The Fishing Line: Happy Fishing New Year

Happy Year 2014. May all your fishes come true. Here are a few news reports to keep you up-to-date during these frosty winter days:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board to adopt 2014 recreational management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Based on the recreational harvest limit of 7.01 million pounds, the Council and Board recommended the use of conservation equivalency for the recreational summer flounder fishery in 2014.
Conservation equivalency allows individual states or voluntary regions to develop recreational measures that achieve a region or state-specific harvest target. The combination would be equivalent to the approved non-preferred coastwide measures of an 18-inch TL minimum fish size, a 4 fish possession limit, and a May 1–September 30 season.
Regarding Black Sea Bass, they recommended that the 7 percent coastwide reduction needed to achieve the 2014 recreational harvest limit (2.26 million pounds) be taken in both state and federal waters. If the state waters measures under Addendum XXV address the required reduction, the Council and Board recommended that federal waters measures include a 12.5-inch TL minimum size, a 15 fish possession limit, and open seasons from May 19–September 18 and October 18–December 31.
If the addendum does not address the required reduction, then coastwide measures for both state and federal waters would be set at a 13-inch TL minimum size, a 5 fish possession limit, and a June 1-September 30 season.
Scup: Based on the associated recreational harvest of 7.03 million pounds, they approved federal water measures including a 9-inch minimum size, a 30 fish possession limit, and open season January 1-December 31. In state waters, the Board voted to continue using a regional approach to scup management under which states may set different measures. Additional information and background documents are available on the December 2013 Council Meeting Page.
NOAA: Nearly 9.4 million recreational saltwater anglers in the United States took more than 70 million marine fishing trips in 2012 and caught almost 380 million fish, releasing 63 percent alive. Spotted sea trout was the top catch for recreational anglers, with 42.6 million fish caught in 2012. Atlantic croaker, black sea bass, summer flounder and red drum were the other most common catches for saltwater anglers.
The report also shows that the average American ate 14.4 pounds of fish and shellfish in 2012, a four percent drop from the 2011 figure of 15 pounds. Altogether, Americans consumed 4.5 billion pounds of seafood. For the 13th consecutive year, New Bedford, Mass., had the highest valued catch, due mostly to the sea scallop fishery. Sea scallops accounted for more than 80 percent of the value of New Bedford landings. For complete report go to www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercial-fisheries/fus/fus12/index.
If your boat and trailer are going to spend the snow season outside exposed to the elements, BoatUS has tips to prevent winter’s bitter effects from taking hold and causing problems down the road: Water is enemy #1: Keeping the boat and trailer rig in a slightly bow-up position will allow water to drain. Remove drain plug and tie it to the ignition key where you will find it in the spring. Check inside periodically to make sure no water is accumulating.
Spraying water-and-dirt displacing lubricants such as Boeshield T-9 on metal trailer roller assemblies, winch gears and electrical connections will keep moisture away and rust at bay. Take care of any rust spots on the metal trailer frame: sand, prime and paint.
In addition to being a theft deterrent, removing the tires and storing them inside the garage will keep the sun from damaging them. With the tires off, this may also a good time to repack the bearings. If tires won’t be removed, position the trailer so that the tires rest on a piece of plywood or plank to prevent dry rot, as parking on grass can hasten a tire’s demise. To avoid flat spots from happening, move the trailer periodically a few inches throughout the winter.
Don’t park under trees: Howling winter storms can snap off tree limbs and besides adding unsightly stains, leaves and needles can make their way inside blocking transom drain holes, making your boat into a nice bathtub as it fills with water.
BoatUS Foundation’s Kids Afloat Program is offering kid/teen-sized, vest-style life jackets for just $5 each. However, supplies are limited and groups need to apply online at www.BoatUS.org/Kids-Afloat by Feb. 28, 2014. The Foundation will then choose those applications that best match program guidelines and post them to the Foundation’s website and Facebook page for public voting in the spring. Those with the most votes can purchase the discounted life jackets.
CALENDAR: Atlantic City Boat Show, AC Convention Center, Feb. 5-9 (acboatshow.com)
The Fishing Line takes a short hiatus in January and will return Feb. 12. Keep sending your reports and pictures to cmiller@cmcherald.com. Column and pictures are posted online at www.capemaycountyherald.com and on Facebook.
Keep them coming. Meanwhile, here are some memories from 2013.