CT Proposing to Increase Fluke Length

Shaffer's Bait & Tack · 08-26-2006, 04:55 AM

:shock: HOW MUCH BIGGER CAN THEY GET!
I got a letter from DEP the other day. There is a meeting at HQ in Old Lyme sometime in Sept. They want to propose the new regs for 2007. I'll find out exactly when.
Allen

Bob & Mag · 08-26-2006, 10:27 AM

funny, last year we were throwing back fish under 22", because we consistently caught fish to over 8lbs. Our best trip 4lbers got tossed back.
This year, most fish have been under 18". What a difference a year makes.
We're fishing twice as hard and having to hit many more spots to pick up a few keepers.
Haven't seen much in central LIS this year to brag about taken from boat at our dock.
Will the draggers also have limit changes? or just us rec guys?

Possum · 08-26-2006, 11:49 AM

Ridiculous.

How about a major reduction in the dragger quotas and and increase in the length limit. I believe they still keep (legally) smaller fish...14" and above, or something like that.

The continued commercial decimation of the stocks SHOULD not mean the destruction of the recreational fishery.

The NEFMC really needs to get there act together and be forcibly reformed. The commerical leveraging and involvement are a plain and simple conflict of interest here.

At the rate it is going, the commercial fleets will be dragging for Sea Robin and Skate within the next few years, and it'll be $10.99/# at the market. Look at the viable stocks we have left in the NE. The Cod fishery is smoked, the Spiny Dogfish popluation (of males and sub-breeding age females) is at an all time high (sea rats on parade), The Fluke fishery is obviously in distress....what next?

Bottom line, lack of control by the managing bodies. It's a no-win scenario. If you cut back the quotas further and increase length limits, the commercial guys are crippled. If they continue to fish as they are, they cripple themselves. In the end, the commercial fishery in NE will be decimated either way. There is a balance, however, it will cost many fishing ports their livleyhood, and thousands of jobs will be lost. The complete disregard for stock viability by the commercial interests is the root of this whole problem. The solution is not simple, nor cheap. If MAJOR concessions are not made in the very near future (2-3 years, max), the fishing history of NE will be just that, history. Once stocks are depleted to a sub-sustainable level, it can (and does) take a decade or more, undisturbed, to have a chance of recovery. By Catch in itself, prohibits this type of recovery.

It is plain and simply sad to see what has been done in the past 25 years. LIS was a virtual cornicopia in the late 70's and early 80's (obviously, with Stripers being so regulated, you had to get a 40# to even be a keeper, but they were very scarce then).

My fear, in the end, is that we will only be fishing for Bluefish & Stripers only in LIS in the near future. The Blackfish regs may be changing as well from what I have heard, due to the abuse of that fishery. Throwback mortality is a major problem, and livewells are not proven to solve the issue (and we all know, culling is illegal in CT waters).

Sad state of affairs. I can only hope, and continue to write the letters I do, so that my children and theirs have opportunities in the LIS and NE waters when they grow up.

Capt Neil Faulkner · 08-31-2006, 09:45 PM

This is a very serious subject folks. I don't know what is being said north of NY.

Very simply stated the Magnuson/Stevens Bill says the biomass of fluke has to be at 204 million in 2010. This is an abritrary number dreamed up in the past with the help of the do gooder organizations with all the money that threatened with sueing the commission managers if they did not give in.

Now the scientists say that the 2010 number is unobtainable even if we stopped fishing coastwise today. However the scientists say the fluke biomass is very healthy numbers wise.

What can happen in 2007? There could be a coastwise allocation of 5.2 million for both recs and comms. That is about a 78% reduction. If that is the case it is suggested that NY could have a 6 week season, 2 fluke per day per angler with an 18" minimum. OR, The season could be closed all year.

The United Boatmen of both NY and NJ along with the RFA and I am sure other organizations are working together to get Magnuson/Stevens changed. The Congress is due to work on this in Sept 2006.

That is it simply put. Someone more knowledgeable than me can fill in all the details. Beware!!!

For more info from a NJ based web site please go to

www.mels-place.com/contents/contents.htm click on back to contents and then click on red box.

This is well worth reading.

Capt Neil Faulkner

ARCTEKJim · 08-31-2006, 09:49 PM

what can we do neil.???

Capt Neil Faulkner · 08-31-2006, 10:11 PM

Hi Jim,

This affects both the recs and comms. Closed or reductions means just that for ALL of us. We all have to fight this battle together. One of the problems is that PB/CB owners and commercial boat owners are independently owned, basically small business owners. A closed season means many will go out of business. There will be a ripple effect.

