CCA NY PRAISES NEW TAUTOG REGULATIONS; URGES ACTION TO HALT ILLEGAL FISHERY

WEST BABYLON, NY—Coastal Conservation Association New York has expressed its satisfaction with new regulations issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which were intended to restore the population of tautog (often known as "blackfish"), a fish species which is popular with recreational anglers but has suffered a decades-long drop in population. The new rules reduce the bag limit from ten fish to four, and institutes a shortened fishing season that runs from October 1 to December 20, and from January 17 to April 30. The 14-inch size limit has not been changed.

"The blackfish recovery has been stalled for more than 20 years," states Brian O'Keefe, Chair of CCA NY's Government Relations Committee. "The new regulations should finally cut fishing mortality and allow spawning stock biomass to increase, so that we all can start seeing more fish."

The debate over the new regulations saw the interests of private anglers, who fish from shore or from their own boats, clash with those of the for-hire fleet. Traditionally, most of New York's recreationally-caught tautog were landed during the spring and fall. However, after the collapse of the winter fisheries for cod and whiting, many for-hire vessels, particularly those sailing out of New York City and western Long Island, began targeting the species during the winter, putting new strains on the population and shifting the majority of the harvest into the winter months. The for-hire fishery urged that the beginning of the season be delayed long enough to avoid a winter closure, a move that would have effectively denied access to the fishery to "family fishermen" and others unwilling or unable to brave New York's cold and rough winter seas.

"We were particularly gratified that the DEC has made ‘maintaining access to this fishery for most of New York's recreational anglers' one of the goals of the new regulations," says Bill Raab, CCA NY's President. "New York's fisheries resources belong to all of us, and seasons should be open at times of the year that will allow any man, woman or child in the state a reasonable opportunity to enjoy them, should they wish to do so."

CCA NY was also pleased to learn that the DEC will close the tautog fishery on April 30, a move that will protect the fish when they aggregate in inshore waters to spawn, something that occurs in May, June and sometimes July. "Spawning blackfish are extremely easy to target and catch," notes O'Keefe. "While recent reports don't show high spring landings, May and June have historically accounted for a large part of New York's recreational harvest, and the DEC acted properly in closing the season before spawning begins. CCA NY has wanted such a closure for a long time."

However, while CCA NY is happy with the new rules, it believes that there is quite a bit of work left to do. The live-fish market for tautog, which has exploded in the past thirty years, has put significant pressure on the stock. Far worse, it has attracted many illegal commercial fishermen, including both unlicensed individuals operating completely outside the law and licensed commercial operators who, with varying degrees of frequency, ignore size limits, bag limits and catch reporting requirements.

The State of New York requires commercial fishermen to fully report all of their tautog landings. In 2006, the last year for which complete information is available, New York's reported commercial tautog landings were a mere 68,432 pounds, worth $183,848, or about $2.68 per pound, at dockside.

"The officially reported commercial landings reflect only the tip of the iceberg," declares Charles Witek, State Chair of CCA NY. "Commercial fishers who fully comply with the laws affecting this fishery appear to be in the distinct minority. The problem lies in the live fish market, which is so lucrative that people can't resist the temptation to break the law. How can fishermen freely talk about getting four dollars, five dollars, even nine dollars per pound at times, for live blackfish, then report an average price of less than three dollars per pound on the reports that they file with the DEC? Whether they're filing false reports or not filing at all, they're clearly not complying with the regulations, and if they're not afraid to violate the reporting rules, why should we believe that they're complying with bag and size limits?"

The DEC has announced that it is "preparing a public information document that will be released later in the year to obtain input on additional measures that might help rebuild the local population of this important sport fish." CCA NY hopes that such "additional measures" will be aimed at curbing the pervasive and destructive illegal market. However, given the lack of compliance with current reporting requirements and other rules governing tautog harvest, CCA NY believes that there is only one remedy to the current illegal fishery.

"We must outlaw the live fish market for blackfish," declares Witek. "If the market continues to operate, and continues to pay high prices for live tautog, there will always be fishermen willing to break the rules in order to supply it with product. Only after the sale of live blackfish, whether at the wholesale or retail level, is outlawed in the State of New York, will we have a realistic chance of rebuilding and maintaining a healthy tautog population." ###