06-10-2004, 03:00 AM
Published in the Asbury Park Press 6/09/04
The striped bass rules for this year and next are not going to satisfy everyone, and it is possible that there may be more people unhappy with them than otherwise.
![[Image: geiser.jpg]](http://fishing.injersey.com/images/news/app/mugs/geiser.jpg)
Assemblyman Bob Smith, D-Gloucester, is expected to introduce the bill tomorrow that will create the rules, and what was said at Monday night's final public meeting on the subject may affect his thinking.
More than 40 persons turned out for the meeting in Avalon, and they unanimously supported the proposal to retain the 24- to 28-inch slot limit, allow the harvest of a second fish from 34 inches up, and keep the bonus program with a 28-inch minimum.
Smith is New Jersey's legislative representative to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and a member of the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee where the bill may be heard as early as Monday. He also, as the assemblyman from Gloucester County, represents South Jersey constituents.
Michael Doebley, deputy director for government affairs for the Recreational Fishing Alliance, reminded that there were twice as many anglers at Monday's meeting as at the two previous striped bass meetings combined.
"There was no contention, no controversy, disagreement -- they were all in favor of the 24- to 28-inch slot," he said.
The Jersey Coast Anglers Association and the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs had already come out in favor of two fish at 28 inches or longer, and retention of the bonus program.
Smith had not made up his mind yesterday morning about the bill he would introduce, but he did say that he is against a fee to participate in the bonus program. In this he is supported by the JCAA, the RFA and the federation.
There has been little public discussion about the effect of a 24- to 28-inch slot limit and a 34-inch minimum for the second fish, but the state Bureau of Marine Fisheries staff has been talking.
Last year a total of 17,000 anglers applied for the bonus tags, but with the bonus tag the only way an angler could take a 28- to 34-inch fish later this year and next there might be 50,000 or more persons apply for the tag. This would be an administrative nightmare.
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The striped bass rules for this year and next are not going to satisfy everyone, and it is possible that there may be more people unhappy with them than otherwise.
Assemblyman Bob Smith, D-Gloucester, is expected to introduce the bill tomorrow that will create the rules, and what was said at Monday night's final public meeting on the subject may affect his thinking. More than 40 persons turned out for the meeting in Avalon, and they unanimously supported the proposal to retain the 24- to 28-inch slot limit, allow the harvest of a second fish from 34 inches up, and keep the bonus program with a 28-inch minimum.
Smith is New Jersey's legislative representative to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and a member of the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee where the bill may be heard as early as Monday. He also, as the assemblyman from Gloucester County, represents South Jersey constituents.
Michael Doebley, deputy director for government affairs for the Recreational Fishing Alliance, reminded that there were twice as many anglers at Monday's meeting as at the two previous striped bass meetings combined.
"There was no contention, no controversy, disagreement -- they were all in favor of the 24- to 28-inch slot," he said.
The Jersey Coast Anglers Association and the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs had already come out in favor of two fish at 28 inches or longer, and retention of the bonus program.
Smith had not made up his mind yesterday morning about the bill he would introduce, but he did say that he is against a fee to participate in the bonus program. In this he is supported by the JCAA, the RFA and the federation.
There has been little public discussion about the effect of a 24- to 28-inch slot limit and a 34-inch minimum for the second fish, but the state Bureau of Marine Fisheries staff has been talking.
Last year a total of 17,000 anglers applied for the bonus tags, but with the bonus tag the only way an angler could take a 28- to 34-inch fish later this year and next there might be 50,000 or more persons apply for the tag. This would be an administrative nightmare.
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