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(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association May 2004 Newsletter)
Well, hopefully things will start to get back to normal, but then again what is normal? Maybe I’ll get my boat in the water in time for the 10th Annual JCAA Fluke Tournament scheduled for June 12th. This is a great family tournament as many of the winning fish are caught right in our back bays. One of the biggest fish in the history of the tournament was caught last year in the back bay so you don’t have to travel far. Take the whole family out for a day on the water and the chance to win some great prizes. In addition to the tournament itself, the awards ceremony is worth the price of the entry fee all in itself. Last year there were over 85 door prizes and you did not have to catch a fish to be eligible for them. All you had to do was show up at Trump’s Marina on June 18th and you had a chance at not only the door prizes but also the Grand Prize of a Cobia 184 with a 4 stroke Yamaha Engine and LoadRite Trailer. Some people don’t even fish. They buy a ticket just for a chance to win the boat. The odds are the best that you will get in Atlantic City.
Last month I attended a meeting of the NJ Association of Dive Clubs. They had as their speaker not one, not two but three representatives of the Ocean Conservancy. Their only objective was to promote “NO FISHING ZONES.” They spoke against the Freedom to Fish Acts that are in the various legislatures around the country and the Federal Bill because these bills would prevent them from instituting “NO FISHING ZONES.” That itself should be enough reason to support the Federal Freedom to Fish Bill. They talked about MPA’s (Marine Protected Areas), which have been used as a fishery management tool for many years with seasonal closures for certain gear or to protect certain species. Their goal is to take the MPA’s to the next step and prevent anyone from fishing in those designated areas. What areas do you think they will protect? You guessed it, the best habitat and the best fishing areas.
The speakers were pros and even I would have been convinced if I did not understand the management process and the pitfalls of such a system of “NO FISHING ZONES.” They sound great and these pros will convince a lot of non-fishermen that they are doing the right thing. Most of the fishermen that I know are conservationists and if there is a legitimate reason to shorten a season or close a spawning area, they are the first ones to embrace the regulations, But “NO FISHING ZONES” take the concept too far.
Glenn Arthur, the President of the Dive Association, had a great idea for them. Instead of taking our prime fishing areas and making them “NO FISHING ZONES,” they should invest the money they will spend on propaganda and buy ships, tanks, reef balls and place these items on a piece of desolate sandy bottom that has very little fish life on it and conduct a real experiment. Take a barren area and make a new reef out of it and study it to their hearts content. That would be far more worthwhile than pitting themselves against their core supporters, the sportsmen and women who have helped them grow.
The High Roller Raffle ticket drawings will take place at this month’s general membership meeting beginning at 8:00 P.M. at the Brick Municipal Building. If you have any tickets outstanding you must get them to us by the night of the drawing.