ASMFC declares "weakfish recoverd" !

[eelman]

This was printed in anna minicucci's column this week.The news is good and I can confirm that there are definatly more weaks !! I have been catching them almost everytime out.They fight great and are a blast to catch on light tackle.


DECLARED RECOVERED,
FINAL WEAKFISH STOCK ASSESSMENT
As reported in last week’s column, squeteague catches are on the increase, and consistent fishing reports of larger fish catches confirm an abundance of weakfish off Rhode Island’s shorelines. To underscore that observation, the final results from an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries (ASMFC), stock review committee, have declared the fishery recovered in a Fisheries Focusnewsletter. Weakfish declines were observed in 1980, because of competition between recreational and commercial fishing practices. Credited with making the recovery possible, are objectives found in Amendment 3 which included: restoring expanded and size structure; achieving equitable management measures among jurisdictions; promoting cooperative interstate research, monitoring, and law enforcement;; conservation and identification of weakfish habitat, and establishing standard procedures for the amendment’s implementation. For more information contact:Heather Stirratt, FMP coordinator, at 202-289-6400, x 301, or visit ASMFC website at: www.asmfc.org.