Bluefish limits cut to three for 2020

With a cut in the bluefish limit, will anglers pay a headboat for three fish? Photo courtesy Capt. Howard Bogan

From On the Water Magazine comes this press information from  fishery managers. 

Approved were new regulations for the 2020 recreational bluefish fishery. These measures, which include a 3-fish bag limit for private anglers and a 5-fish bag limit for for-hire fishermen, represent a substantial reduction compared to the federal 15-fish bag limit that has been in place since 2000.

The most recent assessment of the Atlantic bluefish stock concluded that the stock is overfished. In October, managers called for an 18% decrease compared to 2019 and considered several combinations of bag limits and minimum size limits. Although the Bluefish Monitoring Committee recommended a coastwide 3-fish bag limit, the majority of comments from the public and Bluefish Advisory Panel (AP) members expressed opposition to this option, noting that it would have severe economic consequences for the for-hire sector, which was only responsible for 3.6% of coastwide landings from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, AP members and the public emphasized that these proposed reductions come at a challenging time for for-hire stakeholders as they are also facing new restrictions on striped bass, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup.

After an extensive discussion and thorough consideration of public comments, the Council recommended and Commission approved a 3-fish bag limit for private and shore modes and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire mode. No restrictions were made to minimum fish size or seasons.

“For many years, bluefish has been one of our most abundant recreational fisheries,” said Council Chairman and ASMFC Board member Mike Luisi. “The Council and Commission are fully committed to the effective conservation and management of this stock, but we also recognize that a sudden change in regulations could have severe socioeconomic consequences for some stakeholders. After evaluating a wide range of options and considering numerous comments from the public, we feel that this approach is the most fair and effective way to achieve the necessary reduction in harvest next year.”

After an extensive discussion and thorough consideration of public comments, the Council recommended and Commission approved a 3-fish bag limit for private and shore modes and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire mode. No restrictions were made to minimum fish size or seasons.

“For many years, bluefish has been one of our most abundant recreational fisheries,” said Council Chairman and ASMFC Board member Mike Luisi. “The Council and Commission are fully committed to the effective conservation and management of this stock, but we also recognize that a sudden change in regulations could have severe socioeconomic consequences for some stakeholders. After evaluating a wide range of options and considering numerous comments from the public, we feel that this approach is the most fair and effective way to achieve the necessary reduction in harvest next year.”

And the following are comments from On the Water subscribers:

  RK 17 hours ago: In Europe, pretty much every country has gone to a management model where there are a handful of giant factory ships with access to almost all of the fish harvested and recreational fishermen can catch next to nothing to take home.?Fisheries managers seem to be going that way here now.

  Mike O’Mara 17 hours ago: Good luck getting this across to the shore snapper fishermen, and expecting them to comply.

  Tom 17 hours ago: So this pertains to snappers as well? 3 snappers per person?

  Tommy Strzepek 16 hours ago: All the new restrictive limits on recreational fishing will
  decimate the for hire fishing boats.

  Not many folks will spend 80 or 90 dollars to go fish on a boat when the number of fish they can take is a few blues or a few flounder .

  I believe the fish stock is cyclical and the biggest culprit in this equation is the commercial fishery. 

  JOHN 16 hours ago: Many years ago I remember seeing the giant foreign fishing ships cleaning out our water along NJ. Almost close enough to read the name of the ship from shore. Remember doormat flounder and the cod my dad used to get too. Its gone now,,we need to conserve or we’ll never see it again.

  Greed isnt the answer,,so the big money guys need to be inline too.

  GB 16 hours ago: Interesting that an 18% reduction is requested but we end up with an 80% one. Strange math at work here.

  Mark 16 hours ago: 18% ? How the heck will that help? Why don’t they just admit there going to continue to let the bluefish be overfished. What a joke. 

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