Rockfish allocations and numbers

[shoreboy6]

The January striped bass gill net season is now closed. The fishery will re-open 2/1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. All limits will remain the same.

This is the second month in a row where the season has been closed within 2 weeks of it opening. I know for a fact there aren't that many more gill netters fishing to cause such a short closure. This really makes me wonder just how far down the stocks really are. Also for those that say the commercial guys take more than recs, with closures like this I just can't believe it. Not trying to start a fight, just my couple pennies.........

[Alley Cat]

I hope there is good news in this. Time will tell.

[KRUNCH]

don"t want to hear it,they catch em all.they are taking a public resource for private gain .i hate them all!!!!!!

[B-Faithful]

Early closures have to do with last year's gear regulation change where the allowed net length was expanded greatly. Longer nets make the gillnetters more efficient. Now the state needs to manage to try to keep the market prices up and attempt to extend the season through feb..

As far as who takes more, the split is ~47%/53% in favor of the recreational harvest. However the rec side is based on targets. Therefore on down years of receational fishing (due to poor fishing, lower participation, bad weather, etc.) The commercial side stands to take more fish than the rec side. Of course the allocation is also issued in lbs so given the fact that the commercial side cannot take fish over 36" and recs can, it stands a good possibility to say that the commercial side actually takes more fish in numbers even when the recreational seasons hit their targets. Of course None of this includes the illegal poaching on the bay either. Either way, the current allocation split is disproportional to economic and social needs of the state as well as to other states under the ASMFC. Marylands commercial harvest alone makes up about 1/3rd of the entire commercial take managed under the ASMFC. I have hopes that MD DNR will review their outdated management policies in the near future.

[27 sailfish]

Winter time - the resident Rock school up tightly. I've seen a school stacked 15 feet thick on my meter - it went for about 1/2 mile.

You get a gill net set just right over a tight school like that - easy to catch a load of them. There has been some new net tactics used that are very effective.

The netters are given a share - their season closing fast just goes to show the fish are being checked in / counted.

[rappahanockman]

Why do they need such a big net to catch 50 fish?
They are hauling in 3 or 4 times their limit in one pass.
Then the remaining fish are "RELEASED" dead.
What a waste of a Great Fishery!

[shoreboy6]

different debate

[Matt]

http://www.metrocast.net/~shark/public_html/Conservation/striper9.htm

[Southern Grin]

Hey Krunch,
Just out of curiosity, how can you say "for private gain" when the end user is the general public ? Doesn't the general public have a say as to what they would prefer ? Don't give me that crap about let them eat "farm raised". Not trying to start a fight, but your comments sound a bit un-just ! Becareful, the general public has the last say and they out number recreational fishermen by a huge number !!