Muddskipper
January 8th, 2009, 12:56 PM
Flounder Regulation Changes TPWD Meetings
Issue with the Southern Flounder
Main causes for decline in the southern flounder population are
-Fishing pressure – More fisherman and better / efficient ways of harvesting
-Temperature- Warmer waters, by only 2 degrees Celsius offshore during spawning has hurt the population
-Bycatch- 06’ estimates for flounder bycatch from bay trawls is 203,266 (numbers of fish). In contrast, 01’ estimates of bycatch were 925,336 fish and in 94’ just over 1.5 million. So clearly the buy back of shrimpers license has worked, but not enough to impact the flounder population as a whole.
Couple of statastics that need to be known per TPWD
Compared to reds and trout over the past 20 years, flounder catch rates in TPWD gill nets have declined 56%, while red drum have increased 55% and spotted seatrout have increased 37%.
The annual commercial harvest of flounder is now 67,800 pounds, which is well below the peak 560,300 pounds in 1986. 67,800 pounds is 41,680
fish.
The avg. rod and reel angler catches 1.4 flounder when flounder are caught. The giggers avg. is 4.4 flounder.
When flounder are landed, the avg. rod and reel angler lands 1 flounder 83.4% of the time or 2 flounder 9.1% of the time, but less than 1% land 10 per angler. Giggers land 1 flounder 19.4% and 2 flounder 17.9% and 7.5% land a 10 person limit.
Spawning Stock of female flounder (ages 2+) has droped from 1 million in 1997 to just over 400,000 in 2005....in less than 10 years.
Less than 1% of flounder caught are over 20 inches.
In Summary
-Flounder Population decreasing with a major drop in the last 20 years
-High fishing Pressure and recent warmer water temps, have further decreased the population
-Previous actions favored the population but did not reverse the overall trend
Proposed changes
Drop in flounder limit from 10 to 5 fish
this is an alomst given.....and has to be done
Drop in commercial limits from 60 to 30 flounder
if the recs have to do it so do the commercials
Partial Closure of the season for flounder
An Oct - Dec closure would thave the greatest impact in flounder populations.
BUT- Would they ever give it back, not likely, they did'nt for the Redfish, and TPWD has tried twice to give us greater limits.[/I][/B]
Why not make a change to those who it would effect the least?
WHAT I PROPOSED
5 fish Rec bag limits
60 to 30 commercial bag limits
DO NOT CLOSE THE rod and REEL season, do a temporary closure for all gigers Recs & Commercial from Oct. - Dec.
Everyone who fishes with a rod and reel needs to let you voice be heard.......what ever they do, do not let them close it off to rod and reel fishermen.
These proposed changes will have a good impact on the flounder, and effect the smallest of the fishing population ( the giggers) with out hurting bussiness who depend on the flounder bussines to keep the going thru the slow season and letting the rod and reel fisherman still have a shot at fish during the run. Game fish status will only hurt the giggers as it will not allow anyone to gig...EVER. Remember you can still catch and release, but you can not do that with a GIG !!!
Issue with the Southern Flounder
Main causes for decline in the southern flounder population are
-Fishing pressure – More fisherman and better / efficient ways of harvesting
-Temperature- Warmer waters, by only 2 degrees Celsius offshore during spawning has hurt the population
-Bycatch- 06’ estimates for flounder bycatch from bay trawls is 203,266 (numbers of fish). In contrast, 01’ estimates of bycatch were 925,336 fish and in 94’ just over 1.5 million. So clearly the buy back of shrimpers license has worked, but not enough to impact the flounder population as a whole.
Couple of statastics that need to be known per TPWD
Compared to reds and trout over the past 20 years, flounder catch rates in TPWD gill nets have declined 56%, while red drum have increased 55% and spotted seatrout have increased 37%.
The annual commercial harvest of flounder is now 67,800 pounds, which is well below the peak 560,300 pounds in 1986. 67,800 pounds is 41,680
fish.
The avg. rod and reel angler catches 1.4 flounder when flounder are caught. The giggers avg. is 4.4 flounder.
When flounder are landed, the avg. rod and reel angler lands 1 flounder 83.4% of the time or 2 flounder 9.1% of the time, but less than 1% land 10 per angler. Giggers land 1 flounder 19.4% and 2 flounder 17.9% and 7.5% land a 10 person limit.
Spawning Stock of female flounder (ages 2+) has droped from 1 million in 1997 to just over 400,000 in 2005....in less than 10 years.
Less than 1% of flounder caught are over 20 inches.
In Summary
-Flounder Population decreasing with a major drop in the last 20 years
-High fishing Pressure and recent warmer water temps, have further decreased the population
-Previous actions favored the population but did not reverse the overall trend
Proposed changes
Drop in flounder limit from 10 to 5 fish
this is an alomst given.....and has to be done
Drop in commercial limits from 60 to 30 flounder
if the recs have to do it so do the commercials
Partial Closure of the season for flounder
An Oct - Dec closure would thave the greatest impact in flounder populations.
BUT- Would they ever give it back, not likely, they did'nt for the Redfish, and TPWD has tried twice to give us greater limits.[/I][/B]
Why not make a change to those who it would effect the least?
WHAT I PROPOSED
5 fish Rec bag limits
60 to 30 commercial bag limits
DO NOT CLOSE THE rod and REEL season, do a temporary closure for all gigers Recs & Commercial from Oct. - Dec.
Everyone who fishes with a rod and reel needs to let you voice be heard.......what ever they do, do not let them close it off to rod and reel fishermen.
These proposed changes will have a good impact on the flounder, and effect the smallest of the fishing population ( the giggers) with out hurting bussiness who depend on the flounder bussines to keep the going thru the slow season and letting the rod and reel fisherman still have a shot at fish during the run. Game fish status will only hurt the giggers as it will not allow anyone to gig...EVER. Remember you can still catch and release, but you can not do that with a GIG !!!