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

[DarkSkies]

Sent in by Finchaser, thanks.


ASMFC To Reduce Striped Bass Catch

Stripers Forever Members - as indicated by federal govt data and our own annual surveys, the striped bass resource is rapidly declining. This reality has now been recognized by the ASMFC - the organization that manages striped bass along the East Coast - and they will be looking into options to decrease fishing mortality by up to 40% beginning in 2012 - see ASMFC press release pasted in below.

While this is a positive development, it will be too little, and is already much too far behind the curve.

In yesterday's press release the ASMFC notes a 66% decline in the recreational catch through 2009.

The 2010 numbers have been in for a few weeks now, and the decline in the recreational catch is now down 71% since 2006.

We also take exception with the sentence in paragraph 2 that says the northern extent of the fishery is concerned over a decline in availability caused by water quality. Certainly we are concerned about Chesapeake water quality, but as one of our members from the Bay area pointed out, water quality in the Bay was probably worse during the best years of the recovery than it is now. Overfishing is what we can control, and we don't think we should be waiting for another year to go by before doing anything. Stripers Forever will be calling for more immediate measures. Brad Burns SF

[DarkSkies]

People like Finchaser, Clamchucker, the OFFC, and many others out there with decades of experience have been preaching this for years. Many didn't want to accept the stories of the old timers out there, or accept that there was any accuracy in the yearly surveys.

Now, with an accumulation of data, we can point to trends and will be forced to accept this reality. Here it is, folks.



***************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, MARCH 24, 2011

PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER, 703/842-0740

ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Initiates Addendum to Reduce Fishing Mortality

Alexandria, VA - The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has initiated development of Draft Addendum III with the goals of reducing striped bass fishing mortality (F) up to 40% and further protecting spawning stock when it is concentrated and vulnerable. The addendum was initiated in order to allow managers to promptly respond to the results of the stock assessment update in the fall if necessary. Provisions of the addendum, if passed, could be implemented prior to the start of the 2012 fishing year.

The Board's action responds to recent trends in the fishery and resource, including a 66% decline in estimated recreational catch from 2006 to 2009;

a 25% decline in estimated striped bass abundance from 2004 to 2008;

and lowered recruitment in recent years.

Additionally, states in the northern extent of the fishery have expressed concern over decreased availability of striped bass as a result of the diminished water quality in the Chesapeake Bay during the summer months that may also contribute to increased prevalence of mycobacteriosis in striped bass.

Draft Addendum III will propose a range of fishing management measures including, but not limited to,

adjustments to commercial and recreational minimum size (for jurisdictions outside Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River),

reductions in annual coastal commercial allocation,

reductions in recreational bag limits,

revisions to the target F rate (for Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River),

and reductions on fishing for striped bass in known spawning areas during the spawning season by at least 50% (for jurisdictions bordering the Hudson River, Delaware River, Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River).

The commercial and recreational fishery is currently managed through Amendment 6 to the Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan. The Amendment, passed in 2003, allocates the coastal commercial quota and set a two fish bag limit and a 28 inch size minimum for the recreational fishery, with the exception of the Chesapeake Bay fisheries, Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River fisheries, and states with approved alternative regulations.

The Draft Addendum will be developed for preliminary review by the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board in August. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

[storminsteve]

Looks like we're all going to take a hit, DS. I'm OK with that as long as they put the same reductions on the commercial guys too.

[rip316]

Looks like we're all going to take a hit, DS. I'm OK with that as long as they put the same reductions on the commercial guys too.

I agree. We as the recs can not be the only ones to take the hit. That crap that was going on in N.Carolina can not be allowed. They are allowed to cull through their catch just to take the biggest fish and throw dead bass overboard. That really pissed me off.

[surferman]

I asm not even upset about this. As long as they are fair about the reductions I would be happy. Even if we could only take home one fish. But as guys said above, if you restrict my limits, make sure you do the same thing to the commercial netters. Thats fair.

[Monty]

While I think this is moving in the correct direction, WT* is wrong with people?? Start in 2012?? What about this year? Start immedietly. If the population is in so much trouble (which I believe it is), start immedietly. It makes no sense to me, people are so screwed up.