Mr. Wise thanked commercial fishermen who were involved in a series of discussions he and John Mason of DEC organized to seek improvement in the way New York managed its annual commercial fluke quota. On behalf of the Commercial Fluke Quota Management Industry Work Group, he presented the following recommendations, to be implemented through regulation on a trial basis for one year:

1. Change the dates of the four quarters dividing the annual fluke quota.
2. Allocate 5% of the total annual catch quota for fluke to commercial hook and line fishermen, but only if 50 individuals claim this category.
3. Acquire better information from the holders of fluke permits as to what gear each uses to harvest fluke. Renewing fluke permits should be tied to submission of this information.

Mr. Wise continued that New York’s annual commercial fluke quota is approximately 860,000 pounds. Fishermen assigning themselves to the hook & line gear category would have guaranteed access to 5% of the annual quota. Once this 5% had been caught, fishermen in the hook & line category could no longer possess fluke. By unanimous vote, the Council moved its support of the above recommendations on fluke and passed them along to DEC.