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Thread: ASMFC votes on Increase in commercial limit of striped bass

  1. #1
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    Mar 2008
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    Default ASMFC votes on Increase in commercial limit of striped bass

    It amazes me how they could even think the stock is recovered to the point where this is warranted.


    News Release
    Coastal Conservation Association
    Email: twvenker@joincca.org Website: www.joincca.org
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2010 CONTACT: Ted Venker, 1-800-201-FISH
    ASMFC Continues Effort to Increase Commercial Bass Harvest
    Gamble to increase commercial take by up to 50 percent heads for public hearings

    WASHINGTON DC – Anglers will soon have the opportunity to comment on a new effort to increase the coastal commercial harvest of striped bass by 20 to 50 percent, after the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Striped Bass Management Board voted this week to send the proposal out for public hearing.

    Last February, conservationists were stunned when the Board chose to ignore a litany of significant concerns from scientists and enforcement officers about the health of the striped bass population, and instead directed its staff to draft the proposal. This week’s 10-6 vote to send the proposal out for public hearing indicates that many members of the Board are committed to ramping up commercial harvest even as anglers are seeing serious warning signs on the water.

    “This is the wrong message at the wrong time for striped bass, but it is not surprising,” said Charles Witek, chairman of CCA’s Atlantic Fisheries Committee. “When recently faced with even worse situations involving weakfish and the southern New England stock of winter flounder, both very badly depleted and both faced with apparent increases in natural mortality, ASMFC ignored clear scientific advice and voted to maintain harvest at unsustainable levels. Our greatest conservation challenge may simply be to convince managers at ASMFC to do their jobs.”


    Among the recent information presented to managers was a report on the declining trend in the striped bass Juvenile Abundance Index, a report from law enforcement personnel on “significant and unreported” poaching in the Exclusive Economic Zone, and a report on the potentially devastating impact of Mycobacteriosis in Chesapeake Bay, the primary striped bass spawning ground for the entire Atlantic Coast, where 70 percent of the fish sampled had lesions associated with the disease. In aquaculture, Mycobacteriosis infections are virtually always fatal.

    “While the stock is still not overfished nor undergoing overfishing, ASMFC’s Striped Bass Technical Committee recently issued a report which predicts that the number of adult bass will steadily decline through the year 2015. Clearly, a cautious approach is warranted, yet the Board has chosen to roll the dice with the most important recreational species on the East Coast,” said Richen Brame, CCA’s Atlantic Fisheries director.

    Unlike the 1970s when rampant overfishing was the primary cause of the stock collapse, the current wide variety of factors that are negatively impacting striped bass will be much more difficult to address. Nonetheless, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Delaware, Maryland, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, the District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service voted to push forward with increasing commercial harvest.
    “This is a dangerous, unnecessary gamble,” said Brame. “We will be doing our part to make sure managers know that anglers do not want to risk the future of this fishery by increasing commercial harvest.”

  2. #2
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    Nov 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by voyager35 View Post
    “While the stock is still not overfished nor undergoing overfishing, ASMFC’s Striped Bass Technical Committee recently issued a report which predicts that the number of adult bass will steadily decline through the year 2015. Clearly, a cautious approach is warranted, yet the Board has chosen to roll the dice with the most important recreational species on the East Coast,” said Richen Brame, CCA’s Atlantic Fisheries director.
    No overfishing but adult bass will decline by 2015?
    Gee that makes lots of sense.

  3. #3
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    Central MA
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    This proposed amendment was shot down by the NMFS. The last thing the feds need right now is any more bad blood with fisherman.

  4. #4
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    May 2009
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    Ocean County,NJ
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    Exclamation Striped Bass Alert

    ASMFC SCHEDULES HEARINGS ON STRIPED BASS PLAN
    RFA Members Encouraged To Speak Out In Opposition To Draft Addendum
    The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has officially announced that Atlantic coastal states from Maine through North Carolina have scheduled hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The first hearings get underway this week in Delaware and Maryland.
    As stated previously in a press released issued on May 21 by the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), the intended purpose of the draft addendum is specifically to consider options to increase the coastal commercial quota of striped bass and revise the definition of striped bass recruitment failure. "This proposal was not endorsed by the Striped Bass Advisory Panel, and it wasn't supported by anyone in the recreational fishing community," said RFA Executive Director, Jim Donofrio.

    The RFA cites a grossly unregulated illegal striper harvest occurring in federal waters as reason enough to go against the draft addendum. "It's against the law for anyone, recreational or commercial, to target stripers in the EEZ, and until the fed can adequately enforce the rules in their own waters, it's irresponsible to make motions at the Commission level which would lead to more overharvest in this fishery," Donofrio said. The RFA believes there should no increases on striper harvest in either sector until the illegal and unreported fishery is officially brought under control by NOAA Fisheries.


    Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum, either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. The Draft Addendum can be obtained via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at 202-289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until 5 p.m. on October 1, 2010 and should be forwarded to Nichola Meserve, FMP Coordinator, 1444 Eye Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-6051 (FAX) or at nmeserve@asmfc.org (Subject line: Striped Bass Addendum II). The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings are as follows.
    Again, these are public hearings and anglers are encouraged to attend.

    Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
    June 16, 2010; 7:30 PM
    Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium
    89 Kings Highway
    Dover, Delaware
    Contact: Craig Shirey at (302) 739-9914

    Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
    June 17, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Ocean Pines Library
    11107 Cathell Road
    Berlin, Maryland
    Contact: Carrie Kennedy at (410) 260-8295
    Virginia Marine Resources Commission
    June 28, 2010; 6:00 PM
    2600 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor
    Newport News, Virginia
    Contact: Jack Travelstead at (757) 247-2247

    North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
    June 29, 2010
    Location to be determined
    Contact: Michelle Duval at (252) 808-8011

    NC Division of Marine Fisheries
    July 7, 2010; 6:00 PM
    Central District Office
    5285 Highway 70 West
    Morehead City, North Carolina
    Contact: Michelle Duval at (252) 808-8011

    Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
    July 13, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Fayerweather Yacht Club
    51 Brewster Street
    Bridgeport, Connecticut
    Contact: David Simpson at (860) 434-6043

    Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
    July 14, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Marine Headquarters
    333 Ferry Road
    Old Lyme, Connecticut
    Contact: David Simpson at (860) 434-6043

    Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
    July 19, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Tawes State Office Building, C1 Conf. Room
    580 Taylor Avenue
    Annapolis, Maryland
    Contact: Carrie Kennedy at (410) 260-8295

    Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
    July 20, 2010
    Location to be determined
    Contact: Leroy Young at (814) 359-5177

    New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
    July 21, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Marine Resources Headquarters
    205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
    East Setauket, New York
    Contact: Steve Heins at (631) 444-0436

    New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
    July 22; 7:00 PM
    Toms River Township Clerk's Office
    L. Manuel Hirshblond Room
    33 Washington Street
    Toms River, New Jersey
    Contact: Brandon Muffley at (609) 748-2020

    Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
    August 16, 2010; 6:00 PM
    Holiday Inn
    55 Ariadne Road
    Dedham, Massachusetts
    Contact: Jared Silva at (617) 626-1534

    Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
    August 17, 2010; 6:00 PM
    URI, Narragansett Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium
    215 South Ferry Road
    Narragansett, Rhode Island
    Contact: Mark Gibson at (401) 423-1935

    New Hampshire Fish and Game
    September 13, 2010; 7:00 PM
    Urban Forestry Center
    45 Elwyn Road
    Portsmouth, New Hampshire
    Contact: Doug Grout at (603) 868-1095

    Maine Department of Marine Resources
    September 14, 2010; 6:00 PM
    Town of Yarmouth Log Cabin
    196 Main Street
    Yarmouth, Maine
    Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553










    About Recreational Fishing Alliance

    The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

    Pay attention to what history has taught us or be prepared to relive it again

  5. #5
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    Nov 2008
    Location
    Raleigh NC
    Posts
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    the above states that the NC meeting will be at a "location to be determined."

    that location will be:

    North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
    June 29, 2010; 6:00 PM
    Roanoke Island Festival Park, Small Auditorium
    One Festival Park
    Manteo, North Carolina
    Contact: Michelle Duval at (252) 808-8011

    as well as:

    July 7, 2010; 6:00 PM
    NC Division of Marine Fisheries
    Central District Office
    5285 Highway 70 West
    Morehead City, North Carolina
    Contact: Michelle Duval at (252) 808-8011

    The commercial's websites are all railing against us recreationals, how we have an unfair allowance, so you can bet there will be a lot of pressure at the meetings to up the commercial quota and reduce the recs.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    1,185

    Default

    just a nother slap in the face of the little guy

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    3,725

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by finchaser View Post
    ASMFC SCHEDULES HEARINGS ON STRIPED BASS PLAN

    RFA Members Encouraged To Speak Out In Opposition To Draft Addendum

    The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has officially announced that Atlantic coastal states from Maine through North Carolina have scheduled hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. The first hearings get underway this week in Delaware and Maryland.
    As stated previously in a press released issued on May 21 by the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), the intended purpose of the draft addendum is specifically to consider options to increase the coastal commercial quota of striped bass and revise the definition of striped bass recruitment failure. "This proposal was not endorsed by the Striped Bass Advisory Panel, and it wasn't supported by anyone in the recreational fishing community," said RFA Executive Director, Jim Donofrio.

    The RFA cites a grossly unregulated illegal striper harvest occurring in federal waters as reason enough to go against the draft addendum. "It's against the law for anyone, recreational or commercial, to target stripers in the EEZ, and until the fed can adequately enforce the rules in their own waters, it's irresponsible to make motions at the Commission level which would lead to more overharvest in this fishery," Donofrio said. The RFA believes there should no increases on striper harvest in either sector until the illegal and unreported fishery is officially brought under control by NOAA Fisheries.


    Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum, either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. The Draft Addendum can be obtained via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at 202-289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until 5 p.m. on October 1, 2010 and should be forwarded to Nichola Meserve, FMP Coordinator, 1444 Eye Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-6051 (FAX) or at nmeserve@asmfc.org (Subject line: Striped Bass Addendum II). The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings are as follows.
    Again, these are public hearings and anglers are encouraged to attend.



    New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
    July 22; 7:00 PM
    Toms River Township Clerk's Office
    L. Manuel Hirshblond Room
    33 Washington Street
    Toms River, New Jersey
    Contact: Brandon Muffley at (609) 748-2020










    About Recreational Fishing Alliance
    The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.


    bump to the top, the NJ meetings are July 22 Toms River.Thanks for posting finchaser.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    639

    Default

    Thanks for keeping everyone informed Finchaser.

    My problem with the commercials keeping bass is that I think they will scoop them up in a short period of time. The bass wouldn't even have a chance to come in to the recreationals.

    The next thing you know there will be no more bass for anyone, and I have not even caught a keeper yet! What the hell is up with that?

  9. #9
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    Dec 2009
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    roselle park nj
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    They will scoop them up before they spawn. Than it won't be long before they are gone forever.

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