# Future new flounder regs in NC just approved by MFC



## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

15" for everyone
Minimum Mesh 6" effective 01/01/16
Anchored gill net shut down Oct 16 - Jan1, No gear in the water
Flounder pound nets 5 3/4 escape panels and TAL with 38% reduction
Gigging closses when TAL reached
Rec H&L and giggers closed Oct 16 to Dec 31.


----------



## boswhale (Mar 14, 2011)

May be a dumb question but what does TAL mean?

If I can't catch flounder the last two weeks of Oct. and in Nov. i won't be making my yearly trip to the Outerbanks.


----------



## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

I have to agree flounder numbers have been down last several years. Concern to DMF is southern flounder. This is makes no difference to rec anglers since all are "flounder". One reason I put less flounder in the cooler is 15" limit. The southern flounder is a migrating fish; to what degree, does anyone know? NC 6 @ 15" / SC 10 @ 14" / Ga ? / Fl 10 @ 12". ??? It is complicated! Speck - Where did you find the rec closure Oct16 - Jan 1? I must be overlooking it. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving! glenn


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

boswhale said:


> May be a dumb question but what does TAL mean?


"TAL" - Total Allowable Landings ( Yeah, I'm scratching my head, too )

I thought that "TAL" only applied to Commercial fishermen and can't find any connection to Recreational fishing.

So, I did a little "digging" and found this . . .

*http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/fishery-management-plans-details*

*
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/recreationalfishing*


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

I just found this . . . 
*
http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_ffd40ce8-8f9c-11e5-9d18-b3283e70e27e.html*

This doesn't look good . . .

QUOTE:

•A recreational flounder hook-and-line and recreational flounder gig closure from Oct. 16 – Dec. 31. 

Because these management measures are in a supplement, they will only be in place until the next southern flounder FMP amendment is passed. Dr. Louis Daniel, DMF director, said this could take as long as 2018, however. 

END QOUTE :


----------



## drumchaser (Jan 14, 2003)

Nurseries can still be trawled from what I'm
Seeing. Makes a lot of sense.


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

drumchaser said:


> Nurseries can still be trawled from what I'm
> Seeing. Makes a lot of sense.


The Commercial restrictions make sense, but the Recreational ones don't . . .

QUOTE : 

•A recreational flounder hook-and-line and recreational flounder gig closure from Oct. 16 – Dec. 31.

Because these management measures are in a supplement, they will only be in place until the next southern flounder FMP amendment is passed. Dr. Louis Daniel, DMF director, said this could take as long as 2018, however. 

END QUOTE :

Even Recreational gigging might be OK, but not Hook & Line fishing.

Tight Lines !


----------



## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Rec. closure required because of Law on books also because recs are unable to identify depleted southern flounder from summer flounder. Inability to identify the two species has always been the problem and therefore all flounder is effected. In past they have tried regional rules with Swansboro being the border but with so many fishing in the Swansboro/Shell Rock landing area it became an enforcement nightmare.


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Big blow to surf fishing, that is the only time of year they are worth fishing for them


----------



## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

bronzbck1 said:


> Big blow to surf fishing, that is the only time of year they are worth fishing for them


What a "coincidence" . . .


----------



## putinanny (Oct 22, 2014)

Last two weeks of October and first week of November are IMO the best time for keeper flounder in the surf and inshore. I have a good feeling these new flounder regs are going to keep a lot of people home that time of year. I expect quite a few businesses ain't going to be to happy.


----------



## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Im not hurt by this. 
Boys, the time is coming one way or another. The Earth Cannot sustain the population. You better get real about that


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

I have understood flounders to change sex, similar to seabass.. It is the nature of most,if they are harvesting for the table to take what they can eat.. If they were to reintroduce the 13" rule with a bag limit of 5 fish,knowing that a 14" fish is a female,in theory they would keep 5 13" fish and quit fishing.. The reason I say this is look at the amount of flounder that are guthooked because you have to let the fish inhale the bait.. This is especially true with smaller sized fish.

Like was said,this is all theory on my part.. Although if you think about it 5 13,with probably a few bigger ones thrown in would make a meal for a family.. To top that off,less thrown back that would eventually die from guthooks.. AS WELL AS,you don't harvest as many females... Just throwing something against the wall here,but have felt this way since regs were first implemented on flounder...


----------



## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

1BadF350 said:


> Im not hurt by this.
> Boys, the time is coming one way or another. The Earth Cannot sustain the population. You better get real about that


Wait...... what..!

Oh well.... Guess I'll head home eat the family cat. On second thought, I'll order Chinese this evening. There's plenty of kitty cats in it anyways.


----------



## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

letmefish said:


> Wait...... what..!
> 
> Oh well.... Guess I'll head home eat the family cat. On second thought, I'll order Chinese this evening. There's plenty of kitty cats in it anyways.


LOL I was pretty inebriated when I posted last night after the football games. And coincidentally had Chinese for dinner too.


----------



## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

Lol, Chinese food is the best cat I've ever tasted. 

I was just humming along reading the various posts in this thread. Then all of a sudden I read your post, and I could have sworn I heard the sound of a record player needle scratching across a record. Ya hooked me right into the boat.


----------



## BaitWaster (Jan 8, 2004)

Drumdum said:


> I have understood flounders to change sex, similar to seabass.. It is the nature of most,if they are harvesting for the table to take what they can eat.. If they were to reintroduce the 13" rule with a bag limit of 5 fish,knowing that a 14" fish is a female,in theory they would keep 5 13" fish and quit fishing.. The reason I say this is look at the amount of flounder that are guthooked because you have to let the fish inhale the bait.. This is especially true with smaller sized fish.
> 
> Like was said,this is all theory on my part.. Although if you think about it 5 13,with probably a few bigger ones thrown in would make a meal for a family.. To top that off,less thrown back that would eventually die from guthooks.. AS WELL AS,you don't harvest as many females... Just throwing something against the wall here,but have felt this way since regs were first implemented on flounder...


Kenny, flounder don't change sex like seabass (protogenous hermaphrodites), but are like blue marlin (sexual dimorphism) where the males are small (rarely get over 14") and the females are basically the only ones you can harvest if 15" and over. 

Some folks have argued that the size should be reduced with a slot (maybe one big) to allow the big females to keep breeding. 

It's very complicated especially since most of the ocean/surf flounder are summer flounder (with all the spots) not southern flounder and what this is all about.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

BaitWaster said:


> Kenny, flounder don't change sex like seabass (protogenous hermaphrodites), but are like blue marlin (sexual dimorphism) where the males are small (rarely get over 14") and the females are basically the only ones you can harvest if 15" and over.
> 
> Some folks have argued that the size should be reduced with a slot (maybe one big) to allow the big females to keep breeding.
> 
> It's very complicated especially since most of the ocean/surf flounder are summer flounder (with all the spots) not southern flounder and what this is all about.


 Thanks for that correction.. I totally misunderstood what I had heard.. (not unusual for me   )

Either way,changing sex or a male saying 14 or below.. It sounds like your regs,keeping one over and rest of limit,say 4 fish under one over would be a good policy in keeping the breeders out there.. Both the southern and summer have males less than 14?? If that be correct,at least on the end of those that catch flounder with hook and line in the sound or ocean it would help?? no?

With regs totally targeting females,it just makes no sense to me?


----------



## Baygullknotsea (Dec 1, 2011)

Even with the new rules I will still catch plenty. Think they could use a little break from me and commercial guys for a month here and there for a few years.


----------

