Big cuts in Black sea bass expected

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Big cuts expected in black sea bass catches, but other limits may rise
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Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 10:29 pm

By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer |

Saltwater anglers are facing severe cutbacks in black sea bass catches next year — but they are expected to get increases in summer flounder and bluefish landings.

The exact amount of the black sea bass cutbacks may not be known until data comes in several months from now.

“We’re undergoing a stock assessment to look at the full gamut. We’ll see that at the end of the year or early January,” said Toni Kerns, who coordinates fishery-management plans for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The quota for anglers this year was 1.8 million pounds along the East Coast, though it was actually reduced to 1.781 million pounds due to the “research set aside,” or RSA, a program that auctions off some of the catch to raise money for research.

The commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council at this point are projecting a quota of 1.36 million pounds next year.

The main issue, according to Kerns, is the large number of discarded fish, simply called “discards.” These are fish that are hooked and thrown back. About 25 percent of them die. Kerns said there are more fish in the northern range, New York and north, so this increases discards. But black sea bass were smaller in the range south of New York, she said, and this also increased discards because fish were often smaller than keeper size so they were thrown back. The minimum fish size in New Jersey is 12.5 inches. Local party- and charter-boat captains have been complaining they have to go farther offshore to find the bigger fish.

“Last year we projected discards, and it was way off the actual discards that occurred. Discards were about two times greater than we projected,” said Kerns.

The problem may have been somewhat ignored in the past, but Kerns said this is the first year fish conservation measures outlined in a 2006 federal fishing law are being fully followed. The law can trigger “accountability measures” during the fishing season, including a shutdown of the fishery, if the “allowed biological catch,” or ABC, is exceeded.

“We’re trying to avoid a shutdown in 2012,” Kerns said.

The New Gretna-based Recreational Fishing Alliance is hoping the stock assessment brings good news.

“Best case, the stocks are better than everybody thinks. That’s a complete wildcard,” said the RFA’s Adam Nowalsky.

The RFA is also arguing there is some latitude with the accountability measures. Nowalsky said the quota does not have to be cut. He said it would be better to adjust fishing regulations such as seasons, bag limit and minimum fish size.

“As long as we’re not threatening stocks there is no reason to punish people. Reducing quotas is not the way to achieve a reduction in discards,” said Nowalsky, also complaining that the system to gather data from anglers on what they are catching is flawed.

It’s unclear whether sea bass regulations in 2012 will be the same for all East Coast states or whether they will vary by state. This year it was done by state but traditionally there were coastwide regulations. The regulations are supposed to revert back to a coastwide plan in 2012 but Kerns said an addendum to the black sea bass management plan could be used to have state-by-state regulations again.

Reductions could trigger changes that may include shortening the seasons, increasing the minimum fish size or upping the daily bag limit.

Commercial black sea bass fishermen do not face cutbacks. Their quota is expected to remain unchanged at 1.76 million pounds. The species is caught in fish pots by fishermen at several New Jersey ports.

The good news for anglers is summer flounder is more plentiful and there is a proposed 7 percent increase in the quota to 15.96 million pounds, though the RSA would reduce this to 12.63 million pounds. The quota rose almost 34 percent this year compared with 2010.

The increase could lead to more lenient regulations in 2012 but exact measures are usually not decided until a March meeting of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council.

Commercial flounder fishermen would get the same 7 percent increase to 19.59 million pounds, or 18.95 million minus the RSA.

“That’s a great opportunity for New Jersey vessels. It includes a small-boat fishery and a large-boat fishery,” said Greg DiDomenico of the Garden State Seafood Association, a commercial fishing trade group.

DiDomenico said “you hear the same old rhetoric about fishing crises,” but the flounder comeback shows management plans are working.

Stock assessments are showing a slight increase in bluefish, and East Coast catches may be allowed to increase by about 1 percent for both the commercial and recreational sectors. The commercial quota would be 10.5 million pounds while anglers would get 17.19 million pounds.

“The caveat is the 2009 and 2010 class years were poor. Poor class years are not good news,’’ said Mike Waine of the ASMFC.

There is no size limit in New Jersey for bluefish. Because they grow so quickly, a fish at 1 year old is already “in the fishery,” Waine said. A 15-inch bluefish is only 2 years old, which means the two poor year classes could be felt pretty quickly.

“I wouldn’t say we’re worried but it’s something to take note of,” Waine said.

New Jersey anglers get 14.8 percent of the East Coast bluefish catch, second only to North Carolina.

The commercial quota in New Jersey would rise from 1.4 million pounds in 2011 to 1.45 million pounds in 2012. Both are lower than the 2010 quota of 1.5 million pounds.

The measures for black sea bass, flounder and bluefish emerged from the two fish councils but they still must be approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.


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