Hi-Mar Striper Club

New herring and tog regs now in place

captalan — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:50 +0000

Written by John Oswald, staff Writer for APP.com

On Wednesday, The Division of Fish and Wildlife issued a release informing recreational saltwater anglers and commercial fishermen of recent changes in regulations for river herring and tautog fisheries. The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council approved these measures at their January 5 meeting and DEP Commissioner Martin recently signed these changes into effect.

These actions were taken to comply with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) management plans for river herring and blackfish.

The river herring regulations were put in place due to concerns about the significant coastwide decline of river herring stocks.

Effective immediately, no person shall take, possess, land, purchase, sell or offer for sale any river herring (alewife and blueback) in the marine waters of the state. Only commercial vessels fishing exclusively in federal waters while operating a valid federal permit for Atlantic mackerel and/or Atlantic herring may possess river herring, up to a maximum of five percent by weight of all species possessed.

The exact cause for these coastwide declines remains uncertain, but numerous factors such as loss of spawning habitat, impediments to fish passage (i.e. dams), water quality degradation and fishing all likely played a role. Amendment 2 of the ASMFC fishery management plan for river herring prohibits both the recreational and commercial harvest of river herring in the waters of states that do not have an ASMFC- approved river herring sustainable management plan.

New Jersey does not have an approved plan since the available information on river herring stocks is not sufficient to definitively prove the States river herring stocks are sustainable. Other states along the East Coast —Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts and Rhode Island —have closed their river herring fisheries as well.

As far as blackfish are concerned, the new rules increase the size of legal blackfish to 15 inches and set the following seasons and bag limits: four fish from Jan. 1 to Feb 28; four fish from April 1 to April 30; one fish from July 27 to Aug. 31; one fish from Oct. 18 to Nov. 15; and four fish from Nov. 16 to Dec. 31. These regulations are also effective immediately.

Addendum VI from the ASMFC established a lower mortality rate for blackfish and called for a 56 percent coastwide reduction in blackfish harvest.

Individual states were directed to develop and implement regulations that will enable them to meet the new mortality rate. The new rules are New Jersesy’s response to Amenment VI.

http://www.app.com/article/20120202/NJSPORTS06/302020098/New-herring-tog-regs-now-place

Atlantic sturgeon listed as endangered

captalan — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:36:51 +0000

Five populations of Atlantic sturgeon are now protected under the Endangered Species Act. / PHOTO: COURTESY OF NOAA

The following was printed on App.com on Feb 2, 2012.

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced on Tuesday it was listing five distinct population segments of Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. The Chesapeake Bay, New York Bight, Carolina, and South Atlantic populations of Atlantic sturgeon will be listed as endangered, while the Gulf of Maine population will be listed as threatened.

It has been illegal to fish for, catch or keep Atlantic sturgeon for more than a decade. The listing decisions will not have an immediate effect on fishing. NOAA will work with fishery management councils, interstate fisheries managers, state agencies, and the fishing industry to find ways to further reduce bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in federal and state waters without unduly hampering fishing activities. For example, NOAA continues to fund research to test modifications to fishing gear that can reduce bycatch of fish, including Atlantic sturgeon.

A team of biologists from NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed a formal status review for Atlantic sturgeon in 2007. The review indicated populations of Atlantic sturgeon remain far below historical levels.

In the Delaware River before 1890, there were an estimated 180,000 adult females spawning, and now the total spawning adults in that river is believed to number fewer than 300.

http://www.app.com/article/20120202/NJSPORTS06/302020102/Atlantic-sturgeon-listed-endangered

ASMFC – February 7, 2012 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board Meeting

captalan — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:13:19 +0000

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will hold its winter meetings on February 7, 2012 in Alexandria, VA. That means that we are getting closer to learning what our 2012 NJ fluke regulations might be. For the meeting details and agenda, check out the filings of the ASMFC’s summer flounder committee.

Plans set for March national fishing rally in D.C.

captalan — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:26:26 +0000

Plans set for March national fishing rally in D.C.

By Richard Gaines Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Sat Jan 21, 2012, 01:34 AM EST

Commercial and recreational fishing interests today announced plans for a March 21 mass demonstration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to energize the push for amending the law that directs the regulation of America’s fisheries, a little more than two years after the 2010 “United We Fish” rally turned up the national heat on regulatory and enforcement issues.

The 2012 “Keep Fishermen Fishing” rally was announced this morning in a release that focuses on the organizers’ foes — “a handful of mega-foundations and the anti-fishing ENGOs (environmental non-government organizations) they support to drive fishermen off the water.”

