Bill Text: NJ AR90 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt Options I and II, and reject Option III, of proposed summer flounder management program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee [AR90 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR90-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DIANNE C. GOVE
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt Options I and II, and reject Option III, of proposed summer flounder management program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt Options I and II, and reject Option III, of the proposed summer flounder management program.
Whereas, Summer flounder are among the most sought after commercial and recreational fish along the Atlantic Coast and, in particular, New Jersey; and
Whereas, Summer flounder fisheries are managed cooperatively by the states through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; and
Whereas, Together, these managing entities are responsible for developing summer flounder fishery regulations, as part of the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan; and
Whereas, The plan seeks to ensure the protection and maintenance of the summer flounder resource, primarily through harvest limits, which are divided between commercial and recreational fisheries in each state; and
Whereas, Since 2001, the plan has allowed for, and the managing entities have utilized, a state-by-state allocation formula for recreational fishing, based on estimates of state recreational landings in 1998, to establish individual state harvest limits; and
Whereas, Under the plan, each state has flexibility to devise conservation equivalent management measures, including minimum fish size limits, bag limits, and seasons, to reach its target harvest limit; and
Whereas, States are also permitted to voluntarily combine their harvest limits with other states to create a region, which can mitigate the potential disproportionate impacts resulting from coast-wide measures; and
Whereas, Nevertheless, there is a growing concern among some states that the regulations set forth under the plan are not providing recreational fishermen along the coast with equitable access to the summer flounder fishery; and
Whereas, Consequently, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission proposed Draft Addendum XXV to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which sets out three options to address these concerns; and
Whereas, Option I maintains the status quo by allowing states to continue to implement conservation equivalent management measures, and voluntarily combine into regions; and
Whereas, Option II is designed to be used in conjunction with Option I, and allows states to distribute their under-utilized fish to any other state or region, upon request; and
Whereas, Option III would impose mandatory regionalization on the states, and force New Jersey to combine its harvest limit with either Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York, or just Connecticut and New York; and
Whereas, Although Draft Addendum XXV states that regionalization "would allow states the flexibility to mitigate potential disproportionate impacts" and "pursue more equitable harvest opportunities," it does not explain what those specific impacts are, or how regionalization is the most effective and fair method for improving management; and
Whereas, To date, there has been no formal explanation as to why regionalization is the best response; and
Whereas, Imposing mandatory regionalization, while perhaps addressing the concerns of some states, would have the undue effect of reducing New Jersey's and other states' harvest limits, thus hurting fishermen all along the Atlantic Coast; and
Whereas, Careful consideration and analysis, and input from all interested parties, is necessary before any action to adopt a regionalization plan is taken; and
Whereas, The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission plans to consider these options very soon, leaving interested parties with little or no time to consider this possible radical departure from current management measures; and
Whereas, The Jersey Coast Anglers Association, the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which collectively represent 100,000 saltwater fishermen throughout the State of New Jersey, strongly support Options I and II and strongly oppose Option III; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to adopt Options I and II, and reject Option III, of the proposed management program for summer flounder in Draft Addendum XXV to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (commission) to adopt Options I and II, and reject Option III, of the proposed management program for summer flounder in Draft Addendum XXV to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan.
The draft addendum, which aims to address some states' concerns about inequitable access to the summer flounder fishery, sets out three options. Option I would maintain the status quo by allowing states to continue to implement conservation equivalent management measures, including fish size, bag, and season limits, and voluntarily combine with other states into regions. Option II is designed to be used in conjunction with Option I, and allows states to distribute their under-utilized fish to any other state or region, upon request. Option III would impose mandatory regionalization on the states, and, in effect, force New Jersey to combine its harvest limit with several other states.
Draft Addendum XXV fails to explain why mandatory regionalization is the best response to inequities in the summer flounder fishery. Indeed, regionalization would have the undue effect of reducing New Jersey's and other states' harvest limits, thus hurting fishermen all along the Atlantic Coast. Careful consideration and analysis, and input from all interested parties, is necessary before any action to adopt a regionalization plan is taken. For these reasons, the commission is urged to maintain the status quo and adopt Options I and II of the proposed management program for summer flounder, and reject Option III. The Jersey Coast Anglers Association, the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which collectively represent 100,000 saltwater fishermen throughout the State, endorse this position.
