Proposed Amendments to 2010-2011 Fish Code

[Joe D]

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Fish and Game Council is proposing amendments to N.J.A.C. 7:25-6, the Fish Code. A statement of the substance of the proposal follows: The Fish Code governs when, by what means, at which locations, in what numbers, and at what sizes, fish may be pursued, caught, killed, or possessed. Proposed amendments include the following: The possession or release of live potentially dangerous fish is prohibited. Potentially dangerous fish species are identified as; Asian swamp eel, Bighead carp, Brook stickleback, Flathead catfish, Grass carp (diploid), Green sunfish, Snakeheads, Oriental weatherfish, Silver carp, andWarmouth. Six waterbodies, Scarlet Oak Pond (Bergen), Dennisville Lake (Cape May), West Pond (Cape May), Spring Mills Brook (Hunterdon), Rock Brook (Somerset) and Roaring Rock Brook (Warren) are proposed be removed from the Division’s trout stocking program. Three waterbodies, Ponderlodge Pond (Cape May), Tuckahoe Lake (Cape May), and Alexauken Creek (Hunterdon) would be added to the trout stocking program. The Year-Round Trout Conservation Area on the Pequannock River would be relocated further downstream, from the Hamburg Turnpike bridge/Brandt Lane (Bloomingdale) to the Hamburg Turnpike bridge (Pompton Lakes). The current regulated TCA stretch, Route 23 bridge (Smoke Rise) downstream to the Route 23 bridge (Smith Mills), is proposed to be regulated as a Wild Trout Stream. The Point Mountain Stretch on the Musconetcong River would be regulated as a Year-Round, instead of a Seasonal Trout Conservation Area. The Trout Conservation Area on the Paulinskill River would be eliminated. The daily limit of alewife and blueback herring would be reduced from 35 to 10, statewide, including the Delaware River. Possession of purchased herring, in excess of the daily limit would be permitted provided a dated receipt is in possession. A year- round catch and release season for largemouth and smallmouth bass is proposed for Lake Audrey (Cumberland). The catch and release season for largemouth and smallmouth bass would be extended an additional four and a half months, from December 1 until the third Saturday in June of the following year, for Greenwood Lake (Passaic). The daily limit for American shad would be reduced from six to three, statewide, including the Delaware River. Daily baitfish limits for the Delaware River, which do not include alewife and blueback herring, will be increased from 35 to 50. Commercial harvesters of snapping turtles would be required to provide contact information of the purchaser on require harvest reports.
The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register on August 17, 2009 and a Public Hearing concerning the proposed amendments will be held on September 8, 2009 at 7 PM at:

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Central Region Office
Assunpink Wildlife Management Area
1 Eldridge Road
Robbinsville, NJ 07719
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A copy of the proposal is available from: Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) website (PDF); LexisNexis Customer Services at (800) 223-1944 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore. Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.
Submit written comments by October 16, 2009 to:

Gary J. Brower, Esq.
Attention: Docket Number: 11-09-07/742
Office of Legal Affairs
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402
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[Ryan R]

I'm very pleased that my little childhood trout stream is proposed to be taken off the stocking list, even if it did only receive a very minimal stocking. Next step is it hopefully gains wild trout stream protection someday soon because it's got a pretty decent population of wild browns and brookies.

 

[mbwmn]

I'm very pleased that my little childhood trout stream is proposed to be taken off the stocking list, even if it did only receive a very minimal stocking. Next step is it hopefully gains wild trout stream protection someday soon because it's got a pretty decent population of wild browns and brookies.

i'm still waiting for my private guide session to all your secret spots. had a gallon or 2 of Amstel Light left in the keg about 3 weeks ago...would have been a nice way to spend a sunday...walking the creek w/ a cold one...

 

[JeffK]

Ryan,

Stopping stocking of Brass Castle Creek (hey, that's how I know it) was proposed for the last code cycle and didn't make the cut. Let's see how it comes out this time. It does have a pretty good population of wild brooks and browns and has some beautiful stretches.

 

[Ryan R]

i'm still waiting for my private guide session to all your secret spots. had a gallon or 2 of Amstel Light left in the keg about 3 weeks ago...would have been a nice way to spend a sunday...walking the creek w/ a cold one...

Unfortunately, the times it's been fishable this summer haven't matched up well with my own schedule. Secret spots? If you mean by fishing the creek practically from top to bottom then yeah I've got secret spots. The creek is so small there isn't really much in the way of secret spots. The fishy areas, like plunge polls or undercut banks, all tend to hold fish. Now there are a few of these that I can repeatedly count on to produce at least a decent trout or two each visit. It's not a banner little stream and most of the trout are small but pretty but it has a fair amount of trout to keep me interested. I've got no problem showing you some of these spots when the flows are better, no harvesting though or I feed you to the bears.

Speaking of very small streams, JeffK you had to actually name the friggin' thing here? (even if you didn't use its official name just a local name.):crap:

 

[mbwmn]

"...no harvesting though or I feed you to the bears..."

Well, there are plenty of those around here.
I typically won't consider harvesting until after 25+ inches. I think the creek I managed not to name might be safe...