Fluke Regulation Information
2012 Recreational Regulations Information:
Summer Flounder(Fluke)17.5" minimum size with an 5 fish bag limit
and an open season of May 5th through Sept 28th
See NJ Regulations for additional changes
~ Scott Albertson
2012 Regulation Changes
Updates and additional information will be posted on the JCAA/SSFFF web sites~~~we will try to post updates here as well. | |
4/29/11 Email message from Capt. Adam Nowalsky of the RFA regarding Fluke Regs: 4/28/11 RFA-NJ KEEPS WATCHFUL EYE ON SUMMER FLOUNDER REGS 2011 OptionsSSFFF Applauds Summer Flounder Quota - Looks to the Future: Press Release 3/16/11 (.pdf)2011 OptionsEmail from Brandon Muffley: 2009 Decision is finalized3/6/09: Unless you haven't read anything today, your probably already aware of the 2009 fluke regulations. They are six fish, at 18" May 23rd through Sept 4th. This means we get to Fluke fish Memorial Day weekend and the season for fluke will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend. Friday the 4th will be the last big Horrah for fluking! The options stink2/26/09 It all settled, the New Jersey fluke regulations for 2009 are 2 fish at 20 � inches with a season from May 15th through September 15th. ******keep reading!******2/26/09 --- Scared you did I? You should be scared, it is still a possibility. That could be our regulation set for 2009 if an East coast wide mandate goes into effect. New York is pushing hard for this as they would be able to dip into our pool of fluke quota and it would increase their season length. If it wasn't for a handful of people at the right place and time that suggested that New Jersey can still manage its own fishery, it very well could have been a done deal. Those same folks have been accused of back room dealing and bending the regulations to their benefit should be praised for their never ending effort and not persecuted, because molding the regulations seems to always be a lengthy process over many meetings with A LOT of folks involved contrary to what many have heard and spoken. The next Marine Fisheries Council meeting is March 5th at 4:00pm at the Galloway Township Branch of the Atlantic County Library. More Info, directions etc. CLICK HERE I felt the best way I could present the Council meeting is in a Pros and Cons fashion. Season Option: Saturday May 9th through Sunday October 4, 2009. 8 fish bag limit at 18 � length. This option was actually ruled out due to a one year mandate that was passed in December 2008 that stated that 50% of a required harvest reduction must come from season closure. However, even if this was an option on the table, it would have been very wise to rule it out no matter how appealing it would be for the 2009 season. I have offered some pro and con statements for several of the regulation sets which could shed some light as to how some of the scenarios have been logically ruled out. If viewed in a different light, could be called back room collusion.
Con: The larger fish size eliminates most of the Delaware Bay anglers from catching keepers as the larger fish are rarely found up in the bay. Con: The larger fish size is more difficult to find in the back bays during the open season. Many of the bigger fluke have come in and left the back bays by May 9th. Con: Several studies agree that a large percentage of fluke over 18 inches are female with a 27 inch female fluke laying about TEN times the number of eggs as a female fluke of just fourteen inches. Con: The larger fluke size limit would increase the number of discard mortality --thrown back undersize dead fluke--which would count against the harvest quota. Con: The longer fluke length would force anglers to keep heavier fluke which would also increase the tonnage of fluke harvested also increasing the likelihood of an over harvesting scenario. Con: A fishing day is automatically considered a maximum harvest day, no matter the weather, angler participation or the price of gas! Season Option: May 15th ish through September 16th ish 8 fish/6 fish with a two week mid season closure.
Pro: Many businesses need the earlier economic boost to stay in business. Pro: Fluke length stays at 18 inches. Con: Extremely difficult to regulate. Who in their right mind fishing on July 25th could possibly think that fluke season was closed. Con: What two week period is chosen? Many people have already committed to work vacations and house rentals for the 2009 season. Oh by the way, I know you love fluke fishing, but this week you rented the shore house, the fluke season in Closed. I wouldn't want to be the bearer of that news. Con: There is a certain amount of momentum built up in the fishing. Angles have found their hot spots and everything is just right and wham closed season. Con: Mid season closure might make an angler choose the mountains and lake fishing for vacation. Con: Many agree, once a mid season closure is established, there would be no way to eliminate it. There are good arguments both sides of the fence; however the cons again outweigh the pros not only in number but overall impact. Plain and simple, a mid season would be bad news. The last two option sets offer the least offensive solutions. Fluke fishermen all agree that unsubstantiated tighter regulations are not good; it's a matter of trying to come up with the least bad. 18 inches 8 fish June 6th � September 7th 18 inches 6 fish June 1 � September 7th 18 inches 4 fish May 31 � September 7th 18 inches 8 fish May 23 � September 1st 18 inches 6 fish May 23 � September 4th 18 inches 4 fish may 23 � September 4th The first three loose Memorial Day weekend. Period, it's gone. The second three loose Labor Day weekend, Ditto. Remember we discussed the set in stone theory? Well, it doesn't exist. I would say maybe the six fish option is pretty firm after Tuesday night's meeting. Eight fish is basically