The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) is suspending indefinitely the Bonus Striped Bass Program beginning in 2020. The striped bass bonus fishery was an opportunity to harvest smaller (22 inch to less than 28 inches) striped bass in Connecticut state waters only.
The 2018 Atlantic Striped Bass Stock Assessment concluded that the striped bass stock is overfished and experiencing overfishing. As a result, Connecticut and other coastal states will be implementing measures in 2020 to reduce striped bass harvest. In light of the overfished condition of the coastal striped bass stock and the need to reduce harvest, the Department has decided to suspend the Bonus Striped Bass Program until the stock recovers. Low rates of program participation, as evidenced by low numbers of Striped Bass Bonus Program Voucher returns in recent years, also contributed to the Department’s decision to suspend the Striped Bass Bonus Program.
thanks for ending the most idiotic program ever
CT should have never had that bonus law in the first place to begin with.
IF I CAUGHT 4 SCHOOLIES THAT WERE EACH 7 INCHES TOTALING 28 INCHES COULD I KEEP THEM ? 4 X 7 = 28 OR 2 AT 14 INCHES = 28 ? THIS WOULD BE A GOOD COURT CASE I WOULD SAY .
So thanks for your $10 marine license, but you can’t keep any fish, unless you dragnet.
That’s why License sales are off people are leaving CT.
The idea of slot limit at least 22-28 inches is thought to be the min size a striped bass spawned at least once thus added to the stock for future generations
What they need to do is go back to the mandatory 36″ across the whole Eastern Seaboard and stop trolling with neta off the east coast. Then the stocks will grow and undersized fish wouldn’t be killed as collateral damage being twisted up in the trolling nets. I know a few guys who worked commercial trollers, there were so many undersized fish they would toss/kick overboard and watch them float belly up because they were tangled in the nets for hours on the decks as the crews worked the piles. But we know this won’t happen because the commercial fishing industry has money to pay off the legislators, so it’s just going to get worse and worse.
I think the law in Ct is backward any striped bass over 22 inches should be released the chances of the younger ones making it to spawn are slim in other words eaten by other fish the older ones have beaten the odds and are more likely to spawn plus the younger ones are better to eat less pcb’s
I all but stopped fishing here in Ct pretty much went and caught some winter over bass near my house in Ct but this was the most stupid thing ever implemented!!!
Bass are way down shut down the commercial harvest of the completely!
I think the law in Ct is backward any striped bass over 22 inches should be released the chances of the younger ones making it to spawn are slim in other words eaten by other fish the older ones have beaten the odds and are more likely to spawn plus the younger ones are better to eat less pcb’s
1@35”