Looking to Spring, Fluke Regulation Options on the Table
State council will determine final regulations for 2013 fishing season
Photos
With the 2013 spring and summer fishing season appearing to many who lost their homes and boats in Superstorm Storm as a pipe dream, the annual debate on fishing regulations for the state's most popular recreational species is moving ahead as it normally does during the off season.
Next week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will meet, with a subcommittee expected to approve several regulatory options – one of which the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council will ultimately choose next year's summer flounder regulations.
All of the options on the table before the ASMFC take into account an approximately 15 percent cut in quota from the 2012 season, where the minimum size limit fell to 17.5 inches after years at an 18 inch minimum, which anglers considered excessively high.
Recreational anglers were allowed to harvest 1,090,407 fish last season, but will be limited to 977,998 in 2013. According to federal fisheries data, anglers overfished their quota last year, harvesting a total of 1,153,975 fish.
"The 15 percent required reduction represents the difference of the 2013 target in relation to the 2012 harvest estimate," documentation before the ASMFC reads. "Constraining the season has been effective for reducing harvest."
In 2012, summer flounder season was open for 147 days, from May 5 through Sept. 28.
The ASMFC will consider approving the following season options for New Jersey for 2013:
SIZE, DATE BAG
| Summer Flounder 2013 | ||
| SIZE (in inches) | OPEN SEASON | BAG LIMIT |
| 17.5 | May 24 – Sept 21 | 5/day/angler |
| 17.5 | May 18 – Sept 16 | 5/day/angler |
| 17.5 | May 4 – Sept 5 | 5/day/angler |
| 18 | May 18 – Sept 26 | 5/day/angler |
| 18 | May 11 – Sept 20 | 5/day/angler |
| 18 | May 1 – Sept 12 | 5/day/angler |
| 18.5 | May 1 – Oct 31 | 5/day/angler |
All of the options represent between a 15.3 and 15.6 percent cut from the 2012 season, which ran from May 5 to Sept. 28 with a 17.5 minimum size limit and five fish bag limit.
The ASMFC will vote on whether to approve New Jersey's proposed options at its winter meetings, slated to be held Feb. 19 through Feb. 21, next Tuesday through Thursday.
Whichever options are approved by the ASMFC will then go to the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council, from which council members will vote to enact one of the options as the official regulations for the 2013 season.
The Marine Fisheries Council is scheduled to make that determination March 7 at 4 p.m. at the Galloway Township Library, Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway.
wookfish
9:10 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
next they'll want to ban hooks....kills too many undersize fish..
oldkodger
10:13 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
I hope they continue to get free birth control. Obama ran and won on the issue !
Halpha2
10:15 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Hooks? Like Lakewood folks? Thats not nice.
re-tired
10:28 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Llet me see if my figures are right .If I go out myself and catch 5 -2lb fish I spend 60 bucks on gas if I get my limit I get 10 lbs of fish, it comes out to 6 bucks a lb. After cleaning I really get 6lbs or 10 bucks a lb . With the bait and slip fees and cost of tackle it comes out to 50 bucks a lb .I guess its cheaper to go to the supermarket and buy the legal commercial fluke a 9 bucks a lb for the 14 inch fish commercials are allowed to sell !
Daniel Nee
11:16 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
On the other hand, the fish do just seem to taste much better when you catch them yourself. ;)
oldkodger
4:58 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
try flounder
ThatGuy22
10:04 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
then whoever is spending that kind of money had no idea what they are doing.
ThatGuy22
10:04 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Also some people like to get out of the house instead of sitting on the computer ranting how expensive things are.
S. Bar
12:03 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
Flukey
oldkodger
4:58 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
sounds fishy to me
re-tired
5:47 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
I probably threw back 200 + fish last year 15 to 17 inches while keeping about 20 there should be some kind of slot keeper quota for smaller fish ,most die after being hooked anyway. Winter flounder are not even worth going for 2 per angler and the run is only about 2 weeks ,something is fishy too many regulations !
BrickAmericanMan
9:17 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
i dont like any of the options. We need 17". I like fluking later into the fall, but 17.5 is no help. politicians should not be involved in fishing.
clamdigger
11:20 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
most of 'em probably don't even fish and if they do they're keeping whatever they want.
mjmjr
10:32 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
JUST SELL THE BOAT AND BUY THE FISH,I WILL SAVE 21,000 A YEAR.
Joe Semiraro
8:26 am on Saturday, February 16, 2013
If they don't get the sunken boats and other debrie out of the bay on time for the season, and remove the excess sand pushed into the bay and lagoons, I won't be worrying about the size limit; as, I won't be putting my boat in the water.
Daniel Nee
6:43 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
I think a lot of people share that sentiment. I'll be putting my boat in, but I'll be going mighty slow outside of the ICW channel. It's going to be an "interesting" season of boating.
VINNY C.
12:30 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
VINNY C. IF THE FISH SWALLOWS THE HOOK ,PLEASE LEAVE ME KEEP IT OR CUT UP FOR BAIT,NO MATTER THE SIZE
BrickAmericanMan
11:31 pm on Monday, February 18, 2013
I delivered a boat from forked river to the metedeconk after the storm. The channel depths matched the charts exactly and this was a 37' houseboat that drew 36". Lots of people blowing things out of proportion about the bay. Only one sunken car was struck and now it is removed. I also sold a boat to a sea tow operator and he also confirmed that its not that much of an issue. You just have to stay in the channel and know where your going. Use your GPS and your fine.
Dan Tholen
2:43 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
http://forkedrivertunaclub.com/stripedbassseminar.html
The Forked River Tuna Club Presents
Striped Bass Fishing Seminar
Saturday, March 2nd at 2pm
Forked River Tuna Club Clubhouse
18 Bay Ave, Forked River, NJ
FEATURING - Tony "Maja" Arcabascio - Tony Maja Bunker Spoons
Steve Purul - ReelFantasea Fishing Charters
Admission - ONLY $5 All money will be donated to local High School Fishing Clubs
Chinese Auctions - 50/50 - Rod & Reel Raffle
Door Prizes - Rods, Reels, Tackle and More!
Doors Open at 12noon
Meatball and Sausage Sandwiches will be available • Cash Bar
LOCATION:
Forked River Tuna Club
18 Bay Ave, Forked River, NJ 08731
FROM ALL POINTS
Take GSP Exit 74 toward Forked River/Waretown. Keep right to take the ramp toward US-9/Lacey/Forked River. Merge onto Lacey Rd. Turn right onto S Main St/US-9. Take the 1st left onto Bay Ave. Forked River Tuna Club is one block on the left.
Please email us at frtctournaments@yahoo.com or fill the form on the website out to attend.
__________________
Joe Weaver
8:12 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I like the bigger fish don't hate on me from past seasons all the larger throwbacks made the larger fish population grow I log every fish that is caught on my boat and I see an increase in size in the last 2 year's