I'm always suprised at the amount of people complaining about party boats keeping shorts. I personally have never witnessed such until this past weekend when I was on a private party boat type charter from south shore JI area. The mates were telling the passengers that the size limit for fluke really only applies inshore where the bay constable and DEC check the boats but on the ocean they can keep shorts. I couldn't believe the audacity of the mate to brag about keeping shorts. I was glad to read the Daily News/Jerry Kenney's mention of how the DEC boarded all the boats out of Sheepshead bay and mentioned that there were spotters on the boats. I know this is a sore topic on this website but would like to see more pressure by law enforcement so the unethical fishermen think twice the next time they catch a short.
Shorts on party boats
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
shorts
FrankB
Not all partyboats keep shorts. I worked on a partyboat for 13 years out of Captree and I made sure every fish that went into a bucket was legal. I would even go into people's personal coolers and throw back shorts which they were trying to keep.
Hopefully most mates will respect the limits placed on each respective species and hopefully the DEC can enforce enough pressure to deter people from keeping shorties. I know we would usually get borded 1 or 2 times a summer (at the dock) which really wasn't very often if you ask me.
FrankB
Not all partyboats keep shorts. I worked on a partyboat for 13 years out of Captree and I made sure every fish that went into a bucket was legal. I would even go into people's personal coolers and throw back shorts which they were trying to keep.
Hopefully most mates will respect the limits placed on each respective species and hopefully the DEC can enforce enough pressure to deter people from keeping shorties. I know we would usually get borded 1 or 2 times a summer (at the dock) which really wasn't very often if you ask me.
Last week- sea queen out of Sheeshead bay- good fishing not many keepers, but they enforced the rule! plenty of short fluke caught all thrown back from my observation and the mates were great.. dont remember the boat I went on out of sheepshead bay a few weeks back.. but the shorts that were caught the boat did not care what was caught the guy had the nerve to ask the mate to fillet it for him lol... the mate refused so he did it on his own...
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34 Posts
Laws
The simple fact of the matter is that it comes down to DEC doesn't enforce them as much as people might like them to for whatever reasons. Too many people speed while driving cops most of the time do not pull people over. (For that is work to a Overpaid Suffolk County Cop and they just cant do that now can they). DEC for whatever reasons does not enforce these rules and maybe they just dont have the manpower to. Too many people keep illegal fish and it willnever stop unfortunately. It is a shame.
The simple fact of the matter is that it comes down to DEC doesn't enforce them as much as people might like them to for whatever reasons. Too many people speed while driving cops most of the time do not pull people over. (For that is work to a Overpaid Suffolk County Cop and they just cant do that now can they). DEC for whatever reasons does not enforce these rules and maybe they just dont have the manpower to. Too many people keep illegal fish and it willnever stop unfortunately. It is a shame.
~~~~~
I don't think the problem is lazy cops or dec. Yes, we need more DEC. BUT the problem lays with people's attitude towards conservation vs. selfishness OR ignorance.
...mocean
I don't think the problem is lazy cops or dec. Yes, we need more DEC. BUT the problem lays with people's attitude towards conservation vs. selfishness OR ignorance.
...mocean
Short cod in Gloucester
I fished on one of the Yankee fleet boats this spring for cod out of Gloucester MA, you were warned not to keep anything shorter then the marks on the rail, if you had a short anyway the mates would throw it over the side wether you liked it or not, something I was glade to see.
I fished on one of the Yankee fleet boats this spring for cod out of Gloucester MA, you were warned not to keep anything shorter then the marks on the rail, if you had a short anyway the mates would throw it over the side wether you liked it or not, something I was glade to see.
Captain's Responsibility
Hurray!!! At last!!!Our Tax Dollars at work!! Good for us the Honest Fisherman! Yes the DEC is understaffed and underpaid.SOME of the Sheepshead boats are infamous for ignoring the rules I would like a few fish left for my grandchildren.THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS IS TO HEAVILY FINE THE BOAT!!!!!!!!Granted,some people who fish once in a year don't know the rules regarding size limits and quotas simply because they have no access to this info.It is the captain's responsibility to ADVISE AND ENFORCE!!!!
Try this on Captain AL (Point Lookout) or Captain MIKE(Howard Beach) and you'll get a what for! Further they will refuse to fillet your fish!! FINE THE OFFENDING CAPTAIN/OWNER!!!!!Try this in CANADA and you forfeit your equipment,boat AND CAR!!!
Hurray!!! At last!!!Our Tax Dollars at work!! Good for us the Honest Fisherman! Yes the DEC is understaffed and underpaid.SOME of the Sheepshead boats are infamous for ignoring the rules I would like a few fish left for my grandchildren.THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS IS TO HEAVILY FINE THE BOAT!!!!!!!!Granted,some people who fish once in a year don't know the rules regarding size limits and quotas simply because they have no access to this info.It is the captain's responsibility to ADVISE AND ENFORCE!!!!
Try this on Captain AL (Point Lookout) or Captain MIKE(Howard Beach) and you'll get a what for! Further they will refuse to fillet your fish!! FINE THE OFFENDING CAPTAIN/OWNER!!!!!Try this in CANADA and you forfeit your equipment,boat AND CAR!!!
