No fluke allowed in NJ Governor's Tournament This year

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The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has announced there will be no exemption to allow anglers to take summer flounder (fluke) during the 2009 Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament.

An exemption was granted for the 2008 Tournament allowing tournament anglers to keep legal sized fluke on the day of the Tournament, which occurs after the current statewide season closing date.

The exemption is not being granted in 2009 because the recreational harvest of summer flounder in New Jersey through the end of June 2009 was 24% higher than during the same time period in 2008. Preliminary projections from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicate New Jersey's recreational harvest for all of 2009 may be 29% over the target harvest.

Tournament anglers must immediately release any summer flounder caught during the tournament.

The Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament will be held on October 4 at Island Beach State Park. For more information visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/gsft.htm .