I've wanted recs to report for a while. I say so at meetings on a regular and get no where. If recs saw what they killed as a group they would #^&#^&#^&#^& themselves
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I agree with you whole heartedly, no argument there what so ever. I would report my 1 28" fish per year with pride cause that's all i catch.

To take this possibly off topic, they should impose stricter punishment on rec guys that take shorts and take over limtes across all species let alone unlicensed. We pay for,licenses now for for both waters there us no reason the green boys are not crawling all over certain places....
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Having enforcement for both com's and rec's that is tough enough to make everyone's cheeks pucker up is what we need. Up and down the coast if people know there is a good chance they will get caught and get more than a slap on the wrist (fines, confiscation of gear/vehicles, revocation of licenses, jail time) then at least part of black market/illegal catch will be reduced. Having penalties that are just a cost of doing business is not enough.

I understand what you are getting at, but from a perspective that looks at actual numbers of fish killed, it is in reality not a 50% rec reduction. The goal of the regulation is not a 50% reduction in rec harvest. The actuality is the critical part from a perspective of re-restoring :smash: the stocks. When you say it is "actually a 50% reduction in the rec fish taken" that is factually not true, logic and opinions aside. Example, if no rec ever kept 2 fish, changing the regulations from 2 fish per day to 1 fish per day would have zero effect, not 50%. What needs to be done is real and actual reductions in the number of bass killed.

A substantial reward ($500-1,000) for reporting restaurants who buy illegal bass
would quickly get these restaurants all busted.

Dont think for a second that a dishwasher, bus boy, waiter, making peanuts wouldnt secretly rat out his boss for an easy $1,000

How about recs who use ultra light gear and fight a fish for a long time and release the fish that eventually dies, or target small fish on blitzes that may have post mortality (most comms wouldn't waste time on the small blitzing fish). What about a comm who trades up for bigger fish after they have a limit, or a comm who gaffs a fish that's an inch or two short and "releases it" lots of moving parts here and finger pointing. EVERYONE who fishes has an impact (some more, some less) even guys who are 100% catch and release have an impact with foul catches, post mortality etc). We need to get past the finger pointing, look at the facts and look ourselves all in the mirror to find something that works for everyone and makes everyone accountable. Most experienced anglers don't use trebles, most inexperienced recs use them a lot.
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No, but on an overall basis the commercial sector catches all of its quota every year (or almost all of its quota). How the commercial quota is doled out varies from state to state, but all states now require commercial fish to be tagged, so the accounting for the commercial quota is pretty good.

On the recreational side, the MRFSS statistics are what generated the 25-31% reduction for a one fish limit, because we all know that not everyone limits out, every time out. Now you may or may not believe the MFRSS statistics, but that's all we have. No matter how you cut it a reduction of the recreational limit from two fish to one fish cannot be a 50% reduction in mortality.

I agree 100%
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the asmfc says the rec harvest is at 26.4 million pounds annually. and the comm harvest 2.87 million pounds

Commercials say what you want. Your whole purpose is to make money by killing the big breeders. As a rec I can and have changed my methods and style to reduce accidental mortality as I don't keep fish. As a commercial you can make no such claim. Furthermore, there is an issue of fairness. The commercials are a far smaller group than the recreational sector in terms of numbers. Right? Why is it fair that such a small number of people are allowed to take so many fish. I don't get it because you shell out for a commercial licence you are entitled to take many times my two fish in mass. It a public resource no one person should be entitled to a bigger share of it than another individual. What do you do to justify you share of the resource? Look at a logging company. Atleast when they clear cut a stand of trees they replant seedlings. What do you guys do? Your right I am bitter. I am sick and tired of people who people who continue to destroy a resource that we should conserving.
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How many comms are there and how many recs are there?
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Point is why is one com entitled to take more fish than one rec fisherman? Just because it's legal dosent make it right.
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so by that logic there should be no commercial fishing for any species because they are the peoples fish. and I don't have a right to utilize a resource and earn a portion of my livelihood doing so. and as far as changing my methods to reduce accidental mortality - I've switched to using circle hooks exclusively. i participate in beach cleanups, herring counting, run cleanups, and planting eel grass. so don't sit there and tell me I don't do anything but use up the resource because I do. I live it and do more than most. I comm fish for 2 species and rec fish for just about everything that swims in the new England salt and consider myself a responsible steward of the sea. I support the 25% reduction and voted for it at the last msba meeting because I think there is a problem and this is our chance to help turn it around but no I do not think the bass stocks are on the verge of collapse

Last time I checked we live in a free country and it's our free will to choose what we do for a living or part of a living. Some of us become doctors and lawyers and some of us become fisherman. With that being said, I agree 100% we need regulations to protect our resource so the sooner we get our heads out of our asses and realize were both part of the problem the better off we'll all be.
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Is this just in MA ? because i doubt rec guys are taking 26 million pounds with out reporting data in Mass alone ? are they counting paid charters as rec's . just license guys? I am not against either group but as we point fingers at each other whos to blame nothing changes for the better

