LISTEN > The NJ DEP (Dept of Environmental Protection) is not only being accused of being bad for our beaches, but anglers and bait shop owners say they’re hurting the fishing tourism and shoreline eco-systems too.
South Jersey fishermen have noted that regular sand dredging, also known as underwater strip-mining by the Army Corps of Engineers, has done considerable damage to South Jersey beaches and the offshore eco-system. Less birds, fish and wildlife too.
Listen to some audio clips from the recent SHEP on FISHING Radio Show. WOND RADIO Nov. 18, 2017:
Why would 3rd party councils and state regulators force such harmful rules for NJ? Just follow the money.
It’s not about the health of the fishing stock. It’s healthy and strong. If you ask those connected to recreational fishing: if we lined our beaches with anglers, and tripled the amount of party of party boats on the water….would we negatively impact the flounder stock? No way. Not a chance.
Watch video of commercial draggers. Plenty of flounder being pulled up, along with by-catch that dies right away, or is thrown back to die a slow and painful death.
Follow the money. If dad and kids can catch a few flounder off a dock, or from the side of a party boat, that same family won’t buy $10-$15 dollar fillets at the supermarket. That family is less likely to spring for a $25 fried flounder platter at the local eatery. It’s that simple. Follow the money.
The 3,000 ft. jetty at Absecon Inlet has been tremendous for Atlantic City fishing.
In regards to fishing limits, Most think South Jersey should be a stand alone region. Getting lumped in to NY & CT is detrimental to NJ fisheries.
The US Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, says ‘he won’t get involved again’. Does this mean flounder sizes might hit 19 inches for next summer?
- South Jersey has a 18 inch limit and a 104 day season.
- Delaware has a 17 inch limit, and a 365 day season.
- North Jersey has 19 inch limit.
Migration patterns show that summer flounder travel north. Current regulations are killing the breeders: those 18+ inch mama flounder.
South Jersey summer flounder has a 3 bag limit, 18 inch size, and a short 104 day season. Why not consider slotting?
‘Slotting’ is an effort to protect against the harvesting of breeding fish.
The protected slot limit is set in such a way that it protects the size of those fish deemed most important to the species spawning success in that fishery. With the size of the most sexually productive fish protected from harvest it is likely that an increased number will spawn during a given year and hence lead to more naturally produced individuals.
Historically, as size limits went up, the fishing stock has gone down.
David Glass of the NJ Div of Fish & Wildlife claims success in temporary, and very crappy 18 inch flounder ruling. Very few are impressed with NJ States efforts to date. Mr. Glass, Congressman LoBiondo, and DEP Chief Bob Martin have been accused of spin. Mr. LoBiondo has often ta-danced around his involvement with The Army Corp of Engineers and the revision of the Magneson Stevens Act ( MSA HR 202 )
Not one Congressman, like Frank LoBiondo, or a NJ Senator, has signed on to sponsor this bill. ( HR 200 )
Reduction in Seabass season. Crazy. Makes no sense.
Party & charter boat businesses got screwed last summer. Flounder season ended early. Then it was a few weeks of nothing, until seabass season opened. This ruined post-labor day business for recreational fishgin & boating businesses.
- There are 65,000 recreational & commercial industry jobs in NJ.
- Fishing is a $2.5 billion industry for the State of NJ.