factor in the decline of bluefish. The timing just simply doesn't 

 match up. 



In addition, water temperature and currents can effect the mi- 

 gratory patterns and distributions of fish. We have supported and 

 cooperated in research by the Marine Resources Center at the 

 State University of New York at Stoneybrook to investigate these 

 and other questions regarding bluefish recruitment mechanisms. 

 These questions have yet to be fully resolved. 



The best way to manage the stock for growth is to control fishing 

 mortality in order to maintain a large spawning stock biomass. The 

 spawning stock biomass should be large enough to quickly rebuild 

 the stock when as yet unquantifiable environmental factors favor 

 such rebuilding. Thus, we should manage for lower fishing rates 

 and higher stock sizes for bluefish as this will provide for a more 

 stable stock under conditions of environmental uncertainty. 



Through NMFS partnership with the Commission's and the 

 Council's Fishery Management Planning Program we will remain 

 committed to conserving bluefish and with that, Mr. Chairman, I 

 would be glad to entertain any questions that you might have. I 

 would also note that you should have received copies of my written 

 testimony that I would like to have entered into the record. 



[The prepared statement of Dr. Gary Matlock may be found at 

 end of hearing.] 



Mr. Saxton. Thank you very much. We are going to hear from 

 the entire panel and then we will get into some questions. Mr. 

 Dunnigan. 



STATEMENT OF JOHN H. DUNNIGAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

 ATLANTIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION 



Mr. Dunnigan. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and mem- 

 bers of the Committee. I am Jack Dunnigan, the Executive Director 

 of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. It is a pleas- 

 ure to be back in coastal New Jersey again. 



The Committee has invited me to this area before and it has al- 

 ways been, I think, a good opportunity to get out and listen to the 

 fishermen who are involved with these programs on a day-to-day 

 basis. 



My testimony has been submitted for the record and I would ask 

 at this time that it be included in full and if it pleases the Chair- 

 man, I will just go ahead and make a couple of comments based 

 on it. 



I would like to recognize at first a couple of people who are here, 

 Mr. Tom Fote is one of our ASMFC Commissioners. He is from 

 Toms River and he is, of course, no stranger to the members of this 

 Committee. 



A couple of other New Jersey people who are involved in our 

 process, Dusty Rhodes who is on the panel is the Chairman of our 

 Bluefish Advisors and Charlie Bergman from Cape May is also in 

 the audience and is an advisor that we rely on for a number of our 

 fisheries. 



Also with me is no stranger to this Committee, Lori Rosa who 

 used to work with you folks before joining the ASMFC staff; and 

 John Carmichael is our bluefish technical expert and our manage- 



