Black Fish Regs.

[live bait]

The way I understand most fish regulations regarding bag limits, they are possession laws. The black fish season, in the Long Island Sound district, between the Throgs Neck Bridge & a line that runs from Orient pt to Watch Hill RI, closes on Dec 9th. West of the bridge & east of that line closes on Dec 22. So a fisherman who has a good day black fishing east of the Orient, Watch Hill line on Dec 15th would be in violation when he returns back to the dock in Greenport which is west of the line (I think). Hope all this east & west isn't too confusing., but I think I got it correct.
John

 

[george]

The way I understand most fish regulations regarding bag limits, they are possession laws. The black fish season, in the Long Island Sound district, between the Throgs Neck Bridge & a line that runs from Orient pt to Watch Hill RI, closes on Dec 9th. West of the bridge & east of that line closes on Dec 22. So a fisherman who has a good day black fishing east of the Orient, Watch Hill line on Dec 15th would be in violation when he returns back to the dock in Greenport which is west of the line (I think). Hope all this east & west isn't too confusing., but I think I got it correct.
John

Yes you do. You cannot be in possession of tog inside the lines no matter where they were caught. Sadly NY anglers were asleep at the wheel when all of this was being drawn up. An organized coherent effort could have avoided this mess.

 

[live bait]

The same holds true if you are fishing east of the line where the bag limit is 4 fish, if you return to the dock west of the line, where the bag limit is 3, & you have 4 fish you would be in violation. Spoke with a DEC Officer at the ramp in Greenport about it last week, & he admitted it is a problem for all involved.
John

 

[Stevepanther]

The way I understand it is you would be able to return to Greenport not orient with the current regulations

 

[live bait]

Part of the problem is the Orient/Watch Hill RI line is not very defined. West of that line is considered Long Island Sound Region where possession is 3 fish, east of that line possession is 4 fish. Possess 4 fish west of that line prior to Dec 9 & you are in violation, possess any black fish west of that line after Dec 9th when the season is closed in the LI Sound region & you are in violation as they are possession laws.
John

 

[Stevepanther]

What really stinks is the boats from Greenport lose the opening week because they fall in the south shore category. My boat is in shinnecock and I was thinking of keeping the boat in mattituck Columbus Day weekend because it would have been illegal to run back in peconic bay with blackfish