Collaborative Research on Flatfish

[george]

Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center are working with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries on collaborative research with fishermen. The team is investigating how climate-driven changes in fish distributions and habitat availability, along with regulatory and economic factors, affect scientific data and fishery landing reports of flatfish in the region. The project is using information from one-on-one conversations and group workshops conducted this summer with fishermen to help inform future stock assessments. This study is part of a larger research effort funded by Congress in 2018 to look at impacts of climate change on fisheries in the Northeast (details under the “Survey Projects” tab).​

 

[buddha162]

Fluke have been shifting northwards for decades (hence the NC comm quota that they can't fill even steaming up to our waters and beyond). The past few seasons in RB has seen ridiculously lopsided short to keeper ratios...which fits the pattern of fluke gravitating towards the northern end of its range as they grow...that's why 10lbers aren't even weighed for the pool on the Nantucket trips! Any largish fluke we catch here in NJ are from the (new) Southern end of their range...and I predict fewer and fewer such specimens as time goes on.

Maybe we'll see redfish and cobia infest our waters on a more permanent basis. Lots of southern species I'd trade for fluke!

 

[george]

Fluke have been shifting northwards for decades (hence the NC comm quota that they can't fill even steaming up to our waters and beyond). The past few seasons in RB has seen ridiculously lopsided short to keeper ratios...which fits the pattern of fluke gravitating towards the northern end of its range as they grow...that's why 10lbers aren't even weighed for the pool on the Nantucket trips! Any largish fluke we catch here in NJ are from the (new) Southern end of their range...and I predict fewer and fewer such specimens as time goes on.

Maybe we'll see redfish and cobia infest our waters on a more permanent basis. Lots of southern species I'd trade for fluke!

There is a targeted tarpon fishery in the Chesapeake now and they are also targeting cobia and redfish there. I've seen a number of cobia in local pics. One guy had one on a bunker chunk off the beach.

I sure hope you're wrong about fluke, and that this is an anomaly.

 

[buddha162]

There is a targeted tarpon fishery in the Chesapeake now and they are also targeting cobia and redfish there. I've seen a number of cobia in local pics. One guy had one on a bunker chunk off the beach.

I sure hope you're wrong about fluke, and that this is an anomaly.

Cobia being caught more and more often in NNJ as well. Some guy weighed in a healthy specimen from GK, Staten Island this summer (chunking from shore lol!)

Sooner or later the anomaly becomes the norm. Past 5 years has been "weird" as far as fluke patterns are concerned, esp in the early season. The August NJ reef bite has held pretty steady...the bay/river fisheries pre-July has been steadily trending downwards...more importantly, NOAA's historical analysis + tagging studies show a definitive northward shift, and what we're seeing in NJ now is exactly what NC experienced 15 years ago, ie the larger "keeper" fish have dissipated. Not a coincidence that around 10 years ago the Nantucket fishery exploded. I know guys will say they've always been there just not targeted...but where's their evidence?

 

[MakoMike]

The shift of the fluke from south to the northeast hs been well documented and the Mid-Atlantic council is looking into reallocating the quotas for both commercials and recreational.