The Fishing Line: March Madness or just March Mad?

Winter might have slowed down the action on the water but as usual there’s plenty of action on land.
Last week NOAA Fisheries announced that $75 million appropriated by Congress as part of the Fiscal Year 2014 federal budget will be allocated to six fisheries across the country that were declared fishery disasters by the Department of Commerce in 2012 and 2013.
Of the total $75 million in federal fisheries disaster funding, Alaska’s salmon fisheries get close to $21 million, Florida receives $6.3 million for problems relating to oyster harvest in the Gulf of Mexico, and commercial oyster and blue crab fishermen in Mississippi will receive $10.9 million. Meanwhile, fishermen in New York and New Jersey will share just $3 million to address the devastating impacts following Superstorm Sandy.
In 2013, New York and New Jersey were awarded $5 million in fisheries disaster relief, which after sequestration cuts amounts to just over $2 million per state to be allocated to both recreational and commercial fishing businesses. According to Jim Donofrio, RFA, that money has not yet been implemented because it’s too little to disperse to those impacted by the storm of the century.
NEWS: Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) led a letter to NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Services (NFWS) asking them to explain their votes earlier this month in favor of new regionalization measures for the 2014 fluke fishing season. The letter was signed by six other members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, including Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Representatives Bill Pascrell (NJ-09), Jon Runyan (NJ-03), Albio Sires (NJ-08), and Chris Smith (NJ-04).
On Feb. 4, ASMFC voted for new regionalization measures that require states to group their summer flounder quota together, with NOAA and NFWS representatives voting with the majority in favor of the new management system. Under the current system, states are each given a separate allocation of summer flounder quota. Recreational fishing groups in New Jersey have complained that this would lead to an unfair result for New Jersey’s recreational fishermen.
The draft addendum proposing these new types of management measures for summer flounder was released in December 2013, only two months before a vote was scheduled on the proposal. Many argued that the timeline did not allow for sufficient public input and that alternative management plans should also have been considered before regionalization was adopted.
Noting the public opposition in New Jersey, the members of Congress, in their joint letter, urged both agencies to evaluate the economic impacts of these new measures, which will now be in place for a period of one year.
Can fish swim? The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will spend $175,000 for a study on the “swimming abilities” of fish in the Northern Rockies. The grant entitled “Cooperative Research Program on the Swimming Abilities of Native Stream Fishes in the Northern Rockies-Upper Great Plains Regions of Montana,” estimated the project’s cost at $175,000. Montana State University’s Department of Ecology will administer the study in conjunction with the FWS Bozeman Fish Technology Center in Montana.
“The results of this study may be used to identify populations and habitats most at risk to climate change impacts and land-use stressors, and develop conservation delivery options in response to science informed predictions and realities,” the group said. (Thanks to TOGGINBOB for sharing this info)
NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold its annual Trout Stocking Public Meeting, Saturday, March 8, in the Centenary Theater (aka The Little Theater), Seay Building, Centenary College, Jefferson Avenue, Hackettstown, 10 a.m. Division biologists will present information on the furunculosis disease at the Pequest Trout Hatchery. Information on the proposal to alter spring trout stocking in order to protect the state’s fisheries resources from the disease while providing quality fishing opportunities will also be presented.
This important meeting will have a comment period for anglers to ask questions, voice their opinions, and give suggestions regarding the proposed changes to the 2014 trout stocking program. Information and directions to the meeting location, at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2014/troutmtg14.htm on the Division’s website.
As an avid surfcaster, Ross Squire is concerned by the state of the striped bass fishery and the lack of action to address the problem. Squire started the 1@32 Pledge as an interim step to hopefully reduce the harvesting of striped bass. “While catch and release is always preferred, the pledge is simple: In situations when you do not practice catch and release, you pledge to only take one striped bass per day at no less than 32″. The 1@32 Pledge applies to fish caught from the surf or shore, on private boats, and party boats.”
This pledge is not an end-all solution; it is only an interim step to help reduce the striped bass harvest. The letter penned by the NY Coalition for Recreational Fishing presents a much more comprehensive list of recommendations. Read the letter at http://www.nycrf.com/stripedbassreductionletter.pdf. In less than a week close to 900 anglers joined the Pledge. Go to www.facebook.com/groups/433685153423751/
Stray Cat Charters has started out for cod, fishing the wrecks 30 mile out. They leave the dock at 6 a.m. and get back 3 p.m. (www.straycatsportfishing.com)
Query from a reader: Where can a gal go to get fishing lessons? Anyone know any hands-on classes planned?
Would love to hear which boats are ready to head out. The Fishing Line runs year round so 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.