New Fluke Regs

It looks like a compromise has been reached that would keep NJ in compliance with federal regulations. A limit of 18" and three per bag, with a season of  5/25 to 9/5 has been tabled to a vote next week. The other option would be 3 at 19" and a longer season. It seems that in twenty years of fishery management the regulations have become more burdensome and the fishery only suffers. I spent the entire morning reading the transcripts of the ASMFC meetings, and it seems the only way they consider managing our marine fisheries is through restricting the catch while making it as complicated as could be, with all kinds of formulas and number bending. Twenty years of managing recreational fisheries by catch restriction has proven to be a total failure and the unwillingness to change their methods leads one to believe something more sinister is afoot.