Environment DEC
From the May 2009 issue
Changes in New York State's Fluke Season
New York State has been mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council to reduce fluke harvest from last year. To comply with strict federal restrictions, new limits for summer flounder (fluke) have been announced for the upcoming recreational fishing season.
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DEC and the Marine Resources Advisory Council developed the new fluke seasons to help maintain fluke populations while meeting the federal mandate. Photo courtesy NOAA
For 2009, the minimum size limit will be 21 inches, compared to 20.5 for last year. The bag limit will be two fish, down from four. Additionally, there will be a split season as follows:
Open May 15 - June 15
Closed June 16 - July 2
Open July 3 - August 17; closed thereafter
To comply with the mandate, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Marine Resources Advisory Council developed the options above, which will help maintain a viable fluke fishery for all anglers while ensuring that New York State meets the federal requirements.
State Lawsuit
In 2008, New York State filed a federal lawsuit challenging the methods and data used to manage coastal fluke populations. The lawsuit claims that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated federal law by using outdated and scientifically unreliable data to establish fluke harvest limits along the Atlantic Coast, resulting in inequitable treatment of New York anglers. For example, last year, an angler on the New York side of Raritan Bay could land four fluke per day with each fish measuring at least 20.5 inches long, while an angler on the New Jersey side of the bay could land eight fluke per day at only 18 inches long.
If the court renders a favorable decision, New York State is prepared to quickly make adjustments to the current fluke season and bag limits.
