Editor's note: The below article announces that the NOAA Fisheries Service has set the fluke total allowable landings (TAL) at 17-million pounds. Although NOAA's below article, which was posted on the NOAA Fisheries web site, spins the 17-million pounds as an increase, because it is an increase over a 13-million pound TAL that was temporarily established and was only meant to allow time for some legal matters, it actually is a 6-million pound decrease from last year's 23-million pounds. Long story short: The decrease will surely mean a cut in New Jersey's fluke bag limit for 2007. The state decides the bag limit based on the TAL and will make that decision at a meeting of the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council at 4 p.m. March 1 at the Galloway Township Library in Absecon.

From the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration:

NOAA Allows Higher Summer Flounder Harvest Levels for 2007

NOAA Fisheries has increased annual harvest limits in both the commercial and recreational summer flounder fisheries for 2007.  The newly reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act allows an extension of the rebuilding time frame for summer flounder to January 1, 2013, provided that certain conditions are met.  Following an analysis of these factors, the Secretary of Commerce has decided to allow an increase in the level of total allowable landings to 17.112-million-lb this year. This is a 31% increase from the previously announced harvest limit for 2007. >> read more

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Past articles about fluke:

Click here for a pdf of a press release about the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission setting its recommendation for fluke total allowable landings for 2007.

(Note: The below articles are no longer available.)

MAFMC To Meet Dec. 12-14, 2006;
Agenda Includes Approval
Of Recommendation for 2007 Fluke Quota

ASMFC Postpones Decision on Fluke Landings

NOAA Recommends 55-Percent Cut in Fluke Landings

NOAA Recommends Reducing Fluke Landings

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