Officials from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia released a letter today calling on the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission to take swift action this year to slow the decline of striped bass and return the population to sustainable levels. The letter is in response to a recent stock assessment that indicates striped bass are overfished and overfishing is occurring. Virginia is currently considering cancellation of their spring trophy-sized striper season.
You can view the letter here (pdf) or read the full text of the letter below:
April 17, 2019
Chairman James S. Gilmore, Jr.
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A
Arlington, VA 22201
Dear Chairman Gilmore:
We are writing today to express our serious concerns regarding the current status of Atlantic striped bass, and to request that the Commission take immediate action to prevent further depletion and start rebuilding striped bass stocks. As you know, a recent benchmark stock assessment found that striped bass are overfished and that overfishing is occurring. Even more troubling, new data show that striped bass spawning stock biomass has remained below its critical lower threshold since 2013, and the fishing mortality rate has remained above its upper threshold since 2010. It is evident that status quo management will be inadequate to return the striped bass stock to target levels of biomass and fishing mortality indicative of a healthy fishery.
For those reasons, we believe that it is absolutely necessary for the Commission to adopt a new Addendum to Amendment 6 of the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) no later than its 2019 Annual Meeting in October, with the goal of significantly reducing fishing mortality. We understand that instituting a full suite of conservation and management measures will require a new Amendment to the FMP. However, it is clear that we cannot afford to continue unsustainable levels of fishing while we work though the lengthy Amendment process. Amendment development should begin concurrently with development of an emergency Addendum, and should reject half measures in favor of strong and enforceable actions that firmly place the striped bass stock on the road to recovery.
While we do not prejudge which management tools could most effectively achieve harvest reductions, we agree that all options should be on the table, including measures to shorten fishing seasons, reduce release mortality, and ensure that more of the large female fish that are critical to spawning success remain in the water. Further, we believe that individual states should consider taking immediate measures to reduce fishing mortality in upcoming fishing seasons that occur before a new Addendum is implemented. We urge the Commission to incentivize states to be proactive by signaling that any reductions achieved during that period will be credited toward states’ conservation responsibilities under a new Addendum.
Scientific evidence and what fishermen in our states are seeing on the water tell us that bold action to protect striped bass is long overdue. Rebuilding striped bass stocks and sustaining them at target levels of abundance is incredibly important to fisheries in both of our states. We urge the Commission to implement measures that will reduce striped bass harvests to sustainable levels as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Katherine Dykes
Commissioner, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
State of Connecticut
Matthew A. Beaton
Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Matthew J. Strickler
Secretary of Natural Resources
Commonwealth of Virginia
stop nets boats forming fising and give then ploes to caught fish as all of us and u will see a big different in stocks and circle hooks only to
???
Great to see. Does anyone know if Massachusetts or any of the other two states listed in this letter are going to take action this year as they seem to suggest and what those restrictions might be?
Hi Richard, Virginia is looking at taking action this year (2019) by canceling the spring “trophy” season. What the letter is saying is that managers should take action at the October 2019 meeting to enact stricter regulations for 2020.
The letter indicates that “… individual states should consider taking immediate measures to reduce fishing mortality in upcoming fishing seasons…” It’s great that Virginia is considering restricting the trophy season, if indeed, that’s what happens. Talk or rather the written word, is cheap. I really hope these states show some leadership and implement some real action. They don’t have to wait for ASMFC. Since I live in MA, I sent an email to the Commissioner, Matthew Beaton, asking what actions he is proposing for our state and the response was for me to ask MA Fish and Wildlife. Underwhelmed.
For the past 25 years I have gone to the meetings, asked for better management and sent in my public comments. I have preached 1 fish per angler, per day, from Maine to Virginia, with the exact same regs. All states need to manage the fish stocks the exact same way when the fish swim from one state to another and back again. They are all still the same fish.
Capt. Bitters, you are right on! Without support from all states tied to spawning and the migratory path, we’re just pushing on a rope.
Very true i think. Also need to protect menhaden, mackerel, herring and eels. Its not a single-species issue. I’m all for whatever keeps them fish swimming for my kids’ kids!!
Right on Cap!
