TAKE ACTION: Summer Flounder Quotas On The Chopping Block!
NOAA Fisheries and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Fishery Management Council are considering cutting 2017 summer flounder recreational quota by up to 40%
Unfortunately, this decision is being based on an outdated benchmark stock assessment from 2013.
If this reduction goes through, it means less time on the water for one of the region’s most popular recreational fisheries. Recreational fishing for summer flounder employs over 10,000 people and generates over $1 billion in revenue. A forty percent reduction would be devastating to local economies.
Fortunately, a desperately needed new benchmark stock assessment for summer flounder, including findings from Cornell University, is expected in early 2017.
Given this new information will provide a more accurate indication of the true health of the fishery, NOAA Fisheries should delay such a drastic and potentially catastrophic reduction until the new stock assessment is complete.
While all anglers support conservation, NOAA’s decision seems rushed and overly harsh.
7 on “TAKE ACTION: Summer Flounder Quotas On The Chopping Block!”
-
Bill Article is a bit lacking, are commercial limits being reduced as well? Seems the inshore folks like me get very few keepers, lots of shorts, maybe it is a good time to shorten the season rather than hike the size limits again
-
Phil Honestly I think changing what we have now at 5 fish 18 in would be terrible. I think it should stay the same as it is now if anything even open the season 2 weeks earlier. Let me put it this way I don’t mean to brag but I limit out every time I go and guys that say otherwise need to put there time in because there are plenty of fluke out there so for the complainers you should try keeping your poll in your hand and stand up not sit down with the pole in the holder and maybe you will limit out as well. If you guys change the size limits a lot of us will say screw it not worth gassing up for 2 fish.
-
-
Karen Serpe I ask that you please delay your decision to reduce the quota for Summer Recreational Flounder by 40% until after the new stock assessment has been completed. I agree that regulations are necessary but I would also ask you to keep in mind that regulations should be the same for both Long Island fishermen and Connecticut fishermen. To differentiate between the two coasts of the same body of water, i.e., Long Island Sound, is unfair and unconscionable.
-
Different Bill I’m all for massive cuts to recreational (AND commercial) flounder. It seems like the entire coastal policy is set up with no consideration for the fish stock. Instead, it seems like it is based on how many fish and how small a fish they can catch in NY and CT. The last 3 years has seen a drop-off in recreation catches here in RI. And NY overfishes their quotas every year without consequence. I love flounder. It’s my favorite fish to catch and eat. I need one or two 18-22″ fish from a day’s outing to feed my family. The fact that the limits have been down in the 16″-range and up at the 8-fish range is unacceptably high to ensure the quality of the stock.
-
Mike S My humble opinion – reduce the catch limit to 2 fish and the size limit to 16″ or 17″. I find we catch 90% throwbacks and as careful as we are when you have deep or even gut hooked fish I do not know what percentage survive as throw backs. This would reduce the amount of time fishing for the elusive 18″+ fish in NJ and the number of shorts hooked.
-
Ken Obviously , status – quo will not stop the females from being killed. Why, support delaying the scientific summer flounder harvest reduction of 40%. For short – term financial gain for a few? Maybe?
I support the 40% reduction. My reason, the future of the summer flounder fishery, The most deadly mistake made by the NMFC and other regulators, has been delaying or forgoing harvest reductions, do to political pressure. Weakfish and Striped bass come to mind. They have done this in complete disregard of warnings from their own scientist. The results have been devastating. Yet, the insanity continues.
Leave a Reply