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Robert "Dusty" Rhodes 

 2361 Fire Lane North 

 Southampton, NJ 08088 

 (609) 859-4013 voice 

 (609) 859-2420 fax 



CONDITION OF BLUEFISH STOCKS 



A. Recreational catch decline doesn't necessarily 

 prove abundance decline. 



B. Contribution of natural cycles as well as fishing 

 pressure need to be evaluated. 



C. On-the-water information from recreational and 

 commercial sectors should be a vital ingredient in 

 bluefish stock assessment. 



II. BLUEFISH RESPONSIBILITY SHIFT 



A. Responsibility shift to the Atlantic Sates Marine 

 Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) isn't consistent with 

 Congress' goal of making the fishery management 

 process more publicly accessible. 



B. Moving bluefish outside the reach of Magnuson and 

 National Standards is questionable. 



C. Scientific peer participation from National Marine 

 Fisheries Service (NMFS) would be lost. 



III. BLUEFISH PLAN AMENDMENT SUGGESTIONS 



A. Don't eliminate shoreline fishermen from bluefish 

 angling without a measurement of such fishing 

 impact and possible resource savings. 



B. Uncouple recreational and commercial quota 

 allocation process. 



C. Identify and resolve commercial gear impact issues. 



