Saltwater Fishing News

ASMFC Weakfish Board Solicits Public Comment on Draft Addendum III to the Weakfish Plan

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Published: Wednesday, 14 February 2007 14:17

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Addendum Proposes Revision to BRD Requirements

The Commission's Weakfish Management Board has approved sending forward for public comment Draft Addendum III to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Weakfish. The Draft Addendum seeks to resolve an inconsistency in bycatch reduction device (BRD) requirements between the Commission's Amendment 4 and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Shrimp Amendment 6

Throughout its history, the weakfish management program has included management measures to reduce the bycatch mortality of weakfish in Southeast shrimp trawl fisheries. These requirements have been implemented to aid in the protection of weakfish stocks and complement bycatch reduction requirements as specified in the South Atlantic Fishery (Click the Title to read more)

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ASMFC Weakfish Board Approves Addendum II

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Published: Friday, 02 February 2007 08:15

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The Commission's Weakfish Management Board approved Addendum II to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Weakfish. Under the Addendum, the states of Massachusetts through North Carolina will be required to implement a six fish creel limit at their current size limit for the recreational fishery.  South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, because of their insignificant weakfish landings, will maintain their current creel and size limits. The Addendum establishes a coastwide commercial landings limit of approximately 3.7 million pounds (based on the average landings for 2000-2004). The Addendum also reduces the allowable bycatch limit from 300 pounds to 150 pounds per day or trip.

The Board's action was taken in response to a significant decline in stock abundance and increasing total mortality since 1999. As a result of the stock's overfished status, the Board is required under Amendment 4 to adjust the management program to help rebuild spawning stock biomass. This issue is compounded by the fact that natural mortality, rather than
fishing mortality, has been indicated as the lead cause for stock decline.  

Read more: ASMFC Weakfish Board Approves Addendum II

Axel Carlson Reef to Receive 800 Tons of Concrete Pier Pedestals

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Published: Wednesday, 31 January 2007 10:39

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The Axel Carlson Reef, located 4.4 nautical miles southeast of Manasquan Inlet in Momouth County, will receive 800 tons of concrete pier pedestals on February 7, 2007, as part of the Division's Artificial Reef Program. The pier pedestals (pictured below) were obtained from a dilapidated pier in New York Harbor that was recently demolished. The intent of deploying the pedestals is to enhance the drift fishing area at the south end of the reef site.

The pedestals, amounting to 497 cubic yards, will soon provide an attachment surface for mussels, barnacles, hydroids, anemones, stony coral and other invertebrates, which will quickly cover the structure with a living carpet, providing the base of a productive marine food chain (picture below). By summer, sea bass, tautog, scup, triggerfish and summer flounder will colonize the new reef. It will then become a favorite target of anglers coming out of Manasquan and Shark River Inlets.

Fully Colonized Concrete (photo courtesy Herb Segars)

The target date for deployment of February 7 is subject to weather and sea conditions. For further information regarding the deployment of the vessel contact Hugh Carberry at 609-748-2022.

For information on past and planned deployments see the Artificial Reef Deployments page.