October 5th, 2016 — The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance provided the following important notice:
This October 5th, 2016; NJOA’s continuing efforts to bring New Jersey’s offshore artificial reefs under the protection of a Special Management Zone (SMZ) enters formal review by the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC). The SMZ Monitoring Team comprised of MAFMC staff members has released its recommendation regarding SMZ status for NJ’s 13 artificial reefs located in Federal waters.
To summarize, the SMZ Monitoring Team’s recommendation is “the SMZ Monitoring Team recommends that the Council designate all 13 New Jersey’s artificial reefs located in the EEZ as SMZs. The SMZ designation should stipulate that no fishing vessel or person on a fishing vessel may fish in the 13 New Jersey Special Management Zones with any gear except hook and line and spear fishing (including the taking of fish by hand)”
The SMZ report will be presented at the MAMFC’s October meeting at the Stockton Seaview Hotel, 401 S New York Rd, Galloway, NJ, 08205.
The public is welcome to present their opinions during tomorrow’s discussion.