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FISHERIES MANAGEMENT & LEGISLATIVE REPORT
by Tom Fote
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT & LEGISLATIVE REPORT
by Tom Fote
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association (November 1999 Newsletter)
It is important that the Jersey Coast Anglers Association be able to keep in touch with the recreational community in a timely manner and be cost effective in doing it. The easiest way to accomplish this is by email. JCAA will be able to do this if we have your email address. We have invested in software and hardware to make this possible. The easiest way to be included in the list is to email your email address to tfote@jcaa.org In order to know to whom I am sending the email to I would like you to include some things in your email.
NAME
ADDRESS
TELPHONE
FAX
Fishing Club or Environmental Organization
What species is your primary concern?
Boat Angler or Surf Angler
Would you be interested in serving on one of JCAA's species committees or in any other
capacity?
Hopefully you will pass this on to your friends so they can also be added to JCAA Email list. Pass this around
On October 7, I attended the ASMFC Striped Bass Board Meeting representing Senator Bassano. Bruce Freeman and John Connell, the other two NJ Commissioners, were also in attendance. All three of us attended both public hearings in New Jersey. The clear message of the anglers attending these meetings was to remain at status quo this year. The anglers felt it was important to deal with the underlying issues: the huge harvest of older fish and small fish by the Chesapeake Bay anglers. The statistics indicate that four states (Maryland, Virginia, New York and Massachusetts) account for 70% of the landings and a huge percentage of the hook & release mortality rate. As the commissioners from New Jersey, we attended the meeting to represent the views of our anglers. And clearly they wanted a resolution to the problem through amendment 6 rather than a Band-Aid approach that solves nothing long term. New Jersey made the motion to remain at status quo and concentrate on amendment 6, but this motion was defeated. The following motion was passed:
Move that all states be required to implement a management program in 2000 that achieves a 14% reduction in fishing mortality for age 8 and older striped bass; that the Board proceed with the preparation of a new addendum/ amendment to the plan; and that if such addendum/ amendment is not approved for 2001, that states be required in 2001 to implement an additional reductions of F to reach F= 0.31 on age 8 and older fish. The benchmark for measuring the required reductions is a two-fish daily limit and 28" minimum size. Coastal states with management measures more conservative than the benchmarks shall receive a credit against the 14%, proportionate to the reduction attributable to such conservation measures.
This motion is essentially smoke and mirrors. It allows New York and Massachusetts, which already harvests 43.7% of the coastal catch of 8 year old and larger fish, to get a reduction in the 14% because they have a one fish bag limit. I understand both of these states could have gone to two fish but they took a more conservative action by staying at one fish. But even with the one fish bag limit, they still harvest 43.7%. When you add Chesapeake Bay, an area notorious for loopholes in regulations, the catch reaches 70%. I doubt there will really be any savings in the states that already harvest most of the fish. Meanwhile, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware, who account for the 13.8% of the catch, will pay the price for conservation without any real gains. It is more difficult to tell what the impact will be in New Jersey. We are looking at various plans that will have a greater impact on protection for the 28 -inch or larger fish. This motion does nothing to curtail the huge catch of small fish in Chesapeake Bay.
The real problem with this motion is that it creates the illusion that the ASMFC is actually doing something. It allows some advocacy groups to make inflated claims about their commitment to the resource without producing any significant gains. The only real solution I can see if to make Striped Bass a gamefish coastwide. But because these advocacy groups are unable to make this a reality in their own states, their advocacy groups continue to try and further restrict the catches of recreational anglers while doing nothing about the commercial catches in their states. It just doesn't make any sense.
We play coastwide politics when we ought to all concentrate on making all the states Striped Bass Gamefish States like New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. J B Kasper pointed out how absurd this whole system is. He said that if he is fishing in the Delaware River and catches a 27 inch striped bass he has to release it so a commercial fisherman can net it down steam and sell it to him in Pennsylvania. JCAA will monitor the plan for each state to see if these savings are actually realized on the 8 year old or larger fish. We will look at what is written in the plans and the actual results once the plans go into action.
After sending out the press release printed above, I received many positive comments by email. There were, however, a few notable exceptions. The negative comments were from the Chesapeake Bay and states that have a one fish bag limit. My reply to one of the comments is included below. However, I have given more thought to the available statistics and have also included additional information from the 1999 Status of Striped Bass (August 1999) published by the ASMFC Striped Bass Technical Committee.