To do that, demonstration organizers contend, nonprofit giants such as Environmental Defense Fund have influenced the government to misinterpret the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries and Conservation Act, which was amended significantly in 1996 and 2006.

Since the first mass rally, which drew as many as 5,000 participants on Feb. 23, 2010, the fisheries policies of the Obama administration — embodied by NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, who came to office from academia and a board of director’s post with EDF, have produced fierce resistance on the water and in Congress to the green-government power bloc.

Among the changes sought is the flexibility of time frames for rebuilding stocks, rather than clamping down fishing limits organizers say unduly harm the industry and fishing communities.

The most hotly disputed policy is the administration’s effort to transform fishermen’s catch into tradeable commodities through an allocation of catch shares.

The epicenter of the fight has become Massachusetts and New England, which came under a catch share regimen in 2010 and has been undergoing accelerated job loss and consolidation of control. But in the Southeast, the Gulf, the West Coast and Alaska, resistance has also continued to policies perceived to be influenced by corporate foundations and ENGO clients such EDF and the Pew Environment Group.

The Walton Foundation, founded by Wal-Mart heirs, has been a lead financier of EDF’s promotion of catch share commodification.

The House of Representatives voted 231-131 in February 2011 to bar the launch of any new catch share programs, and a modified version of the ban was approved by the Senate during a continuing budget resolution.

A similar ban for fiscal 2012, however, was killed in November by parliamentary maneuvering.

As with the first rally, participants are expected from all three coasts and Alaska. The Recreational Fishing Alliance, based in New Jersey. is again handing the “red tape,” permits, security and the like, according to the alliance’s managing director Jim Hutchinson Jr.

“The initial Washington rally was a monumental success that helped put the plight of America’s coastal fisherman and those in related businesses in the public eye,” the rally announcement said. More than two dozen senators and representatives spoke at the 2010 demonstration.

“However, a continuous stream of regulatory requirements are leading to unnecessary and unacceptable restrictions in demonstrably sustainable fisheries,” the announcement indicated. “As a consequence, the American public is being denied access to the food and fun of this tremendous natural resource.

“Most U.S. fisheries are in better shape biologically than they’ve been for a generation or more. In fact, last year NOAA Fisheries scientists announced that 84n percent of U.S. fish stocks studied for fishing activity were not experiencing overfishing as of 2010.

“However, despite the heavy sacrifices on the part of coastal fishermen,” the announcement continued, “the same federal agency in charge of managing the resource has been using a broken law to mete out broken promises upon these constituents to ratchet down regulations as fisheries continue to rebuild.”

Final details of the 2012 Keep Fishermen Fishing rally are being put in place, organizers said, including transportation from coastal communities across the country.

Anyone seeking more information on how they can get involved in the national rally, call 888-564-6732. For more information on the rally as it becomes available — including bus sign-up information and details from the 2010 rally — visit www.keepfishermenfishing.com.

We will update this story here at gloucestertimes.com as more information becomes available. To have a text update regarding this story or other local Breaking News coverage, just sign up for the Times’ free text-alert service on the gloucestertimes.com homepage.

For more on this story, look to tomorrow’s print and online editions of the Gloucester Daily Times and gloucestertimes.com.

Richard Gaines can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3464, or at rgaines@gloucestetimes.com.

ASMFC Draft Addendum Open for Public Comment on 2012 Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures

captalan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:31:12 +0000

The following is a news release from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board Approves Draft Addendum XXII for Public Comment
Addendum Considers 2012 Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures

Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) has approved Draft Addendum XXII for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes a program wherein the Board divides the recreational black sea bass coastwide allocations into state-by-state management for 2012 only.

The management plan for black sea bass does not provide an opportunity to craft recreational measures by regions or state, it only allows for a coastwide measure. Due to the wide geographic range of this species, the application of coastwide minimum size, possession limit, and season restrictions may not affect every area involved in the fishery the same way. States were concerned that the coastwide regulations disproportionately impacted states within the management unit; therefore, they approved Addendum XXI which allowed for state-by-state measures in 2011 for state waters only. Because Addendum XXI expired at the end of 2011 and the Board continues to have the same concerns for the 2012 fishing season, the Board initiated Draft Addendum XXII. The Draft Addendum is intended to provide the necessary management flexibility to mitigate potential disproportionate impacts on states that can result from
coastwide measures for 2012.

