Recreational Bass landings down 70% from 2006

[finchaser]

This equates to almost 20,000,000 pounds



Stripers Forever members -NOAA Fisheries has posted the updated official estimates of the recreational catch of striped bass to their website. Using this data, we've created a graph that displays the recreational catch, both for the entire Atlantic Coast and for Massachusetts only. We've singled out Massachusetts because we have filed three bills in this session of the legislature, one of which is a striped bass game fish bill. The recreational catch has fallen by more than 70% since the peak in 2006, and with very few small fish coming into the fishery these numbers will continue to decline. The population of large older fish that make up the bulk of the current striped bass biomass will continue to provide some fishing opportunities for a few years, but unless regulations change to catch and release only, the already reduced spawning potential will be further eroded.





The publicity surrounding the wasteful trawler fishery off the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the criminal gill net fishery in Maryland has caught everyone's attention these days, and certainly, these are shocking events -although it's no great secret that activities like this have gone on for many years. Changing those commercial net fisheries to rod and reel harvest only wouldn't necessarily make the problem go away. For example, in Massachusetts there are nearly 4,000 commercial permit holders to keep an eye on, and nowhere near the enforcement capability available to do it. Less than a third of all commercial permit holders reported catching or selling any fish at all. The desire to not reach the state's quota too quickly, and to avoid income taxes by selling for cash, are both considerable incentives to hide your actual catch. Just as everyone close to the scene knows that the problems in NC and MD have been going on for years, so too do people in Massachusetts know that the commercial quota there is vastly overachieved. One Massachusetts man was caught last summer fishing in Rhode Island with a false deck in his boat that when opened via a hidden switch, revealed a fish box full of illegally harvested striped bass. Is it likely that this was this man's first time out, or that he planned to report these fish? We all know the answer to that. We constantly receive e-mails that tell us of the under the table peddling of striped bass to restaurants and fish markets all over Cape Cod.








No amount of rules or enforcement effort is going to stop this once great fishery from being degraded by commercial fishing both legal and illegal. Nothing will do the job except for the outright prohibition of the sale of wild striped bass. We need to cut back the recreational catch too, perhaps drastically at this point. Once striped bass have been made a game fish we can charge the ASMFC with setting targets that will put striped bass back on the track they were following in the late 1990s. Nothing less than this is going to work, and the longer we wait the deeper the hole is going to get.





Brad Burns President of Stripers Forever





To see the latest recreational catch statistics and graph follow this link (http://www.stripersforever.org/Info/Stripers_BBoard/I016614E0) to the SF website.

[jonthepain]

wow.

what kills me is that we've been through this before

[surfstix1963]

Yes we have and we will again if this commercial fishing is not stopped which it won't because somebody is getting paid off to let it continue because anyone in their right mind invovled in fisheries conservation would not have it the worst part is when the bass are gone they will keep paying off and move onto the next valuable fish for the plate and so on and so forth when the bass are depleted to a stock that is no longer viable money wise they will shut it down to the rec's.

[storminsteve]

wow.

what kills me is that we've been through this before

So is it really necessary to go through it again for people to see the possibilities before it is shut down?

[surfstix1963]

I don't think we have a choice in the matter they just do what they want and thats that.We have no control as recs we don't have the $$$$$$.

[DarkSkies]

You guys all make valid points. One of the biggest problems is apathy of the majority of fishermen.

Some issues swirling together for a perfect storm...

1. Increased visibility of commercial landings and dead discards.

2. More awareness of YOY declines, and Yearly catch stats of recs and comms. Even with this, if you look closely at the actual stats out there, and really examine them, it starts to look like something is wrong with the #s. Finchaser has been sending me some real damning data lately, Sorry but this is the first chance I've had to throw some of it up. The more I look, the more convinced I become that some groups are fudging their numbers. Yes, Recs do catch more than Comms, that's a fact. But the Comm landings data is so low that it seems incredible. Don't just take my and Fin's word for it. Look at these numbers, and see if they make sense to you. :learn:

3. Failure of Rec fishermen groups to organize into a cohesive lobbying force. I blame part of this on modern parenting. Some of our parents raised us to believe we always have different choices and options.When I say "Modern" parenting, I'm referring to parents in the 60's and onward. The parenting in the 50's and before was different. Kids learned they had to get along with the world, and adapt to it. :clapping:

