Editor's Note: The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council is meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 6, when it will probably decide its recommendation for the state's 2008 fluke bag limit and season. Then the recommendation will have to be approved by the federal government but likely will be.

The meeting will take place at the Galloway Township Branch of the Atlantic County Library, 306 East Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway. To confirm the date and time, call (609) 292-7794.

The Jersey Coast Anglers Asssociation published the following edited and rearranged comments about the meeting in the JCAA's March newsletter:

The NJ Marine Fisheries Council Summer Flounder Committee met with their advisors and discussed options for the 2008 fishing season to be presented to the full council on March 6th. The following options will be presented:
 
SIZE LIMIT      BAG LIMIT  OPEN SEASON
A 17.5”           2                 6/28 to 9/8
 
B 17.5”          8                 7/4 to 9/2
 
C 18.0”          2                 5/24 to 9/8
 
D 18.0”          8                 5/24 to 9/7
 
E 18.5”          8                 5/17 to 10/6

… (the) options ... are slightly different than the ones that appeared in the (previous JCAA newsletter). The (New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council Summer Flounder Advisory Committee) went for the most part with option D … JCAA voted on these options …. and there was only a one-vote difference between options D and E, with E getting the extra vote. Two votes for the 17 1/2 options. There were two abstentions ...
 
Some points to take into consideration:

--The 18", 8 fish bag limit with a season from 5/24 to 9/7 is the closest to last year's regulations

--The 2008 Recreational Target for NJ is 766,557 fish, the lowest target ever

--Whenever the target has been decreased from the previous year it has been exceeded      

--Wave 4 (July-August) harvest has exceeded the 2008 target the past 5 years.

--Consequences for exceeding the target are: possible EEZ closure; shorter season; lower bag limit; greater size limit

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