We have some exciting changes coming to our upcoming Fluke Tournament this summer on August 6th. We will have a $50,000 prize money category for the lucky one angler who catches a fluke weighing over 12 lbs., in addition to the other prizes that will be available! Now that should interest you fluke sharpies! Also, think about the times when you are on the boat and you see an angler using the wrong bait or all balled up and the person ends up winning the pool, so that person can win this prize just having dumb luck! I remember a woman telling me that she anchored her boat and dropped the line and immediately hooked up with a 10 lb. fluke that took first place at a port in one of our fluke tournaments (she must have hit that fluke on the head when she dropped the line). So, anybody can win some big money with a lot of skill, dumb luck or a combination of both of them. More details on this tournament follow in this newsletter.
We became aware of a bill (HR 3070) sponsored by Representative Lee Zeldin that would open up the EEZ for striped bass fishing in a small area around Block Island since the boat operators indicate that they have difficulty in determining if they are in the EEZ or local waters. A letter was sent to our New Jersey's legislators indicating that they should oppose this bill. See the JCAA letter to Senator Robert Menendez that is in this newsletter.
Access
I reported on this issue in our February newsletter and I attended a sub- committee meeting in Trenton on March 15th that focused on many of its issues. I wrote a column about it and it is also in this newsletter.
Sandy Hook Bay Natural Marine Sanctuary
I attended a presentation of it given by the person proposing it (Rik van Hemmen) at the Red Bank library on March 16th. About 200 - 250 anglers showed up to voice their opposition to it. This is a HOT issue since it can have a very negative effect on our fishery. My report is also in this newsletter. We need to stay on top of this! Come to our March 29th meeting to hear my report on this important issue so that you can be aware of this threat to our fishing in one of our most productive areas.
On February 2, 2016, Representative Lee Zeldin sponsored Bill HR 3070, and its title is "The EEZ Clarification Act". The purpose of the letter is to inform you that the Jersey Coast Anglers Association (JCAA) is strongly opposed to this legislation. Let me explain:
The JCAA is an association of approximately 75 fishing clubs that has fought hard to protect the stocks of striped bass, especially when the stocks of this fishery were decimated during the 1970's and early 1980's. The JCAA was chiefly responsible for making striped bass a no-sale or game fish in New Jersey, so that it could not be harvested by commercial anglers or sold in our state. This designation helped the coastal stocks of striped bass to recover significantly.
Due to their decline, fishing for stripers in the Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) that is in federal waters, was prohibited by federal regulations. This was done so that the EEZ could provide a sanctuary for striped bass and to help ensure that the stocks would attain and remain at healthy levels. Opening up this EEZ to the harvesting of striped bass would threaten the stocks of this fishery to a level that we would not want to see again repeated.
In recent years our striped bass stocks have once again been decreasing and in 2015 both commercial and recreational anglers were forced by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to reduce their harvest by 25%. Therefore, it does not make sense that while the ASMFC is trying keep the stocks of striped bass healthy, the EEZ would be opened to allow more striped bass to be harvested. Opening the EEZ in this area would also set a bad precedent in that other states might seek to open areas of the EEZ off their coasts.
Please do not allow HR 3070 to become law. This letter is also being sent to New Jersey's Congressional delegates for their support on this issue.
You need to be counted so we can prove how many Saltwater Anglers are in New Jersey so don’t forget to register or re-register with the NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program for 2016. It is important for the politicians and National Marine Fisheries Service to see the large number of recreational anglers in NJ and how important recreational fishing is to the economy of New Jersey. So if you are thinking of going fishing in 2016 register. It is Free!! You can register or renew your registration for 2016 by going to this link. If you do go fishing please consider filling out the NJ Volunteer Angler Survey to help the Bureau of Marine Fisheries better manage our resources by going to this link.
