If you care about the future of striped bass, make your voice heard by attending a public hearing on proposed striped bass management measures. (Link to Hearing Schedule)
The purpose of the hearings is to allow the public to enter their comments on fisheries management issues into the record. In most cases these comments are recorded and then transcribed with a summary of all comments forwarded to members of the Striped Bass Management Board.
At most public comment hearings you will be given the option to fill out a card indicating your desire to speak during the hearing. Names are called in the order that they are received. Also, portions of the Draft Addendum may be read and a roll call of the audience may occur seeking the audience’s approval or disapproval of the options.
Consider the following to be “Best Practices” that will support you in making the greatest possible impact:
Keep your Emotions in Check
These meetings have the potential to become heated and emotional. Representatives from all sectors will have an opportunity to express their preferences and in some cases these opinions may be in direct opposition to your position or to the facts and evidence as you know them. It is very important to keep your emotions in check and remain focused on the comments you wish to make. Passion is good…unharnessed passion is counter-productive.
Knowledge is Power
Comments that are supported by accepted science and data will hold the most weight with the ASMFC Board Members. Prior to attending the meeting, read through the Draft Addendum and make notes that support your position. Any other supportive information should also be used. This can include comments or findings made by the Technical Committee, the Law Enforcement Committee, or scientific journals.
Write Down your Comments
In order to ensure that your comments are correctly tabulated, it is highly recommended to have your comments contained in a written document. When you are called on to speak you can present a copy of your written statement to an ASMFC member and then you can read your document for the record. The document and your presentation should clearly state:
1) The options that you are in favor of
2) Those that you are not in favor of
3) Any supporting evidence that you have for your position.
Be Concise
Mark the key points in bold typeface so that they stand out for the person tabulating the public comments. Also be sure to introduce yourself and any affiliations that you have within the fishing sector.
Be thorough but be concise. There will be time limitations on the public comments and your message can be lost if it loses its focus and runs on too long.
Be Civil
The Striped Bass Management Board members are volunteers and while you may question their commitment at times, they are investing their own time and effort in a generally thankless job. Regardless of where you stand regarding the harvest reduction options currently on the table, you should be acknowledged for taking the time out of your busy schedule to have your voice heard. Attendance at these meetings is very important but it is not a substitute for writing personalized letters to your ASMFC representatives and your state’s Governor. If you follow the pointers above your letter can be easily written from the write-up that you will be using for your public comment.
NH was a unanimous group suppurating the 25 percent reduction with in 1 year and seeing a 1 fish @ 32″ bag limit. I hope others support similar option so this fishery can be around for future generations.
One can hope, but here in Massachusetts it seems like all the money does the talking. Meaning, commercial guys that see every pound of bass in the ocean as lost income.
Yes, money talks, but we work hard to make sure that the folks at the Massachusetts DMF are aware of the economic power of the recreational fishery (see: StriperFest) and the associated tourism. Massachusetts representatives on the ASMFC have been leading the push for more conservative striper regulations.
The reduction SHOULD be applied as per the ASMFA rules agreed upon by ALL the States and now being …circumvented by Maryland. Personally I would like to see slot limit on Stripers as I feel the larger fish don’t taste as good while carrying MORE PCB’s and Mercury. MOST IMPORTANTLY though is a moritorium on killing Females in Spring! Will we NEVER learn? We kill all the egg laden females that we can and then complain about the recruitment being poor. DUH! I, personally, would like to see a “Trophy Stamp” for ONE striper per angler per year, over 45(?) inches. It seems that such a trophy tag could be worth 10-20 dollars and help save the ‘cows’ . The Cod was nearly wiped out before the spawning season got some partial protection. We’re also wiping out our Herring and Menhaden population by indiscriminate harvest and overfishing; to feed cattle and cats? C’mon fisherman let our voices be heard. We can’t outspend ’em but we can be LOUDER> Remember the SQUEKY WHEEL!
Save before it’s too late. I don’t even think 1 @ 32″ is enough for a conservation effort. Seems like to many cheerleaders out there make yourself heard.
Yes, I attended the meeting in Atlantic County New Jersey. Herein lys the problem: the ASMFC’s striper surveys show the striped bass stock is in good shape. However, the comments from sport fishermen told a different story. A story of a fishery on the edge of collapse. I expect the ASMFC to destroy the striped bass fishing, by allowing a status quo harvest.