WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 25th, 2015 PUBLIC HEARING SUMMARY
DAVID SIMPSON, COMMISIONER OF CT DEEP MARINE FISHERIES DIVISION SPOKE ON FOUR SPECIES OF MARINE SPECIES. FLOUNDER, SCUP, BLACK SEA BASS, AND STRIPED BASS.
FLOUNDER, SCUP, AND BLACK SEA BASS PRESENTATIONS OFFERED OPTIONS PERTAINING TO THE 2015 REGULATIONS TO BE PUT INTO PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. THE TIME TABLE FOR ALL DECISIONS, GENERALLY REVOLVES AROUND TROUT SEASON AKA CONNECTICUT'S "OPENING DAY" WHICH WILL BE ONE WEEK EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE THE ANGLER'S GUIDE FOR 2015 NEEDS TO BE PRINTED WITH THE CURRENT REGULATIONS AND GO THROUGH ALL THE MOTIONS TO BE PROCESSED IN TIME TO HIT TACKLE SHOPS IN ADVANCE OF OPENING DAY.
IN TERMS OF SCUP, CT WILL SEE RELAXED FISHING REGULATIONS TO MIRROR NEW YORK'S DAILY LIMITS. THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR SCUP FISHING FANS AS THE KEEPER SIZE WILL LIKELY BE REDUCED AND THE BAG LIMIT WILL INCREASE. THE SCUP BENCHMARK STOCK ASSESSMENT WILL BE OUT THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WHICH COULD ALTER BAG AND SIZE LIMITS MOVING FORWARD DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS (BUT NOT UNTIL 2016 OR AFTER)
BLACK SEA BASS, CONNECTICUT EXCEEDED THEIR ALLOWANCE IN 2014 FISHING YEAR AND HAS TO TAKE CUTS TO MAKE UP FOR THE OVERAGE. A SUITE OF 6 PROPOSED OPTIONS WERE REVIEWED BY THE ASMFC, AS WELL AS TWO ALTERNATES TO BE REVIEWED BY ASMFC WERE PRESENTED AT THE MEETING. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS TO TRY TO MATCH NEIGHBORING STATES REGULATIONS, AND MAINTAIN SPECIAL PERMITS FOR THE CHARTER AND PARTY BOAT CAPTAINS TO SUPPLEMENT FOR-HIRE TRIPS IN THE SOUND. THERE WAS SOME VARIATION IN THE PREFERRED OPTIONS BASED ON THOSE IN THE ROOM, BUT OVERALL IT WAS MORE DESIRABLE TO HAVE AN EARLIER START TO THE SEASON.
STRIPED BASS, EVERYONE IN THE ROOM WAS IN FAVOR OF 1 FISH AT 28" OR LARGER FOR ALL MODES. SEVERAL CHARTER / PARTY BOAT CAPTAINS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THIS DECISION, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHARTER / PARTY BOAT ASSOCIATION SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THIS DECISION, SEVERAL RECREATIONAL ANGLERS CONCURRED, AS WELL AS A FORMER TACKLE SHOP OWNER ALL AGREED ON THE ONE FISH OPTION. DAVID SIMPSON SPOKE TO THE EFFECT OF MAKING THIS SELECTION AS THE BEST WAY TO CALCULATE HARVEST NUMBERS WHICH HELPS THE BOTTOM LINE WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING NEW DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD. THE BAD NEWS OF THE NIGHT WAS THAT THERE WILL NEED TO BE ANOTHER ASSESSMENT AND NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE AT THE DRAWING BOARD AGAIN, LIKELY TO MAKE MORE CUTS.