Posted on February 3, 2020 Important fisheries meetings The Striped Bass Management Board of the ASMFC will be meeting from 11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in Westin Capitol City Hotel, Alexandria, Virginia. They will be dealing with Addendum VI to the Striped Bass Management Plan  and the implementation plans from the states plus any conservation equivalency proposals being put up for approval. The following notice from the N.J. Div. 0f Fish & Wildlife details upcoming scoping hearings of great importance for the future.  Please read through the empty boxes. Public Hearings: Summer Flounder/Scup/Black Sea Bass/Bluefish Proposed Regulation Amendments   Scoping Hearings for Summer Flounder/Scup/Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Don’t miss the opportunity to provide comment on management for summer flounder/scup/black sea bass and bluefish during several public scoping hearings in February held by the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.  Please note that these hearings will not address recreational bag, season, or size limits.  See below and attached for additional information. Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment The Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment will consider potential modifications to the allocations of catch or landings between the commercial and recreational sectors for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on potential changes to the commercial/recreational allocations for these three species. Scoping hearings will be held on February 24 (Belmar) and February 25 (Galloway). Written comments may be submitted using the online comment form through March 17, 2020. Additional information is available in the Scoping and Public Information Document. Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bag, size, or season limits for any species. Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment The Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment is being developed in order to (1) update the goals and objectives of the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan; (2) perform a comprehensive review of the bluefish sector allocations, commercial allocations to the states, and transfer processes; and (3) initiate a bluefish rebuilding plan. Members of the public are encouraged to attend a scoping hearing or submit written comments on any of these issues. Scoping hearings will be held on February 18 (Toms River). Written comments may be submitted using the online comment form through March 17, 2020. Additional information is available in the Scoping and Public Information Document. Please note that this amendment will not address recreational bluefish management measures, including the 3-fish private/shore bag limit and 5 fish for-hire bag limit recommended for 2020.      _________________________________________________________________   The Ocean Explorer from Belmar had a decent pick of larger blackfish in good conditions Sunday while fishing offshore in deeper waters. One was over 10 pounds and might have taken the lead in the seasonal pool that’s up to over $5,000  if the angler had been in it. They also had a keeper cod and some ling. They will continue fishing that deeper water on every fishable day. The Tuesday forecast is for southwest winds at just 5-10 knots with a chance of light rain in the morning.