I moved up to Maine 20 years ago an am originally from Jersey. I try to go back there every couple years for the spring run. While I am not familiar as to the recreational fishing pressure is up in these three states I can tell you netting is not whats hurting the fishing down that way. 20 years ago only a select bunch of fisherman targeted Striped Bass. These guys are like myself grew up as kids fishing along the coast off the beaches and jetties. A lot of the guys got older and bought boats and trolled and live lined them. We all went through the very lean years of depleted stocks of bass. In the last twenty years there was a striper explosion taking place and fishing was the best it ever had been. What took place next was all the weekend warriors and college kids on summer break with boats that their parents bought them where out on the ocean joy riding and partying and seeing schools of bait miles long loaded with bass in them and they watched us slaying big bass. So every tom, dick, and harry on their pleasure crafts started getting in on the action. I’m talking a few hundred boats as far as you could see in all directions. I made a comment to a friend the last time down that we could probably walk the half mile to the beach from boat to boat and make it to shore without getting wet. Every boat was limiting out each morning and going back out every day. This was just the ones doing it legally. There were many making multiple trips out each day. This is a big factor in fish not making it up to Maine as I hear is happening. Thats just Jersey. If this is going on the whole way from North Carolina all the way up the coast there is the problem. Not so much the netters. Don’t get me wrong I am not defending netters as I grew up watching the Russian trawlers and their spotter planes taking all of our fish but i my opinion what I stated above is the big issue now.
I finish Connecticut down to New York every week. the coastal poachers are the one of the reasons that are affecting the striped bass population. More law enforcement is required to stop these illegal aliens fishing and keeping every single fish they catch. but we know it won’t happen because it cost just too much damn money to control it. It’s easier for the Marine police to pull up to a boat rather than these poachers.
I’ll say kind of “right on” , but let’s not single out one group like illegal aliens as the problem for the striped bass problem because I agree i see it happening more and more but it’s not one specific group I see it’s all sorts of people that are doing so without much recourse
Let’s be realistic here though law enforcement may resolve a small portion of the problem the real issue still seems to end up a financial one on all sides.
On the recreational side the cost of sport fishing has gotten so high that I’d assume some , if not many people are taking over their limit simply because of the cost to go fishing today is encouraging them to take more than the limit allows to offset the cost of going fishing a few times a year .
Let’s look first at what I consider to be the commercial
-recreational side of fishing which would be the charter fishing .
I think it’s hard to convince many people to spend $200-$300 for a day of fishing with the expectation of bringing home 1 fish to be Happy anymore , so I’m sure the charter boats are feeling the crunch of less customers willing to go out all day at such a high cost for a couple of fillets to bring home .
It’s important to remember that though there are many people who go fishing simply to enjoy the sport itself and don’t care about keeping any fish and then the people who also love the sport but also love to eat the fish that they catch as well.
And then finally we have the “commercial striper fisherman” who takes an allocated number of fish during a designated season until quotas are met who are also in on the financial equation of this issue . In the commercial side theres the contravercy of do we really need to have striped bass included in a category with other commercial fish being taken that we all know have been dealing with this conundrum for years now.
So with all that being said what is the answer ? I don’t know !!! but I think if you are going to be serious about finding a solution all these categories need to be addressed both fairly and realistically.
Please remember I’m not a bioligist nor am I thinking I have the solution rather This is just my opinion on some possible ideas to help so please only take it for what it is worth;
1. RECREATIONAL (including charter boats)
A. require all fishing to be done using only circle hooks when using live bait
B. Only allow lures to be used on striped bass to either have up to 3 single hooks or just one treble hook to reduce death after release from injury
C. Increase daily limit to 2 or 3 fish to keep the interest in line with the fact people do love to eat something they caught and to balance in their mind the cost of going fishing, BUT ONLY if you implement the following rule here which would be to introduce a slot limit of 24″ – 36″* to keep a fish there by forcing the release of the larger more productive breeders to live on and reproduce.
Note: the chances of a 24″-36″ fish making surviving to be a large old breeder are far less likely than the benefits of letting that already 40 pounder go back to breed and survive for years to come
D. Allow recreational licenced charter boats to follow the same slot limits per customer as mentioned above with a possible one fish bonus per paying customer
COMMERCIAL
A. Commercial fishing should be looked at with much more scrutiny.
First off have more research based on commercial limits to include both the financial viability of the industry , but not to take precedence over the actual health of the species
B. For now Put a moritoriom on any NEW commercial permits for a few year to evaluate how much if any of these rules are working, but more importantly to decrease the number of recreational boats that just spend the few extra dollars for a commercial permit just to keep more fish . By not issuing any NEW permits it may discourage this obvious government oversight that seems to be nothing more than another government pay to play policy.