unobtainable by the average fluke fishing angler at the eighteen inches. Dropping to four is out; again, once something has been given up, it seems never to come back. Six falls in the median not too good, but not bad either. I believe the majority of the room came to accept 18 inches 6 fish June 1 � September 7th as the most viable 2009 fluke season regulation option. Giving up Memorial Day makes more sense. The kids are not out of school yet. Vacationers are prepping to settle in, but have not quite caught up with getting the boat in the water. Last year I was really surprised how late folks launched their boats. Other fisheries are still in pretty good full swing, sea bass, striper, drum and blues. Labor Day is all about fluke fishing. Traditionally, early September provides the best fluke fishing for door mats on the reef sites. I really believe the council could be swayed either way at the March 5 meeting in Galloway. Mother Nature is still in control. The weather will dictate whatever season set is selected as being the best or the worst choice. Time will tell. Remember, as it looks; we are going to loose one of the holiday weekends. But, it is still SO MUCH BETTER then the Coast Wide option we almost or even could still end up with. Thanks for reading. Scott Albertson 11/24/08 Bassbarn.com thread related to the ASMFC Council Summer Flounder Advisory Council meeting: http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162771 11/1/08 Most states over their fluke quota by Al Ristori/For The Star-Ledger | |
Just say NO to slot fish! ~ 10/3/08 by Scott Albertson On Wednesday evening I attended a meeting with the Summer Flounder Committee to discuss preliminary options for the 2009 fluke fishery. It's a simple known fact that anglers would like to take home a fluke for dinner. How about a slot fish? What an idea! In my mind, I was thinking the proposal might be that anglers would be alowed to keep one fluke at a pre-defined smaller size range, thinking maybe 16-18 inches and then a regulation set similar to a slightly reduced five fish at 18" would come back into play. It makes sense to everyone who gave it a little bit of thought. That should have been my first clue of trouble, it makes sense! Call me silly, but I fell for it and got somewhat excited that maybe we were moving toward a reasonable solution to the difficult scenario of fluke fisheries management. Then, of course, the shoe drops. If we had a slot fish, one fish with a theoretical 16 to 18 inches, which could be to broad a size range, then there would be second trophy fish at 25 inches or greater. Yes, that's it. Two fish and the second would have to be huge. The reasoning is that a one fish bag limit at 16 to 18 inches would be a guaranteed harvest per angler per trip and that would fulfill the allowed quota of fluke for the predefined season range. A slot fish would essentially mean a one fish fluke bag limit. This would be detrimental in so many ways. Anglers are not going to gear up and head out for one fish. The charter boats are not going to be able to generate fares with a single two pound prize. Anglers who find fluke to be their primary target fish are going to throw in the towel as many other anglers have already due to economic reasons and skip putting the boat in the water. The industry needs a multi-fish bag limit and time to fish, and a majority of the anglers are willing to sacrifice the size to meet those restrictions. I did not say anyone is happy about it. Remember: Just say NO to slot fish! At the I think I am pretty savvy getting around the internet. I think I pick up information pretty quick and understand navigation styles in web sites, but I have to admit, after half an hour I gave up trying to find the state marine survey that is helping compile data about the fluke fishery and Googled it and still had a hard time finding a link. I searched fluke survey first, and then remembered they are actually summer flounder! I thought I had it. Nope. Finally, I stumbled across the link from some unrelated page to the state page. This is something that you should bookmark for next season. I will likely add the link to the main menu on the fishing report page as well. Here it is: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/marinesurvey08.htm | |
Links to more info:How Recreational/Commercial Surveys are conducted (website) Review of Recreational Fisheries Survey Methods (book) 2008 Commercial Regulations for NJ (.pdf file) | |
| JERSEY COAST ANGLERS ASSOCIATION
1201 Route 37 East Toms River NJ 08753 Phone 732-506-6565 Fax 732-506-6975 Web Site: http://www.jcaa.org
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Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund
P.O. Box 86 Brielle, NJ 08730 Email: info@ssfff.net Web Site: http://www.ssfff.net/
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| RECREATIONAL FISHING ALLIANCE
P.O. Box 3080 New Gretna, New Jersey 08224 Web Site: http://www.joinrfa.org/
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NEW JERSEY OUTDOOR ALLIANCE
PO Box 655 Belmar, NJ 07719 Phone (732) 332-9800 Web Site: http://www.njoutdooralliance.org/
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| NEW JERSEY FEDERATION OF SPORTSMEN'S CLUBS
190 Oberlin Road North Lakewood NJ 08701 Phone 732-905-0755 Fax 732-905-5261 Web Site: http://www.njsfsc.org/ |
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| ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION
144 Eye Street NW 6th Floor Washington DC 20005 Phone 202-289-6400 Fax 202-289-6051 Web Site: http://www.asmfc.org/ |
MID-ATLANTIC FISHERERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
Suite 2115 Federal Bldg. 300 S. New St. Dover, DE 19904-6726 Phone 302-674-2331 Fax 302-674-5399 Web Site: http://www.mafmc.org/ |
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