February has been frustrating but if we just keep thinking spring, it’ll be over. Here are some things to think about in the interim.
Please remember, if you do get out fishing, sea bass season closes tomorrow, Feb. 28 and tog is suspended for the month of March.
Last week the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved an acceptable biological catch (ABC) limit of 5.5 million pounds for black sea bass for both 2013 and 2014. If approved by NMFS, the ABC would result in a recreational harvest limit of 2.26 million pounds and a commercial quota of 2.17 million pounds. The Council’s decision to increase the ABC was based on recommendations from its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).
You will remember that the recreational black sea bass fishery closed two months early last year after preliminary catch estimates indicated that the 1.32 million pound recreational harvest limit had been exceeded. This sparked much frustration as many felt that the overage was caused by an underestimation of stock size. The Council discussed this issue at the December 2012 meeting and requested that the SSC reconsider the 2013 ABC. More information can be found at www.mafmc.org
There is already much speculation about fluke regulations. According to NOAA, summer flounder stock was declared rebuilt in 2011. The stock assessment update determined that summer flounder are not overfished and that overfishing did not occur in 2011, the last year of available data. This stock assessment update did indicate that biomass is currently lower than in recent years. As a result, catch limits for 2013 and 2014 are slightly lower than in 2012.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented the 2013 summer flounder (fluke), scup (porgy), and black sea bass landing allowances for both the commercial and recreational fisheries. The landing allowances and Annual Catch Limits, outlined below
Summer Flounder Scup Black Sea Bass
Commercial Quota 11.44(million pounds) 23.52 1.78
Recreational Limit 76.3 7.56 1.84
Annual Catch Limits
Commercial Sector 12.11 30.19 2.13
Recreational Sector 10.23 8.52 2..57
Of course, it remains to be seen what these figures will translate to for our seasonal catch size and allotment.
Please call the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (978) 281-9315 with any questions. A copy of the regulations can be obtained through a link at http://www.nero.noaa.gov.
NJ anglers used to travel north and west to find good northern pike fishing opportunities. Now due to the efforts of the DEP’s Hackettstown Fish Hatchery, anglers can enjoy superb pike fishing close to home. Pike fisheries exist in nine state water bodies in northern and central New Jersey, and are especially thriving in middle sections of the Passaic River. For more detailed information, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/artpassaicpike13.htm
CALENDAR: March 2, Ocean City Intermediate School Fishing Club Fishing Flea Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 408-0196 or e-mail nverducci@comcast.net.
Send your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com.
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