This is a video that all anglers who are interested in learning about Striped Bass history should watch. No one can force ya to watch it, but if you feel you know all there is to know, maybe ya don't...and this video can help fill in the blanks....


I thank Finchaser for taking the time to put it up, and remind the folks here and elsewhere who tune into this thread that it was guys like Finchaser, Joe Melillo, and guys like them, who cared passionately enough about the striped bass, to rally the numbers, shake the trees, and stand up and be counted, when it mattered.....

I find that less and less today, and the level of apathy and selfishness among (most) fishermen is saddening.

It's at the level where issues of striped bass conservation will most likely not be addressed, until we are hit with another set of restrictions....To me, this is a shame, because some of this could have been prevented had some ostrich-fishermen out there only opened their eyes a bit......

So please, when ya's get a chance, watch this video....

Honestly, it's a PITA, and takes some effort. It was recorded in the old video format and some may not be able to advance it to see only the parts they're interested in....and when this happens, people naturally lose interest..

I understand that, I'm that way too....
But please try if you can, the stuff he has posted here is critical to understanding how the last Moratorium came about, and gives valuable insight that many of ya's out there may not have....




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Basic outline...I've taken the liberty of outlining the Video to make it easier...

Over-harvesting (Overfishing) caused the wipe-out of the striped bass.
ASMFC set regulations in place to bring back the biomass to healthy status.

Anglers provided some funding through sportfish restoration programs.
A decade of cooperation resulted in welcome news....

By 1995, the Atlantic Striped Bass population was declared restored.

Thomas Hughes - LBI - "For the longest time there just weren't any fish around..."


Some Key Highlights...
9 mins - YOY explanations

12 mins - NOAA calculations

15 mins - Scale samples and how they are interpreted. "The fishing community knows that protecting the striper is a worthy investment"

"Striper fishing generates approx $2 billion/Year in revenue...."
(remember this was in 2000, the current figures are probably much higher)


17:50 - Striped bass rising from the dead.... Capt Fred Ascoli- Miss Chris..."There basically was no striper fishery 10 years ago...although the striper is back, many people were involved in effecting this change...."



"Striped bass are truly...Jersey Gold"