Can this be true? Read it on the internet but just wanted to run it by you guys and see what you think.

Report from ASMFC Striped Bass Meeting in Connecticut - HighlightsHere are a few of the highlights from the ASMFC Striped Bass Board?s 10 hour meeting today. Overall this was a productive meeting, but it certainly had its moments. All these motions passed.

? Prior to the start of the 2015 fishery all jurisdictions implement rules to achieve the new fishing mortality target by implementing a 25% harvest reduction in coastal fisheries and a 20.5% reduction in the Chesapeake Bay fisheries. Motion passed
?Use coast-wide reference points.
?NOT allow commercial quota transfers.
?Approve option B1 (1fish @ 28? ? coastal) with all conservation equivalency measures equal to a 25% or greater reduction in harvest
?The Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions submit for Technical Committee review and Board approval for 2015 conservation equivalency proposal that achieve a 20.5% reduction from 2012 harvest in the Chesapeake Bay recreational fisheries
?There will be a 20.5% reduction from the 2012 harvest in the Chesapeake Bay commercial fisheries. The reduction will be applied and set before the 2015 season
?Implementation date of January 1, 2015. And to submit conservation equivalency proposals by December 1, 2014 for technical committee and board review and action at the February 2015 meeting.

Tom O?Connell did a fantastic job today representing Maryland?s interests. The MSSA has supported a 1 year timeframe, minimum 25% reduction for the coast and a 3 year timeline, 17% reduction for the Bay. While we missed the 3 year timeline, substituting a 2 year timeframe, we are pleased with the results.

Regarding the Chesapeake Bay reference points, we believe the Technical Committee and the Board heard a loud and clear voice that these reference points are needed and wanted by Bay anglers. The Board and Committee reaffirmed that their number one priority at this time is finding consensus on these reference points. We will continue to monitor.

There is still a lot of work to do in Maryland regarding our conservation