You need to read the table below and carefully review them. For example, if you add the fish killed by Maryland, Virginia and the Potomac River, the total is 400,000 fish more than all the other states combined. If you look at the discard morality of Massachusetts, you find that it equals the total Striped Bass killed in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. New York has killed more fish than New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware combined. New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware have a two fish bag limit. It hardly seems that is the problem. Massachusetts' commercial landings are greater than its recreational landings and that is also true of Maryland and Delaware. If you don't use the statistics, you can probably justify all kinds of outrageous statements. But once you take a serious look at the tables, you find that you need to exercise more caution when you are critical. Maryland's commercial harvest alone is almost equal to the entire coast excluding Massachusetts. I am not trying to pick on the recreational catch in any particular state. I happen to believe we should all fish on the same bag limit and size limit. I am disgusted by the deals that are made that allow some states to fish on a disproportionate share of the total harvest. If you add up the catch of Maryland, Virginia, New York and Massachusetts, the rest of the states would have an insignificant impact on the total catch. Some of these states had the nerve to ask for recognition for conserving fish. Once you read the statistics you realize how outrageous this is. The states that want to be honest and do not take advantage of special rules are continually penalized. This might force some states to take advantage of existing loopholes or continue to pay the price. Perhaps this will force ASMFC to finally take a good look at what is going on and begin to deal openly and honestly with all states. If you learn anything from these tables, it should be that your commissioners must stop voting for plans that blatantly favor Maryland, Virginia, New York and Massachusetts. Its like the old shell game where you keep playing but you never win. When are they going to wise up. If I lived in Delaware or Pennsylvania I would be asking my commissioners to explain their votes. I hope you read these tables carefully, get as outraged as I am and contact the groups who are supposed to represent your interests. Don't allow them to continue to make statements and cast votes that don't reflect the statistics. Amendment 6 will decide on a plan for the next ten years. Get involved.
ME Total Rec Landings 39,094 Slot limit
ME Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish 1,802
ME Discard Mortality 55,310
SB Killed ME 92,404
NH Total Rec Landings 5,929 One Fish Bag
Limit 32"
NH Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish 5,057
NH Discard Mortality 19,464
NH Commercial Harvest (none)
SB Killed NH 25,393
RI Total Rec Landings One Fish Bag Limit
44,889
RI Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 33,167
RI Discard Mortality 49,074
RI Commercial Harvest 8,835
SB Killed RI 102,798
MA Total Rec Landings 207,952 One Fish
Bag Limit
MA Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 216,559
MA Discard Mortality 574,749
MA Commercial Harvest 43,315 34 inch & larger
SB Killed MA 826,016
CT Total Rec Landing 64,215 Two Fish Bag
Limit
CT Total Landing of 8 Year and older fish 41,945
CT Discard Mortality 82,094
SB Killed CT 146,309
NY Total Rec Landings 181,031 One fish
and two fish on party and Charter
NY Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 80,950
NY Discard Mortality 78,658
NY Commercial Harvest 45,149
SB Killed NY 304,838
NJ Total Rec Landing 88,967 Two Fish Bag
Limit and Bonus Tag
NJ Total Landing of 8 Year and older fish 57,183
NJ Discard Mortality 39,066
SB Killed NJ 128,033
DE Total Rec Landings 14,801 Two Fish Bag
Limit 18,758
DE Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 18,380
DE Discard Mortality 14,801
DE Commercial Harvest 31,386
SB Killed DE 64,945
MD Total Rec Landings 391,824
MD Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 138,546
MD Discard Mortality 211,334
MD Commercial Harvest 780,893
SB Killed MD 1,383,492
VA Total Rec Landings 294,008
VA Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 50,131
VA Discard Mortality 63,710
VA Commercial Harvest 204,911
SB Killed by VA 562,629
NC Total Rec Landings 28,001
NC Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 33,576
NC Discard Mortality 13,896
NC Commercial Harvest 16,040
SB Killed by NC 63,937
| SB Killed by ME Harvesters | 92,404 |
| SB Killed by NH Harvesters | 25,393 |
| SB Killed by RI Harvesters | 102,798 |
| SB Killed by MA Harvesters | 826,016 |
| SB Killed by CT Harvesters | 146,309 |
| SB Killed by NY Harvesters | 304,838 |
| SB killed by NJ Harvesters | 128,033 |
| SB Killed by DE Harvesters | 64,945 |
| SB Killed by NC Harvesters | 63,937 |
| Coastal Harvest | 1,754,682 |
| SB Killed by MD Harvesters | 1,383,492 |
| SB Killed by VA Harvesters | 562,629 |
| Chesapeake Bay Harvest (Missing PRFC) | 1,946,121 |
PRFC Total Rec Landings
PRFC Total Landings of 8 Year and older fish (Commercial & Recreational) 216,559
PRFC Discard Mortality
PRFC Commercial Harvest 93,299
Total striped Bass Killed by PRFC Anglers and Commercial Harvesters
Dear Sir,
If it was not for New Jersey keeping the high size limit in the Delaware and Hudson Rivers there would be a lot less big fish along the coast for everyone to harvest including VA. Remember NJ is still at 28 inches in our producing areas while you are at 18 inches. These two producing areas contribute 40% of the coastal stock. Because of the vote of VA, MD and PRFC the state of Delaware is netting Striped Bass at 20" now in Delaware Bay and yet NJ & PA still stayed at 28 inches. Just look at what the Chesapeake Bay harvested in small fish and big fish and tell me NJ anglers do not have a right to get upset. The only reason you are fishing below the TARGET MORTALITY RATE FOR SMALLER FISH is that no one else is harvesting the small fish in any numbers except Chesapeake Bay. None of us trust that model and it really needs independent peer review. How dare you say that all I am interested in is getting more fish for NJ anglers. WE could have harvested more striped bass any time we wanted to by changing the size limit in both producing areas and relaxing the regulations on the extra fish program. Remember we only use less than 5,000 pounds of the 250,000 we could have harvested in the extra fish program If we had made it a 20 inch bass in our producing areas we could have increased our harvest by almost 40,000 fish. Think about what you say sometimes!!!!!!