Both groups have very little money in a war chest for this fight.`

We, NY and NJ are in the midst of letter writting campagnes. The Unted Boatmen of NY recently hopped up their website to include a MAYDAY MAYDAY screen that you click onto. Then you fill our several boxes, name and address etc and an email with your name on it goes to the President, 4 members of Congeress based on your zip code and the head of DEC (not sure of Title). Now I think it can include 50 States.

Check out www.unitedboatmennewyork.com

United we stand or divided we fall.

I am running a raffle to raise as much money as I can in a very short time, the end of Sept. People have donated fantastic prizes and as of right now the tolal in less than a week is $3270! Yes a bit short of $50,000 but headed in the right direction.

For info purposes I write this. Go to www.noreast.com place cursor on INTERACTIVE, a column of options appears and click on DISCUSSIONS. This brings up a list of forum choices. Click on General Fishing Forum and read the sticky threads.

This is a coast wise problem. See what you can get from your DEP. Keep your eyes and ears open.

I think I read somewhere that Delaware and Maryland are involved also.

Capt Neil

Possum · 09-01-2006, 08:06 PM

The United Boatmen site only supports NY submissions....anything out there for the rest of us to use?

Capt Neil Faulkner · 09-01-2006, 10:35 PM

Hi guys,

Try www.***********.com In the past I would go on that site when I had time. Haven't been there in quite some time. They have a very nice site for you CT anglers. Check them out and they should have answers for you.

Capt Neil

OOOPPPPSSSS! If I posted a wrong site, forgive me. Just trying to help. Not up to date with what's going on in CT!

ARCTEKJim · 09-02-2006, 07:51 AM

neil, put me down for couple sets of custom rod riggers. jim

Possum · 09-02-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Neil Faulkner

OOOPPPPSSSS! If I posted a wrong site, forgive me. Just trying to help. Not up to date with what's going on in CT!

Nothing wrong at all. Just trying to keep any inter-site hubbub to a minimum.

08-26-2006, 04:55 AM	#1
Shaffer's Bait & Tack User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mystic, CT Posts: 16	CT Proposing to Increase Fluke Length :shock: HOW MUCH BIGGER CAN THEY GET! I got a letter from DEP the other day. There is a meeting at HQ in Old Lyme sometime in Sept. They want to propose the new regs for 2007. I'll find out exactly when. Allen __________________ "If ya aint bouncing off a rock now and then, ya aint striper fishin".

08-26-2006, 11:49 AM	#3
Possum User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: CT / Summer in RI Posts: 2,699	Ridiculous. How about a major reduction in the dragger quotas and and increase in the length limit. I believe they still keep (legally) smaller fish...14" and above, or something like that. The continued commercial decimation of the stocks SHOULD not mean the destruction of the recreational fishery. The NEFMC really needs to get there act together and be forcibly reformed. The commerical leveraging and involvement are a plain and simple conflict of interest here. At the rate it is going, the commercial fleets will be dragging for Sea Robin and Skate within the next few years, and it'll be $10.99/# at the market. Look at the viable stocks we have left in the NE. The Cod fishery is smoked, the Spiny Dogfish popluation (of males and sub-breeding age females) is at an all time high (sea rats on parade), The Fluke fishery is obviously in distress....what next? Bottom line, lack of control by the managing bodies. It's a no-win scenario. If you cut back the quotas further and increase length limits, the commercial guys are crippled. If they continue to fish as they are, they cripple themselves. In the end, the commercial fishery in NE will be decimated either way. There is a balance, however, it will cost many fishing ports their livleyhood, and thousands of jobs will be lost. The complete disregard for stock viability by the commercial interests is the root of this whole problem. The solution is not simple, nor cheap. If MAJOR concessions are not made in the very near future (2-3 years, max), the fishing history of NE will be just that, history. Once stocks are depleted to a sub-sustainable level, it can (and does) take a decade or more, undisturbed, to have a chance of recovery. By Catch in itself, prohibits this type of recovery. It is plain and simply sad to see what has been done in the past 25 years. LIS was a virtual cornicopia in the late 70's and early 80's (obviously, with Stripers being so regulated, you had to get a 40# to even be a keeper, but they were very scarce then). My fear, in the end, is that we will only be fishing for Bluefish & Stripers only in LIS in the near future. The Blackfish regs may be changing as well from what I have heard, due to the abuse of that fishery. Throwback mortality is a major problem, and livewells are not proven to solve the issue (and we all know, culling is illegal in CT waters). Sad state of affairs. I can only hope, and continue to write the letters I do, so that my children and theirs have opportunities in the LIS and NE waters when they grow up. __________________ ________________________ NBS Sportfishing Affiliates

