Conservation Efforts Result in Banner Year for Belmar Fishing Scene

BELMAR, NJ – Conservation efforts that began in the 1980s are reaping dividends today for fishing enthusiasts at the Jersey Shore.

The last few seasons, waters like those in Belmar have been teeming with sought-after fish. Much of this can be directly attributed to efforts at protecting the water and the fish in it. For example, in New Jersey it is illegal to sell or market striped bass. The result? More for the fishermen.

“The results have been absolutely phenomenal. It’s the poster child for fish conservation,” said Greg Rybak, captain of the Gemini, a private boat that calls Belmar home. “I’d have to say that with the winter as mild as it was, I’ve heard people saying the fishing hasn’t been this good since the Pilgrims were here."

A decade ago, fishermen at the Jersey Shore might pull in good numbers of striped bass, but they were small and got smaller year after year. Now, fishermen aren’t allowed to pull in as many, but those they do pull in are big, robust catches that would have been medal winners a decade ago. In fact, up until 2011, the record for striped bass was a Jersey Shore catch that weighed in at 78 pounds, 8 ounces.

That, Rybek said, is thanks to regulations intended to manage what gets pulled out of the ocean. Fishing enthusiasts out of Belmar benefit from those regulations.

Similar efforts to clean up the Jersey Shore’s waters have also resulted in several straight years of historically good fishing.

“Because of programs for cleaning the ocean, I’ve never seen the water this clean. I’ve never seen so much life in the water,” Rybak said. “We’re still fighting 200 years of abuse, but year by year our water has gotten cleaner.”

Erika Gerzsenyi, co-owner of the Seaport Inlet Marina with her brother, Robert, has seen much the same. From their vantage point on the Shark River, just a half-mile from the ocean, they’ve seen the Belmar fishing scene grow by leaps and bounds the last several years.

“This year in particular the water is especially clean. The water is warmer thanks to the mild winter and the ocean is full of fish. Because there are so many fish in the ocean, they are eating everything – plankton, other fish, and bait,” Gerzsenyi said.

Belmar has always had a strong fishing tradition. Being less than an hour from New York and Pennsylvania means enthusiasts from throughout the tri-state area make it a destination, and Belmar is among the closest fishing communities to the rich bounty of the Hudson Canyon. As word has gotten out about great conditions and easy access to Atlantic fishing, that tradition has surged in recent years.

“Boaters here don’t have to spend time cruising at all,” Gerzsenyi pointed out. “Being just minutes from the Shark River Inlet, you can be in the ocean catching fish in five minutes, and we have access to some of the most robust wrecks and reefs on the Jersey Shore.”

Over the years Belmar has built up an impressive infrastructure to support this fishing community. (No surprise there. The Belmar Fishing Club has existed since 1909.) In addition to private marinas like Seaport Inlet, there is also the Belmar Marina, a public marina operated by the township featuring 70 slips, comfort stations, state-of-the-art concrete floating docks, security, a bait & tackle shop, and the 9^th Avenue Pier Bar & Restaurant – all of this just a half-mile from the Atlantic Ocean. From there, charter boats, party boats, and private vessels hit the Atlantic for some of the best fishing on the East Coast.

What are fishing enthusiasts leaving from Belmar catching? The real question is, what aren’t they catching.

Striped Bass are one of the Jersey Shore’s biggest draws, with the season extending from April to December. Thanks to aggressive conservation efforts, catches of above 50 pounds are no longer unusual. You’ll see reports of several such catches each season.

Because they’re so delicious, the most popular fish at the Jersey Shore may be Fluke. During daylight hours through the summer, charter boats by the dozen flood the coast and haul in hundreds of fluke, which can range from 2 to 10 pounds. Many of the most popular boats leaving from Belmar make Fluke fishing their specialty.

Bluefish are also a popular catch along the Jersey Shore. Plentiful and available almost anywhere, many charter boats fish for them exclusively.

In early spring and late fall, Blackfish spike in population and popularity. These smart, cold water-loving fish prove to be a challenge for amateurs and pros alike, living around wrecks and reefs, and notorious for stealing bait.

A variety of Tuna, including Yellowfin, Bluefin and Longfin, are also ripe for the catching off the shores of Belmar, with the Hudson Canyon offering good fishing from July to October. Marlin, Mahi and others can be caught in the same location.

The key to success, Captain Bob Quinn of the Ocean Explorer says, is to trust the folks who know Belmar’s waters best – the local guys.

“We always give friendly advice to the transient boaters in the area,” Quinn says. “To succeed, it’s basically getting local knowledge, and getting with some of the local captains.”

As the fishing can attest to, Belmar is proof positive that conservation efforts work.

For more information on the Belmar Municipal Marina, visit http://belmar.com/content.php?pid=22, call (732) 681-2266, or email the marina at marina@belmar.com.

For the Belmar Tourism Commission, visit www.visitbelmarnj.com or call 732-681-3700, ext. 214.