I hope everyone is having an enjoyable and successful fishing season so far. As you all know there were no General Membership Meetings held in July and August. The meeting on September 30th at 7:30pm is going to be an important one. I will be having it in-person and by zoom. Please make every effort to attend. You will be voting for the 2025 JCAA Sportsperson of the Year.
The ASMFC has held several meetings, as noted in the previous newsletter. Readers are encouraged to stay updated on proposals for upcoming seasons. While agreement among all stakeholders may not always occur, ongoing engagement is vital. The 2025 ASMFC Summer Meeting took place August 5–7. An ASMFC advisors’ meeting is also expected at the end of August before the next phase. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met August 11–14, and the Ecological Reference Points Benchmark Assessment Peer Review is set for August 12-15, 2025. More details about these meetings can be found in this publication.
The 2025 JCAA High Roller Raffle was drawn on July 10th at the Toms River Knights of Columbus Council #4969 Facility, 113 Tennyson Ave, Toms River, NJ 08753. I reached out to all the winners personally and they were incredibly surprised they won. I am in the process of getting their prizes to each of them. I would like to thank each and every one of you who continue to support JCAA. I will have an more detail article in this newsletter with all the lucky winners’ names and our dedicated supports that donated the prizes for this year’s High Roller Raffe.
Coming up on November 8th is an event you do not want to miss. This outstanding event is the Annual JCAA Sportsperson of the Year Dinner. It will be held at the Captain’s Inn in Forked River. The is an event where a dedicated individual is honored for being selected as 2025 JCAA Sportsperson of the Year. Club’s needs to provide the nominee’s name and electronic summary of five hundred words detailing why your nominee deserves selection. These submissions should be sent to Tom Fote at tfote@jcaa.org. Nominees that were submitted prior to the deadline for this newsletter will be published, all others will be sent to club representatives as JCAA gets them. The club will need to discuss these with their club members who their club will vote on at the JCAA General Membership Meeting held on September 30th. For more details and ticket information read Chairperson John Toth’s article. JCAA also honors another dedicated individual that night for the prestigious Youth Education Award. For this award, all electronic submission for this needs to be sent to Greg Kucharewski at gkucharews@aol.com.
Recreational clubs or individuals interested in saltwater fishing can contact JCAA Membership Secretary John Toth at (732) 656-0138 or tothjohn@verizon.net for information. Member clubs that have not submitted current details and dues should also reach out. Updated information is vital for meeting notifications and fishery alerts.
For those passionate about supporting their local fishing community, the importance of staying informed and engaged cannot be overstated. Whether through attending meetings, volunteering at events, or discussing pressing issues with peers, every effort contributes to preserving the vibrancy of the recreational fishing scene. Organizations such as JCAA play a pivotal role in advocating for regulatory measures and resource management that directly affect the angling experience. By fostering community unity and participation, anglers can collectively address challenges and ensure the future of this cherished activity. Contact me at (732) 245-9445 or via email at mtsport64@aol.com.
Join the Community, Share Your Concerns, and Protect Recreational Fishing's Future
Important Information: The next General Membership Meeting is scheduled for September 30th at 7:30pm, held in person at 385 Herbertsville Rd., Brick, NJ 08724 with a zoom meeting invite (Hybrid Meeting).