Only one state (New York) has scheduled a public hearing on the Draft Addendum, which will be held as part of New York’s Marine Resources Advisory Council Meeting, scheduled for January 17, 2012 at 7:00PM at New York State Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Bureau Headquarters, 205 N. Belle Mead Road, East Setauket, New York. Any additional hearings will be posted to the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/meetings.htm.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum, either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. The Draft Addendum can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/speciesDocument…licComment.pdf or by contacting the Commission at 703. 842.0740. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on February 5, 2012 and should be forwarded to Toni Kerns, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at tkerns@asmfc.org (Subject line: Black Sea Bass). For more information, please contact Toni Kerns at 703.842.0740 or tkerns@asmfc.org. *************************
Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, VA 22201-2196
(p) 703.842.0740
(f) 703.842.0741
tberger@asmfc.org
www.asmfc.org

ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.

Blackfish – New size, bag and season limits

captalan — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:47:01 +0000

On Thursday, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council approved new size, bag and season limits that will take effect within the next few weeks. The new regs were required in order to comply with an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) mandate to reduce blackfish harvest.

The new rules increase the size of legal blackfish to 15 inches and set the following seasons and bag limits: Four fish from Jan. 1 to Feb 28; Four fish from April 1 to April 30; One fish from July 27 to Aug. 31; One fish from Oct. 18 to Nov. 15; Four fish from Nov. 16 to Dec. 31.

Addendum VI from the ASMFC established a lower mortality rate for blackfish and called for a 56 percent coastwide reduction in blackfish harvest.

Individual states were directed to develop and implement regulations that will enable them to meet the new mortality rate.

There are those, however, who say the Addendum did not address the bigger issues that face the tog fishery in New Jersey.

Capt. Adam Nowalsky, chairman of the New Jersey Chapter of the Recreational Fishing Alliance is among them.

Nowalsky was dissapointed by the fact that no action was taken on what is seen as the real problem in the blackfish fishery — illegal harvest.

“The original intent of the Commission’s blackfish addendum was to address illegal harvest of blackfish and yet that turned into no action being taken on illegal harvest,” Nowalsky said. He also questioned the science.

“This is very discouraging, given that individual state science shows states are fishing at much lower levels than what is indicated by a coastwide model, and this is purely due to the fact that the blackfish stock assessment is in dire need of improved science and we need to get that science moving as quickly as possible,” Nowalsky said.

Turning the Corner on Ending Overfishing 2012 – Annual Catch Limits Now in Place for Most Federal Fisheries

captalan — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:05:47 +0000

Turning the Corner on Ending Overfishing 2012 – Annual Catch Limits Now in Place for Most Federal Fisheries

Everyone – commercial and recreational fishermen, NGOs, Councils, Congress and NOAA – knew it would be a heavy lift to put accountability measures and catch limits in place for all federally managed fisheries. Five years ago this week the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act reauthorization was signed into law and required just that – catch limits for all federally managed fisheries. Well, 2012 is here and we are almost fully over the goal line. Yes, there are a few stragglers, but I can report that all federal fisheries will have catch limits in place in time for the 2012 fishing season.

Signed into law on January 12, 2007, the reauthorized Act called for all federal fisheries to be managed under annual catch limits and enforced through accountability measures by the end of 2011. Over the last five years, NOAA Fisheries, fishermen, the councils, our partner organizations, the science community and many others have been actively engaged and dedicated to achieving this goal.

Reaching this milestone represents a historic achievement and I want to particularly recognize the tremendous amount of effort and sacrifice on the part of our nation’s fishermen and fishing communities to get us here. Catch limits and accountability measures to rebuild stocks and ensure sustainable fisheries represent a collective investment in the future of fishing. And while these benefits will accrue for generations to come, in many cases they do require short-term cost. In addition to fishermen around the country, our eight Regional Fishery Management Councils deserve special recognition. Finally, the men and women of NOAA must also be recognized for their unflagging commitment to this effort and hard work in helping the nation turn the corner in our efforts to end overfishing and rebuild stocks.

Bold goals are difficult, and we all have weathered challenges, controversy and economic difficulties in pursuit of this one. But even as we stand here today with so much work behind us, we know that ending overfishing is not something that is accomplished as a discrete end point. Rather, it is a step in an ongoing and evolutionary process. The science and management of federal fisheries will continue to evolve, change and strengthen to support the needs of our commercial and recreational fisheries and our coastal and ocean resources.

As we begin 2012 and a new leg of this journey, I invite you to reflect on the importance of our collective accomplishment and the strength it provides us to move forward and tackle other issues still in front of us. Some current challenges include working to further refine our management approaches to better meet the needs of fishermen and coastal communities, building on our world class science to better understand trends in fish populations and ecosystem considerations, and taking stronger steps to preserve protected resources like endangered species and marine mammals. Other challenges on the horizon include addressing habitat loss, pollution and environmental change and their effects on our living marine resources. We also must continue to deal with global challenges like pirate fishing.

