At the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)  meeting yesterday in Baltimore, the  Council voted to approve Special Management Zone (SMZ) status for our artificial reefs.

This is a crucial step in the process to have all fishing pots removed from the 13 New Jersey  reefs located in federal waters.

Numerous JCAA and New Jersey Outdoor Alliance (NJOA) representatives, as well as representatives from their affiliated clubs, were in attendance.

Special thanks goes to  NJOA Chair Pete Grimbilis who spearheaded the Reef Rescue movement and MAFMC members Adam Nowalski and John McMurray for their outspoken support.

Thanks also goes to all the recreational anglers and captains who submitted 642 written comments and  4400 signatories on a petition presented to the MAFMC.

The next step is that the MAFMC will make a formal recommendation to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for final approval. If all goes well, pots might be prohibited from the reefs by some time in 2018.

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