The Flounder Reglatory Cluster

[esangler]

The author of the following is a member of the VA Finfish Management Advisory Committee. He also is Virginia's recreational representative to the Mid-Atlantic Management Council of the NMFS.


SEMANTICS MAY PUT THE FLOUNDER FISHERY
AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT IT OUT OF BUSINESS
Overfished, as recently defined by one national marine conservation organization means that "the spawning stock has been depleted below a safe level and not enough spawning-age fish remain for the population to sustain itself unless harvest is reduced". There is little doubt that most Americans and probably most congressional representatives who voted for the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management Act (MSFMA) would accept this as the proper definition of "overfished". Those of us who are concerned about the future of our fisheries would support strict measures to insure the health of any species in such a predicament even if it meant hardship for those involved in that fishery. The vast majority of us believe that it is our responsibility as sportsmen to insure that every fishery survives for the benefit of future generations.
In the summer flounder fishery, however, this is not the definition of overfished upon which the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) bases its threats of severe restrictions and a possible shutting down the fishery in the near future. In this case the NMFS definition declares a fishery overfished if it has not reached a threshold stock size based upon calculations, a biological model and growth rates experienced at various times over the past 25 years. The spawning stock biomass (SSB) size that the NMFS projections estimate we can reach by the year 2012 is 197 million pounds. The threshold target which determines overfished status under this definition is 99 million pounds of SSB.
This version of "overfished" distorts the current status of the summer flounder SSB, which has grown from a low of 15.5 million pounds in 1989 to a high of 97.2 million pounds in 2005. It is clear that the statement "not enough spawning-age fish remain for the population to sustain itself unless harvest is reduced" cannot be true if the stock has grown to more than six times the lowest value and currently hovers around the highest SSB ever recorded in this fishery. That's correct, we have never recorded an SSB of 197 million pounds in this fishery, the current level is the highest ever measured.
Can we get to the 197 target in the current environment? Maybe, maybe not. We currently have record numbers of summer flounder predators such as striped bass and a very healthy stock of spiny dogfish, which one research community has identified as the primary predator for juvenile summer flounder. Should we try to reach this target? Yes. Should we severely restrict catches and put thousands of businesses that support this fishery out of business while we experiment to see if we can get there, of course not. There are hundreds of charter boats, marinas, restaurants, tackle shops, hotels and other businesses that rely on the summer flounder fishery to survive. We have no right to sacrifice the livelihood of these people and the businesses that have existed for generations when we have a healthy and possibly recovered fishery. We have the knowledge to manage this fishery and save the industries while we take this journey.
The NMFS refuses to deviate from its perceived mission. It is up to us to convince congress to modify the MSFMA to allow for building this fishery while maintaining the infrastructure that supports those who participate in it. Please contact your congressional representatives now. The environmental extremist are calling our representatives in support of these restrictions while we sit silent. Congress is listening and will base their response on the input they receive.
Jeff Deem
Virginia Obligatory Member (Recreational)
Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council

[Guatemala Dave]

The summer flounder situation is critical. There is a serious effort affot to completely shut the season in 2009 on the ENTIRE ATLANTIC COAST. It is great to hear a reasonable voice from Virgina, I hope to hear a lot more reasonable voices in the near future.

Here in New Jersey we have started an effort with a group "SAVE THE SUMMER FLOUNDER FISHERIES FUND", It is made up of industry members as well as support from individuals who know how important the summer flounder is for the recreational fishery here on the east coast.

The plan is to get better information thru better science and get some political intervention. The link to the web site will give much better information than I can so give it a look and jump on board if you can.

SSFFF

[Miles Offshore]

the flounder fishing gets better every year and the size limits get larger and the number you can keep gets smaller. virginia comes in under its quota and still has to cut another 21%???? here is a link to some discussions that have been going on on another board. please remove it admin if it is not ok, but it has some good points-

http://www.tidalfish.com/forums/virg...nder-regs.html

[fountain17]

This was taken from another source regarding a recent MRAC meeting in NY. Not my words. But I just want to give let you all know how it is effecting us in the North East as well.