We have come a long way since 1976 when our nation’s fisheries were being decimated by uncontrolled overfishing by foreign fleets. Thirty-five years later, we now stand at a point in history when the U.S. model of fisheries management has evolved to become an international guidepost for sustainable fishery practices. Still, we have much work ahead. So, on behalf of NOAA Fisheries, I’m proud to congratulate all of you who have been dedicated to achieving this goal and thank you for your involvement and dedication to helping evolve and build the science-based management that has become the signature of U.S. fisheries.

Eric C. Schwaab

Flea Market

captalan — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:01:14 +0000

HI-Mar Striper Club Presents its Annual Fishing Flea Market & Seimar Series. Click here for more information.

Last Chance to fight for Clean Water!

captalan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:46:58 +0000

Clean Water Action Alert January 2012

This is your last chance to fight for clean water! Politicians in the New Jersey Senate and Assembly will make a final vote on Monday, January 9th that would weaken clean water protections and give us polluted water for years to come.

Please contact legislators immediately and tell them to vote NO on A4335/S3156. This legislation will give us dirty water, higher utility costs and paved over open spaces.

The American Littoral Society and 12 other environmental groups released a report that details the additional water pollution that would result from passage of this dirty water bill.

Read the press release here

Read the report here

This proposal will undermine environmental protection by allowing development in environmentally sensitive areas like wetlands, endangered species habitat and next to reservoirs. This developers’ proposal would also weaken environmental standards protecting home wells.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has written to New Jersey condemning the proposal as bad for New Jersey and concern about violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

Read the letter here

See how to TAKE ACTION, including a sample letter to legislators, BELOW

Background:

In 2008, The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) adopted the Water Quality Management Planning Rule (WQMP) that took a holistic approach to making sure development happens in appropriate places, ensured adequate clean, plentiful water supplies & treatment and protected important existing habitats. Under this rule, over 300,000 acres across the state and individual wells would be protected from inappropriate, polluting development! If this proposed legislation successfully removes these protections, these areas will be opened for sprawl development.

Since the adoption of the WQMP rule, County Planning agencies have spent the last three years — with the help of 1.6 million dollars in federal Clean Water Act funds — to develop smart, sustainable growth plans. These plans included environmentally protection policies for sewer service and septic areas. Until 2008, most municipalities were developing under plans that were 20-30 years old! With the adoption of the WQMP rule, municipalities finally had an up to date blueprint for the future and many are ready to cross the smart, sustainable development finish line.

A4335/S3156 propose to extend the old plans putting 300,000 acres and clean water across the state at risk.

The legislation allows the NJDEP to approve builder driven “site-specific” exceptions even when counties and municipalities have already planned an area for no sewer service. And even worse, this approval could be granted without proof that the utility authority has sufficient capacity to treat the additional wastewater! Under this proposal the environment and ratepayers lose and the developers win.

Take Action for clean water:

Contact your legislators and ask them to vote against A4335/S3156.

Click here to e-mail your representatives.

Sample Message (feel free to add your personal message about the clean water you care about most!)

Subject: Vote NO on A4335/S3156.

I care about clean water.

This legislation will give us dirty water, higher utility costs and paved over open spaces.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has written to New Jersey condemning the proposal as bad for New Jersey and a violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

Again, I ask you to Vote NO on A4335/S3156.

Thank you
Helen Henderson [helen@littoralsociety.org]

Click here to find additional contact information (phone numbers) for your representative – tell them to Vote NO on A4335/S3156

Click here for an e-mail list of all NJ Senate and NJ Assembly members to send them the above sample message.

Celebrating 50 Years of Caring for the Coast

www.littoralsociety.org

Take action now to get pots off the reefs

captalan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:20:33 +0000

Following is a vital message from Capt. Peter Grimbilas about the Pots Off the Reefs legislation that has a majority of the Assembly signed on as cosponsors, but won’t come to a vote before the last session concludes unless Speaker Sheila Oliver schedules it. You can send her an e-mail automatically and at no cost due to the cooperation of the American Sportfishing Association. Do so now — and also urge friends to do the same. If not passed in this session, everything will have to be done again from scratch in the next session.

PLEASE HELP NOW! It takes only 30 seconds and will help all of NJ’s saltwater fishermen and women.

IMPORTANT! Pass this along to your friends too!

I just took action in support of legislation that could prohibit the use of obstructive commercial traps on marine artificial reefs. I encourage you to do the same.

Please take action today. It’s quick and easy:
http://keepamericafishing.salsalabs.com/o/6394/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4056

For more information, visit http://www.keepamericafishing.org