Now, kids are told the world must adapt to them and their needs.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png This doesn't work when you need people to come together for political action. People need to learn to sublimate their specific needs for the good of the whole.
Some might question my logic here, and think my reasoning is crazy. That's your opinion, you're welcome to it. :thumbsup:

But think about it....right now, all over the internet on fishing forums, people are discussing the options, talking about choices.Some are actually getting involved. :clapping:
That's great! :clapping:
However, when I have time, I scan different message boards for the tone of some of the threads. IMO there are too many out there who are willing to disparage the efforts of others, just because the platform doesn't fit their exact needs.
Ex: "I am a surf fisherman, I don't see the RFA or another PAC as representing my exact needs, so I will not support them....."

And then you have those who will attack the ideas of others simply because the idea of one PAC doesn't represent the PAC that they believe in.

This will not do any of us any good in the long run, folks.
I'm sorry to sound pessimistic, but after long conversations with some of the old-timers out there, who lived through the moratorium and fought to bring Conservation into focus as no longer being a dirty word, it still seems to me that we won't get it together in time to prevent another moratorium.

We are our own worst enemies


4. Political groups are using fishermen for their own agendas. There are cases where, with the NOAA, they pretend they are listening to fishermen. Meanwhile, they already have the agenda planned. If and when striped bass is shut down, they will blame the fishermen this time, saying they "did all they can"

[DarkSkies]

There are many more issues to this folks, as it has become very complex....
How can we trust numbers if you are saying some of them are bogus, Dark?
Why should we get involved if we are being used as pawns in a chess game we will never win?
How do we know this isn't some giant conspiracy by PETA and PEW?
Why bother fighting if many politicians continue to represent special interests, and in cases like the above fail to inform that they stand to benefit from legislation (case of NC trawlers above)?

There are so many questions --
The only clear answer I can give you is this....
If we continue the bickering, and infighting...
If we continue to be cynical (Do you know that somewhere around 70% of the fishermen out there on web-sites and in the real world today continue to claim there is nothing wrong with the striped bass population?) --That to me is incredible, but that's the reality of today. :huh:


We're faced with not just a possibility, but the reality of a moratorium.
We have to learn to pick through the statistics, look at the charts, and determine which ones are believable, and which ones aren't.

I'm lucky enough to have the old-timers here and elsewhere bringing this to my attention.
Most fishermen don't have time to do this research.
So if that applies to you, please apply your energy to supporting some one, or some group, who will dissect and fight for these issues for you. Letters and e-mail are helpful, but IMO the real battles here, if we are to win, will have to be won in the courts.

With the corruption and side-deals that are going on, it seems the only option will be to start suing people and supporting groups that will do that for us, just like they did to get the bunker reduction boats out of the surf in NJ in the 1980's.


I for one, do not have all the answers.
The best I can do is try to convey the info Fin and others pass to me, and try to make it interesting for you folks to read. I hope I am somewhat effective in doing that. :)

But given my claims that 70% of Rec fishermen don't believe we are in a crisis with Striped bass populations, I'm less optimistic at this point than at any point when I became involved in pushing awareness of Striped Bass Issues. I'm not ready to give up. However, right now I'm leaning toward a moratorium. With the apathy and infighting, I don't see many other paths for this to lead to.

Hope I'm wrong, I really do....

[DarkSkies]

Sent in by Fin, thanks!
The problem is many of these don't come out right when you copy them.
I have capture programs where you can capture and paste a full page, but sometimes the HTML comes out screwed up anyway, or you can only capture part of the chart.

The best alternative is to post them up in PDF format, but sometimes that isn't a great option either. :don't know why:

I'm gonna try to post some of the more meaningful ones he's sent me, feel free to discuss or comment. PLEASE really look at some of the numbers if you have an interest. Think about the accuracy of one state as compared to another. Ask yourselves if certain numbers make sense, or if they seem manipulated. Thanks for looking. :HappyWave:


NOAA Master template for Fish Queries:
http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/recreational/queries/catch/snapshot.html


MRF Survey 2010 Results:
http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/pls/webpls/MR_CATCH_SNAPSHOT.RESULTS

[DarkSkies]

2009 Commercial vs Rec Catch stats

Sent in by OGB, thanks!
My point here is....if you look at these stats closely, you will be scratching your head at the disparity. :huh:

Reasonable minds might conclude that some are not being honest, as their catch #s are extremely low compared to other states with the similar seasons or amount of Comm fishermen fishing. Something stinks, here, and it ain't just the 3 day old fish floating on the water.


