Tag Archives: Speckled Trout
NCFA Weekly Update for February 24, 2025: Scientific Uncertainty/Important Blue Crab Update
Abundance vs Stock Status. Last week we highlighted the high variability in estimates of Speckled Trout abundance from one stock assessment to the next, using Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) estimates for 2008 from each of the three assessments to show the uncertainty. The 2009 assessment estimated ~800,000 lbs of mature females in 2008. The 2015 assessment estimated ~3,000,000 lbs of mature females in 2008. The 2022 assessment estimated ~4,000,000 lbs of mature females in 2008. Remember, these highly unreliable SSB estimates are compared to the SSB threshold, or level of abundance considered to be sustainable, to determine if a stock is overfished and if reductions are needed. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:29
NCFA Weekly Update for February 10, 2025 – Six Fisheries on the Chopping Block, Part 2 and Part 3
Part 1, Next week, at the meeting in Kitty Hawk, the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will be looking at Amendment 4 to the Southern flounder Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The only action item in this amendment is moving the 2026 allocation shift of 50/50 up one year instead of following the plan outlined in Amendment 3, which was just finalized in 2022. more, >>CLICK TO READ<<
Part 3, Blue Crab – Next week, February 19th-21st, the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) will also be reviewing a Decision Document looking at using Adaption Management to reduce commercial blue crab harvest. Although no vote will be required at this meeting, the timeline for implementation of management changes is scheduled for final vote in May 2025! more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:18
NCFA Weekly Update for February 10, 2025 – Six Fisheries on the Chopping Block at Upcoming MFC Meeting
The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) meets February 19th-21st to discuss and vote on cutting harvest, time closures, closing large areas, and even eliminating usable gears in six vital NC fisheries. Blue crab, false albacore, flounder, speckled trout, oysters, and clams. As there are so many issues being brought forward at this one meeting, I will try to give a quick overview of each species on the agenda and follow up with additional updates with more detailed information about each issue before the meeting. more, >>CLICKTO READ<< 20:40
Mississippi says commercial speckled trout catch underreported, ends season
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Executive Director Joe Spraggins announced Tuesday that the second half of the state’s commercial fishing season for speckled trout, a much-sought species along the Gulf Coast, won’t happen. That’s because officials believe commercial fishermen didn’t fully report their catches from the first half of the season. Spokeswoman Melissa Scallan said the closure doesn’t affect recreational and charter fishermen, who must adhere to certain size limits for speckled trout. Normally, Mississippi has two seasons in state waters for the saltwater fish — one from Feb. 1 through May 31 and another running from June 1 to Oct. 31. >click to read<10:22
Illicit Business – Are Louisiana’s anglers selling their recreationally caught speckled trout?
When fish are getting yanked into the boat almost as quickly as an angler can get a lure in the water, the fun sometimes overcomes discretion, and that same angler will wonder what he’s going to do with all that meat after he fillets the fish. Some eat what they can and give the rest away, while others load up their freezers with fillets packed in Ziploc bags that they’ll throw out in two years. But another smaller minority will sell their catch to restaurants, seafood markets or acquaintances. It’s common dock talk among anglers that some of their cohorts have even put their kids through college with money raised from selling recreationally caught fish, particularly speckled trout. click here to read the story 15:24
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Pulls the Plug on Speckled Trout
