I was hopeful we wouldn’t arrive here, that action taken in 2015 to cut the commercial quota and reduce the coastal bag limit for striped bass from two fish to one would be enough. Unfortunately, here we are. Striped bass have been declared overfished, and now it’s time to tighten regulations and give the stock a chance to rebuild.
The good thing is that, unlike the last time around, managers representing the Atlantic coastal states are in near-unanimous agreement that they need to act, and debate over whether the science-supported reduction of 18% is necessary has been limited. Money talks, and it seems that politicians and fishery managers have been listening to those who espouse the value to local tourism and related businesses of a healthy striper fishery and abundant striped bass. In 2016, 97% of total economic contribution came from the recreational sector, and that amounted to expenditures totaling $6.3 billion dollars!
Value is more than money, though, and the other message that fishery managers have heard from countless recreational fishermen over the past decade—both in formal comments and informal exchanges—is that striped bass are a beloved sportfish without equal in the Northeast. It’s a truth that we should speak to those in power at every opportunity, that fishermen are conservationists, and that more of us are choosing to release “keeper” striped bass and supporting striper conservation. For proof, look no further than our Striper Cup tournament, in which participation has grown to its largest size since we transitioned to a “no weigh-ins” format.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has released Draft Addendum VI, a document that aims to address the overfishing status of striped bass. At this stage, the public is asked to provide input on a range of management alternatives including changes to size and bag limits (with consideration of using slot limits) and the mandatory use of circle hooks to address release mortality.
There has been strong debate over whether a 1-fish bag limit with a larger minimum size (e.g., 35”) or a slot limit (e.g., 28” to 35”) will have a more positive effect on the striper population while limiting negative effects on stakeholders. It’s not an easy decision, but the good thing is we are debating between options that are expected to achieve the necessary reduction in mortality.
Personally, I support option 2A-1, which would establish a 1-fish bag limit at a minimum size of 35 inches. I think this will be easiest for states to enforce and for the public to understand, and I think it is the most likely to achieve the desired reduction in mortality. While I like the idea of a slot limit and hope that managers revisit it in the future, there is too much uncertainty when it comes to how a narrow slot would affect the striper stock and I am concerned about starting this experiment when overfishing needs to be stopped immediately.
Whichever management option you support, I urge you to submit a comment. You can refer to this striped bass public comment guide put out by the American Sportfishing Association. Take a moment to send an email and tell the people who manage our fisheries what striped bass fishing means to you. Let them know that you support ending overfishing as a critical first step to rebuilding the striped bass population, and that conservation efforts should be shared equally between the recreational and commercial sectors because everyone that uses the resource has a shared interest in its future.
You might think that an individual email can’t make a difference, but I believe we’re seeing evidence that the cumulative effect of public feedback can lead to sea changes in the way we manage our fish stocks.
I support 1 fish at least 35 inches in length.use of circle hooks and would love to see treble hooks eliminated.I follow catch-and-release anyway and double hooks (with the barbs crushed) works fine for me,although I do lose fish from time to time!
barbs crushed and nuts removed
Please-this has become such a frustrating situation.. one fish per day 24″-35″ is the only answer. Closed commercial season, 50,000 protected seals on the Cape NEED CULLING. You would have to be brain-dead or a paid off politician to believe this has had no effect on OUR fishery. 41 years chasing stripers on the beaches. I just can’t take anymore talk, talk, talk. Also gillnetting bluefish that travel with the striped bass. I wonder how many bass die that are mixed in with the blues? Again…..tired of talk, talk, talk.
Seals aren’t the problem. Stripers got along just fine with them until WE got here. PEOPLE are the problem.
I think we should implement a slot limit system like they do with red fish down south let the big ones go breed and keep the smaller younger ones
I’ve not taken a keeper home this season, I’ve let them go. I believe the larger Stripers are female and we need them to replenish the stock. Drop the size to 26″ to let the larger Bass survive , their killing too many younger fish to find a fish to go home with.