Then if someone new wanted a commercial license they would have to get it through a lottery of permits either made available from a previous commercial fisherman giving his up or dying or from a license made available by a seized permit because it was suspended or revoked !!!
I know and I don’t pretend to have the answers to this problem , but I think I can honestly say that these ideas are as good if nit better than what is being used to date and it still takes into consideration both the financial sides of this matter but not at the cost of the fish stock itself.
Please stop looking to place blame but rather find the solution.
* Just an estimate , size to be determined by reseach
It’s changed a lot in 20yrs on the Chesapeake bay, we used to go out and it would be the same 30 boats fishing in cold and rough a lot winter conditions but now but now in MD you could put the boats in a line and walk across the bay. VA is better but still a lot more boats out than 20yrs ago especially on weekends with decent weather. Recreational fishing pressure is way up seems like everyone has a boat.
ME had a slot limit a few years back that I thought then and still do now that should be taken up by all the states which was 1 fish per day 20 -26 inches or over 40 inches. This protects the breeding stock for multiple years and still allows for trophy catches. Also need to do away with the combination recreational/commercial licenses that allow weekend warriors to sell their catch at the dock to pay for their gas.
Maine used to have a slot limit a few years back that I thought then and still believe now should be adopted by all the coastal states. It was 1 fish per day between 20 and 26 inches or over 40 inches. This would protect breeder stock for a number of years and still allow for a trophy catch. Also w the combination recreational/commercial licenses that allow the weekend warriors to sell their catch to pay for gas need to go away
All it takes is a quick peak at striper and general fishing social media threads to view the amount of abuse of people over fishing and keeping what they want. Just check out #stripedbass on instagram see exactly what people are doing.
I can only speak to MA and the Cape Cod Canal has turned into wasteland for striped bass with every weekend warrior from Boston and surrounding areas trying to get in on the “hot action” but not knowing how to revive the fish after landing them. The “Ditch” can be shoulder to shoulder busy with everyone trying to get their limit and some with greed to take more. It rings of the only adage “fish in a barrel.” This is long overdue and I hope they use all the actions possible to help the stock.
Nate is right on “fish in a barrel ” or more like slaughter house ! it’s heartbreaking to watch. This doesn’t happen everywhere because the Canal is so easy to catch them it makes it that way. You need to know how to fish to catch other places.
What about us surfcasters that fish with plugs and lures cant use circle hooks
Circle hooks are for bait fishing, to prevent the fish from swallowing the bait on a late set. But you can still help out with artificial bates by switching to single hooks or squashing the barbs on the treble hooks. A lot of spoons that used to be sold with treble hooks are now available as single hook only
I’d like to see high lining made illegal/actually enforced, sanctions on herring and pogie netters for bycatch, and a complete moratorium for the critical reproduction areas like the hudson and Chesapeake and migrant zones which make the species more vulnerable like the Cape cod canal for example. I would support an entire east coast moratorium as well only if significant scientific attention is paid to nursery habitat.
Sorry but I am not a supporter of the rush to more regulation for the average guy ( I.e. taxpayer working stiff) that fishes once a week and takes something for his table. Start with universal regulation for all states. Next the regulations have to apply to everyone and be enforced. This includes the damn foreigners that suddenly don’t speak English when you try to tell them that you can’t have more than one fish. Lastly no commercial fishing.
The tougher regulations are long overdue for Atlantic striped Bass. I am around Hudson River, NY area, I have seen people took more than allowed and treat fish badly.
There are many good fishermen and women out there. But, the unmindful ones need to be educated.
Thank you all who help.
If you think the nets have nothing to do with this ,your wrong, I have seen nets pulled in ,in ma and hundreds of stripers between the size of 20 to 24 inches long. And stating they have the right to take them because they are grandfather. Don’t you think that’s the upcoming stock ma has had a 1 fish limit for a couple of years now, recreational fishing is not the problem
What about all the seals eating the stripers maybe we should do something with that first way to many seals in our waters..
I’d like to see high lining made illegal/actually enforced, sanctions on herring and pogie netters for bycatch, and a complete moratorium for the critical reproduction areas like the hudson and Chesapeake and migrant zones which make the species more vulnerable like the Cape cod canal for example. I would support an entire east coast moratorium as well only if significant scientific attention is paid to nursery habitat.
I heard they have approved more commercial pogy fishing this year. Pogies are what the bass feed on.
John, AGREED!