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
If the captain and crew inform you of the regualtions, it is YOUR responsibilty to obey them. If they don't inform you or they engage in the poaching themselves, then HAMMER them big time.
Do they arrest the bus driver if somebody brings drugs on a bus? Do they arrest the apartment owner if somebody in his apartment is breaking the law? Why punish the captain for somebody else's lack of responsibilty? I guess crews should go around a party boat with 90 people on it and make sure that nobody has 51 porgies or 26 seabass.
I used to run headboats down in Florida where they do hold the boat responsible and it's a nightmare. If a guy slips a short fish into his lunch cooler, the boat gets the fine.
It's time for people to be responsible for their own actions.
Gamakatsu
If the captain and crew inform you of the regualtions, it is YOUR responsibilty to obey them. If they don't inform you or they engage in the poaching themselves, then HAMMER them big time.
Do they arrest the bus driver if somebody brings drugs on a bus? Do they arrest the apartment owner if somebody in his apartment is breaking the law? Why punish the captain for somebody else's lack of responsibilty? I guess crews should go around a party boat with 90 people on it and make sure that nobody has 51 porgies or 26 seabass.
I used to run headboats down in Florida where they do hold the boat responsible and it's a nightmare. If a guy slips a short fish into his lunch cooler, the boat gets the fine.
It's time for people to be responsible for their own actions.
Gamakatsu
If you want to blame the captains for illegal behavior, I can?t stop you. But know this: In the eyes of the law, the angler is responsible for the fish kept, and for knowing all of the restrictions. Contrary to what was stated in a previous post, it is absolutely NOT the ?captains responsibility to ADVISE AND ENFORCE.? He has no authority as a law enforcement agent. I believe that most captains do their best to persuade customers to follow the regulations. These men are not DEC agents or Game Wardens, they are captains, licensed by the Coast Guard to take passengers-for-hire - period. Most party boats I have been on had size and season limits posted somewhere on the boat. You cannot reasonably expect the captain to personally confront each and every angler on board that violates the limits. How can the captain even know what every angler is doing? His attention should be focused on operating the vessel in a safe manner ? not playing enviro-cop.
Learn the law
Captains are not legally responsible for the personel actions of there fares. Either are taxi cab owners, municipalitys, movie theaters, amusement parks, hotels/motels, bus drivers, landlords, etc...
The law is simple. Everyone is responsible legally for themsleves. If somewone shoots someone with a sniper rifle from my boat I can't be in trouble because I am just the captain. Same is totlally one hunfdred persent true for all loaws including EPA laws like fishing limits.
Captains are not legally responsible for the personel actions of there fares. Either are taxi cab owners, municipalitys, movie theaters, amusement parks, hotels/motels, bus drivers, landlords, etc...
The law is simple. Everyone is responsible legally for themsleves. If somewone shoots someone with a sniper rifle from my boat I can't be in trouble because I am just the captain. Same is totlally one hunfdred persent true for all loaws including EPA laws like fishing limits.
HOW MUCH DO THEY FINE YOU?
I am curious to know HOW MUCH DO THEY FINE YOU? We hear of all the stories first and second hand, about party boats and private boats getting stopped by the DEC and fined for illegal fish. Is there a set amount according to how short the fish are, or out of season fish? How do they rate the fines?
I am curious to know HOW MUCH DO THEY FINE YOU? We hear of all the stories first and second hand, about party boats and private boats getting stopped by the DEC and fined for illegal fish. Is there a set amount according to how short the fish are, or out of season fish? How do they rate the fines?
Fines
I've seen them write tickets here in NJ and the standard seems to be $75 for the first fish and $25 for each addtional fish.
Steve makes a good point. The captains have actually exceeded their legal obligation by posting and announcing limits. It is really your responsibility to know the regs before you go fishing. However, it is in everybody's best interest for the crew to make the regs clear to all patrons.
Gamakatsu
I've seen them write tickets here in NJ and the standard seems to be $75 for the first fish and $25 for each addtional fish.
Steve makes a good point. The captains have actually exceeded their legal obligation by posting and announcing limits. It is really your responsibility to know the regs before you go fishing. However, it is in everybody's best interest for the crew to make the regs clear to all patrons.
Gamakatsu
Overheard.....
My Pop and I went out Friday night. Surprisingly the water was realy nice in the Coney Island area. That's not what I wanted to tell you about though!!! We overheard two party boat captians on Ch16(which was a surprise!) telling each that it was "a shame for the DEC to do what they did" and "what did they get?...a couple-a shorts?", "...it wasn't even worth their time or effort. It was all for nothin!"
Personally, I think any fine they can give is a good one! I looked at my Dad and said GOOD!
All I know is what was on the radio. Has anyone heard of something happening maybe in SHB Friday about 5-6pm?
Take it easy!
My Pop and I went out Friday night. Surprisingly the water was realy nice in the Coney Island area. That's not what I wanted to tell you about though!!! We overheard two party boat captians on Ch16(which was a surprise!) telling each that it was "a shame for the DEC to do what they did" and "what did they get?...a couple-a shorts?", "...it wasn't even worth their time or effort. It was all for nothin!"
Personally, I think any fine they can give is a good one! I looked at my Dad and said GOOD!
All I know is what was on the radio. Has anyone heard of something happening maybe in SHB Friday about 5-6pm?
Take it easy!
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