I promise this is the last time I will write about black sea bass, at least this year.
On Dec. 13, I attended the joint meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in Annapolis, Md. The purpose of this meeting was to set recreational fishing regulations for the 2023 season. The three species under the gun were summer flounder, scup and black sea bass.
They did scup first and quickly approved status quo for that species.
Then came black sea bass. The report from the Advisory Council, of which I am a member, was given and, as I reported in a previous column, none of us supported the proposed 10% reduction in recreational landings.
Then came the various ways the bean counters used to justify the 10% reduction. As you might expect, all of their mystical numbers agreed with each other.
After that, they allowed the public to speak. I went first and told the council and commission that their fancy numbers were wrong. Black sea bass were in good supply and did not need nor warrant a 10% reduction. The proposed 15-inch minimum size and five-fish bag limit would put every charter and head boat in Delaware out of business. A fellow Advisory Council member from New Jersey also spoke and said pretty much the same thing.
We should have saved our breath. The 10% reduction passed.
After the vote, I was assured by two council members that the 15-minimum size and five-fish bag would not be used in Delaware. Instead, we will see more days cut from the end of the season as a conservation equivalent.
The final species they considered was summer flounder. Once again, there was little discussion, and the decision was made to go with status quo.
I don’t know what you have to do to convince these people that their numbers are wrong. They have a species like summer flounder where their own figures show the population is declining and they go with status quo. Then they take a species that shows the population is not only healthy, but increasing, and they take a 10% cut. As my grandfather used to say, “That sounds bass-ackwards.”
I have been told by other council members that they must follow the data.
I asked, “Does anyone ever think? Use that gray matter in your head and say, ‘Wait a minute, this doesn’t make sense.’” Apparently not.
The Marine Recreational Information Program is one piece of data that is always wrong. The only way to find out what we are catching is to institute a program that uses the Fisherman Information Network data to send out cards, or electronic data records where the angler records his catch. Those who refuse to do so would not get a FIN number the next year. Charter and head boat captains have to do this now.
There is no doubt the current system is broken. It must be fixed, or recreational fishermen will end up with nothing to fish for. I know from long experience not to count on the individual recreational fisherman to rise up and save his sport. I can only hope the larger recreational fishing groups will see the danger and act before it’s too late.
Good news
The shoaling in White Creek and the Assawoman Canal will be dredged by DNREC contractor ResilientSeas LLC. They will remove between 55,000 and 70,000 cubic yards of sediment from the channel, and deposit it in the degraded salt marsh of the Assawoman Wildlife Area.
This project was identified as a priority by surveys taken from recreational boaters that use this channel. The last time White Creek was cleared was from 1997 to 2001. The Assawoman Canal was dredged between 2010 and 2015.
Removal of derelict crab pots and other marine debris from the project area is expected to begin this month. Placement of the pipeline for dredged material will start in early January. Dredging of the main channel will begin in late January. Permit conditions require the dredging project to be completed by the end of March to minimize impacts on hibernating terrapins.
Last-minute gifts
Looking for something last minute as a stocking stuffer or gift for a fisherman at the office? I have a few ideas.
A nice pair of fishing pliers is always welcome. They range in price from very affordable to “you’ve got to be kidding.” The same for a decent filet knife.
A pair of fish grippers is also a good idea. This tool allows the angler to grip the fish by the lower jaw when removing the hook while the fish is still in the water.
Happy holidays!
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Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
