February 25, 2015
Well guys...not too much to report except ice and cold. Â The Bomb is still locked in the lagoon, and there are some serious ice
fields between the boat and the fork lift that pulls her out of the water. Â So, things are quiet on the fishing scene in Cape May. Â
That said, things aren't so quiet on the regulatory end of the fishing industry. Â Now it is more important than EVER to get
actively involved in the regulation process. Â The regulatory noose is getting tighter now than its ever been, and we need to join
together to fight this battle. Â The time for sitting on the sidelines is over. Â We need letters to representatives expressing our
dissatisfaction with the manner in which OUR fisheries are being managed, and we need to speak up at the upcoming meetings
regarding that same dissatisfaction. Â One of the most crucial things in the immediate future is the management proposals for
black sea bass. Â Those fish that we look forward to catching when the season finally opens are in more jeopardy of
unnecessary restrictions than ever. Â We were allotted a paltry 2.3 million pound quota last year, and whoever concocts the
numbers as to what we caught somehow construed that the New England states(with bag limits ranging from only 3 fish per
man to 8 fish per man) caught 1.9 million pounds...while the rest of the mid Atlantic caught 1.4 million pounds! Â Where do they
come up with this? Â The result? Â A 33% reduction which is going to result in a shorter season, smaller bag limit, larger size limit,
or a combination thereof. Â As of now, the least evil of the proposals involve shorter seasons, with one increasing the size to 13"
and shortening the season two weeks less than the alternative which keeps the limit 12.5" but opens the season two weeks
later. Â The other options that allow for more fishing time reduce the bag limit to 10 fish which is a no win situation because once
you give them up, you don't get them back. Â The meeting is March 4 at 4pm in the Galloway Library on Jimmie Leeds Road. Â
PLEASE make a point to come out! Â We need to rail the place! Â All this, and the fishery is classified as NOT OVERFISHED and
OVERFISHING NOT OCCURRING. Â
Well guys...not too much to report except ice and cold. Â The Bomb is still locked in the lagoon, and there are some serious ice
fields between the boat and the fork lift that pulls her out of the water. Â So, things are quiet on the fishing scene in Cape May. Â
That said, things aren't so quiet on the regulatory end of the fishing industry. Â Now it is more important than EVER to get
actively involved in the regulation process. Â The regulatory noose is getting tighter now than its ever been, and we need to join
together to fight this battle. Â The time for sitting on the sidelines is over. Â We need letters to representatives expressing our
dissatisfaction with the manner in which OUR fisheries are being managed, and we need to speak up at the upcoming meetings
regarding that same dissatisfaction. Â One of the most crucial things in the immediate future is the management proposals for
black sea bass. Â Those fish that we look forward to catching when the season finally opens are in more jeopardy of
unnecessary restrictions than ever. Â We were allotted a paltry 2.3 million pound quota last year, and whoever concocts the
numbers as to what we caught somehow construed that the New England states(with bag limits ranging from only 3 fish per
man to 8 fish per man) caught 1.9 million pounds...while the rest of the mid Atlantic caught 1.4 million pounds! Â Where do they
come up with this? Â The result? Â A 33% reduction which is going to result in a shorter season, smaller bag limit, larger size limit,
or a combination thereof. Â As of now, the least evil of the proposals involve shorter seasons, with one increasing the size to 13"
and shortening the season two weeks less than the alternative which keeps the limit 12.5" but opens the season two weeks
later. Â The other options that allow for more fishing time reduce the bag limit to 10 fish which is a no win situation because once
you give them up, you don't get them back. Â The meeting is March 4 at 4pm in the Galloway Library on Jimmie Leeds Road. Â
PLEASE make a point to come out! Â We need to rail the place! Â All this, and the fishery is classified as NOT OVERFISHED and
OVERFISHING NOT OCCURRING. Â
