RI Fluke - rod/reel fishery in potential danger

[Mr. Sandman]

"This is a blatant attempt to monopolize the resource for one user group."

Welcome to the real world. All Fishing is controlled by comm fisherman for comm fisherman, but they let the recs whine about it at a meeting or two, then do what they want in the best interest of them. In RI there is probably a mob element involved as well. There is no way to change this, it is a rigged game. I gave up. My only hope is that one day the higher political types clean the fish house.


MA is next with a problem.

NY is in real bad shape.

Comms keep on tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&....scraping the bottom from the bay out to the canyon. makes me want to

[TheSpecialist]

Maybe the best thing to do is have no regs what so ever. Then when the fiish are to the point thay they are only catching 1 or 2 a trip they will have to find new work and get rid of thier boats. We can all fish for trout for a few years.

[macojoe]

I maintain a commercial Fluke lic here in Ma. Not that I want to make a ton of cash but because as recreational you get screwed!!
The limte for rec fluke fisherman is 7 fish at 16 1/2" But the commercial guys get to keep 14" fish!
Dragers are allowed 300 pounds a day and Rod and reel guys 200 pounds a day.

Dragers can keep 100 pound of Fluke as bi-catch during the squid season and they have a winter fishery for them also.
They are allowed to tear up all of Vinyard sound with there nets in the middle of the summer and do so from Lucas shoal to Gay head!!
Years ago they use to stay off shore to get the fish but since they fished that area out they have now come in shore!!

Now following what I and many others see as a slow year last year for the Fluke they want to increase that catch to 350 to 500 pounds a day! And want to start the season as early as May 15 instead of June 15.

They would also increase the Hook & Liners to 300 from 200 pounds.

All this with out giving the rec fisherman any thing!! they will still be at 7 fish 16 1/2" while the dragers are still able to tear up eveything on the bottom and the hook guys are all able to get a increase in pounds at the shorter 14" fish.

All I can say is that the rec guys need to go to the meetings!!!!! They need to speak up!!!! the comercial guys are organized and will get what they want if no one speaks up!!!!

They are had Public hearings on 3/21 & 3/22 I went to the plymouth meeting the 21st and I can tell you this, Not one person spoke up for the rec. fisherman!!

They are having a meeting on the 29th this monday for the Bass to drop from 30 fish to 20 fish and to make it 3 days instead of 4 day open season and they will also make opening day 10 fish limt.
All this to extend are season and to stop the glut of the market??
But they are going to allow the other states to sell fish here in this state April to Nov.
How is that going to keep the price up?? Mass fisherman will have to compete with out of state fisherman for the price!! And then the market will still be gluted ! Just not by Ma fisherman alone!!

I am going to stop fishing and start rasing Bull frogs for french resturants!!

[Mr. Sandman]

Originally Posted by macojoe

I am going to stop fishing and start rasing Bull frogs for french resturants!!

mako, if that is the case can I get your MA comm fluke lic?

[macojoe]

Sandman, I am much like others!! I piss moan and groan, but in the end I am out there fishing all the time!! I love it and I love Fluking more then any other fish!!

[Navy Chief]

I've said this a couple times on this forum and I still don't understand. Why do the commercial fisherman control the fisheries? Are there no biologists around here? On the west coast the scientist control the fisheries. It only makes sense.

Pt.JudeJoe post those bureaucrats name on this website, I'll find their e-mail addresses, post them, and everyone on this entire forum can spam the crap out of them.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Navy Chief

I've said this a couple times on this forum and I still don't understand. Why do the commercial fisherman control the fisheries? Are there no biologists around here? On the west coast the scientist control the fisheries. It only makes sense.

Pt.JudeJoe post those bureaucrats name on this website, I'll find their e-mail addresses, post them, and everyone on this entire forum can spam the crap out of them.

oh my... the navy cheif is questioning government... He must have swallowed the purple pill...

look who is head of the EPA now.... same thing as the flounder industry and it makes me want to