ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board Takes No Action Regarding Projected Recreational Overages Washington, DC – The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and, Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) met via a web-based conference call yesterday and decided to take no action regarding potential overage in the 2009 recreational fisheries for black sea bass, scup, and summer flounder. The recreational fishing community should be prepared for considerably reduced fishing opportunities next year due to anticipated large overages in the 2009 harvest of scup and black sea bass. “The take away from yesterday’s meeting was the clear message from the Board that 2010 recreational size limits, possession limits, and/or seasons will be significantly restricted for the 2010 recreational fisheries,” stated Board Chair A.C. Carpenter. Last month the Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board had unanimously directed the Board to take action prior to September 1. The Board was presented with recreational harvest projections for black sea bass that indicated the harvest target could be exceeded by 86% to 165%. Based on these projections, the Board considered and rejected a motion to close the black sea bass recreational fishery on September 30, 2009. The motion failed with four votes in favor (Virginia, North Carolina, National Marine Fisheries Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service) and seven votes in opposition (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland).
I was out scouting in the back bay today. I found pods of mullet with stripers feeding on them. The water was on th dirty side. The water temperature was 71 degress.
Ken's Dock 