NJ Fluke Regs Out.

[CaptGM]

Well here they are - Hot off the presses

NJ Fluke Regs.
8 fish 18 inches may 24th thru sept. 7th
you can keep 1 for bait but it must be 18 inches and has to count as one of the 8

Not Bad

Capt Greg

[gimmesalt]

8 at 18"!! I'm from NY but if I get to go fluking this year I know where I'm going!
That's night and day compared to NY!

[crabcake]

Nice to hear that the NJ guys got a reasonable time frame and somewhat reasonable minimum size limit on their season. That will be quite an adjustment from 16.5 inches.

[CaptGM]

Given the choices and the potential disaster this could have been* all things considered its not bad!

I can only hope that the NY folks can get something similar!

GM

[crabcake]

Yes* NJ will definitely survive with these regs this year and lets hope there's no punishment for it next year. I hope we do get something better here in NY. I can't get over the fact that we're fighting for a 20+ inch size limit in order to preserve our rights to a somewhat reasonable length of our season. We really should call our season a trophy season because I remember many days when a 21 inch fluke would turn a lot of heads and win pools. I just hope that this isn't something that lasts forever.

[Quanman]

IMO the size limits are going the wrong way. 18"* 20"* 21" whatever the size will surely put us over the poundage again and again. It also depletes the mature breeders.

I would rather see a 4 fish @ 15" -17" and maybe 1 over 24 or 26(just in case you get that shot @ a doormat.)

This will allow people to go home with a few fish* and stop the unavoidable killing of short gut hooked fish. :!:

[CaptGM]

We should not be in this situation to start off with* however since we are* there are many options* some make sense-some dont.

Because so many businesses are involved in this fishery* a balance has to be struck in order to make the "rule-makers" happy* the businesses that will affected* and the fishermen who dump millions of dollars into the fishery all happy.

A longer season makes sense for the business owners like Party Boats* Tackle stores* Bait dealers and so on. The larger fish* although heavier in weight will be caught in less numbers than the 16in variety. Satisfying the "rule Makers". It would be unusual at best to see multiple bag limits of 8 fish over 18in coming off a party boat* especially 1/2 day. private guys may be able to pull that off better.

The whole thing is one big sticky-wicket that requires a delicate balance and some common sense mixed with REAL Data. We all know common sense is not so common.

Just my 2cents.

Capt Greg

[Jaye43b]

Quanman wrote:
IMO the size limits are going the wrong way. 18"* 20"* 21" whatever the size will surely put us over the poundage again and again. It also depletes the mature breeders. I would rather see a 4 fish @ 15" -17" and maybe 1 over 24 or 26(just in case you get that shot @ a doormat.)

This will allow people to go home with a few fish* and stop the unavoidable killing of short gut hooked fish.

This post raises all the pertinent and unanswered questions for me:

- What is the optimum size for the most productive breeders?

- Can we slot fish so that we will have minimum impact upon the future of the industry?

- What is the correct balance between keeping known breeders and returning future breeders?

- Should it be mandatory to use circle hooks and avoid the number of gut hooked fish that probably will not survive?

Just as important to me is to ensure that the future of the industry* from both the point of view of the commercial guy and the recreational guy* is not as severely impacted as the present trend suggests.

The question is HOW!!!!! My take!!!!!

[Quanman]

It's the private guys that are going to make the biggest impact anyway. They have the ability to bounce around and look for the quality fish.

For all intents and purposes lets say

15" = 1.0 lb
16" = 1.5 lb
17" = 2.0 lb
18" = 2.5 lb

Under todays regs a person can go out and catch a limit and it will weigh 20 lbs total.

4 fish @ 15"-17" the max total weight will be 8 lbs. You would be decreasing the poundage by more than 1/2* and saving more mature breeders to increase the overall biomass.

What they are really doing is putting a noose on the nuts of the party boat fisherman.

If you had 50 people on board* on average how many keepers do you think you would boat on a 1/2 day trip with the new regs.?

[Quanman]

Jaye43B said What is the optimum size for the most productive breeders?




Reproduction:
Both males and females become sexually mature at the age of 3. The fecundity (number of eggs produced in a single spawning season) of females increases with size and weight. A 14 inch female produces about 460*000* and a 27 inch female about 4*200*000 eggs in a season.

[crabcake]

I've always believed in a slot limit for fluke as COMMON SENSE shows that harvested poundage would be a lot less. I'd have no problems with a law that let us keep a couple of smaller fish for the table as long as there is a provision that would allow us to keep 1 trophy fish for the day. For example* how about 3 fish with a 16" minimum length of which only one could be over 20 inches? This would protect the breeders* reduce gut hooked mortality figures* reduce the poundage* preserve our tackle shops* charters* party boats* etc. & would preserve the stock. Yeah* I know I'm dreaming but I think its amazing that COMMON SENSE is overlooked in most aspects of fisheries management.

[Clam I am]

Well it seems like a few of us on TFL have to get a few carpools to head over to Jersey this year.

[samborges]

Say hello to my little friend* NJ/golden eagle. Capt Greg I send you a email on the easter trip. Wow the NJ regs are super cool* like this guy>>>:cool:

[CaptGM]

Got the e-mail. See you Easter Weekend. Looking forward to it!

[Clam I am]

Capt*

We may just have to round up some people from NY and enjoy a day on your boat this year.

[Surfmeister]

Originally posted by Clam I am
Well it seems like a few of us on TFL have to get a few carpools to head over to Jersey this year.

Count me in on that!!!
Looking forward to patronizing Capt Greg. :rock:

[Surfmeister]

***********HELP WANTED**********

NY DEC is now accepting applications for its Fisheries Management Dept. No experience necessary* but must be working towards completion of your GED. Previous applicants and those with common sense need not apply. Look for us at the Job Fair* next to the GreenPeace booth.

[Jaye43b]

He is back!!!!Now you have my wife thinking that I am becoming a raving lunatic. It is too damn early to have me laughing this loud.

[Jaye43b]

By the way* Surf* count me in on any trip to support Capt. Greg. You have to go past me to get there.
We can arrange the logistics later.