At 11:20 AM 10/10/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>I'M SORRY TO HEAR YOU USING SUCH INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE >CHESAPEAKE BAY. VIRGINIANS CAUGHT 50,000 FISH OVER 8 YEARS OLD LAST YEAR, SPLIT EQUALLY BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES. WE ARE ALSO FISHING BELOW THE TARGET MORTALITY RATE FOR SMALLER FISH.
>
>TOM, QUIT TRYING TO DIVIDE THE RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY. THIS LITTLE ASMFC >HICCUP WILL ENABLE US TO ELIMINATE SALES OF FISH OVEWR 34-36" HERE IN VIRGINIA PERMANENTLY. AMENDMENT 6 WILL ENABLE US TO GET ASMFC TO RESERVE >MORE FISH FOR RECREATIONAL HARVEST, DEAL WITH COMMERCIAL CHEATING, AND COUNT EEZ COMMERCIAL BYCATCH.
>
>ONCE THE IMPACT OF ELIMINATING KILL OF OF BIG FISH BY ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY, AND COMMERCIAL BYKILL WASTE IS UNDERSTOOD, IT MAY BE THAT THE HARVEST OF SMALL FISH IS APPROPRIATE.
>
YOU ALSO FORGET THAT ALL THE BIG FISH WERE SPAWNED DURING OR BEFORE THE MORIATORIUM. WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? IMMACULATE INTERVENTION? NO, THEY WERE BORN AND GREW UP DURING THE LOWEST SSB LEVEL IN RECORDED HISTORY.
PLEASE SHOW SOME PATICIENCE AND SLOW DOWN ON YOUR DIVINE MISSION OF GETTING MORE FISH FOR NEW JERSEY ANGLERS.
Dec. 5-8, 1999
The meeting is designed to maximize interaction among speakers and participants regarding a wide variety of catch and release (and tag-release) issues in coastal and offshore recreational fisheries. For this reason there are no concurrent sessions. Professional conference facilitators will lead special consensus building sessions to develop two ACTION AGENDAS for future work, one targeting Research, and the other Education-Outreach needs.
The symposium begins Sunday afternoon, December 5 (1:30 pm). The opening session is designed to stimulate participants' thinking as well as encourage local anglers to join the discussions. A "Get Acquainted" social concludes Sunday's activities, A special Poster Session and Educational Display Social follows Monday's research sessions. Posters remain available for discussion through Tuesday Technical, panel discussion, and Action Agenda sessions round out the symposium. Education outreach issues are the focus for Wednesday.
Accepted presentations and registration Information are listed on VIMS web site (wwv.vims.edu)
Symposium ObjectivesPre-registration required and must be received by 17 November for best rate
Complete Reverse Side
Direct Registration Questions to Mariellynn Mauer or Karen Ross at Conference Services (wmconf@mail.wm.edu) or
Phone 757-221-4084 Fax 757-221-2090
The NJ Senate voted on Menhaden Bill (S722/A1827) on June 21 and we are still waiting for the assembly to act. This bill would get the large Reduction Boats out of state waters. This bill now has to go to Assembly for passage. This is our best chance to get something done with regard to Menhaden this year. You need to start putting pressure on the NJ Assembly to get this bill moved. We can accomplish passage of this bill this legislative this session and it effects the entire New Jersey Coast. The key people to move this bill are Assembly Speaker Jack Collins and Assemblyman John Gibson, chair of the Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee. The Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee is the next step for this bill. You need to call, write or fax each of these assembly representatives and let them know you want this bill (S722/A1827) posted as soon as possible. You should also remind them that this is an assembly election year and you are concerned about their actions. In addition, you need to contact you local assemblymen and women, asking for their help to get this bill posted and their vote for this important legislation.
