Size Matters: State Council Sets 2011 Fluke Regulations

New Jersey anglers will have to contend with another year of an 18-inch minimum size limit for summer flounder – also known as fluke – in 2011, though the length of the open season on the popular species will last significantly longer than last year.

The state Marine Fisheries Council voted unanimously at its meeting Thursday afternoon to approve regulations setting an 18-inch size limit and a season which runs May 7 through Sept. 25 on summer flounder. Anglers will be able to keep eight fish per day.

In 2010, the regulations included the same 18-inch size limit, however the season ran from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Anglers were able to keep six fish in 2010.

The set of regulations approved at the meeting represents one of four regulatory option sets the council was tasked with deciding from at the meeting, and the one which included the longest open season. The four options ranged from seasons lasting from 93 days to 142 days. Council members could have chosen two options that would have allowed anglers to take one fish smaller than 18 inches each day; however, each of those options would have reduced the length of the season by more than a month.

During a public comment session held before the vote, members of the public in attendance unanimously told council members they preferred the option with the longest season.

"This has been a really tough one," said Capt. Tony Bogan, a Brielle party boat owner who also represents the United Boatmen. "In the end, it’s really hard giving up a month of fishing time ... You can’t make money if you can’t fish."

Dave Showell, owner of Absecon Bay Sportsman Center in Absecon, said he was torn between a longer season and a smaller size limit on flounder.

"There’s a whole segment of our vacation economy – the family that fishes during their summer vacation – where those kids ain’t taking fish home anymore," he said, referring to why he wished the size limit could be reduced.

Necessity, he said, was the reason why he supported a longer season in the end.

"I was about ready to hang it up last September with no weakfish, no flounder, no nothing."

Council Chairman Gilbert H. Ewing said he hoped that next year would bring further relief to recreational flounder anglers.

"Hopefully, things will work out this year, and next year we can liberalize in other ways besides stretching out the season," Ewing said.

The approved fluke regulations for 2011 represent a 77 percent liberalization over the 2010 regulation limits.