Funny this politics stuff. On the last day for public comment to the ASMFC Frank Pallone, Jr., the Conregessman from 6th Congressional District in New Jersey, fired off a letter to the ASMFC Chair Bob Beal asking that New Jersey be treated fairly in the upcoming decisions for the 2025 year. What he's asking for, with Tom Fote's support, is that New Jersey be treated as, our "own region", or separately from other states with regards to any changes coming in 2025. In his letter he details how this has been done in years past with summer flounder, with New Jersey being treated as it's own region.
You see, people are running scared.
What everyone's panties are up in a bunch about is those seasonal closures or Waves. "But what about them?", as they point fingers to states to the north and south. People know something's coming, something big, and they're reaching out to their representatives for help. And for New Jersey that's Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey's self proclaimed friend of the fishermen.
Frankie-Boy represents the 6th District in New Jersey, which means from Bradley Beach north, no, not you Avon, all the way to the Hook and west to New Brunswick and into Woodbridge. I would say he represents a pretty good portion of where I fish, and where a lot of people fish for striped bass. The next southern section of the Jersey Shore, is south to Seaside Park, represented by Rep. Chris Smith. Island Beach State Park and south is Rep. Jeff Van Drew, currently of drone fame.
I'm out on Frank Pallone, Jr. He's the one we fought against, HERE, when he destroyed Jetty Country and most of the good fishing locations up and down the Jersey Shore catering to those with million dollar homes located ON the beach and for the tourist industry. Money and politics. He caters to whoever brings him the most votes.
If you believe in term limits for politicians, well, he's in serving his 18th, that's 36 years. Fishermen came together to tell Pallone how detrimental beach "nourishment" would be for the surf fishermen......Yeah, how's that going?
But now, forget about all that sand stuff, we need his help as the ASMFC possibly may be putting the brakes on striped bass fishing in New Jersey. As I've said before, we have the BEST fishery here in all the ASMFC states, that fish for striped bass. We have the longest, and the most, period. Now the big-bad ASMFC might, I said might, be taking a piece of our pie away, with No Target or No Harvest Seasonal Closures. And the Shallow Hal's in New Jersey need Frankie's support. It's all about the bass right guys? Nope. I want mine, I can't lose my job. I have a business. Me. Me. Me. What do you say to the bodega owner that watches as they build a super-WaWa across the street? "That's Capitalism bud", or, "It is what it is".
Folks gathering round Pallone want fair and equitable treatment for New Jersey, I'm okay with that. But, if you ask for that then you must be ready to sacrifice. If they go by the Wave system, we catch more in Wave 5 and 6 than anybody, except, at least this year, those headboats off the South Shore in New York. They, and you, will have to figure out a way for New Jersey to reduce fishing, both in harvesting and mortality, by 14% to meet the 2029 rebuilding goal. We hold the largest slice of the pie, and you're about to have to give some of that back. You can read Pallone's letter in its entirety HERE.
And if you're a law buff then maybe you follow the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. If you do then you would have seen the appeal before them regarding the lawsuit from the Delmarva Fisheries Association and the Maryland Charter Boat Association vs the ASMFC. They lost that back in April and appealed it, which again got shot down.
But what is interesting to me, in an article in Courthouse News Service, as written by Joe Dobbs, was the below quote from Judge Stephanie Thacker,
To me it was a great question. But what got me was that Dobbs pointed out that Thacker is an Obama appointee. Now that's interesting. Why? Well if I am right that fisheries management involves politics, and money, then what will happen to the ASMFC and striped bass management after Donald Trump gets sworn in on January 24, 2025? Democrats say that Trump is no friend of the environment, and is quick to reverse or eliminate regulations. Could striped bass management fall within his radar? Will the ASMFC's December decisions even hold up if enough money and politics get riled up and it comes before him and maybe even reversing what will be decided in the next week?
Be careful what you wish for? I'm not saying Trump really even knows what a striped bass is, and cares for them for that matter, but he likes attention, and likes to be right. If enough of those lawsuits, and letters even from a Democrat like Pallone, get his attention you just might see him get involved, even if just by the swipe of a pen. Stay tuned and hold onto your trucker hats.