Oh Man! NJ just placed a statewide ban on the collection of small sunfish species!

[mudkeeper]

Now black banded, banded, blue spotted, and mud sunfish are protected in NJ waters. I guess it is for the best, i have seen some illegal collecting and selling of black-banded sunfish in the lake i go collecting at . They were neat, perfect little tank species.

 

[xspainx69]

Now black banded, banded, blue spotted, and mud sunfish are protected in NJ waters. I guess it is for the best, i have seen some illegal collecting and selling of black-banded sunfish in the lake i go collecting at . They were neat, perfect little tank species.

In my opinion, I think thats stupid. Unless there is a stock shortage or some sort of environment consequences occuring due to collection, I really dont see the point of banning the collection of small sunfish species. But whatever...

 

[rjmtx]

Were they being collected to supply foreign markets?

 

[mudkeeper]

I think it is because there was never a limit on it, and the state doesn't know if people have been using them for baitfish or harvesting for pet use or illegal selling. Also, they are one of the few native fish species in NJ.

 

[rjmtx]

My guess is that recent collections have shown a decline in abundance. If so, somebody's trying to pinpoint the reason. Generally these type of regulations don't just pop up for no reason. If they are declining, more power to them for trying to save them, but I doubt the reason for the decline is collection. It is New Jersey, after all.

 

[seamus]

There might be a decline but you wouldn't know from fishing... You catch one as soon as your bait hits the water. It's annoying actually when you're trying to catch trout or perch.

 

[ShadowBass]

There might be a decline but you wouldn't know from fishing... You catch one as soon as your bait hits the water. It's annoying actually when you're trying to catch trout or perch.

The ones mudkeeper are talking about likely are not the ones you're catching.

If you're catching a ton of black banded or banded sunfish I'm sure a lot of hobbyists would like to know where and how tiny your hooks are.

You're likely catching species like green sunfish, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Maybe a few longer or redbreast (I think you have those species up there).

 

[teleost]

This topic was brought up on another forum in December. There, one of the forum members contacted the fellow responsible for such collection data in NJ and could offer no data to support declining populations. I'm not sure why these laws were put in place but they're here to stay.

 

[mudkeeper]

The pond i catch them at, the black bandeds and bandeds are the most common fish species. The mud sunfish are rare, and so are some pirate perch. This pond also has white horse chubs and pumpkin seeds, yellow bullheads, tadpole madtoms, and brown bullheads. We also have largemouth bass and bluegills which are not as common in this pond. It is almost a pure pine barrens pond (a huge flooded out creek). When I return back from my university, I will post a bunch of pictures. It is really neat the stuff i pull out. I think NJ is trying to do its best protecting what little native wildlife we have left. I love my little mud sunfish though, they have all the personality of a bass, in this little carnivourous, pelicular looking fish.

 

[gar man]

that sucks bro