarding VMS; NEFMNC Comment on Draft Amendment 1; Spawning Closure Protocol; Public Comment

 Tautog Management Board – Summary of Management Options; Draft Amendment 1; MA/RI Proposed Regional Options; Public Comment

 Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board –  Draft Addendum V and Technical Comments on Proposed Options

 Atlantic Menhaden Management Board –  Update on Draft Amendment 3 Development; Allocation Work Group Recommendations on Management Alternatives to include in Draft Amendment 3; Draft Amendment 3; NY menhaden landings Recalibration; Lenfest Correspondence; Public Comment

 Executive Committee – Memo on Advisory Panel Members Serving as Board Proxies and Chair Term Limits

 Coastal Sharks Management Board – NOAA Fisheries HMS Presentation on Amendment 5b

 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and MAFMC – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview; Correspondence from CT Charter and Party Boat Association & RI Party and Charter Board Association; Summer Flounder Recreational Management White paper; Technical Committee Report on Black Sea Bass Recreational Data; Public Comment

 ISFMP Policy Board – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview

 Business Session – Revised Agenda

 South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessment & Peer Review Reports and Spot Benchmark Stock Assessment & Peer Review Reports

Request for Proposals: Evaluation of F-Based Management for the Recreational Summer Flounder Fishery

May 2, 2017 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council seeks a highly-qualified contractor to evaluate the feasibility of developing a fishing mortality (F) based management approach for the recreational summer flounder fishery that is consistent with and meets the Council’s requirements to implement Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures (AMs) as mandated under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA).

Please review the Request for Proposals for complete details and instructions for proposal submission.

Proposals are due by June 19, 2017.