June 20, 2017 — With New Jersey’s summer flounder fishing industry on the line, Garden State officials made their case to NOAA fisheries on Tuesday afternoon.
In a hearing with the federal agency, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials argued that the state’s regulations for summer flounder (or fluke) fishing reach conservation equivalency with new federal regulations.
The cornerstone of New Jersey’s argument: That the state’s proposed regulations will actually preserve more of the summer flounder stock than the measures being put forth by the feds.
Tuesday’s call was closed to the press, but in a statement following the call NJDEP spokesperson Bob Considine described it as a “good discussion.” He added that New Jersey emphasized its plan would protect more breeding females, thus making a brighter outlook for the future of the fluke stock.
The showdown between NOAA and New Jersey fishermen has been building throughout the spring. On June 1, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission declared New Jersey to be out of compliance with fluke regulations.
The dispute is now being considered by NOAA Fisheries, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, for a final decision. If the out-of-compliance finding is upheld, a moratorium on fluke fishing in New Jersey could be instated until the state returns to compliance.