No sale for striped bass in the Hudson River

[Tom Farrell]

As you all know the no sale for striped bass in the Hudson river Bill recently passed with flying colors in the Assembly and in the Senate as well. However this Bill must be signed by Governor Cuomo in order to become law.

I have been notified from our friends in Albany that the commercial anglers are lobbying heavily against this Bill. They have already sent in letters to Governor Cuomo requesting that he veto this Bill.

We cannot afford for this to happen. We need to prove to the Governor that we have widespread support on this Bill. We already have a letter on its way to Governor Cuomo which states our official position regarding this matter. We need each one of our clubs to send in a letter of support fior this Bill. We also need each and every individual recreational fisherman to stand up on this matter and send in letters of support for this Bill to the Governor.

Below is a copy of the letter which you can either send in yourself or use as an example to write your own.

Thank you for your time and all of your support.

Respectfully,

Tom Farrell
Vice President - New York Coalition for Recreational Fishing
weakfishin@yahoo.com

Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor June22, 2011
Executive Chamber
The State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo,

The Coalition for Recreational Fishing would like to officially state our position on A07487 & S4633 legislation and urge you to support the prohibition of commercial fishing for striped bass in the Hudson River as per subdivision 10, section 11-1321 of the Environmental Conservation Law.

The Hudson River is an important spawning and nursery ground for striped bass. Estimates indicate the Hudson stock accounts for about 15-20% percent of the coastal migration depending upon the spawning success of other stocks. Research shows, that unlike fish in the Chesapeake stock that migrate extensively along the coast, Hudson fish tend to remain closer to the spawning river and its expanded adjacent nursery ground in Long Island Sound and south shore estuaries. That means the stock represents a primary group of fish that supports recreational fishing and related business in western portions of the tri-state area. These businesses include bait and tackle shops, charter boats, party boats, as well local guides. For the most part these are family businesses as well as diminish interest among local recreational fisherman and negatively affect tourism.

Furthermore, commercial harvest in spawning areas is ill advised. Although there are exceptions, sound management strategies have consistently supported the axiom that fish should not be harvested until they have grown old enough to spawn and should not be taken prior to the completion of the annual spawning ritual. Any type of commercial take would reduce the size of the stock and netting would also impinge and kill sub-legal fish in the nursery ground further reducing the size of the stock.

Another issue involves public health concerns. Although PCB levels have retreated from historic levels, PCB contamination in the river remains a reality. There are also other toxins that have been identified in the river and enter via runoff from surrounding farms, homes and businesses. These toxins enter the food chain and ultimately accumulate exponentially in game fish. Public health concerns might also influence consumers who confused about how much stripe bass to eat and would be unable to distinguish between Hudson striped bass and safe farm raised fish as well as wild fish taken from cleaner waters.

All of these issues become even more important in view of poor recruitment in the Hudson stock in recent years. Although the 2007 young of the year index suggest a large successful year class, that has been little evidence of that year in the catches of anglers in the region. Historically, a large year class is manifest in substantial catches of 10-14 inch fish in the western Sound and south shore estuaries several years after the spawning year. However, only modest numbers of fish in this size range have been noted. Furthermore, the process that leads to the formulation of the young of the year index although helpful has proven to be unreliable at times due to the limitations of the sampling process and the influence of the weather conditions at the times the samples are taken. This uncertainty simply reinforces the need to prohibit commercial fishing for striped bass in the Hudson River. Historically, initial reports of large index numbers have been reduced when further evidence indicates the index number was inflated. This has happened on several occasions for both the Chesapeake and Hudson stocks.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

Yours truly,


William A. Young
President New York Coalition for Recreational Fishing

[BassBuddah]

Tom, I copied and printed the letter. As it is now past 12:30, I will be mailing mine out Monday. Keep fighting the fight, don't give up, and thanks to you and Willy for your representation.

[williehookem]

Good deal, Tom! I'll send a letter too. thanks for everything

[DarkSkies]

All of these issues become even more important in view of poor recruitment in the Hudson stock in recent years. Although the 2007 young of the year index suggest a large successful year class, that has been little evidence of that year in the catches of anglers in the region.

