Anglers are up in arms about the proposal by the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association to seek a Sandy Hook Bay National Marine Sanctuary designation that would encompass not only that Bay but also the rivers flowing into it plus a portion of Raritan Bay. There was overwhelming opposition to that proposal at last week's meeting in the Red Bank Library, which wasn't large enough to hold the crowd that arrived. Rik Van Hammen seemed to be sincere as he spoke about his vision, but never presented any problem that would justify turning over control of the area to the federal government. On the other hand, anglers in Florida and California can testify why this is the last thing we would want to do. The April issue of Salt Water Sportsman states that proposals there would eliminate fishing in up to 30 percent of the reefs covered, and may be followed up by making the entire southeast Florida reef track a National Marine Sanctuary. The magazine notes that "While anglers have supported a number of spawning-season area closures throughout the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, most consider MPAs a last resort only imperative for the survival or restoration of a fishery. The Coastal Conservation Association calls the proposed creation of a marine sanctuary an unnecessary delegation o a federal agency of a state's authority over its waters. Florida has an excellent record of managing its fisheries." The same applies to New Jersey. Our fisheries are controlled by the state in cooperation with regulations developed for migratory species by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. No one at the meeting was complaining about the quality of the fisheries or management by the state -- and if they aren't satisfied there's plenty of opportunity to seek change on the state level. It was only three years ago that President Obama closed the national parks in a battle with Congress over the national debt. That just didn't involve facilities, but also the public's right to use lands that required no facilities, as money was found to pay rangers to keep anglers from walking the beach at Sandy Hook. At least the waters weren't involved up here, but charter captains in the Florida Keys, along with the rest of the public, weren't allowed to fish their traditional  waters in Everglades National Park. Giving up state control to the federal government for no apparent benefit makes no sense at all. Spring fishing should be steadily improving as waters warm. Just as Dave Lilly of Hazlet predicted when earthworms started coming out of the ground during last week's rains, school stripers have been hitting clams fished from Raritan Bay shorelines. There haven't been any boat reports as yet, but that should change by this weekend. Capt. Al Hilliard is going to try clamming with his Prowler V from Atlantic Highlands in the back of Raritan Bay, starting on Good Friday. He'll also be running Easter Sunday morning. The bay remains loaded with bunkers, and bigger stripers could turn onto them at any time. April is usually the time for that to happen, but we were hoping for an even earlier start when the bunkers arrived so early. Check my daily blog at nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing for updates. At Belmar Marina, the Golden Eagle had surprisingly good mackerel jigging last Saturday. They started fishing daily on Thursday, but unexpected northeast wind created a very fast drift and required heavy sinkers. Yet they had good readings and managed some mackerel. That fishing may be very good under better conditions. This is probably a carryover of winter mackerel runs, as the traditional April migration comes up the coast from the south. That hasn't occurred in many years. The Ocean Explorer only picked at cod last weekend, but that fishing may improve in better conditions. Capt. Bobby Bogan was at last weekend's Somerset Saltwater Expo, and told me he'll be getting started with his Gambler from Point Pleasant in April, when he's planning to add some tilefish trips. Though some stripers have been caught at Graveling Point and various bay locations, there still haven't had any documented surf reports. Flounder fishing has also been very slow, but Joe Melillo reports from Castaways Tackle in Point Pleasant that boaters are catching some up to 17 inches from the Point Pleasant Canal to the Mantoloking Bridge. A few have also been hooked at the Manasquan River end of the canal. The Jersey Shore Beach N Boat Fishing Tournament starts on April 1. For information visit beachnboat.com. A public hearing on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Blueline Tilefish Fishery Management Plan will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Hilton Garden Inn, Lakewood.