NY. summer flounder recreational fishery
2008 proposed options, subject to ASMFC approval

these are the options they gave us

1/19.5 in 2 fish may 24-july 13
2/19.5 in 2 fish june 14-july 22
3/19.5 in 2 fish july 4-august 4
4/19.5 in 2 fish july29-sept 1
5/19.5 in 3 fish may 24-july 11
6/19.5 in 3 fish june 14- july20
7/19.5 in 3 fish july 4 aug 7
8/19.5 in 3 fish july 31-sept 1
9/ 20 in 2 fish july 4- sept 1
10/ 20.5 in 4 fish may 15-sept 1*****

2007 landings estimate 666,753
2008 target 361,000
2008 revised target 239,704

Analysis:
The problem was the number 64....yes let me clarify that. 64% overage from the last year which is moved foward and had to be paid back for 2008

How they came up with this number when no one has a reasonable idea on the number of anglers in New York, and the amount of fluke landed during the season, is beyond comprehension to warrant a reduction of 64%.

No one at the meeting wanted option 10. If you had to pick a poison, this was the one that was chosen since it gave the longest period of fishing for the recreational industry for the summer season.

All the other options boiled down to one month periods, which did no port any good and boxed them into a very limited fishery for the year.

Option 10 basically hurts the east end fleet of Montauk and the North Fork boats, which have a tremendous run of fish from the end of April through the end of May. This option ends that time period for them.

The problem with any of the options is choosing one that prevents overages in this fishery. Unlike the commercial summer flounder fishery where reports are made weekly, the recreational fishery has no such tracking in place. This is why for the year 2008, the quota for the commercial fishery was basically left unchanged since their was NO OVERAGE in 2007 because once the quota was met, the fishery was immediately shutdown in August (Hook and Line).

Let me remind you right here, that NY gets 17 percent of the total summer flounder quota, and then that gets divided by a percentage to the commercial and recreational fishery.

Now the problem with going to a bigger fish is that you now are landing MORE POUNDS OF FISH. A jump from a 19 to a 20 1/2 inch fish means a fluke of over 4 lbs is now being targeted and taken! That means a even quicker meeting of the target landing threshold as you increase the size limit, which results in a penalization for next year, when overages occur.

It gets even better. There was talk about a total shutdown for next year if New Yorks recreational summer flounder fishery goes over limit. Now in the past, this was just backroom talk....NO MORE. They are serious in enforcing a total closure if recreational landings again exceed the revised target number.

Capt.Paul, I feel sorry for you and your family, and everyone else who has to deal with this ax hanging over their heads who depend on this fishery.

Scup

Scup was proposed to be cut back drastically for the 2008 season for both the commercial and recreational industry.

For the recreational industry:

10 fish at 11 inches with the special scup period being either 40 or 45 fish (I heard different accounts but these are the numbers for the special period of Sept/Oct, as I have in my notes). The standard period will be from May to Sept.

Shore anglers will have 10 fish at 10 1/2 inches, and I really like to see the place on Long Island where you can land that size fish on a consistent basis.

It was another tough blow to the east end fleet who depend on anglers who travel to those ports to fish for scup. Ten fish is going to be a tough sell for anglers who enjoy scup fishing.

Saltwater License

There was talk about implementing this as early as 2009 with two fee schedules, one being anywhere from 4-10 dollars, and the second 10-20 dollars.

There is also a debate to where the collected funds will go to, which means either being another NY TAX (put into states general tax collection), directly to enforcement, fishery research and management, fishery infrastructure, or to cover administrative costs.

The one positive of the Saltwater License is that it will give the fishery managers a better idea on the number of anglers within this state. THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT, and it is important for the state to have a good idea on the number of anglers that are actually fishing.

Blackfish

No surprises, but 4 fish bag limit for the recreational angler.

Big surprise is the whisper among a few in the commercial industry which targets live blackfish, that a total shutdown may be seen as early as 2010 due to the NY DEC unable to get a good hold on the unreported landings and sale within the live blackfish market (aka STOPPING the BLACK MARKET).

