I think the number of schoolies is more or less the same as the last two or three years- lots more than the five or more years before that.
In my opinion, large 36 inch or better fish are getting mighty scarce. I have two very secret spots, one involves herring in June and the other is a rocky reef facing south and loaded with baby pollack. Both spots have consistently yielded several "keepers" [over 36"] each season.
This year, not only were there fewer big fish, but more mediums and smalls than ever before. These are small confined areas in which large fish do not tolerate competion from juniors. In fact, some of the schoolies I caught this year were bait sized to the fish normally found there.
I have no doubt the reduced length limit is responsible. When the fishing was best, and the limit was 36 inches, 34 and 35 inch fish were very abundant. Now 24-26 inches is the common size. I for one, would vote for 36 inch limit permanently.