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by Tom Fote
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association January 1994 Newsletter)
I always start each year expecting winter to be a quiet time of year, but it never turns out that way. On Tuesday, January 11, a meeting was held at Bahr's Landing in Highlands. It was a meeting arranged by Congressman Frank Pallone to allow recreational fishing interests the opportunity to meeting and discuss their concerns with Roland Schmitten, the new director of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
In attendance were representatives from 11 recreational groups, of which 10 are members of JCAA. The 1-1/2 hour meeting was an interesting and optimistic first step for NMFS to become more sensitive and informed about recreational concerns under its new director. If NMFS continues this new open door policy, as expressed by Mr. Schmitten at the meeting, the coming years could see a new openness and welcome participation by recreational interests in the fisheries management process. Many interesting topics were discussed and will be covered at the January JCAA meeting. The most important point stressed was the importance and economic impact of the recreational fishing industry and how it has been negatively impacted by NMFS policies and regulations that have allowed commercial interests to over fish many key recreational species.
JCAA wishes to thank Congressman Frank Pallone for arranging this meeting and Rollie Schmitten for attending. A special thanks to Jedd Brown (aid to Congressman Pallone) for the incredible amount of work it took to get this meeting organized and for having it run so smoothly.
BLUEFIN TUNA: NMFS has just sent out rules governing the bluefin tuna fishery for 1994. Again, the proposed rules fail to recognize that the angling category needs to be divided into three regions. The New York Bight area through Delaware must be classified as a separate zone. Without the addition of this separate zone, it has been demonstrated that Long Island, New Jersey and Delaware have been eliminated from the fishery, because the season is closed for school size fish before they migrate into this region. This point was addressed with Rollie Schmitten, but must be stressed to the highly migratory management division. Send your comments to Roland Schmitten and copy Richard Stone, Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division and Richard Schaefer, Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management (301-713-2347 Address: NMFS; 1335 East West Hwy, Silver Springs, MD 20910). In general, the quotas have not changed from 1993 and there is little we can do to impact these decisions at this time.
FLUKE: The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has not received the statistics detailing the number of fluke caught by recreational anglers in 1993. These statistics are supposed to be available by the end of January at which time there will be a joint meeting of the ASMFC Fluke Board and the Mid Atlantic Council's Demersal Species Committee. It is tentatively scheduled to be held the week of February 15. We will then have a better handle on what the recreational bag limit will be for the 1994 season. The ASMFC will hold a meeting on January 20 to determine how to deal with those states out of compliance with the plan in the coming year. "Is there any reason New Jersey should be at a six fish limit if Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia are still fishing at a ten fish limit?"
STRIPED BASS: The week of February 15th, there will be several meetings taking place at the Old Colony Inn, 625 First St, Alexandria, VA (703-548-6300).
Feb 15 (8:30 - noon) - Striped Bass Stocking Committee
(1:00 - 5:30)- Striped Bass Research Workshop
Feb 16 (8:30 - 5:00) - Striped Bass Research Workshop
Feb 17 (8:30 - 5:30) - Striped Bass Technical Committee
The Striped Bass Committee of JCAA will meet in February to discuss the bill Senator Bassano has introduced to the NJ legislature to bring the state into compliance in 1994. There might be some changes to this bill after the February meeting.
ATLANTIC SHAD & RIVER HERRING: Because of the interjurisdicational fisheries bill, it has become necessary to establish a board to oversee these species. There are real concerns that these species are being over harvested and additional restrictions need to be imposed. A meeting on these subjects by ASMFC will held on February 18, at 1:00 at the same location in Virginia, following the Striped Bass meetings.
BLACKFISH (TAUTOG): The ASMFC, because of the interjurisdicational fisheries bill, has established a blackfish board. The first meeting will be held on January 20th to establish how the board will operate and what is necessary to develop a management plan for the species.
ATLANTIC STURGEON: Board meeting in Alexandria on Feb 18 at 8:30.
WEAKFISH: No date for meeting as of this writing, but there might be a date established by the January JCAA meeting. There are serious problems with stocks.
You've probably noticed there are an inordinate amount of meetings for ASMFC representatives due to President Clinton's December 20th signing of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. This is just the beginning. It looks like the ASMFC will be having a week of meetings once a month for the entire year. JCAA will try to keep you informed of when and where all meetings will be taking place. This is an entirely new process and the bugs have yet to be worked out. The ASMFC will be conducting meetings to work out the bugs.
Due to the present chaotic situation at the ASMFC and the short notice on other upcoming meetings, JCAA is in the process of implementing a system that will allow you to dial the answering machine at the office and get a recording detailing the dates of these meetings. Hopefully, this will be in operation shortly.
NJ MARINE FISHERIES COUNCIL: The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council will meet on February 3 and we should have a better idea of where our efforts on the blue claw crab fishery stands. There will also be discussions on the herring proposal for Deal Lake, Wreck Pond and Lake Tackanassee.
JCAA would like to congratulate our new Governor, Chistine Todd Whitman and all the legislators, both new and reelected, that will take office in January. We look forward to working with Governor Whitman on the 3rd Annual Governor's Cup Surf Fishing Tournament and on a host of issues of interest to our member clubs. It is important that member clubs aquaint themselves with all new legislators and the Governor. It is critical that we get our message across them loud and clear about the economic impact of recreational fishing and its importance to New Jersey. We will be approaching Governor Whitman to arrange a meeting to help educate her concerning these important issues. Governor Florio set a precedent by attending a JCAA meeting and we trust Governor Whitman will continue the tradition.
SUNDAY CLAMMING: Senator Lou Bassano has reintroduced the Sunday Clamming Bill and as soon as it is assigned a new number, we will pass the information along. At the shows we are attending, JCAA representatives have been asked numerous times "why isn't this bill already in place." Regretfully, we had to inform them that even though the bill was passed through committee unanimously, the state assembly failed to vote it into law. Passage of this bill will be a job for our member clubs and their representatives to prove the importance of this legislation to their assembly representatives. One of the biggest opponents to this bill was defeated in his bid for reelection in Atlantic County by a very small margin. Could it be his failure to support Sunday Clamming was instrumental in his defeat?