Anglers may be in for some relief from unprecedented cutbacks in the sea bass fishery - a fishery that has suffered closures and far-reaching regulatory action from the federal government even though it has surpassed stock level targets.

The fishery was shut down last fall after regulators claimed data from the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey [MRFSS] showed anglers may have taken double the number of fish than their quota allowed for the 2009 season. But MRFSS data has been classified as “fatally flawed” by a Congressionally-ordered study and last year’s data showed suspicious overages in the month of June 2009, when most boats were tied to the dock due to weeks of foul weather. More overages were reported in March, when most recreational anglers’ boats are still wrapped for the winter.

In December, federal regulators stuck with the fishy facts produced by the MRFSS data and ordered the fishery open for just two months of 2010 - June and September. One of New Jersey’s most important species for party and charter boat captains, the 60 day window for catching sea bass has the potential to cause hardship, many captains say.
But there are indications some relief may be on the way.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council both recommended the 2.3-million pound quota for 2010 be nearly doubled to 4.6-million pounds. The change must be formally approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service before the increases can translate into longer seasons.

That may be an obstacle to overcome, some say. The decision lies primarily with Patricia Kurkul, the regional NOAA administrator, whose attitude toward recreational fishing has been characterized as “mind-boggling” by a captain familiar with the regulatory process who spoke privately to Jersey Shore Fishing recently. Kurkul was a strong proponent of the measure in October which shut down the sea bass fishery in federal waters, and argued that each state should have shut down its fishery in nearshore, state waters.

Pressure from recreational fishing activist groups, including the New Gretna-based Recreational Fishing Alliance and the Brielle-based Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund is credited for getting the NOAA’s science and statistical committee to give the sea bass fishery a second look. The RFA, United Boatmen and other stakeholders also filed a lawsuit contending the action to shut down the fishery in October did not follow a proper legal process and should be overturned.

The closure caused confusion over the course of the fall fishing season, when anglers were allowed to fish for sea bass in state waters between the shoreline and 3-miles offshore, but not in federal waters, which stretch from 3- 200-miles offshore. Several local party boat operators are facing fines after customers kept sea bass in federal waters over the fall season.

If Kurkul agrees to the quota increase, another emergency action must be taken by the federal government, at which time statisticians can begin the process of accounting for the change and assessing how to extend the length of seasons.

Any change is likely to increase the length of sea bass seasons. Bag and size limits most likely will not be affected.