Comm 2013 Quota: 997,869 pounds 2014 Quota: 1.15 million pounds whats 2015 going to bring

look at herring rec guys cant get them but Commercial boats can
because of a word game ocean and river 2011 they took 200 million pounds same fish For the 2013-2015 fishing seasons, the Commission set the ACL at 237.7 million pounds, an 18% increase from 2010-2012 limits

I am for commercial slot limit 33in to 42 over that mandatory release and rec 28 42 over that mandatory release as well Nation Wide

unless your a lobbyist with deep pockets public hearings are a farce
just an illusion to make the common man or women fell relevant and that they have a voice in the process . I wish I felt different but its how I see it . show up or send an email they both carry equal weight (NONE)

those are coastwide numbers wdmso. no one can take river herring though the large trawlers do get some river in the mix. the comm bass quota I believe has been the same for the last 20 years - 1.15. if we go over 1 year it gets deducted off the next season - which is why 2013 is at 997. I think a lot of guys lump rod/reel comms into the same category as draggers, gill netters, purse seiners etc. which I don't believe is an accurate portrayal. rod/reel is a relatively "clean" fishery with very little bycatch

Just to be clear, river herring (alewife and blueback herring) are a different species than Atlantic herring. And rec guys can and do catch Atlantic herring from boats and shore. During the winter there isn't much else to fish for from shore.

Don't hate the player
Hate the game
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???????????:confused:

I'll rephrase, "Most comms don't use trebles, most inexperienced recs use them a lot."

Point is what impact does this have to released fish. Although a Rec using trebles might be releasing a fish, the gear used could end up increasing post mortality in the end...
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More like 6 million, I would think. The MD and MA quotas are over 2 million all by themselves. NY is around half a million. Then you have VA and NC, and RI with a small quota.

NY regulates its commercial fishery on numbers, not pounds, too. Each commercial angler is given a set number of tags based on his/her historical landings, and NY has a comm slot limit. What people have to understand is that coast-wide, the commercial quota is spread out across the population. MA puts a premium on harvesting big fish with a 34" minimum size. 34" may be the maximum allowed size under a slot limit. MD allows the harvesting of 18" fish in the bay.

Is some of the harvesting in MD net or is it all Rod and Reel now?
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gillnet is considered to be the dominant gear used to harvest comm bass. what percentage it is compared to rod/reel I don't know

I'm just going to use this as my response - it will keep John from having to edit anything else I'd like to post.
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cmon jay - lets hear it. when was the last good flame war this place had. it was fun back then

So comm guys can whine about a 25% reduction while the poor rec angler suffers at a 50% pace?

stir the pot dangles

chris was once the master.

It's all fuzzy math when you are dealing with an unknown.........
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I thought about this thread when I got a bass on the first cast this evening while I was throwing at breaking Albies.
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Edited - dont post hammered.

Fishing bliss is catching both hands with your ass.
Niko would be happy foul hooking man ass
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hey trophy husband - I know you're bummed out because it's rainy and you cant play disc golf or whatever the hell it is you do all day. but if u were nicer to me maybe i'd bring you crabs and let u drive me to the albies

Hilarious......
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I was out on the charlestown breachway today at daybreak with ranger Joe. The fishing was well not happening at all. 3 hours of casting practice.
We got to talking and he said he started fishing there in the 60's and there was fish everywhere (big fish) as he said. Then the 70's come along and people started killing everything. On to the 80's and if you were lucky enough to catch a bass of any size people would come and ask what kind of fish it was because no one knew what there were.
90 ' s come around and the bass started to come back and uneducated people started killing again. 2000's the bass start to be less and less. He said I lived the first crash and I see it happening again.

I hope not but time will tell.
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I don't want to be an alarmist, but I fear the numbers are worse than we realize.... there are vast areas on the coast that are devoid of bass. the last stock assessment is approaching 2 years old and I think the decline has been precipitous in the interim.


time will tell- but I think we're in for a long dry spell.

how does "sea-bass.com" sound??

Gill nets and pound traps up north. NC may still allow haul seining. Not sure. Thankfully, the movement to restore it on Long Island never prevailed, despite all of Billy Joel's benefit concerts.
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The fishery is set up to exploit what fish are available to the comms in their area.....

you better believe that the MD guys would love to be catching 34" fish.....

You do know that reason they set that 18" limit was to allow the harvest of male fish, that don't get too much bigger than that and DO NOT migrate out of the bay?

yes I do know that.... it also allows them to fully exploit their fishery, and I also that enforcement is a joke down there and poaching is rampant. the fishery in the Cheaspeake is possibly the most perilous of all