Historically, a large year class is manifest in substantial catches of 10-14 inch fish in the western Sound and south shore estuaries several years after the spawning year. However, only modest numbers of fish in this size range have been noted. Furthermore, the process that leads to the formulation of the young of the year index although helpful has proven to be unreliable at times due to the limitations of the sampling process and the influence of the weather conditions at the times the samples are taken. This uncertainty simply reinforces the need to prohibit commercial fishing for striped bass in the Hudson River. Historically, initial reports of large index numbers have been reduced when further evidence indicates the index number was inflated. This has happened on several occasions for both the Chesapeake and Hudson stocks. [/SIZE][/FONT]

Tom, this is an excellent point, and very credible.

4 million bass allegedly spawn in the Hudson every year. I have contact with anglers who fish that river religiously.
They aren't catching anywhere near the numbers they have been catching in 2005-2008. In some cases their yearly catches have gone down by almost 50%.

When I try to tell some of them that 4 million bass allegedly spawn in the Hudson every year, it provokes a strong reaction. Most folks who fish regularly don't believe these stats. If they were true, they argue, their catches wouldn't be down. They feel that the figures are lies.

Additionally, there were less trophy bass caught/ reported in the Hudson this year than in the years prior to that. With the downward assessment of the YOY and lack of bass from 10-14" (which has been noted on several websites in this area), this is starting to show a disturbing downward trend.

There are also anglers who fish the edges of the river from piers and docks. In the past they have done very well with fish up to 45# caught during the season. This year is the 2nd year that they are doing poorly overall as a group. We are not talking about 1 or 2 anglers here, but a network of dozens who fish both sides of that river regularly when the bass come back down after the spawn. They are all grumbling, getting nowhere near the numbers they used to.

I believe the science will show this in a few years. Right now there are not many cold hard facts other than the YOY stats. The fishermen who fish more than a few times a year, not just in the tournaments, they already know the truth. They don't need gov't stats to tell them their catches are down.

Some of this downward trend may be attributable to the diminished herring in the upper river, and inconsistency of bunker in the lower river.

I'm also doing a Coastwide Stock Assessment, relative to fish and bait migrational changes.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...of-the-fishery.
Notwithstanding those variables, I hope to prove over a multi-year period, that the numbers are still down. No matter how you look at it, something is wrong with the numbers in the Hudson. I'm hoping to prove that to the doubters, over time.






Thank you and Willy for all you have done.
Some don't see the necessity of your work, shame on them. They will be among the biggest whiners when hard facts are published proving the numbers are down overall. And any inroads your group can make against the Comms. is worth the effort. The netters slid that "striped bass bycatch" provision by so quickly that I doubt many recs understood its largest implications. We must be vigilant to try top prevent inrooads like this in the future. I'll be sending my letter out this week as well.

I encourage all who read this, and care about striped bass fishing in the Hudson, to do the same. It only takes a minute or so to print it out and put it in an envelope All the writing has been done for us. All we have to do is sign, stamp, and send.

Give my regards to Willy, and thanks for all you guys do!

[albiealert]

The herring stocks have taken a beating. There are some rivers in CT where I think you can't fish for them anymore either. Not sure of the exact regs, but I do know there are hardly any people fishing for herring here nowadays.

[storminsteve]

Those commercial fishermen suck! Give them a finger and they will take the whole arm. I agree, we should neve let them sell the bass from the Hudson. If so they would eventually go upriver to where they spawn and net them there. I read somewhere that there is big pressure from some of the NY restaurants to be allowed to sell bass identified as "local striped bass". We should do everything they can not to make that happen. I will send my letter tomorrow, thanks Tom $ NYCRF!

[clamchucker]

We cannot give them any leeway at all, storminsteve.

[7deadlyplugs]

Done, thanks!

[blitzhunter]

Did it.

[plugginpete]

Done, mailing tomorrow.

[DarkSkies]

Signed by the Gov yesterday, as reported by Willy Young.

This bill was signed by the Governor yesterday.
Thanks to all who helped. We did it.
Willie

WTG, Willie, Tom, and the NYCRF, you guys were a big force behind getting this done!

thanks for all you do.

[rockhopper]

awesome!!!!

[pescador29]

very good job guys

[BassBuddah]

And Gov Cuomo fishes, too. Way to go, well-deserved victory.



ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office says the governor was fishing for striped bass as they announced he had signed a law extending the ban on commercial fishing for the popular sport fish on the Hudson.
In an announcement Thursday, Cuomo's office said the law banning commercial striped bass fishing benefits public health as well as the vibrant recreational fishing industry that's an important part of the local economy along the Hudson.
There has been a ban on commercial striped bass fishing from the George Washington Bridge to the federal dam in Troy since the 70s because of PCB contamination.