Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: Land Bill to Assist Black Sea Bass and Flounder Commercial Fishermen Clears Assembly Panel

October 19, 2018 — In an effort to benefit commercial fishing operations, Assemblymen Robert Andrzejczak and Bruce Land (both D-1st) have sponsored legislation permitting commercial fishing vessels to possess more than the daily trip limit of black sea bass and summer flounder under certain conditions.

The bill was advanced Oct. 18 by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

“It is not right to limit the amount of black sea bass and summer flounder commercial fishing boats can possess, so long as they are fished in a sustainable way,” stated Andrzejczak in a release. “As long as fishermen respect our environment and the fish they catch, we should not limit how our residents can make a living.”

“New Jersey’s fishermen pride themselves on providing the state with top-notch fish for our residents,” stated Land. “It is not fair for us to negate their hard work, and implement unnecessary restrictions on certain fish, limiting their income.”

The bill (A-4136) would prohibit the Commissioner of Environmental Protection from limiting the amount of black sea bass or summer flounder commercial fishing vessels may possess, as long as they don’t land summer flounder or black sea bass again in New Jersey for seven days after the initial pack-out.

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

NEW JERSEY: Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak & Assemblyman Bruce Land Bill to Promote N.J. Aquaculture Industry Heads to Governor’s Desk

October 27, 2016 — TRENTON, NJ – Legislation Assemblymen Bob Andrzejczak and Bruce Land sponsored to promote aquaculture in New Jersey recently gained final legislative approval in the Senate. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.

Aquaculture involves fish or shellfish farming, and refers to the breeding, rearing and harvesting of animals and plants in all types of water environments including ponds, rivers, lakes, bays and the ocean.

As chair of the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, Andrzejczak led recent tours of aquaculture research centers and farm locations throughout Cape May County, including the Rutgers Aquaculture Innovation Center, the Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory and the Green Creek Oyster Fishery.

The year-long tour series gave members of the committee a first-hand look at the various types of research, farming and food processing that makes up the backbone of the state’s agriculture and agrotourism industries, so that members would gain a better understanding of the specific issues facing New Jersey farmers and the type of legislation that may be necessary to maintain the state’s position as the Garden State.

“New Jersey’s coastal location and its proximity to the largest consumer markets in the nation indicate that aquaculture can and should be a thriving and vital industry in the state,” said Andrzejczak (D-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic). “Aquaculture plays an important role in meeting the dietary needs of an increasingly health conscious and growing population, and fish farming can help supplement the harvest of wild caught fish to meet that demand. Aquaculture is also important to the future of the seas, because it can provide reasonably priced, good quality, highly nutritious food while helping to maintain the long-term sustainability of wild caught fisheries.”

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald