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[tlapinski]

I still feel that the simplest measure would be a straight-up cut in half for everyone. Recs go from 2 fish to 1, commercial quota cut in half across the board, and so on. The for-hire group must also be addressed and the taking of a limit of fish for every person on the boat (mates, captain, cook, ballwasher, etc.) needs to stop. This is how the law is written in NY, but from what I am told it is not enforced with the reason being that "it is allowed in all the surrounding states so why do we have to follow this rule?"

[Sundowner]

This is how the law is written in NY, but from what I am told it is not enforced with the reason being that "it is allowed in all the surrounding states so why do we have to follow this rule?"

Enforcement is the problem.

From the bucket brigade to the trawlers.

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Sundowner

This is how the law is written in NY, but from what I am told it is not enforced with the reason being that "it is allowed in all the surrounding states so why do we have to follow this rule?"

Enforcement is the problem.

From the bucket brigade to the trawlers.

Its a crap shoot to enforce because every state has it's own interpretation and laws that contradict each other, which in turn creates loopholes that savvy people will exploit. It should be one governing body and set of laws for every state

[DZ]

We here in the Northeast are still light years behind our fellow citizens from the deep south who realized long ago they had to protect there favorite fish by taking the price off their head (redfish/snook). I always thought we were more progressive but not when it comes to fishery management - maybe its our liberal nature. This is very puzzeling to me but not surprising since the recreational fishery here has always included many R&R commercials masquerading under the recreational umbrella - we see it with charter boats and by allowing Comms into rec tournaments, etc. To me you are one... or the other. This has always been a gray line but should be solid black IMO. To be fare I have many friends who comm fish and they are great people - i just don't agree in what they do and feel they are exploiting the resource.
Some day northeast recreational fishermen will seek the political will to have a fish to call their own like our southern brethren have. If that happens and the striped bass population still tanks then it will be our own fault. Until then we'll be resigned to banging our heads against fishery management.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by DZ

We here in the Northeast are still light years behind our fellow citizens from the deep south who realized long ago they had to protect there favorite fish by taking the price off their head (redfish/snook). I always thought we were more progressive but not when it comes to fishery management - maybe its our liberal nature. This is very puzzeling to me but not surprising since the recreational fishery here has always included many R&R commercials masquerading under the recreational umbrella - we see it with charter boats and by allowing Comms into rec tournaments, etc. To me you are one... or the other. This has always been a gray line but should be solid black IMO. To be fare I have many friends who comm fish and they are great people - i just don't agree in what they do and feel they are exploiting the resource.
Some day northeast recreational fishermen will seek the political will to have a fish to call their own like our southern brethren have. If that happens and the striped bass population still tanks then it will be our own fault. Until then we'll be resigned to banging our heads against fishery management.

I wrote an article for The Fisherman calling for game fish status. Snook and tarpon were almost whipped out until this happened in the South. Now it's a world class fishery.

[JLH]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

I still feel that the simplest measure would be a straight-up cut in half for everyone. Recs go from 2 fish to 1, commercial quota cut in half across the board, and so on. The for-hire group must also be addressed and the taking of a limit of fish for every person on the boat (mates, captain, cook, ballwasher, etc.) needs to stop. This is how the law is written in NY, but from what I am told it is not enforced with the reason being that "it is allowed in all the surrounding states so why do we have to follow this rule?"

An equal cut across the board would be ideal but to cut the recreational take in half we would need to see something like 1@36 and a closed season. A 50% cut on the commercial quota is easy because it's measured but going from a 2 fish limit down to 1 would result in a much smaller % decrease on the rec side because not everyone always catches or chooses to keep two legal sized fish.