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JohnnyD< not disagreeing that some people may not report, but if they get caught not turning in reports every month, they get a notice on non-compliance, which will revoke their permits. So they have to at least report something, if they get boarded, they better have all their permits in check as i have been boarded several time and they have gone thru to make sure they have it all in check.
As far as fish getting skinnier and that being the cause, way off base, the bass we have caught over the past 5-6 years have been healthier and heavier than any bass we have seen in a long time, weight VS lenght by far,and that is because of the pogies which are finally getting up this far north as they are the most nutrishes meal a bass can have.
Reports around Boston have nothing to do with overfishing, the fish need food and when it is removed the bass will go elsewhere to find it. There are more sand eels than ever that surround the race, and it is one forage of species we just don't get alot of in the harbor, that is why alot of bass get caught at the race and is why the bass where on the bank last year, there was a TON of sand eels to eat.
ONe fact you can not argue about is if the gillnetters had not come in last year and netted all the pogies up in the inside of Boston harbor as well as north harbors from Boston We would have had a much better season a great fall run no doubt about it.
As far as commerical catch only being by weight, an average 34 inch fish will go around 15 lbs to a max of 18 lbs and yes they are breeding fish, but the issue with fish right now is not the bigger bass my friend it is the smaller bass that are coming up short. So how can you blame a commercial guy for that!!! Yes they are breeder fish but at least they have had a chance to bread unlike a recreational fish at 28 inches.
Yes Seals need to be delbt with but in the harbor you can count on 1 hand how many seals are around, unlike the cape.
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