Anonymous, #15
Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries
The "Cumulative Effects and New Jersey Fisheries" Project was funded by the New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Dr. Bonnie McCay and Dr. Kevin St. Martin of Rutgers University were the principal investigators of this project and interviews were conducted primarily by Dr. Grant Murray (now at Vancouver Island University) and Mike Danko (New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium). These interviews had 2 principal goals: 1) to document the cumulative effects of regulatory change on the people, businesses and communities most directly dependent on New Jersey's fisheries; and 2) to create a history of New Jersey's commercial and recreational fisheries through the oral histories of people involved in them. Identifying information has been stripped from these interviews in order to preserve anonymity. Thanks to the 44 fish harvesters that participated in oral history interviews.
The interviewee is a 46-year-old male fishing out of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. He started off with his father started as a charter captain, then moved into the tilefish fishery, then on into pelagic longlining (swordfish and tuna). More recently he moved into the scallop fishery
Scope and Content Note
The narrator discusses the economic significance of fishing in their community, alongside construction, and how it has been a mainstay for the town's income. Fishing continues to attract tourists, and the interviewee believes that Barnegat Light is still a fishing community. The number of full-time pelagic long-liners has decreased over time, and currently, there are about 4 to 5 part-time pelagic long-liners in Barnegat Light who also engage in other fisheries. The interviewee describes the fishing seasons he experienced and the changes in fishing gear. He mentions that fishing trips were influenced by weather conditions and varied in duration. The interviewee expresses satisfaction with scalloping, which is currently profitable. He discusses the profitability of the fishing industry over time and expresses dissatisfaction with the allocation of quotas for tile fishing. The interviewee mentions the impact of regulations, such as closed areas and size limits, on their fishing activities. The narrators believe that there are more bluefin tuna in the ocean than officially acknowledged and express skepticism about proposed regulations to close the mid-Atlantic bite. The interviewee joined fishing organizations and committees due to pressure from environmentalists and recreational fishermen. The narrator highlights the need for better-informed decision-making in fishery management and acknowledges the positive effects of regulations on the health of swordfish and tilefish populations.
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