Striped bass reductions: ASMFC to reduce striped bass catches across the board

[clamchucker]

There are many competing interests in these meetings. The one common thread that I have obvserved over the years is that the scientists are often out of touch with what the fishermen are seeing. That may explain part of the time lag for them to take action.

[nitestrikes]

^ Clamchucker, agreed. The pressure from the commercial fishermen is much greater than that from the recs.

[buckethead]

Sorry to be so negative but you say they waffled the last time. They might do the same this time. I am sick and tired of reading on the internet sites how all the best fishermen say there are less bess available. Then it comes down to the meeting and they don't do something about it!.

Well they waffled again.
Anyone want to help make sense of this?
Some bad news.
The latest NOAA assessment was published. They say striped bass are not being overfished nor is overfishing occurring. Someone want to explain when they get a chance? This is distressing. Another nail in the coffin. What's it going to take for them to see the trees in the forest?

NOAA paper Aug 30,2013
http://nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1314/

striped bass part
http://nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/c...1314/partb.pdf

Here is part of it. Maybe you or someone else here can outline the rest. It's not good news no matter how you look at it.

B. ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS ASSESSMENT SUMMARY FOR 2013State of the Stock:

In 2012, the Atlantic striped bass stock was not overfished or experiencing overfishingrelative to the new reference points from the 2013 SAW/SARC57 (Figure B1-B3). Femalespawning stock biomass (SSB) was estimated at 61.5 thousand mt (136 million lbs), above the

SSB threshold of 57,904 mt, but below the SSB target of 72,380 mt.

[storminsteve]

I clicked the link. Can't make heads or tails of that buckethead. Maybe DS can do better. Looks to me like they have their heads in the sand. You guys have been at it for longer than me. The only clue I got out of it was they are talking about "new reference points".
Didn't they do something similar to that back in 1980 so it wouldn't appear striped bass were being slaughtered and then in the end had to admit that they were wrong?