NMFS Shutting Down Southern Trophy & 59-73"

[KP161]

NMFS Adjusts Recreational BFT Limits
Starting April 2, 2011, NMFS adjustments the daily retention limit for private vessels to one school or large school BFT (measuring 27 to less than 59 inches) per vessel per day/trip and for charter/headboat vessels to one school BFT (measuring 27 to less than 47 inches) and one large school BFT (measuring 47 to less than 59 inches) per vessel per day/trip; and (2) closure of the southern area large medium/giant “trophy” BFT fishery (for BFT measuring 73 inches and greater). The Angling category North/South line is at 39°18’ N. lat. (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ). The annual Angling category trophy limit of one large medium or giant BFT per vessel (73” or greater) remains in effect for vessels fishing in the northern area. Anglers may catch and release or tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the HMS catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs.

So NMFS feels the Southern Trophy quota of 2.8MT has been filled. That means there is 1.4mt of trophy left for the north. I have no idea if/when the boats will start catching trophies north of the Great Egg Inlet, NJ line and fill the Northern trophy quota. And they shut down the 59-73" slot for the south.

Atleast they are now going by the North/South rules as they are written. Last year they ignored the North/South line and the NC fishery tore through most of the angling quota.

[captdom]

Slot limit in effect for all of 2011 for the north.

F U ck you NMFS

[Tuna Meltdown]

Slot limit in effect for all of 2011 for the north.

F U C K you NMFS

Yup, who knew you can get screwed with your clothes on? The only way around it is to trailer the boats south next season and catch them while we can.

[Fin Addiction]

[KP161]

Originally I read it as just the southern small medium fishery 59-73" was closed but like you said it is for everyone.

Only thing I can say is the Large School (47-59") and Small Medium (59-73") quota for the North is 33mt. If they don't close the 59-73" and just let everyone keep 1 fish in the 47-73" a day the 33mt quota would not last very long at all. Atleast going to 47-59" should keep the category open most of the summer.

[FullStrikeAngler]

Impose a slot limit on recreational anglers so we dont go over quota and at the same time ignore the sector that discarded a 160 MT overage of the same fish last year and NOTHING is being proposed to stop that from happening again.

[Tuna Meltdown]

Impose a slot limit on recreational anglers so we dont go over quota and at the same time ignore the sector that discarded a 160 MT overage of the same fish last year and NOTHING is being proposed to stop that from happening again.

The puppets (NMFS) strings lead right to the Longliners.

[First Light]

Guess who proposed the 160 be pushed on us, The Bluewater fishermans assoc. This is NMFS problem to fix but we need to be clear we will not eat their lack of diligence at their job. For four years they have watched these discards grow and done nothing but let rollover of uncaught quota clean up their lack of effective management, then give away 50 ton for no reason to mexico and allow our quota to be continually decreased even though we are at MSY according to the stock scenario they invented for rebuilding, and change the model to make rebuilding look weaker as soon as the fish come back. Gentlemen we are being stolen from by those who are tasked with protecting not only the fish but the fishery. See you all tomorrow! Nat

[twofinbluna]

Impose a slot limit on recreational anglers so we dont go over quota and at the same time ignore the sector that discarded a 160 MT overage of the same fish last year and NOTHING is being proposed to stop that from happening again.

Hopefully this will help convince some of the guys out there why it is so important to show up at the hearing in Gloucester tomorrow!!!! A little snow is no excuse to miss this! 1-3 at the NMFS building, be there!

[fonzie]

2011 - Get your ticket now, everyone will be a commercial BFT fisherman.