Flounder Quota to Increase in 2012

Flounder anglers struggling to find a keeper have some hope that things might be easier next year.

At a joint meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission last week, approval was given to recommendations to increase summer flounder and scup quotas for the 2012 fishing season by 1.55 million pounds and 21.43 million pounds, respectively, according to Capt. Adam Nowalsky, New Jersey's Legislative Commissioner's Proxy to the ASMFC Board.

The 1.55 million pound increase in flounder quota may allow for the size limit on summer flounder - also known as fluke - to be lessened. For several seasons, anglers have been dealing with an 18-inch minimum size limit on summer flounder in New Jersey, meaning a large number of fish often have to be thrown back before a "keeper" is hooked. Some scientists have raised concern that only female flounder grow to 18-inches, meaning that only one gender is being targeted by anglers.

The ramifications of the quota increase will not be known until next spring, when state officials will vote to approve size, creel and season length regulations from a list of federally-approved combinations. Additionally, more data from the 2011 flounder season will be examined over the autumn months and discussed at another meeting of the two regulatory agencies in December.

The 2011 fluke season also saw an increase in quota, which allowed the season to run May 7 through Sept. 25. In 2010, the season lasted from Memorial Day through Labor Day. At a meeting in April where the regulations were set, members of the state Marine Fisheries Council chose to use the quota increase to extend the season rather than drop the size limit. Council members did say they would more strongly consider dropping the size limit in the future, however.