Monmouth Lawmaker Urging Passage of Bill to “Take Back” Reefs for Recreational Anglers
Senator Sean Kean will hold a rally to urge the passage of legislation he sponsored that would ban commercial fishing on New Jersey’s artificial reefs.
The measure, S-336, was approved by the Senate Environment Committee on February 21 and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. Kean said he hoped the rally would spur the Senate to take up the measure before they recess for the summer.
“For too long commercial fisherman have made it nearly impossible for recreational anglers to fish artificial reefs,” he said. “If the Legislature does not act quickly, recreational fisherman will face another summer of having little or no access to New Jersey’s artificial reefs.”
Kean has sent a letter to Senate President Richard Codey urging him to post this measure for a vote in the Senate as soon as possible.
Kean’s legislation would prohibit any fishing gear other than rod-and-reel, hand line, spear, or recreational gig from being used within 100 feet of an artificial reef. New Jersey has a network of 15 artificial reefs created along the state’s coastline to attract fish and other marine life to that area.
Currently, commercial fishermen can also set up their fishing gear which includes pot strings and other equipment that can catch large volumes of fish on these artificial reefs and ensnares recreational angler’s lines and propellers.
In the letter Kean urged Codey to post the legislation so that recreational fisherman would be able to fish the reefs.
“As you may be aware the significant amount of commercial fishing gear placed on artificial reefs has created a situation in which recreational fishermen have limited access to the reefs that they helped fund,” he wrote. “This situation could be easily remedied through the enactment of S-336 which would prohibit the use of commercial fishing equipment on artificial reefs.”
Kean had previously sponsored the bill in the Assembly where it died on the last day of the 2006-2007 session despite efforts by Senator Kean to make an emergency motion to hear the bill.
The “Take Back Our Reefs” rally, which will take place from 7:00pm to 9:00pm on Tuesday, June 24 at the Taylor Pavilion in Belmar, will also feature an update on efforts to save the summer flounder fishery.
Kean is urging fishermen and concerned members of the public to attend the rally to demonstrate their support for recreational fishing in New Jersey.
“This rally will help demonstrate that recreational fishermen are not going stand idly by while their right to fish comes under attack,” he said.
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