Breaking News: The Wall Street Journal reported that “the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to reduce the recreational fishing quota for the East Coast summer flounder by 30% this year, following a 10% quota cut last year.”
Bob Martin, New Jersey’s environmental protection commissioner, stated that “the stricter quota would cost jobs and hurt summer tourism at the New Jersey shore, where recreational fishing is a $1.5 billion industry.”
The impact will be felt by many businesses up and down the fish food chain, including:
■ Charter boats
■ Marinas
■ Local tackle shops
■ Local diners
■ Delis
The fluke population has rebounded back from an overfished condition back in 1989, measured at 5,000 metric tons, to 36,000 metric tons in 2015. The decline from 2010 showed federal data indicating the stock declined an estimated 22% between 2010 and 2015.
No clear reason was given for the declining numbers of fluke since 2010, when they were 46,222 metric tons, but it is believed to be the combined result of low reproduction and overzealous fishing.