This is pretty serious, and whether it boils down to a 'no sale' on blackfish, or a total shutdown, remains debatable at this time.

SEA BASS

Not a peep from what I heard about this fishery, but numbers are trending downward with both the quantity and quality of sea bass being caught.

One big complaint by a number of fishermen has been the increased pressure caused by the offshore sea bass fishery which has put heavy pressure on catching the biggest fish of that species. A 12 month fishery has become a reality within the last few years, and it definitely shows when you see the smaller size and fewer fish that are showing up on the inshore grounds.

A decision by the party and charter boat fleet has to be made in this fishery, in which is more valuable.... perserving the longer and more profitable inshore fishery, or maintaining a 12 month fishery with a much smaller bag limit to ensure sea bass are not pushed into a severe overfished state.

HORSESHOE CRABS

Hard to believe their are 349 license holders in this fishery. But with that many fishermen working on these crabs, the proposed number for landings in 2008 will be 200,000. Limits in the past where 500 per day, but the new number may go to 200 per license holder.

Do the math....literally a one month season for those engaged in this fishery.

What is interesting, that horseshoe crab has been caught for bait for conch, research and medical products for many years, but a export agreement has evolved where each crab is worth 1 dollar when shipped over seas.

I know all of us really have no idea about this fishery, but it goes to show you, that even the most inane fishery is now coming under exceedingly tighter landing limits.

COMMERCIAL RE-CAP

SUMMER FLOUNDER

Trip limits go from 1000 lbs in the Jan/Feb period, then drop 240 lb level for Mar/Apr, then 90 /70-30lb May through Sept. This means 90 lbs till 70 percent of the quota is landed, then to 30 lbs till the end of each two month summer block.

SCUP

When looked at the 3 Waves, the quota tends to benefit the large commercial dragging fleet which receives the bigger landings in the winter I wave.

In two months blocks of May/June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct -70 lbs!

Essentially the commercial pin hooker will be reduced to catching scup as a by catch combined with another fishery like sea bass.

SEA BASS

Jan/Mar- 500/125 lbs
Apr- 200/100
May/Jul 31st- 400/150**** This quota can be caught quickly in this block and could be closed within a one to two month period-
Aug/Sept- 200/60
Oct/Dec- 400 lbs

Remember all splits come about when 70 percent of the report landings are in place, then is reset at the lower landing number when 90 percent is landed, to prevent overages in these fisheries.

I was in a rush getting all this info, so I hope it is as accurate as possible. The guidelines are set in place, and will be locked in at the next meeting.

Either way, it is a bitter pill for the recreational fleet to swallow as there now is little wiggle room left in any inshore fishery. With Striped Bass now bearing the blunt of a increased number of anglers taking fish in this fishery, it is only a matter of time when the 'wheels literally fall off' when new biomass assessments and health of this stock is reviewed.....stricter bag, size and season limits will then be set in place for this fishery.

There is little good news here, and you are witnessing the end of the fishing industry as we know it.

[Green Machine]

The summer flounder situation is critical. There is a serious effort affot to completely shut the season in 2009 on the ENTIRE ATLANTIC COAST. It is great to hear a reasonable voice from Virgina, I hope to hear a lot more reasonable voices in the near future.

Here in New Jersey we have started an effort with a group "SAVE THE SUMMER FLOUNDER FISHERIES FUND", It is made up of industry members as well as support from individuals who know how important the summer flounder is for the recreational fishery here on the east coast.

The plan is to get better information thru better science and get some political intervention. The link to the web site will give much better information than I can so give it a look and jump on board if you can.

SSFFF

I just want to echo what Dave said - this group was formed in NJ but the fishery is managed at a federal level under the MSA, and the fight is really everyone together on the East Coast who loves this fishery and understands the economic impact is has for so many people. Beyond that, I think most people understand that the stock right now is at an ALL TIME RECORD HIGH and that it is very possible that the ocean cannot even support more summer flounder then we have right now.

Please get on board with SSFFF and send them what you can! Also please spread the word to your friends and everyone you know in the fishing community!