Striped Bass Stock Assessment up to 2008

[cowherder]

http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/recr.../snapshot.html


1995 10,869,268
1996 13,638,368
1997 17,448,767
1998 16,571,478
1999 14,152,779
2000 18,924,401
2001 15,554,998
2002 15,638,384
2003 17,354,691
2004 19,997,325
2005 21,316,673
2006 28,610,534
2007 19,105,071
2008 13,982,745


I don't know how to read this stuff, to me it looks like the striped bass numbers are declining. A lot of people say they aren't, or the calculations are off. How do you figure out where the truth lies?

[cowherder]

This came from the stripers forever website:



Stripers Forever Members – we recently received the latest figures for the National Marine Fishery Service, Marine Recreational Fishing Survey - MRFS. From their website we were able to get the data for the recreational catch of striped bass from 1995 through 2008. The number of fish caught by recreational anglers peaked in 2006. This includes both harvested and live release. Since that time it has dropped by approximately 50%. The catch in 2008 was the lowest since 1996. This trend is in line with the results of our annual fishing survey in the past few years.

These statistics may well be harbingers of real danger for striped bass First and most important, fishing may simply continue to go downhill and the stock will collapse. It could happen, and this would have disastrous consequences for the 3,000,000 plus recreational anglers who avidly pursue striped bass. In addition, the livelihoods of thousands of guides and various other recreational fishing industry workers will be at stake. The commercially-oriented fishery managers can maneuver the commercial fishermen into a much bigger share of the fishery than they’ve had historically, as they have with the fluke fishery; essentially this will choke off recreational fishing opportunities and impact participation in the sport of recreational fishing.

There is only one answer. Striped bass must be made a game fish and managed for the more socially and economically valuable recreational fishery.

[jimbob]

It is amazing those numbers reflect my personal numbers. I am all for gamefish status. I can think of no valid argument against it.

[Frankiesurf]

Amen.

The argument against it lies with the politicians. Big money makes people do funny things. Commercial fishermen have much more power than the recreational fisherman in that regard. The recreational guy has the votes on his side but sometimes that is not enough.

One thing you can do is check out Stripers Forever. Making striped bass a gamefish is their only priority. My club is affiliated with them and so should you be as well.