Recreational Fishing Alliance Press Release
After discussion with anglers, business owners, fisheries managers and biologists, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) fully supports a reduction in striped bass harvest along the Atlantic Coast, with equal reductions to both the commercial and recreational sectors.
Based on both staff and member observations, along with extensive review of the scientific data, RFA believes it’s important to reduce fishing mortality to a level that is at or below the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) target reference point as of 2015, and not by delaying action over several years.
With just one ASFMC public hearing left (September 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the Dare County Government Complex in Manteo, NC) RFA executive director Jim Donofrio said he’s confident with the position that he is set to deliver to ASMFC before the September 30 deadline. “Last week, RFA active members along the Atlantic Coast began receiving our official position along with a comment card that anglers themselves can respond directly to ASMFC with their own personal position,” Donofrio said.
“According to the science, there’s a better than 85% chance that striped bass will be considered an overfished species within the next three years, and that’s not an option for RFA or our members,” Donofrio said. “We’ve talked to a lot of individuals and business owners up and down the coast, and it would seem one option in particular, one fish at 28 inches, is perhaps the fairest, most efficient, and most productive option of all in terms of sustaining this fishery through to the next stock assessment.”
As per the ASMFC options presented to the public, RFA staff, chapter leaders, board members and volunteers have given consideration of the organization’s stated mission (“to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries”), and believe that one option in particular presents the most efficient way of meeting the needs of the fish, the fishermen and the recreational fishing industry.
Very surprising, but refreshing, that the RFA finally made a good decision.
About time! I used to work for the USFWS, trying to restore the Atlantic Salmon to the New England Watershed and we had to give this program up, due to the inability of these 4 years old salmon to get around the dams during their spring migration up their natal rivers. I was glad to learn of the single Salmon that finally came up through a recently removed dam on the Penobscot River in Maine. Now there’s hope for the Stripers if we allow these majestic fish a chance at survival as long as we don’t overkill them.
BTW, I do not kill any of the stripers while fishing for them around the Cape Cod.
What about the commercial guys do they get a pass .They do the damage.
For any one to say commerical guys are doing all the damage is a completely ridiculous statement. In New York a commerical fisher, if he is lucky to have tags, he couldn’t even live off his limit for two months! I’m a sporty and commerical fisherman, I agree that something must be done. New limit great but punishing the commerical fisherman is a crime, most of the bay men I know are 5-10 generation fisheman and there’s no furture for them. Education and limits to sportie’s, when was the last time any have you are fish out at a resturante? Hey next time eat the tilapia and not the bass if you think commerical fisherman espically baymen are the problem.
No future for the fishermen Greg?? What about the stripers, where’s the future for them if we don’t take control now, come on man, this is about saving the striped bass population, not the fishermen population. I also believe there should be a slot limit, 28-35in one fish a day, that’s a huge portion of female reproducing fish left in the water, I also think the epo need to be at more places more often, I see it all the time people taken undersized fish, taking two fish to the cooler and going back for more, wtf there’s a limit for a reason and I just don’t see the epo doing enough, we call them all the time and we constantly get told there understaffed, yet I drive the down the road and the 3 epos that live in my town there vehicles are sitting in there driveways?? Idk there’s a lot that needs changing/fixing/improving, hopefully someone can figure it out.
I sympathize with the commercial guys, I also earn a living fishing, but I also get pissed when I have to throw back fish that are “undersized” and “out of season” only to see these same fish on ice at the supermarket. The average angler has a hard time feeling anything but contempt for the regulations when they seem unfairly slanted towards the commercial sector ie.14 inch fluke when we need 18″ or better. In the case of striped bass in NJ, there is no commercial fishery nor legal sale in the state. Bass is not on the menu (legally) anywhere. So we get a reduction too? Seems unfair. 2 at 28″, no more bonus tag. Let the states with a commercial fishery absorb the reduction and let states like NJ, who have already considered the economic value of a healthy recreational bass fishery, continue to keep 2.
The Commercial fisherman while hardworking are the ones raping the oceans of all marine life.
That statement is completely false. The commercial striped bass fisherman can only fish two days a week in compared to the recreational fishermen able to fish every day and take their limit. Also think small amount of commercial permits allowed in a year and the amount of people that have a recreational permit. I am not blaming the recreational fishermen but we all have to take a reduction in the amount of fish we are able to take for the well being of this fishery.
