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| Weakfish Plan Approved; Favors Commercials |
| The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment 4 to the fishery management plan for weakfish on November 21. |
| Nov 22, 2002 |
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By Charlie Levine (More articles by this author)
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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment 4 to the fishery management plan for weakfish on November 21. The plan will put into place further bag restrictions and size limits for recreational anglers, though it has no plans to adjust the majority of the commercial regulations in place under Amendment 3.
The ruling has many recreational fishermen up in arms, as they feel victimized by the commercial fishing industry. Al Ristori, an outdoors columnist with the Star-Ledger, a Newark, New Jersey newspaper, says the plan basically reallocates much of the present public share to what has already been turned into a 70-percent commercial-dominated fishery. While recreational anglers will be allowed fewer fish, Amendment 4 will raise the current commercial bycatch allowance to 300 pounds. The ASMFC is touting the amendment as a success, despite cries from recreational anglers.
''There’s no problem in cutting back our bag limits or increasing minimum sizes to further improve the recovery,'' Ristori writes. ''Of course there’s every expectation that the same sacrifices for the cause will be made by commercial fishermen.''
Anglers can expect to see their state adopt one of the newly proposed options for management of weakfish: 12-inch minimum size and 7-fish bag limit; 13-inch minimum size and 8-fish bag limit; 14-inch minimum size and 9 fish bag limit; or 15-inch or higher minimum size and a 10-fish bag. States will determine which combination is the most appropriate for their state over the next several months.
Copies of the Amendment will be available by the end of the year and obtained through the ASMFC at 202-289-6400 or www.asmfc.org.
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