As the new year starts, JCAA The first JCAA General Membership Meeting of YR2025 is January 28th, at the Jersey Coast Shark Anglers (JCSA) / Riviera Beach Boat Club (RBBC) 385 Herbertsville Rd., Brick, NJ 08724. The meetings will start at 7:30pm and it is important that the member clubs have their representatives attend. This year is going to be very frustrating with all the changes with fishery management which would affect recreational fishing. Starting with the ASMFC – Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board Meeting, which was held back on December 16, 2024, to set the regulations for both Commercial and Recreational for 2025. I mentioned in the last newsletter that JCAA’s Striped Bass Committee will being reviewing all the data from that ASMFC meeting as well as other sources that are available and will be meetings to discuss it. The JCAA committee will be meeting in early February. Representatives of member clubs that are interested in attending must contact chairperson Paul Haertel. If you are interested in being on the committee, contact Paul Haertel (732) 943-8201 or anglerpmh@aol.com.
On another extremely import topic for the recreational community. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ASMFC is accepting public comment on the Recreational Measures Setting Process for Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass. This action considers changes to the process used by the Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to set recreational management measures (bag, size and season limits) for bluefish, summer flounder, scup and black sea bass. There will be a public hearing (webinar only) for NJ and CT held on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.). To register for this meeting, click here, and be sure to select January 28, 2025 from the drop down menu.
If you have any additional questions, you can contact New Jersey’s ASMFC Representatives: Joseph Cimino - joseph.cimino@dep.nj.gov, (609) 748-2020; Jeff Kaelin - jkaelin@lundsfish.com (207) 266-0440; Senator Vin Gopal - sengopal@njleg.org (732) 695-3371.
"The NJDEP Fish and Wildlife had an advisory meeting on January 22, 2025, to ""preview"" of the Recreational Measures Setting Process for Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Black Seabass and Scup document. We all need to do our research (homework) because there is a lot of information to absorb and understand that will have major consequences to the recreational community. Everyone needs to get involved and participate in the process. If you do not, there is no one else you cannot blame yourself when things are passed with which you do not agree. "
At the January 28th JCAA general membership meeting it is important to have a club representative attend. We have elections of officers of this Association which will lead us throughout the year of 2025. These Officers will be the ones that need your help to make this association stronger and more efficient.
Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) course for 2025:
It is not too late to register for the Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) course for 2025. The course starts February, for many of you that do not know, there are diverse ways you can educate yourself with topics that pertain to the marine environment. One fantastic way is the zoom online seminar course program that is ran by Douglas Zemeckis, Ph.D. who is the County Agent II (Associate Professor) of Marine Extension Agent for Ocean, Atlantic, and Monmouth Counties, County Extension Department Head (CEDH) - Ocean County. This program ran through the Cooperative Extension of Ocean County Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The course is called Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) course for 2025. It is on Tuesday evenings (6:30 - 9:00 PM) from February 4 – April 8. Each night has a different remarkably interesting topic. They are Course Introduction and Fisheries Biology, Fisheries Biology, Fisheries Oceanography and Atmospheric Science, Climate Change Impacts on Fish and Fisheries, Fisheries-Independent Data, Fisheries-Dependent Data, Social and Economic Issues in Fisheries, Introduction to Stock Assessments, Fisheries Management and Offshore Wind Energy and Fisheries. There is a minimum cost of $40, but the wealth of information from scientists is well worth it. If you have any questions, then please contact me via email or phone (732) 349-1152, or contact Dina Baudo (Administrative Assistant, RCE of Ocean County: dbaudo@co.ocean.nj.us or call (732) 349-1152).
Show Season:
JCAA will have done our first event of 2025 on January 25th at Resorts Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. This event is the most informative seminar worth every penny to attend, which is the Saltwater Sportsman National Seminar Series. The next will be the Atlantic City Boat Show February 26th – March 2nd (Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ) Saltwater Fishing Expo March 14th – 16th (New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, Edison, NJ). We need volunteers to work at the booths. I am asking the clubs to ask their membership if anyone would volunteer their time. I am looking for individuals to volunteer 4-hour shifts for JCAA at the booth promoting JCAA which is your Association. I will be emailing the show schedules with time slots that need to be filled. By volunteering a shift, JCAA pays for your entry into the show for that day. These shows are important to be at, talk to individuals that fish in our waters and keep them informed. For anyone that can volunteer, please contact me at (732) 245-9445. I would like to get the list of volunteers done early. The volunteers will be selling 2025 JCAA High Roller Raffle Tickets at each of the shows. If you cannot volunteer at one of the shows you can support JCAA by purchasing a book or two.
JCAA is always looking for more individuals to get more involved with JCAA at all diverse levels. Let me know if you are interested at (732) 245-9445.
Get Involved, Voice Your Concerns, Unite as a Community and Protect the Future of Recreational Fishing.
Important Information: The Next General Membership Meeting is scheduled for February 25th at 7:30pm, held in person at 385 Herbertsville Rd., Brick, NJ 08724 with a zoom meeting invite (Hybrid Meeting).