Speaker Jack Collins R
Suite C
63 East Ave
Woodstown NJ 08098-1499
PHONE (856) 769-3633 FAX (856) 769-0049
AsmCollins@njleg.state.nj.us
John C. Gibson, - Chair R
Legislative District 1
2087 South Shore Rd., Seaville, NJ 08230
PHONE (609) 624-1222 FAX (609) 624-0244
asm.jcgibson@worldnet.att.net
Connie Myers, Vice-Chair R
Legislative District 23
124 W. Washington Ave., Washington, NJ 07882
PHONE (908) 835-1202 FAX (908) 835-1205
asw.cmyers@worldnet.att.net
Larry Chatzidakis, R
Legislative District 8
Suite 103, 3000 Midlantic Drive, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054
PHONE NUMBER: (609) 234-8080
FAX NUMBER (609) 234-3990
asm.lchatzidakis@worldnet.att.net
Clare M. Farragher, R
Legislative District 12
40 Broad Street, Broad Street Professional Plaza,
Suite 4, Freehold, NJ 07728
PHONE NUMBER: (732) 462-9009
FAX NUMBER (732) 462-5467
asw.cmfarragher@worldnet.att.net
Scott E. Garrett R
Legislative District 24
61 Spring St., 3rd Floor, Newton, NJ 07860
PHONE NUMBER: (973) 579-7585
FAX NUMBER (973) 579-4902
asm.esgarrett@worldnet.att.net
Barbara Buono D
Legislative District 18
1967 Rt. 27, Suite 20, Edison, NJ 08817
PHONE NUMBER: (732) 287-5609
FAX (732) 287-5640
asw.bbuono@worldnet.att.net
Herbert Conaway D
Legislative District 7
Delran Professional Center
8008 Route 130 North
Delran, NJ 08035
PHONE NUMBER: (609) 461-3997
FAX (609) 461-3823
asm.hcconaway@worldnet.att.net
The public hearing held on the Menhaden Project was well attended by recreational anglers. Speakers were 2:1 in favor of the amendment. Many speakers represented large groups of anglers through their clubs and associations. It is important that we have people attending the NJ Marine Fisheries Council Meeting on Thursday, October 28th. That is when the council will consider the results of the public hearing. I know the commercial interests will be out in force. Hopefully, we will be well represented as well. For more information on the NJ Marine Fisheries Council Meeting call the NJ Division of Fish and Game at 609-292-2083.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission October 31-November 4, 1999 Mystic, Connecticut preliminary schedule
[NOTE: This is the initial preliminary agenda and is subject to change]
Sunday, October 31, 1999
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Legislative Committee
Monday, November 1, 1999
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Tautog Management Board
Review public comments on Addendum 2; approve Addendum 2 to the FMP; discuss Rhode Island compliance issue; update on the stock assessment
10:00 a.m. - Noon Atlantic Menhaden M. Board
Review public hearing comments; discuss management measures for Amendment 1; review/approve FMP review
12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. American Lobster M. B.
12:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. M. and Science Committee
Monday, November 1, 1999 (continued)
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Habitat Committee
Discuss program update; program planning for FY 2000; Gear Impacts to SAV
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Advisory Committee
Review results of the Advisory Questionnaire; finalize recommendations for action to the ISFMP Policy Board
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Reception (Mystic Aquarium)
Tuesday, November 2, 1999
8:30 a.m. - Noon Striped Bass M. Board
Approve state management plans for year 2000; discuss the schedule for the next amendment or addendum
8:30 a.m. - Noon SAV Workshop
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement Committee
Review implementation of 1999 recommendations; review and make recommendations for FMPs for 2000
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. American Eel M. Board
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. M. and Science Committee (continued)
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Shad and River Herring M B
Discuss PRT Report (annual reports and 1999 FMP review) and Technical Committee Report (Fishing Recovery Plan; issues raised at August 4, 1999, Meeting); approve State Fishing Recovery Plans
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Dinner
Wednesday, November 3, 1999
7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Technical Workshop for
Commissioners
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Legislators and Governors' Appointees
Review of AOC-recommended changes to the ISFMP Charter; brainstorming of topics for next technical workshop; election of Legislator Officers; Election of Governor's Appointee Officers
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Horseshoe Crab Management Board
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Captain David H. Hart Award Luncheon
2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Bluefish Symposium
8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Administrative Oversight Committee
Thursday, November 4, 1999
7:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ISFMP Policy Board
10:00 a.m. - Noon Executive Committee
Noon - 1:30 p.m. Business Session and Lunch
1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. ACCSP Coordinating Council
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