2009 Bass Harvest

Commercial harvest of Striped Bass by State for 2009 as reported by ASMFC

MA 1,138,291
RI 234,368
NY 789,891
DE 192,311
MD 2,394,620
PRFC 727,197
VA 1,549,145
NC 189,995

Recreational harvest figures by State for 2009

ME 288,741
NH 146,004
MA 4,525,166
RI 1,093,321
CT 877,614
NY 4,380,891
NJ 3,807,088
DE 313,296
MD 4,558,773
VA 1,259,314
NC 209,856


NC combined numbers are app. 400,000 pounds
MD combined 6,950,000 pounds
MA combined 5,650,000 pounds
NY combined 5,100,000 pounds
VA combined 2,800,000 pounds
RI combined 1,320,000 pounds
NJ 3,800,000 pounds




[Notice how low NC comes in since they were only allowed 50 fish a day. This is how figures lie.No one counts all they killed culling for the big ones. they look like angels
This is an OGB comment^^^^^^^]

[jigfreak]

But given my claims that 70% of Rec fishermen don't believe we are in a crisis with Striped bass populations, I'm less optimistic at this point than at any point when I became involved in pushing awareness of Striped Bass Issues. I'm not ready to give up. However, right now I'm leaning toward a moratorium. With the apathy and infighting, I don't see many other paths for this to lead to.



If you have been fishing for 10 years or more and say the numbers are not down, either you have your head in your a** or you are a delusional idiot. It used to be so easy to catch bass. I have a favorite bridge, I would catch 90% of my night fish from that bridge and 2 other spots in the ocean. Fish up to 35 lbs every season, easy as falling off a log. Now you have to go out and look for fish. I still find them, but finding quality fish is like looking for the loose change in my pockets after Obama became president. theres little there, and it's been this way for the last 5 years, slowly getting scarcer. I will be glad for the moratorium. I hope they kill them all and everyone quits. I will still fish. The F with the fair weather fishermen and the cell phone idiots.

[storminsteve]

I don't see a lot of people taking it too seriously either. Thanks for all the hard work you put in finchaser and dark.

[paco33]

Yeah thanks guys. I wish more people would take notice but what can you do. There is that saying you can lead a horse to water but you can't meke him drink.

[7deadlyplugs]

Catch and release only?
This is from the SF website:



"The recreational catch has fallen by more than 70% since the peak in 2006, and with very few small fish coming into the fishery these numbers will continue to decline. The population of large older fish that make up the bulk of the current striped bass biomass will continue to provide some fishing opportunities for a few years, but unless regulations change to catch and release only, the already reduced spawning potential of the remaining large fish will be further eroded. Meanwhile the commercial catch is continuing unabated. "
http://www.stripersforever.org/Icons/0http://www.stripersforever.org/Icons/0

I think people need to wake up. I am not good at following charts, but I see the numbers got smaller. I think SF should stay away from telling people to catch and release only, and let the numbers do the talking for them. If those numbers are true, it really says that the stripers are not there. So if they are not there, where did they go? It makes sense to me, unless you can prove that there is a large gang of stripers living 100 miles offshore. And that doesn't make sense at all, because from what I know the stripers need to be close to shore to breed and make their babies.

[Monty]

I will be glad for the moratorium. I hope they kill them all and everyone quits. I will still fish. The F with the fair weather fishermen and the cell phone idiots.

Jigfreak, I am frustrated just like you are and I echo your feelings (I don't go as far as the kill them all thing).
Dark you are correct. I belong to the RFA but do not agree with all of its views and the way I am feeling now I will not support the organization after this year.
There is just so much greed, corruption, inconsideration, accountability and lack of responsibility throughout this country in so many areas that its very disturbing.
I know I'm like everyone else out there, but living a good honest life just does not cut it these days.
There are to many people out there trying to take advantage of us.
I have been screwed by others and our government seems to constantly be at our throats.
So me supporting an organization I don't agree with just does is not something I want to do now.

