In 2012 the option that was favored by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council Fluke Committee members was for a 170 day season with an eight fish bag limit and an 18-inch size limit. However, a slight majority of the public spoke in favor of reducing the season to 147 days with a bag limit of only five fish so that the size limit could be lowered to 17-1/2 inches.
The commercial representatives, who outnumber the recreational representatives on the Council, then made a motion to favor that alternative and it became law despite the fact that our recreational representatives voted against it.
The NJMFC committee now favors reducing last year’s season length an additional 25 days. Some spoke in favor of increasing the size limit to 18 inches, so that we could have a longer season but that was in the minority. The option they liked best would have been for a season that ran from May 4 to September 29 with an 18-inch size limit and a five fish bag limit. That would have resulted in a 149 day season. Despite the fact that this option was approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council, it was removed from the list of those that will make it to the public hearing. This is due to concerns from the majority of advisors and council members present that a season that long might result in us exceeding our quota.
The majority of those at the advisors meeting were in favor of keeping the size limit at 17-1/2 with a bag limit of five. Most favored the option that would do that while keeping the season open though September 22. However, some representatives, mostly from the southern part of the State or back bay fishermen, requested an earlier opening to the season.
The Council’s preferred option and the one that was inevitably approved is for a season from May 18 to September 16. The bag limit stayed at five and the size limit at the popular 17-1/2-inch length. It should be noted that in prior years we would have had to give up days in May to gain one day in September. This year their statistics show that it would be a one for one swap.
