The Governor’s appointee has consistently dismissed recent data showing the east coast Striped Bass population has declined by ~26%, that the Chesapeake stock is threatened by a serious infectious disease, and that the poaching level on primarily small fish in the inner cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston is out of control and threatens the population.

Furthermore, poor recruitment in all spawning estuaries has not produced a sufficient number of new fish to overcome the negative effects of the factors mention supra. Many of us who are old enough have seen this drama unfold before when many concerned citizens asked for a larger size limit and other harvest restrictions, and yet they were denied.

We were told the "fish were swimming somewhere else", or "there are plenty of fish but their migration patterns have changed because of changes in bait distributions". All of this "wisdom" proved foolish when the Striped Bass population collapsed in the late 1970’s and 1980’s. Wise men warned us; "those who do not learn from the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them". Why, we ask, are we expanding harvests at a time of poor recruitment and declining stocks?

Have we not learned from lessons of prior decades? Why are we compromising one of the best fisheries management comebacks in history because misguided people believe more harvest means better economic benefit? Even if we believe there is short term economic gain, which do we believe to be true, history teaches us that long term economic benefit involves conservation and wise management. We’ve had many conversations with the Governor’s appointee and he turned a deaf ear each time.








That was a very well-worded letter, Tom. I thought it outlined the issues clearly and objectively. Whether it results in Pat Augustine's removal remains to be seen, but it presents a compelling case that the patterns of the past are being repeated.

I took the liberty of copying that letter, adding my name to the bottom, and will mail it to the address in Albany.

I'm asking anyone else who feels the words mean something to them to do the same.

Tom and the NYCRF have made it a simple task for us to join voices here....just print the letter, sign at the bottom, and invest in one stamp to send it. For less than the cost of the daily paper you can show your support, guys and girls. How easy is that?

Thanks again Tom and the NYCRF for keeping the pressure on.


Please consider lending your voices as well, people. They can't do it without support.