[VSdreams]

There is just so much greed, corruption, inconsideration, accountability and lack of responsibility throughout this country in so many areas that its very disturbing.
I know I'm like everyone else out there, but living a good honest life just does not cut it these days.
There are to many people out there trying to take advantage of us.
I have been screwed by others and our government seems to constantly be at our throats.


Hey, I agree. Welcome to NJ, I think it's the most expensive state to live in after California. How come they can manage in other states with less money. Here, every time you turn around, we have to pay another tax, another license fee. I am getting so sick and tired of it. I wish I could just up and leave and move to another state. They must think we are all a bunch of sheep in this state!

[DarkSkies]

I thought I would post in this thread again, to give folks a perspective of the BS and doublespeak that we have been listening to from the ASMFC.

They mentioned that since 2006, the rec striped bass landings have decreased by 70%.


That is a compelling statement, especially when you consider that:
1. At present we have more people fishing for striped bass than ever before.
2. Our electronics and fishing intel are better than existed in 2006.
3. Among some fishermen, particularly land based fishermen, there is a growing awareness and participation in C&R fishing.
4. Despite all this, we are catching less fish.....this is not just a yearly observation, this is a trend that has been documented since 2006.

And yet.....the ASMFC still has not made a positive move to modify the striped bass regulations. :huh:...promising instead, that they will do something....in 2015?

It has become apparent to me,

1. that they are waiting for the one year that the YOY was good, (I believe it was 2011)...to become mature, so that one year class, can carry the weight of the whole fishery.
2. That there are undisclosed parties who are now influencing the way the ASMFC makes decisions....IE special interests have convinced them of possible local economic damage from changing the limits, and they are procrastinating every year.

I can't say who these undisclosed parties are, nor will I speculate....some of you others are free to do that, if you wish.....








**What is clear to me, is that there is procrastination, despite their claims that the catch numbers, and SSB biomass (Spawning Striped bass, a key figure used) are down significantly.
It is also possible that before they institute the changes for 2015 (and these changes have already been discussed at length, this time I have very credible proof that they will happen)....
but by that time.......without immediate modification.....it will take several years for the SSB to recover......

This is what vexes me, and why I sometimes have trouble sleeping at night.....this is an organization that was mandated to be stewards of the striped bass population....and they have done a very poor job. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png

[Monty]

And yet.....the ASMFC still has not made a positive move to modify the striped bass regulations. :huh:...promising instead, that they will do something....in 2015?

It has become apparent to me,

1. that they are waiting for the one year that the YOY was good, (I believe it was 2011)...to become mature, so that one year class, can carry the weight of the whole fishery.
2. That there are undisclosed parties who are now influencing the way the ASMFC makes decisions....IE special interests have convinced them of possible local economic damage from changing the limits, and they are procrastinating every year.

**What is clear to me, is that there is procrastination, despite their claims that the catch numbers, and SSB biomass (Spawning Striped bass, a key figure used) are down significantly.
It is also possible that before they institute the changes for 2015 (and these changes have already been discussed at length, this time I have very credible proof that they will happen)....
but by that time.......without immediate modification.....it will take several years for the SSB to recover......

This is what vexes me, and why I sometimes have trouble sleeping at night.....this is an organization that was mandated to be stewards of the striped bass population....and they have done a very poor job. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png

Dark, forgive me for nitpicking here, but I dislike the word procrastination here on how you are using it.
procrastination: To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.
There is no procrastination here. It is being put off because either someone is getting $$ to ignore what is happening or the people making the decisions are buddies with others whose interests would be hurt by stricter striped bass regulations.
Anyone who bet that the 2011 YOY will save the Striped Bass Population is stupid. Its way to risky of a bet. And that's all it is, a long shot hail mary at best.
Seeing all those pictures of the dead striped this year from Captree was very upsetting. If the ASMFC was doing their job correctly 2 out of every 3 of those dead bass in those pictures would still be swimming and breeding this coming spring.

And those 2012 and 2013 YOY look way more scarey than the 2011 looked great.

:mad:

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