78 



UNITED BOATMEN 



OF NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK 



RAYMOND O. BOGAN, ESQ. S01 AUEWCAN LlOION WAY 



Legal CouNaCL Pt. Pl£ASAnt Bch, NJ 0B742 



(908) B99-9S0O 

 Fax (308) 899-9327 



March 26. 1996 



Congressman James Saxton, Chalmian 

 Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans 

 339 Cannon House Office Building 

 Washington, DC 20515-3003 



Dear Congressman Saxton: 



t represent the United Boatmen of New Jersey and New York, an organization of charter 

 and head boat owners and operators. Our members own and operate some of the largest vessels 

 and businesses In the head boat and charter boat Industry on the east coast I thank you and 

 the committee for the opportunity to testify on the role of the federal government in the 

 management of bluefish. The New York bight is the hub of recreational effort for bluefish on the 

 east coast. We are attributed with over 40% of recreational bluefish landings. Within the last 

 several years, there has been an apparent decline in bluefish availability to the traditional bluefish 

 fishery. Does this mean a significant decline In bluefish stocks? The question is not as easy to 

 answer as it may appear at first blush. Many factors, which we feel are inadequately addressed 

 and considered by the plan drafters, should be seriously considered in any stock assessment 

 The drafters of the Amendment should consider these factors prior to proposing and implementing 

 more restrictive measures which could result in immediate negative impact on small businesses 

 which comprise the base of the bluefish fishery. Please consider some of the following points as 

 to each of these fisheries. 



CHANGES IN PATTERNS AND AVAILABILITY OF BAIT AND OTHER FORAGE FISHERIES 



FACTORS. Since the late 1 980's. there have been significant changes in bait patterns and 

 availability. The most evident of these Is the mariced decrease In sand eel abundance in near 

 coastal waters in the mid-Atlantic region. Sand eels are primary forage for many fish. These 

 changes have resulted in changes in predators patterns. Bluefish are the most obvious. 

 Moreover, there has been Increased competition seen in the last several years In near coastal 

 vraters by striped bass. Stripers are one of the few fish which can compete with bluefish for food. 

 While striper numbers have Increased, bluefish availability has decreased. This pattern has been 

 recorded before in NMFS documents. In 1995, when there was a significant infusion of ba'rt Into 

 the coastal waters of the New York bight from the beach out to 12 miles, we saw an extraordinary 

 amount of bluefish consisting of many different year classes. For example, Bamegat inlet head 

 and charter boat fishemnen experienced the best bluefishing in over a decade. Boats were 

 coming to the docks eariy with most customers having reached the bag limit In half the time it 

 might normally take. Similar catches were seen out of the Manasquan inlet. Shark River, the 