Uh, not in New Jersey.
I believe that a slot size and deduction would be the good solution. Perhaps the only stripers that should be allowed to keep must be 28″ to 35″ and keep only one. This would give the small ones time to grow and let the giants go.
1. No chunking. Artificials only.
2. Stop the draggers ( New Bedford Scallopers as example) from bringing in Bass after the inspectors leave the dock at 11PM from unloading Bass into the blue tots, which go on trailer trucks to Canada and come back in with Canadian caught paperwork. No Bass in Canada.
3. Limit head boats which don’t even call them Stripe Bass but “Slobs” to only one trip per day
for 1 Bass per client 28″ to 38″. All other trips that day no Bass may be kept. Add it up…1 head boat, 3 trips per day, 2 Bass per client, 7 days a week.
Obviously you want to end the head boat business. Why not just say it? Artificials only? See how your local tackle shop feels about that.
I bet you’re that guy with a fly fod who looks down his nose across the stream at the kid with a can of worms.
The ASMFC has plainly stated that overfishing is NOT occuring but they THINK MAYBE the spawning biomass is in decline. The proposed changes are going to definately hurt the fishery and those who earn a living from it. That’s tough to swallow for a big MAYBE.
I read and listen to all this BS and the need to protect fishermen. What a joke. Protect the status of the most prolific hunter species in all of natural history. ? ?
All fishermen, recreational and commercial are hunters.
Commercial fishermen are litteraly the last of the large scale legal hunter groups in the wild environment. They do nothing, absolutely nothing, to replenish the environment inwhich they take so much. Just imagine if this wild environm::ent could be fully seen with the naked eye – and the staggering slaugther that has been taking place in that environment could be easily seen by all. Now, Imagine that scale of slaughter taking place on an a land environment. Imagine wittnessing Massive whole scale slaughter for profit of all four legged creatures. How long do you think the greater public and/or government agencies would sit around before declaring NO MORE.
NO MORE PERIOD. You talk about the Rights of fishermen like they have the Right to slaughter every last fish – and of course – then run to the government for a bail out because they raped the environment clean of its abiltiy to reproduce.
You really want this extrodinarly Natural Environment to heal itself, then Grow a Set and do the right thing. Catch and Release Period – NO MORE unbridled Rape of the Ocean. Commerical Fishermen can just take a seat – grab a job a fish farm and learn how real environmental stewartship works.
Dude, just stop fishing already.
The argument ‘I am a *th generation fisherman’ has no merit in America. To be born into a job or position is being born a noble 400 years ago in Europe. Put simply, you are not special. -Get over it!
The next flawed assumption which is often implied in these arguments is Americans owe you a job. Nonsense! The guiding philosophy of the American job market is based on the idea of the ‘invisible hand’. This means each person is free to choose an occupation in order to reap the benefits of one’s own best judgment.
What this means for commercial fisherman is if you are not satisfied with your present income then you are free to choose a more profitable occupation. No one is forcing you to be a commercial fisherman, and in America one is born into freedom, and with no special fishing privileges.
I caught 2 strippers all year shorts and threw them back . I am the problem wake up .if I catch a 30 lb pounder I should throw it back ? god put them fish in the water for me too feed my family. fuk you you don’t own the oceans that’s why I play by the book the experts make the regulations and ill play by them
I’ve been chunk fishing from shore in RI for stripers my whole life. I’ll say this much, anything but a circle hook should be illegal (at least for the months the stripers have a decent presence). Most of us are guilty of being stubborn/afraid with the circle hook transition, myself included, but they work! Way less gut hooked fish!!! I love keeping my two stripers per night, but how about raising the legal size from 28″ to 30″ or 32″. I know alot of guys dont want to hear that but it would give those “barely legal” fish a chance to spawn. same thing for the commercial guys. I know it puts a strain on their catch, but with declining numbers theyre gonna feel that strain anyway. That being said,We shouldn’t be too quick to cut throats on an industry that helps feed our local economy and local bellies. We all need to give a little. Its easy to suggest the other guy give but it needs to start at home.