February 23, 2015 — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting on Wednesday to consider emergency action on blueline tilefish that may include harvest reductions.
Yet those involved in the fishery say no emergency exists and it's just another instance of poor data and faulty management at work.
"The whole thing is a knee-jerk reaction," said Capt. Jeff Gutman of the Voyager.
The Voyager, out of Point Pleasant, is one of a handful of party boats that target golden and blueline tilefish.
One reason behind the emergency action was that the MAFMC became aware that a commercial long-liner out of North Carolina was planning on targeting blueline tilefish within the council's jurisdiction and landing the fish in New Jersey.
Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press