Public Comment Due by 11:59pm on Friday, October 3, 2025
Do you think striped bass fishing mortality should be reduced by 12%, or should it remain as is (status quo)?
Do you prefer no-harvesting closures (can’t keep striped bass) or no-targeting closures (can’t fish for striped bass)?
Let managers hear what you think!
Public comment form: Submit here
Background
Atlantic striped bass were declared overfished in 2019, and managers are required to rebuild the stock by 2029. A 2024 stock assessment showed some progress—overfishing has stopped—but the stock is still overfished, and projections put the chance of recovery by 2029 at less than 50%. The primary concern is that the large 2018 year-class is now being heavily targeted under the slot limit, and there aren’t strong year-classes behind it.
To improve the odds of rebuilding, the Atlantic Striped Bass Board has released Draft Addendum III, which proposes new measures for 2026 aimed at reducing striped bass harvest by about 12%. Options include a commercial quota cut, recreational season closures, and changes to size limits.
The draft also considers requiring commercial fish to be tagged at harvest or first landing (to reduce illegal harvest); creating a single coastwide definition of “total length” for size-limit enforcement; and adjusting Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay recreational season to improve compliance and reflect angler input.
The Board plans to take final action by October 2025, with most measures in place for the 2026 season.
Public Hearing Presentation and Recording
Submitting Comments
The public is encouraged to submit comments no later than October 3, 2025, at 11:59 PM (EST).
- Email: comments@asmfc.org
- Public comment form: Submit here
More information: ASMFC Action Tracker