I agree with Ted, the seals need to be majorly culled. They are just to numerous for our fishery to be able to mantain it’s proper balance
I definitely agree with a moratorium on size limit but let’s get down to the nitty-gritty where is the policing fishing for years I have never been approached by a DEC officer or official to check or have seen anyone stopped to be checked for size limits and amounts of fish taken and what about commercial fishing boats coming so close to shore Where’s the Coast Guard where’s the harbor Patrols no policing also contributes to abuse of our striper populations and also fluke and other species
I like the idea of a slot. The past few years I have had a personal limit of 28 – 35″. I just can’t get myself to take home larger breeders. Also striped bass are not distributed evenly up and down the east coast. 1 fish at 35″ would probably be close to a 95% reduction in harvest where I live. I don’t think that drastic of a cut is needed at this time. That’s my .02.
Valid point – 1@35 would make Casco Bay close to a complete catch and release fishery.
I would suggest we treat striped bass here in New England similarly to the way they treat Tarpon (and Bonefish) in Florida – catch-and-release only. Also, Tarpon over 40 inches must remain in the water – apply the same for 40 inch or longer stripers. The catch-and-release proposal is an easy choice — the economic and fishing values of New England stripers far exceed their value as food fishes.
How about striped bass tags? I keep 1 or 2 striped bass a season. Is it a case of 10% of the fishermen keeping 90% of the fish? Obviously it would be hard to enforce. Maybe 4 tags per season? Works for deer harvest… I think. Lol.
I agree on the tag concept when applied to recreational fishing. States can make money off orders, as well as retailers. 4 per month. Places such as the Canal need a tag program. Too many cows targeted and taken day after day.
Circle hooks a must, do away with treble hooks altogether. Eliminate bycatch allowances for commercial fisherman and institute a slot 28-36 to allow for catch and release for the breeders
I feel like 35 inches would be the best option. These 2015 2016 class fish are our last hope and I feel like if we did a slot like 28-35 inches all of those 2015 class fish would just all be kept. If we can get these fish to spawn for a couple years before being in the kill size then i think the fishery should drastically improve. But something must be done. Circle hooks and no trebles would also help the release fish mortality rate.
I agree with the strictly catch and release only as well as the 36-40 inch plus fish remain in the water; all would allow the chance of survival to increase. Whatever we can do to keep the number of breeders up while still allowing a fishery.
Stricter size policies and rules need to be enforced I watched big families of foreigners and Americans alike come down and keep a fish per person and it was just sickening watching at times one family take 10 fish. a size bracket would be nice as well so no one can keep the breeders and make it one fish per week or every other day because I’ve watched people down down every day take a fish and leave. Most people don’t do it for the sport anymore it needs to change
The recreational and commercial anglers should require circle hooks when fishing with bait.The undersize fish will still swallow the hook. Why should it be different for the commercial Guys.
I agree with the tag idea. I would love to see a daily slot of 30 to 36 inches and one tag given out for fish over the 36 inch mark
Make sure you make eels exempt from circle hooks. You slowly retrieve them and wack em as soon as they hit.
The pre spawn fish that stack up in the Raritan Bay are getting slaughtered year after year. They stage up in the bay feeding before heading up the Hudson to spawn. It is literally shooting fish in a barrel. The pre spawn fish need to be protected, limit the size to 24 – 30 and no “trophy fish”. Let them spawn!
I go into fish stores. And see undersize fluke striped bass. Meanwhile I release fluke just under 18 inches. And stripers under 28 inch’s Must deal with the commercial fishing.
Leave them all alone (catch & release only) until they come back (like they did in the 80s/90s). Taking the 35″+ are just taking the best of the breeders. If you really need a “trophy”, then make it 50″+. None of the proposals (even with circle hooks and no gaffs, etc) will give them a chance. We need to have 5 year classes in a row. Taking anything over 28″ will make that almost impossible.
I prefer the slot. As a wade fisherman, my chances of getting a striper of 35″ or more are remote at best. I always fish barbless which is my personal conservation practice. I’d rather lose a good fish than bleed a good fish by mistake. >))))))))”>
I’m for the slot limit. 28″-35″.
