Below is "some" of the information regarding the proposed changes to our Tautog season and limits. I've put the information regarding recreational only so far. There is some commercial changes proposed also and I'll put them up if anyone is interested.
Addendum V to the ASMFC Fishery Management Plan for Tautog
As agreed by the Technical Committee, closures must be a minimum of 14 consecutive days and catch rates are assumed to be consistent throughout a wave. Based on calculations using these assumptions and the tables above, the following options are proposed to mett the 25.6% reduction in annual recreational harvest in Connecticut.
• Option 1 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 4 fish bag limit and Open season from Jun 15 – Aug 31 with 4 fish bag limit Open season from Oct 15 – Dec 13 with 4 fish bag limit
Retain the current 4 fish bag limit , close the rest of September plus the first 14 days in October(parts of wave 5)…This option yields an estimated 26.1% reduction in harvest.
• Option 2 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 4 fish bag limit and Open season from Jun 15 – Aug 31 with 4 fish bag limit Open season from Oct 02 – Nov 30 with 4 fish bag limit
Retain the current 4 fish bag limit, close rest of September, the first day of October, plus first 13 days of December (estends Wave 6 closure). Maintain the Wave 3 closure as is. This yields an estimated 26.4% reduction in harvest.
• Option 3 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 3 fish bag limit and Open season from Jun 15 – Aug 31 with 3 fish bag limit Open season from Oct 04 – Dec 13 with 3 fish bag limit
Reduce the bag limit to 3 fish and close the remaining 16 day in September plus 3 days in October…. 26.2% reduction in harvest.
• Option 4 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 3 fish bag limit and Open season from Sep 17 – Dec 13 with 3 fish bag limit
Reduce bag limit to 3 fish …25.9% reduction in harvest
• Option 5 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 3 fish bag limit Open season from Jun 15 – Sep 07 with 1 fish bag limit Open season from Oct 01 – Dec 13 with 3 fish bag limit
….26.0% reduction in harvest.
• Option 6 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 4 fish bag limit and Open season from Sep 30 – Dec 13 with 4 fish bag limit
….26.5% reduction in harvest.
• Option 7 : Open season from Jan 01 – Apr 30 with 4 fish bag limit Open season from Jun 15 – Sep 07 with 4 fish bag limit Open season from Sep 22 – Dec 13 with 2 fish bag limit
…29.6% reduction in harvest.