January 27, 2017 — The New Jersey General Assembly approved a resolution Tuesday, Jan. 24 asking the federal government to conduct a new summer flounder assessment before implementing catch limits for 2017-2018.
Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo of Northfield was a sponsor of the resolution, AR-206. Assemblyman Chris Brown of Ventnor was a sponsor of similar legislation that was not adoopted, AR-205, which called for President Donald Trump to reject the 40 percent reduction in summer flounder catch limits recommended jointly by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. It asked the president to repeal, rescind, or otherwise prohibit the implementation of the rule adopted by the National Marine Fisheries Service Dec. 22.
Brown had previously written to the U.S. secretary of commerce to stop the implementation of summer flounder quotas for 2017-2018 and conduct a new study of the fishing stock.
“We have too many local jobs at stake, so the federal government needs to go back to the drawing board and get it right,” Brown said. “Many of my constituents have pointed out they believe the data the federal government used is flawed. The only fair thing is do is conduct another study that is scientifically sound.”