|
I hope I'm not out of my area here, but as a bait seller and in many cases harvester, I can't see any problem with limiting purse seining menhaden anywhere. True in my area of NJ, pogies aren't a preferred bait but in Delaware Bay and Raritan Bay they are the standard fare.
Unforutnately in those two big bays purse seining for bait is still permitted which from my understanding at least in the Raritan Bay tends to push remaining pogies north to NY along with the bass.
No mater how many sportfishermen you have those pogies are for lobster and crab bait for the most part. I don't know exactly what other gear types are permitted in Narragansett Bay, but if you take the big purse seine operations out of the equasion gill nets and cast nets can easily supply any striper bait and probably any local commercial baits you need at a higher quality.
All I know is that the more menhaden you send south the fatter the bass will be when they get here.
|