When do they decide on what the flounder regs for2008 will be

Feb. 26

I thought they already decided? Two closed seasons: Jan 1 - March 31 and July 23 - July 28. Is there more coming down the pipe?

That's what I thought too. 18.5" minimum with 5/person.

The flounder regs have not been set yet. They will do so at the commission meeting on Tuesday. FMAC met this past Tuesday and recommended option 5.


1. 181/2” minimum size, 3 fish bag limit and a closure 1/1 thru 4/15 and 7/21 thru 8/15

2. 181/2” minimum size, 3 fish bag limit and a closure 7/21 thru 8/23

3. 19” minimum size, 3 fish bag limit and a closure 1/1 thru 3/29

4. 19” minimum size, 4 fish bag limit, and a closure 7/21 thru 7/28

5. 19” minimum size, 5 fish bag limit, and a closure 7/21 thru 7/30

Thanks. Maybe I was thinking of last year

Option 5 was selected.

Thanks.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/commission...ations-flounder
I guess the season opens this weekend! No winter closure!
DB

Thanks for the Info.

Thanks for the update. At least July 21 - 30 only covers one weekend for us weekend fisherman.

When do flounder start to bite again? I heard it is too cold right now to find them around the CBBT and local wrecks.

The way I heard/read it, is they did not change the winter closure, just added a July closure as well--maybe I got it wrong. Makes more sense to me though. We should be hearing more on the clarification soon.

From VMRC Rec rules

SUMMER FLOUNDER

[Regulation 4 VAC 20-620-10 et seq.]

2008 Season Opens ............March 1
Closed Season.......................July 21 through July 30

Minimum Size Limit............................19 inches
Possession Limit.................................5 per person

The above flounder restrictions apply to Virginia tidal waters, except that in Virginia's Potomac River tributaries the minimum size limit, closed season, and possession limit will be the same as established by PRFC for the mainstem Potomac River

Any changes to commercial regs?

Based upon the current water temps., I would bet that you could catch Flounder right now. We have caught them in late December almost every year.

I agree
#$%^ rockfish I want flounder

New regs state 19" long limit 5 per preson

View H.R. 4087 Here
View H.R. 5425 Here
Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Recreational Fishing Alliance
Save The Summer Flounder Fishery Fund
Contact:
Congresswoman Drake
Delegate Linwood Lewis
Senator Ralph Northam
Press Releases:
Congressman Frank Pallone












Attention Fisherman:


There have been some new developements with regards to the summer flounder fishery.
As you know the minimum size limit for flounder has increased from 16&1/2 inches in 2006 to 19 inches for 2008. This big increase in the minimum size limit translates to more flounder being caught and handled in order to land a legal size fish. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), estimates at least 10% of all recreationally caught summer flounder die due to hook injury, but in reality many more may not swim away.

The facts also show about 95% of flounder caught over 18 inches are female fish.
Were taking large female breeding stock out of circulation which may prove to hurt the flounder fishery spawing stock, in the long run.

If the flounder fishery were in trouble we could understand the excessive size limits being placed on recreational fisherman, but it is not.

Jim Donofrio the Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, testified before Congress about the state of the summer flounder fishery on December 5th, 2007. "The summer flounder stock is now at a size not seen in 25 years, fishing mortality has decreased over 80%, total harvest has decreased over 96%, and both the total stock biomass & spawning stock biomass have increased 251% and 280%, respectively. However, despite what can only be considered strong progress, recreational fisherman will face the most restrictive quotas in history".

There are currently two bills before Congress that are attempting to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The 1st bill bill HR.4087, was introduced by Mr. Jones of North Carolina last fall. The 2nd bill, HR.5425, was introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone, on February 13, 2008. HR.5425 is co-sponsored by Mr. Jones, and contains more explicit assertions and language and is intended to be more far reaching in it's results. We urge all concerned citizens to contact their representatives in Congress, as well as your local Senator's and Delagates, and ask for their support of HR.4087 & HR.5425. There are links next to this letter for you to look at both bills and to go to our local representatives websites.

help if you can

Yeah i was just on the VMRC site and 5 fish at 19 was what the state had set.

I know this won't be a popular opinion with most fishermen, but I think we are on the right path with flounder. The current law governs catch quotas for the benefit of the species, not for the benefit of fisherman. Your ability to keep fish is directly tied to the estimated biomass of the species. Prior to the Magneson/Stevens Act, fisheries were managed for maximum catches. And species after species were fished almost into extinction, by both recreational and commercial fishermen. Striped bass, codfish, grouper, swordfish, flounder and atlantic halibut are but a few that come to mind. Some of these have never recovered. Under current law, the species must be rebuilt within 10 years of being identified as overfished, and a complete moritorium can be placed on catches by both recreational and commercial fishermen. Atlantic Halibut is currently under such a moritorium, and I understand they may not recover. The very law we are complaining about is what brought the flounder back from severe overfishing back in the '80's, same as stripers. I know it's painful to throw back an 18.5 inch flounder, but it's for the long term good of the fishery. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Now I'm off the soapbox, so go catch some fish!

Well seeings as I can't get a Striper in the boat maybe I will shift to floundies. Anyone tried for them this early?

I usually don't start targeting them until June. Rockfish are still plentiful up until the end of May and then it's flounder, drum and cobia time after that. I'm sure there are plenty on the wrecks.