New Jersey has good reasons to resist federal rules on fluke
If federal fisheries managers got fan mail from some flounder these days, would it side with their catch limits or New Jersey’s defiant alternate rules? State and local officials and the N.J. congressional delegation pushed hard against this year’s federal plan to reduce the catch of summer flounder, also called fluke, by 30 percent. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission wanted to require fish to be an inch bigger to be kept — 19 inches in the ocean and nearby waters and 18 inches in Delaware Bay. Since last year’s limits were already tough on fishers and marine businesses, the plan prompted an uproar. Rep. Frank LoBiondo said “unelected bureaucrats in Washington use questionable methodologies and outdated science to cut us off at the knees.” He and fellow Rep. Frank Pallone introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent the new flounder quotas from taking effect. click here to read the story 10:28
QUOTAS, is a tragedy happening ! Most fish stocks are back strong ! TODAY, MORE FISH STOCKS ARE DUMPED ,THAN BEING LANDED , BECAUSE OF THESE RIDICULOUSLY LOW QUOTAS ! WHAT A WASTE OF OUR OCEAN’S RESOURCES !. FISH REGULATORS & MANGERS ARE USING FISH STOCK NUMBERS THAT ARE OLD AND OUT-DATED WHICH IS NOT A TRUE PICTURE OF TODAY’S FISH STOCKS !!