Enacting a one fish slot limit of 28-35 inches from Maine to Virginia would be an ideal solution. It protects the breeding fish while still allowing anglers to take a fish for the table. We need to allow the biomass time to recover, it is clearly overfished and getting worse.
For at least a 5 years!!!
Protecting 7 years of a breeding class? That’s a small bandaid on what’s implemented already.
We need a slot limits 28 to 36. Schoolies and breeders go back, for all states across the board ONE RULE .
Also make circle hooks mandatory,if a fish is gut hooked cut it off.
NH has a no sale of stripers again across the board
I agree with any action needed to restore the stock. However I think it is long overdue for MA to take long hard look at predation by seals in MA waters. No doubt overfishing is taking place but overlooking the elephant in the room no one wants to discuss is hurting the population as well.
Any fiherman that spends time around the Cape would be hard pressed to disagree. There is a place for seals but there needs to be checks and balances. The seals are going to take a toll on tourism in the area also.
Here we go again… everyone crying over these fish as if they’re going extinct. The striped bass population is fine. All these silly hashtags “catch and release” “let em grow” …. people that don’t catch big fish always complain “all the big ones are gone” maybe you’re just not as good at fishing as you think. Welcome to the movement generation!!
How can we STOP the SEALS from eating our entire FISHERY here on Capecod ? What Amendment can we write up for that ? There are not Enough Great Whites to take out all of the Seals..
If you are going after the seals … then don’t stop there! I had several striped bass bitten in two by WHITE SHARKS when reeling them in!
You are right , the sharks are a problem too but if we could get rid of the seal problem the shark problem would take care of itself! I used to fly fish off monomoy and south beach , Chatham years ago , only to have the marauding seals follow us back and forth on the beach, and snatching our fish if we got one on the line! Seals eat 10% of their weight daily and many are over 500# and there are 10,000 seals there! They don’t only eat Stripers but their numbers alone are wrecking havoc in the whole fishery. Not to mention the pollution problem!
Recreational Fishing never was and never will be THE problem. Yes the public should be educated on Catch and Release Mortality and forced to use Barbless Hooks. The problem is Commercial Fishing. Force them to use rod & reel over nets/long lines etc. This will create new jobs throughout the East Coast. It will also contribute to the rise of the Striped Bass stock.
Why don’t you “better then every one else, “ fisherman realize if you actually cared you cause more deaths than commercial folks. Yet I egotists justify ursrlfs
It’s going to take years to rebuild the Striped Bass fishery on the east coast.
The Delaware Bay fishery died 10 years ago and the Long Island Sound fishery is following the same path. I have noticed a dramatic decline of 20+ pound fish during the spring run over the last 5 years and a total collapse of our summer fishery on the sound. All commercial fishing needs to be halted as well as winter and spring fishing on the
Hudson and all Connecticut rivers. A slot from 24-30 inches and only 1 fish per day should be retained for everyone and no trophy fish taken from Maine to North Carolina.
Now what about the Bluefish, one per day @ 18 inches. You can’t rebuild the mako fishery or the Bluefin Tuna population without Bluefish.
More new laws??????????? I have had the pleasure of talking to d.e.p. police about the amount of people Ive seen taking multiple fish at the canal and I have his phone number in my wallet. The man told me that there are only three wardens on all of cape cod. Try enforcing the laws you already have on the books before trying to devise more. Put a reward out for people who report violations and advertise the wardens phone number to call.
I live in CT and have been surfcasting for over 20 years. I buy my fishing license every year. A few locations I fish are loaded with the foreigners and urban gangs who come with coolers and buckets to load up on stripers. I’ve heard some people say they don’t give a dam, they don’t have to do it in their country, and they need to feed their family, with plenty more excuses. I’ve been reading many articles that make headlines about groups being caught with over 100 fish. Many states are low on conservation law enforcement, and city and town police can’t do anything about poachers.
Commercial fishing has also been taking a big toll. The government is the one to blame on this one due to American leaders being big on economy money in every way.
Back in the 1990s was when CT had a better law for slot size. States along the Atlantic coast should all have the same regulation. Slot size should be larger schoolies and young breeders, very much like the way some Southern states are with their redfish regulations. If states were to pass a law with that new regulation, another law that should be passed is to handle much bigger stripers with care and release them properly, like the way Florida is about large tarpon.
I have been down to the canal and watched groups of people who can’t speak English filling coolers up with fish, any size.
Then move them to the car and back down to fish.
What happened to fishing Licenses ?