TOMS RIVER - New Jersey's fluke fisherman will get to angle for the tasty flatfish on both Memorial Day and Labor Day this year, the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council ruled Thursday.
Last year, anglers were angered when the season ended Sept. 4, before Labor Day.
Fishermen pushed the council to pick a season that included both holidays. The council chose from 12 options to stay within the state's quota for fluke, also called summer flounder.
Dozens of fishermen commented on the options, and the council chose the most popular one, May 29 through September 6. The season includes 101 days of fishing. Fishermen will be allowed six fish per day, with 18 inches being the minimum fish size.
Every year, the state uses a combination of bag limits, minimum fish sizes and days fishing to meet a quota divided among the East Coast states.
The 12 options had minimum fish sizes of 18 inches and 18.5 inches. A larger fish could result in more fishing days or more fish per day, but there was little support to raise the fish size since the great majority of fish are already being thrown back because they are too small.
The bag limit options ranged from four to six fish per day. Nobody wanted to have a bag limit under six.
That only left some flexibility with seasons. The options had them starting as early as May 4 and ending as late as Sept. 26.
A group of anglers pushed for Option 4, which would have run from June 26-Sept. 21.
"We want to be able to fish for fluke in September. In May and June we have stripers and blues, but there's not much in September," fisherman Paul Hartel said.
Brook Koeneke, operator of the Duke o' Fluke party boat out of Somers Point, pushed for both holidays.
"Any option that blocks us out of Memorial Day weekend is untenable. We need that early holiday," Koeneke said.
Anglers got both holidays in 2008 as the season ran from May 24 to Sept. 7, but the state was ordered to cut back harvests by 4.2 percent in 2009 due to over-fishing in 2008.
New Jersey anglers exceeded catches again in 2009, by 24 percent, but were only ordered a 1 percent reduction this year.
Some fishermen had a hard time believing figures read at the meeting showing excessive landings last year since the majority of fish caught were less than 18 inches and had to be thrown back.
"24 percent over?" questioned Belmar, Monmouth County, party boat captain Robert Quinn. "It rained the whole month of June, and the rest of the summer we threw everything back. You guys have to come up with something to help us out. If not, we'll be out of business and our children won't be able to fish for anything."
Marilyn Reingold, an angler from Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, urged the council to at least let children keep one fish under 18 inches just so they can go home with a fish.
That was as controversial as the meeting got, even though anglers are reporting more fluke than they have seen in years but will not get to catch more of them. Council member Patrick Donnelly said this saddened him because it shows anglers are so beaten down that they almost accept not being able to catch fish.
"A few years ago these meetings used to be contentious. We're so beat down. We're getting beat over the head with a stick, and we're happy if it's not too big of a stick," Donnelly said.
Ed Goldman, another council member, said he grew up when there was no fluke season. Anglers could fish for them at will.
"Nobody likes the options. I'd like no closed season. It's a pipe dream, but it's something I grew up with," Goldman said.
The council normally meets in Galloway Township, but to accommodate northern New Jersey fishermen, it hold its meeting in Toms River. The meeting drew a large crowd of northern New Jersey fishermen who normally do not attend. Chairman Gil Ewing said he would consider using different locations for the meetings in the future.
Last year, anglers were angered when the season ended Sept. 4, before Labor Day.
Fishermen pushed the council to pick a season that included both holidays. The council chose from 12 options to stay within the state's quota for fluke, also called summer flounder.
Dozens of fishermen commented on the options, and the council chose the most popular one, May 29 through September 6. The season includes 101 days of fishing. Fishermen will be allowed six fish per day, with 18 inches being the minimum fish size.
Every year, the state uses a combination of bag limits, minimum fish sizes and days fishing to meet a quota divided among the East Coast states.
The 12 options had minimum fish sizes of 18 inches and 18.5 inches. A larger fish could result in more fishing days or more fish per day, but there was little support to raise the fish size since the great majority of fish are already being thrown back because they are too small.
The bag limit options ranged from four to six fish per day. Nobody wanted to have a bag limit under six.
That only left some flexibility with seasons. The options had them starting as early as May 4 and ending as late as Sept. 26.
A group of anglers pushed for Option 4, which would have run from June 26-Sept. 21.
"We want to be able to fish for fluke in September. In May and June we have stripers and blues, but there's not much in September," fisherman Paul Hartel said.
Brook Koeneke, operator of the Duke o' Fluke party boat out of Somers Point, pushed for both holidays.
"Any option that blocks us out of Memorial Day weekend is untenable. We need that early holiday," Koeneke said.
Anglers got both holidays in 2008 as the season ran from May 24 to Sept. 7, but the state was ordered to cut back harvests by 4.2 percent in 2009 due to over-fishing in 2008.
New Jersey anglers exceeded catches again in 2009, by 24 percent, but were only ordered a 1 percent reduction this year.
Some fishermen had a hard time believing figures read at the meeting showing excessive landings last year since the majority of fish caught were less than 18 inches and had to be thrown back.
"24 percent over?" questioned Belmar, Monmouth County, party boat captain Robert Quinn. "It rained the whole month of June, and the rest of the summer we threw everything back. You guys have to come up with something to help us out. If not, we'll be out of business and our children won't be able to fish for anything."
Marilyn Reingold, an angler from Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, urged the council to at least let children keep one fish under 18 inches just so they can go home with a fish.
That was as controversial as the meeting got, even though anglers are reporting more fluke than they have seen in years but will not get to catch more of them. Council member Patrick Donnelly said this saddened him because it shows anglers are so beaten down that they almost accept not being able to catch fish.
"A few years ago these meetings used to be contentious. We're so beat down. We're getting beat over the head with a stick, and we're happy if it's not too big of a stick," Donnelly said.
Ed Goldman, another council member, said he grew up when there was no fluke season. Anglers could fish for them at will.
"Nobody likes the options. I'd like no closed season. It's a pipe dream, but it's something I grew up with," Goldman said.
The council normally meets in Galloway Township, but to accommodate northern New Jersey fishermen, it hold its meeting in Toms River. The meeting drew a large crowd of northern New Jersey fishermen who normally do not attend. Chairman Gil Ewing said he would consider using different locations for the meetings in the future.
