Quote:
Originally Posted by Hockleyneck
I am not sure how many gill net permits exist, but would a ban really affect that many people? The mates could hook and line, the price would go up so the boat owners could make more per pound. The income from netting rockfish is also a suplemental part of most waterman's income correct? I am not sure the impact would be that great except for a few, but it would interesting to have the numbers to run.
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These are some notes cribed from a friend
2009 Numbers from DNR:
1. Total number of commercial fishermen in Maryland harvesting rockfish
In 2009, there were 1135 commercial licensees that received striped bass permits, Of these potential commercial harvesters, 796 actually harvested striped bass in 2009. In the commercial striped bass fishery, licensees must declare their intent to fish for striped bass prior to the start of the calendar year. Participants may declare into one of five different sub-fisheries based on gear type. These sub-fisheries include gill net and hook and line, hook and line only, pound net, haul seine, and Atlantic trawl and gill net.
Within each sub-fishery, fishermen may hold multiple permits through a transfer process that allows inactive fishermen to transfer a declared permit to active fishermen. This process allows striped bass harvesters to hold up to four gill net permits, five pound net permits, or four Atlantic trawl and gill net permits. Licensees declared for hook and line may only hold one hook and line permit and may not hold a permit for hook and line if they hold a pound net permit. In 2009, there were 2030 total permits issued to 1135 licensees. There were 818 gill net permits issued to 726 licensees in the gill net sub-fishery, 443 of which actually harvested striped bass. There were 961 permits issued to 961 licensees in the hook and line fishery, with 390 of the licensees actually harvesting striped bass. In the pound net sub-fishery, 101 licensees received 178 permits, with 94 of the licensees actively harvesting striped bass. Only four permits were issued to four licensees in the haul seine fishery, and none of the licensees harvested striped bass commercially. Finally, 69 permits were issued to 62 licensees in the Atlantic sub-fishery, with all 62 licensees harvesting commercial striped bass.
Gear Type --- Permits issued --- Licensees --- Participants
Gill Net ------- 818 --------------- 726 ----------- 443
Hook and Line --- 961 --------------- 961 ----------- 390
Pound Net ------- 178-----------------101------------ 94
Haul Seine ------- 4 ------------------- 4-------------- 0
Atlantic ------------69-------------------69--------------62
2. Total number of harvested rockfish by commercial fishermen in 2009
Chesapeake Bay commercial fishermen harvested 649,033 total fish and 2,267,099 lbs of rockfish in 2009. Atlantic commercial fishermen harvested 13,409 total fish and 127,327 pounds of rockfish in 2009.
Chesapeake Bay harvests by gear type:
Gill Net: 286,982 fish, 1,050,188 pounds
Hook and Line: 191760 fish, 650,013 pounds
Pound Net: 170,291 fish, 566,898 pounds
Haul Seine: 0 fish, 0 pounds