“It’s a crime against the world the way they regulate these fish,” Captain Weimar said from offshore before the May 1 change went into effect. For years, Captain Weimar has railed against what he sees as the wasteful results of small trip limits on fluke. He predicts that the same kind of waste will result from the winter flounder ban.
As of tomorrow, New York’s daily fluke limit has been set at 50 pounds.
“The [fluke] stocks are healthier than they’ve ever been,” Captain Weimar said. “Fluke are at historical highs. It’s a crime against the world to throw them back.”
“They should put you on a yearly trip limit, or semi-annual limit. We would catch our limit and then tie up our boats. Anything but discards. It’s not management. The regulations should make fishermen stewards of the ocean. They make us out to be the bad guys instead.”