New Jersey Recreational Fisherman Requests Extension of Fishing Season

Chatham Borough, NJ, May 11, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Today PlugBait Inc., a Chatham New Jersey company that provides bait and tackle for commercial and recreational fisherman in NJ and beyond launched a Change.org petition directed to the Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey to help convince the NJ Department of Game and Fishing to extend the Fishing Season in New Jersey.

Here is the Change.org petition: "Save New Jersey 1.4 Billion in Revenue!

Extend Fluke Fishing in New Jersey Deadline to December 30, 2020

Dear Governor Murphy,

With the COVID-19 crisis now officially decimating the recreational fishing industry in NJ change must occur to help resuscitate recreational fishing. This can be done easily by extending the deadline for example on the Fluke Fishing industry which generates over 1 Billion dollars annually in the state of New Jersey alone. And it is no secret that this can be done as it has occurred in the past.

Example:

https://patch.com/new-jersey/pointpleasant/fluke-season-extended-for-new-jersey-anglers_336d2104

This petition seeks a historical No-Close of recreational Fluke Fishing in 2020 in New Jersey. This will not only help ‘Charlie the Angler’ but all of New Jersey tackle stores and coveted charter boats who are now all teeter tottering on the edge of insolvency. Governor Murphy, you can potentially help override any protestations by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDEP) and you can rest assure that NJDEP will not be signing this petition.

It is assumed that once a ban on charter boat fishing is lifted, the boats will only be permitted to carry half (if that) the number of anglers and these boats will be burdened by the onerous costs associated with providing a COVID-safe boating environment/experience.

The same will apply for tackle stores who will also likely be limited with the number of customers allowed to shop in-store. Brutal trickle-down economics.

Therefore, the only rationale and feasible way to help offset the continued financial harm to the entire NJ recreational fishing industry is to lift season ending dates for Fluke fishing in New Jersey. The same should apply to sea bass, stripe bass, black fishing and the like but this petition is specific to Fluke Fishing in New Jersey.

Our goal is to serve you the Governor with 100,000 signed petitions. And we will make this happen fast to garner the attention of news media outlets for additional leverage.

This is why only you Governor Murphy can help in legislation for a season extension as the NJDEP has onerous bureaucratic processes in place that make such a concept logistically impossible!

https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/codechange.htm

Facts: $1.4 billion (source: https://www.thecentersquare.com/new_jersey/new-jersey-recreational-fishing-industry-looks-forward-to-eased-restrictions-welcoming-back-visitors/article_b146501e-8e10-11ea-9571-6b8b2cd480a7.html)

"NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency charged with managing our federal species, which include bluefish, summer flounder, Black Sea bass, scup and offshore species such as tuna, marlin and swordfish, estimate that recreational fishing in New Jersey supports 8,500 full-time jobs and produces $1.4 billion in annual sales."

For more information visit www.extendtheseason.com"