08-31-2006, 09:45 PM	#4
Capt Neil Faulkner NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sayville, NY 11782 Posts: 200	Will we have a fluke season in 2007? This is a very serious subject folks. I don't know what is being said north of NY. Very simply stated the Magnuson/Stevens Bill says the biomass of fluke has to be at 204 million in 2010. This is an abritrary number dreamed up in the past with the help of the do gooder organizations with all the money that threatened with sueing the commission managers if they did not give in. Now the scientists say that the 2010 number is unobtainable even if we stopped fishing coastwise today. However the scientists say the fluke biomass is very healthy numbers wise. What can happen in 2007? There could be a coastwise allocation of 5.2 million for both recs and comms. That is about a 78% reduction. If that is the case it is suggested that NY could have a 6 week season, 2 fluke per day per angler with an 18" minimum. OR, The season could be closed all year. The United Boatmen of both NY and NJ along with the RFA and I am sure other organizations are working together to get Magnuson/Stevens changed. The Congress is due to work on this in Sept 2006. That is it simply put. Someone more knowledgeable than me can fill in all the details. Beware!!! For more info from a NJ based web site please go to www.mels-place.com/contents/contents.htm click on back to contents and then click on red box. This is well worth reading. Capt Neil Faulkner __________________ Custom Fishing Rods by Capt Neil Home of The Long Islander Series of rods Sayville, Long Island, New York (631) 567-8049

08-31-2006, 09:49 PM	#5
ARCTEKJim User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: VOODOO GRILLE MYSTIC Posts: 2,785	what can we do neil.??? __________________ custom built t tops/towers/hardtops etc www.arctekmarine.com CLINTON, CT

08-31-2006, 10:11 PM	#6
Capt Neil Faulkner NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sayville, NY 11782 Posts: 200	Hi Jim, This affects both the recs and comms. Closed or reductions means just that for ALL of us. We all have to fight this battle together. One of the problems is that PB/CB owners and commercial boat owners are independently owned, basically small business owners. A closed season means many will go out of business. There will be a ripple effect. Both groups have very little money in a war chest for this fight.` We, NY and NJ are in the midst of letter writting campagnes. The Unted Boatmen of NY recently hopped up their website to include a MAYDAY MAYDAY screen that you click onto. Then you fill our several boxes, name and address etc and an email with your name on it goes to the President, 4 members of Congeress based on your zip code and the head of DEC (not sure of Title). Now I think it can include 50 States. Check out www.unitedboatmennewyork.com United we stand or divided we fall. I am running a raffle to raise as much money as I can in a very short time, the end of Sept. People have donated fantastic prizes and as of right now the tolal in less than a week is $3270! Yes a bit short of $50,000 but headed in the right direction. For info purposes I write this. Go to www.noreast.com place cursor on INTERACTIVE, a column of options appears and click on DISCUSSIONS. This brings up a list of forum choices. Click on General Fishing Forum and read the sticky threads. This is a coast wise problem. See what you can get from your DEP. Keep your eyes and ears open. I think I read somewhere that Delaware and Maryland are involved also. Capt Neil __________________ Custom Fishing Rods by Capt Neil Home of The Long Islander Series of rods Sayville, Long Island, New York (631) 567-8049

08-26-2006, 10:27 AM	#2
Bob & Mag User Gallery Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 2,654	funny, last year we were throwing back fish under 22", because we consistently caught fish to over 8lbs. Our best trip 4lbers got tossed back. This year, most fish have been under 18". What a difference a year makes. We're fishing twice as hard and having to hit many more spots to pick up a few keepers. Haven't seen much in central LIS this year to brag about taken from boat at our dock. Will the draggers also have limit changes? or just us rec guys?

09-01-2006, 08:06 PM	#7
Possum User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: CT / Summer in RI Posts: 2,699	The United Boatmen site only supports NY submissions....anything out there for the rest of us to use? __________________ ________________________ NBS Sportfishing Affiliates

09-01-2006, 10:35 PM	#8
Capt Neil Faulkner NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sayville, NY 11782 Posts: 200	Hi guys, Try www.***********.com In the past I would go on that site when I had time. Haven't been there in quite some time. They have a very nice site for you CT anglers. Check them out and they should have answers for you. Capt Neil OOOPPPPSSSS! If I posted a wrong site, forgive me. Just trying to help. Not up to date with what's going on in CT! __________________ Custom Fishing Rods by Capt Neil Home of The Long Islander Series of rods Sayville, Long Island, New York (631) 567-8049

09-02-2006, 07:51 AM	#9
ARCTEKJim User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: VOODOO GRILLE MYSTIC Posts: 2,785	neil, put me down for couple sets of custom rod riggers. jim __________________ custom built t tops/towers/hardtops etc www.arctekmarine.com CLINTON, CT

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode