Mr. Colvin reviewed with the Council issues pertaining to setting the 2007 commercial harvest quota for several marine species of finfish.

Fluke

2006 fluke landings to date are 818,787 lbs, about 87.5% of New York's 2007 commercial harvest quota.  For Quota Allocation Period 4 (August thru October), 61.3% of the period allocation has been landed and the fluke commercial trip limit had been dropped to 100 lbs.  The full Period 4 quota may be caught before 31 October 2006; the fishery will close for the balance of the period whenever the period quota is reached.

Scup

Of the quota allotted to the Summer II quota period, there is about 260,000 lbs yet uncaught and there are seven weeks remaining in the quota period.  Mr. Colvin asked for suggestions as to when the Department should raise the trip limit to maximize the chance that the full period quota will be harvested.  Councilor Freierman recommended that the trip limit for scup to be raised from 250 lbs to 2,000 lbs.  The Department will contact a few more fishermen and then make a decision.

Black Sea Bass

57,295 lbs remain of New York's 2007 commercial black sea bass quota and the trip limit is presently 500 lbs.  Mr. John Gondrachuk suggested raising the trip limit raised to at least 750 lbs immediately.  Mr. Colvin noted that, on 01 October 2006, the limit will automatically go to 1,500 lbs.  He indicated that, should catch rates on black sea bass remain low in mid-October, DEC will then likely raise the trip limit even higher.

 

Page last modified Friday, November 3, 2006 by George E. Carroll