Schumer Reveals Backbreaking and Outdated Regulations Decimating Long Island Fishing Economy; Both Commercial and Recreational Fishermen Hurt

Schumer Reveals Backbreaking And Outdated Regulations Decimating Long Island Fishing Economy; Both Commercial And Recreational Fishermen Hurt

Despite More Fluke in the Waters since the 1980s, Feds Have Cut Fluke Fishing by 21% from 2005-2006 and Considering Another 78% for 2007

Senator Unveils Plan to Curb Devastation of New York Fishing Businesses, Economy, and Recreational Opportunities

As the summer fishing season is at its height, the extremely stringent fishing regulations on Long Island are decimating fishing businesses, commercial fishing and recreational fishing which are the life blood of Long Island in the summer. While there are more fluke (summer flounder) in the waters now than ever before Schumer today revealed that the Federal Government is planning to cut the fluke fishery by over 78 percent for next year, killing Long Island's fishing industry. Schumer today unveiled his plan to curb the loss to the fishing industry and loosen the federal regulations.

"These fluke regulations defy reason," Schumer said. "Long Island fishermen have no choice but to buckle under the backbreaking pressure being placed on them. If we don't put a stop to this now, fishing as we know it on Long Island will be over."

The 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act is driving the overly burdensome regulations. The bill was passed after federal regulators thought that the waters reaching from North Carolina to Massachusetts were being over fished and that the fluke population was in danger. The bill required that the maximum sustainable biomass of fluke (about 200 million pounds) is reached by the year 2010 in the waters ranging from North Carolina to Massachusetts. The deadline for the restoration of fluke was reached arbitrarily. But now, despite steadily rebounding fluke stocks, fishermen have had to cope with poorly targeted, outdated regulations.

Each year, the National Marine Fisheries Service assesses how much fluke can be caught. New York fisheries, especially in relation to its nearest neighbors, New Jersey and Connecticut face particularly harsh regulations. For example, the regional fluke quota for this season had been anticipated to be 33 million pounds; however, it was subsequently reduced to the current 23.59 million pound allocation, despite clear indications that fluke stocks are rebounding. Due to an outdated formula based on data from the 1980s, New York receives only a tiny fraction of this potential catch, 7.65% for commercial fishermen and 17.6% for recreational fishermen, compared to 16.75% for commercial fishermen and 39.1% for recreational fishermen in New Jersey.

Following the regulations put forth by the NMFS, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) works with the Federal government to create regulations for fishermen. This year New York's recreational fishermen are permitted to catch up to four fluke per day, each fluke cannot be under 18 inches in length. In contrast fishermen in New Jersey are permitted to catch up to 8 fluke per day at 16.5 inches or more and Connecticut fishermen are allowed 6 fluke per day at 18 inches. The size of the allowed fish is significant since smaller fish are more easily caught, and preferable to local recreational fishermen. Schumer said today that the less restrictive regulations in the neighboring states are driving fishermen that are integral to the region's economy to other states.

The DEC also regulates the length of the season based on how many fluke can be caught each summer. This season is far shorter than last summer and is expected to get even shorter next year. In New York, last season the fluke season was from April 29th through October 31st while this year it has been cut significantly and is only from May 6th - Sept 12th, about 7 weeks shorter than last year. New Jersey's season remains the same, at a full five months and Connecticut has a season that lasts for eight months.

"It's clear that our fishing industry is at a disadvantage," Schumer said. "When our neighboring states can offer longer seasons and better fluke, the fishermen leave with good reason. We need to make sure our fishing economy stays as vibrant as it has always been."

Schumer also revealed today that the Federal Government is claiming that there was a miscount of the fluke fishery data and they are discussing reducing the amount of fluke to be fished in the waters from North Carolina to Massachusetts from 23.59 million to 5.6 million for the entire area for next summer's season. The 78.5% reduction will virtually close the fishing industry in New York.

In an effort to ensure that Long Island's fishing industry is not decimated by these overly harsh regulations Schumer wrote to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration asking them to reformulate the regulations to build in flexibility, equity and more reasonable deadlines. In his letter Schumer asked NOAA to: • Reassess the presumptive 78% cut to the fluke quota and explore alternative methods to keep the fluke stock on the road to recovery.

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http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=260029&&year=2006&