This will probably never happen but I think the Cape Cod Canal should be catch and release only. Mabe that will discourage the bad behavior that’s been going on at the ditch the past few years. Just saying.
I’ve only used in line circle hooks when fishing any bait, except live bunker using the “snag and drop” method. I have never gut hooked a striped bass that didn’t kick off like a rocket for doing so. All rules should be the same for commercial and recreational fishermen, as not every commercial fisherman will be only catching 34” fish and up. The regulations should also change from 28” and up to a 25”-45” slot as there is a need to save the larger females that are able to carry more eggs. As a commercial fisherman myself i know many people who would love to boat 15 50” fish, but as for me I don’t take anything in over 45” just to do my part. At the same time I use more lures than bait and have had 0 fish that didn’t swim off. However I do see many anglers using light tackle and not being able to revive fish due to the fact they end up just dragging them in dead, as using heavier tackle I’ve never had a fish that hasn’t swam off. Never had a fish gut hooked on a lure and have flattened the barn on every other hook just to safe the fishes mouth that much more. There also a need for more reinforcement on illegal catching as I see many people keeping multiple short fish in my area. I also don’t lose many fish from pulled hooks I’m able to land 98% of my fish with the exception of a fish that breaks me off.
Circle hooks are ridiculous and honestly not fun to fish with. I’ve seen 2-3 bass gut hooked in my life and we kept those anyway to fill our limit. Circle hooks are not a solution. Just give everyone the 28-35” slot and let the big fish reproduce and be done with it. Most guys fish with spoons and mojos anyway!!!!!!!
I second a catch and release only action. I get that it will be the most un popular but neither a slot nor a 35″ and up limit will really slow people down, let alone be hard to enforce. The ocean going boats can target those big fish schools and hammer away so a slot would help with that but not really limit the inshore harvest as much so it’s all a trade off. Better to rip the bandaid off, make everybody mad and shut down all sport harvest now until things look better out there and then re-evaluate a more common sense bag limit.
I favor the catch and release only, we have waited too long to act and the stock is collapsing as we continue to delay action. I have fished stripers for over 20 years, owned boats and all the fishing gear. I sold the boat 5 years ago after watching the decline in stock. How many other fisherman have stopped spending money in the fishing and associated industry. This is an economic issue as well as a fish issue.
I agree with SteveCC and Tyler!!! No size limit or slot limit. Leave them alone. Make them a sport fish. Ok for a 50+ inch bass to keep.
How about we take a looks at the historic commercial harvest
On the Massachusetts website and take into count how many times the harvest quota went over and the amount. That’s where part of the problem is not just the recreational.
1 fish per day 35” to 40”
1 fish per day 35” to 40”.
The majority of us are on the same page. One big problem is enforcing the rules. Like gun laws, criminals do not abide by the rules. Not enough enforcement.
Get rid of commercial sale of stripers.
No more gill nets
Use circle hooks.
A viable slot.
Reduced season.
Closure of staging areas during migration.
I do like the tag idea though.
1 fish per day. Ban treble hooks
I would prefer catch and release only for this species of fish, but one could say that you wouldn’t even need a slot or bag limit if everywhere or some selected pieces of water were fly fishing only. There are many places in the world where there is fly fishing only and also no-kill for certain species and I’m not sure why one is more protected than the other. Striped bass are just as special as tarpon. With stricter regulations comes stricter policing, which I imagine, raises costs. In fact, by the time everyone learns how to fly cast and catch a striped bass the fish would be back in full-swing. Given it’s unlikely we would be smart enough to make striped bass a protected species and do anything like others in the world do when it comes to fish like permit, tarpon, and bonefish, regulations must become more stringent, obviously.
1 fish , 24-30” , nobody needs 2 fish per day no matter what size
Please go to catch and release. We are at a critical juncture. Commercial fishing must be stopped. That is what the science says and that is what the economics say. The value of these fish in terms of tourist dollars far exceeds their value as a depleted commercial fishery. Listen to the scientists who are tracking this species. We are on the verge of a long term collapse if we don’t react responsibly.
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