Part IV of a Multi-Part Series:
Part I: Are Striper Regulations Really Working?
Part II: Threats to the Striper Population
Part III: Ask an Expert: How are Stripers Managed?
Part IV: Ask an Expert: What is Gamefish Status?
When it refers to striped bass, “gamefish status” means a recreational-only fishery with no commercial sales of any kind. The central philosophy of this management tool is a determination that the economic value of striped bass as a sportfish so far outweighs its commercial value that allowing the non-fishing public access to this food source via commercial sales should be prohibited. If the total harvest quota remains the same, it has nothing to do with conservation and is purely an allocation issue – still a valid issue deserving a robust discussion. What if ending commercial sales improved recreational fishing opportunities from Maine to north Carolina, resulting in booming business for charter boats, tackle sales and tourism? Surely this would deserve at least a national debate. However, the debate over gamefish status often focuses on conservation, and simply taking fish away from the commercial fleet and giving it to the recreational fleet will not conserve one fish.
The leading proponents of gamefish status are members of the organization stripers Forever. They suggest that we end commercial fishing and leave those fish in the water. According to AsMFC staff, it is possible for a state to choose to leave its commercial quota in the water. Gamefish status is a contentious issue but it should be included in the national debate about how we manage striped bass – and the only place i see that debate as being anything more than an academic exercise is the AsMFC.
Stripers Forever has attempted to circumvent the ASMFC with their strategy of achieving gamefish legislation state by state. In my opinion, the one place on earth I do not want management of striped bass to be debated is any single state legislature. Even if some “perfect” striped bass legislation was passed by one state, it’s just not realistic to think that a complimentary bill could be passed in every state that harvests striped bass. Stripers Forever has garnered support and thus they represent real anglers, and I am glad they are out on the edge, pushing decision makers into a responsible debate. I think they should be leading anglers in another direction; however, to deny they deserve to be part of a coastwide debate about conserving striped bass is just as wrong as thinking the Massachusetts state legislature is the place to manage striped bass.
Patrick Paquette is a three term past president and for ten years has served as the government affairs officer of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association. Patrick is a recreational fishing community advocate and works on issues from Maine to North Carolina.
[…] Part I: Are Striper Regulations Really Working? Part II: Threats to the Striper Population Part III: Ask an Expert: How are Stripers Managed? Part IV: Ask an Expert: What is Gamefish Status? […]
Great piece on the stripers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.. I think there should be a 1 fish limit between 25” to 30” from Maine to N. Carolina.
You need to address the commercial fishery first as they do the most damage to the environment.
Wow, On the Water edits our posts. I didn’t know they are so political.
I just finished reading the Guest Opinion by Mike Spinney in the November/December 2013 issue of OTW. To use his words, I am a “participant” in the commercial fishery. I will use this as a forum for my very own Guest Opinion. A fact that is never mentioned (and I can’t for the life of me figure out why), is that all of the statistics, numbers, etc pertaining to recreational catches are imaginary. Commercial landings are accurate almost “to the fish”. Meaning every fish that comes out of the water as part of the commercial harvest is accounted for. I also participate in the recreational fishery, and have never reported a recreational landing except on the rare occasion that I have caught and released a tagged fish, I wouldn’t even know how to go about doing so. My point is that you cannot point the finger at commercial fishing as being the main detriment to the species until someone can come up with accurate data to represent the recreational harvest. Only then can any intelligent decisions be made. In Mr. Spinney’s article, he is mainly concerned with striped bass fishing from an economic standpoint. His chief argument is that striped bass are worth more economically as a recreational resource. Let me ask you this then Mr. Spinney, if the shoe was on the other foot would you reverse your argument to end commercial fishing? He has a lot of fancy numbers and statistics that I am sure were compiled by spending many more hours behind a computer than “On The Water”. I don’t have any concrete numbers or statistics, that is why I am omitting them from this response. What I do have is experience on both sides of the fence, I am part of a fishing community (or what is left of one) and simple observation does a lot more to tell the story than made up numbers. If they do succeed in shutting down the commercial striped bass fishery, I will be glad to sell my knowledge about striped bass fishing to the highest bidder before I leave the dock to 6 people at a time. Then I will personally be responsible for the “harvest” of 12 fish a day, 90 or so days a year, to be conservative, instead of 30 fish a day 12 days a year to be liberal. Maybe then I’ll understand where Mike Spinney is coming from. I might have to kill a few more fish and get paid every time I go out but at least I’ll be doing my part to ensure that we have “Stripers Forever”.
That is why any and all $$$$ collected for a dead striped bass should be included as COMMERCIAL. That is ALL party boats and charter boats who KILL 4 $$$$$$$.
[…] Part II: Threats to the Striper Population Part III: Ask an Expert: How are Stripers Managed? Part IV: Ask an Expert: What is Gamefish Status? Part V: Guest Opinion: Make Striped Bass a […]