12.6 Tons - Average Fish at 5 years Old 5 Lbs
 

That means the nets that have been found, including yet another today, have contained somewhere around 5000 fish...

That is just amazing...That is 5000 less fish for each and everyone of us this year and the loss of those fish will cut down on the population in future years....These 5000 could actually cost us tens of thousands of fish over the next 10 to 20 years....

I had the luck to spend a good amount of my time on the shore during my childhood, and I know the community is tight knit, close, and protective...I respect that, however, it is a crime against all of us recs, charters, and comercial fisherman that this has happened...I hope that someone finally speaks up and lets DNR or other officials know what type of effect this behavior is going to have on all of us for years to come....

Making a living is one thing, stealing from your brother is a whole different story....

I heard some of the rock found were bigger then the 36 inch max. gill netters are allowed. These were donated to a food bank.

Theory is the bigger ones are sold up in New York - where larger Rock are common at market.

Sad part - how many tons of Rockfish have been stolen that DNR does not know about ?

Thank God there's no market for gill netted Largemouth Bass...:(

I catch less than 30 Rockfish a year, including all the dinks. I hope this year recovers.....