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The National Marine Fisheries Service accepts black sea bass
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The National Marine Fisheries Service accepts black sea bass
by XexorZ » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:50 pm
By Al Ristori
February 11, 2010, 7:25PM
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued an emergency order on Tuesday that accepts recommendations for black sea bass increases by the Mid-Atlantic Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee.
As a result, the TAC (Total Allowable Catch) is increased from 2.71 million pounds to 4.5 million pounds. After deducting discards, the TAL (Total Allowable Landings) increases from 2.3 million pounds to 3.7 million pounds. Sea bass regulations approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) provide a season from May 22 to Sept. 12, with a 12½-inch minimum and a bag limit of 25. It’s likely that those regulations will apply in all waters.
The NMFS release notes this is being done on an emergency basis (upon publication that day in the Federal Register, and without a prior comment period) in order to reduce the social and economic disruption. Yet, the agency already wiped out the winter recreational sea bass season with their October emergency order closure of recreational sea bass fishing in federal waters, and offers no relief during the balance of the winter. Since the assessment indicates sea bass are a recovered species, there was never a good justification for closing last year. Furthermore, this year’s season is ridiculously short — and those dependent on the fall and winter seasons will once again be shortchanged.
The ASMFC recently approved New Jersey’s fluke options. Two options maintain the 18-inch minimum, with six fish and a May 29 to Sept. 6 season — or four fluke from May 23 to Sept. 6. The other four options use an 18½-inch minimum with six fish for seasons of May 13 to Sept. 13; May 29 to Sept. 26; May 21 to Sept. 12; or May 29 to Sept. 17. The Marine Fisheries Council will make a decision next month.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Hi-Mar Striper Club’s Flea Market opens at 8 a.m. tomorrow, and continues through 3 p.m. in the Middletown VFW on Route 36 in Port Monmouth. Admission is $5, with kids under 12 admitted free. A series of free seminars by Hi-Mar skippers starts at 9. For information call Capt. Jerry Beaver at (732) 671-1442.
• Fishing has been a dead issue lately as anglers shoveled tons of “global warming.’’ Ironically, I engaged in a National Wildlife Federation teleconference last month on “Oddball winter weather; global warming’s wakeup call for the northern United States†in which the speakers were only concerned with the economic and social effects of a lack of snow and cold weather. At least they must be happy with our second straight winter with more than most people ever want to see again of both.
• Capt. Jimmy Elliott sails Friday night with Miss Belmar Princess for cod off Block Island. That trip is sold out, and there are only a few spots left for next Friday night. Call him at (732) 284-9709. Elliott looked for mackerel on Tuesday, and got some good readings though only a few were jigged.
The Jamaica from Brielle and Voyager from Point Pleasant have also scheduled Block Island trips as well as weekend runs to far offshore wrecks for jumbo porgies plus cod and pollock.
• New Jersey is out of compliance with the Shark Management Plan, and shark anglers ware eagerly awaiting Gov. Christie’s signature on the 2007 regulatory package that included the required changes and will permit sharking in time for the tournaments. The state finds itself in this position because ex-Governor Jon Corzine inexplicably sat on that package of regulations from the Marine Fisheries Council for years.
• The seventh season of Rack & Fin Radio on 97.3 ESPN with host Tom Pagliaroli kicks off Saturday morning from 9-10. The 50K watt signal reaches through central and southern New Jersey. Rack & Fin Radio also streams live on the web at www.973espnfm.com.
• The World Fishing and Outdoor Exhibit will run in Rockland Community College, Suffern, N.Y., from March 4-7. The American Sportfishing Association also runs the Saltwater Fishing Expo that will be presented in the Garden State Exhibit Center at Somerset from March 19-21.
• The N.J. IGFA representatives present the 13th annual IGFA Banquet and Auction on Friday, March 26 in Mike Doolan’s Restaurant, Spring Lake Heights. That event has raised about $170,000 over the course of 12 years for the IGFA’s Junior Angler and Conservation programs. For information call Jeff Merrill at (908) 451-1110.
Visit Al Ristori’s blog at http://nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing for the more fishing news plus best bets for the weekend.
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XexorZ - Site Admin
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