ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Approves Addendum VI

[TriggerNJ]

from on the water magazine
Commercial fishermen will only be able to retain fish measuring 35” or greater, whereas recreational fishermen will only be able to retain fish measuring 28” to less than 35”

No changes are being made to the commercial fishing season or bag limits. The commercial fishery will open on June 24, with a 15-fish possession limit for commercial fishermen fishing under the authority of a boat-based permit and aboard the named vessel, and a 2-fish possession limit for all other commercial fishermen.

Thats not accurate.

NY commercial quota has been cut by 408,508lbs with the adoption of this amendment as far I as can tell. NY has second highest striped bass commercial quota of all the states behind MA.

I think this is actually the new commercial size regs. slot 26''-38''

Striped bass (the area east of a line drawn due north from the mouth of Wading River Creek and east of a line at 73 degrees 46 minutes west longitude, which is near the terminus of East Rockaway Inlet) May 15 - December 15 Not less than 26″ TL nor greater than 38″ TL by tag allocation

i thought the idea was to keep the big breeding fish around.while we are underwater and trying to judge 28 to 35 ,r&r guys will be throwing back fish that will probably die if they are not handled correctly.

catch and release kills more fish then people keep

I agree release mortality is a nightmare in that what can you do about it. I don't know what would work for that. The researchers acknowledge they don't have an answer for that with size regulations. That was the idea behind the mandatory circle hooks regulations. As an attempt to try to improve the release mortality.

[prop]

Commercial fishermen will only be able to retain fish measuring 35” or greater,is for ma.
so how does that make sense?
and on the mortality rate
The researchers acknowledge they don't have an answer for that with size regulations.

i think the researchers should acknowledge they don`t have answers for alot of things

[TriggerNJ]

Back to looking at each states specific situation/regulations without jumping the gun

MA comercials quota was in fact cut by 446,503lbs from previous 1,159,750lb so not taking a cut isn't accurate.

In 2019 they landed 586,128lbs out of a 847,585lb quota

New MA quota is 713,247 which they probably won't fill if last year is any indication.

You're right the commercial size limit is 35'' with 15 fish trip limit.

So not knowing anything about the process that went on with plans, public hearings etc in MA at state level. From looking at the facts I can venture a guess.

My guess....
Since they are not in danger of filling even the new quota they took advantage of the equivalency and put forward a plan with the included mandatory cuts that helped commercials out a bit by allowing larger fish.

With only a 15 fish limit per trip you're not doing dedicated bass commercial trips to feed your family. It's a helpful drop in the overall bucket by letting them keep more poundage per 15 fish.

You're back to finger pointing at others and dismissing a system you don't even take the time to look at all the while you haven't even acknowledged what you believe the bass stock is currently doing.

I'm confused now you want more stricter regs and less freedom for states to adapt their unique situation to better serve the people of the state?

[TPG]

MA is also Monday and Wednesday comm fishing only.

Prop, you mention mtk, are you an actual east ender or just another transplant?

[prop]

i don`t want sticker regs.have you looked at some of the charts,graphs and other data these people use?see if you can follow it,smoke and mirrors.
30 big fish per boat per week.
i have lived on long island all my life

[ajw11]

Originally Posted by wiggy

Regarding competition driving the desire to land large bass - its exactly the cultural problem that I think we need to address.

I'm posing all of this because I think these are important considerations that we don't talk about often enough as a community.

I do not in any way feel that it's unethical to enjoy the experience of taking a fish that's conservatively 2-3x larger and stronger than any other we can take inshore in New England. It's exciting and fun. Part of it is competition amongst peers, part of it is driving yourself to be a better diver and hunter, and part of it is just the excitement and challenge. Any idiot can shoot small bass. I would have been happier if they raised the minimim size to 36in or more like they did the last time the stock crashed. It worked once.

Also - we are spearfishers who take one fish a day, or a few more if commercial. There are much much bigger issues here than a few divers taking big bass. How about the fact that we have draggers killing thousands in a pull, or industry on our rivers which has destroyed spawning? I'm not trying to deflect thoughts here, just pointing out that while sitting on a high horse judging people for wanting to take larger fish there are more impactful things we could focus on.

All that said I do of course support fisheries management and want the best for the resource.

[TriggerNJ]

i don`t want sticker regs.have you looked at some of the charts,graphs and other data these people use?see if you can follow it,smoke and mirrors.
30 big fish per boat per week.
i have lived on long island all my life

Question 1.....Is the striped bass stock declining or not?

Question 2.....What do propose is done?

I do not in any way feel that it's unethical to enjoy the experience of taking a fish that's conservatively 2-3x larger and stronger than any other we can take inshore in New England. It's exciting and fun. Part of it is competition amongst peers, part of it is driving yourself to be a better diver and hunter, and part of it is just the excitement and challenge. Any idiot can shoot small bass. I would have been happier if they raised the minimim size to 36in or more like they did the last time the stock crashed. It worked once.

Also - we are spearfishers who take one fish a day, or a few more if commercial. There are much much bigger issues here than a few divers taking big bass. How about the fact that we have draggers killing thousands in a pull, or industry on our rivers which has destroyed spawning? I'm not trying to deflect thoughts here, just pointing out that while sitting on a high horse judging people for wanting to take larger fish there are more impactful things we could focus on.

All that said I do of course support fisheries management and want the best for the resource.

2 more cent the vis is terrible....

During the stock crash it was nightmare. Unfortunately it wasn't just size regs that did the trick. There were moratoriums, habitat cleanup, it took a lot to see the rebound and the fishery didn't have the fishing pressure on it that it supports now. For example the largest striper producing area in the stock (Chesapeake bay, Maryland) had a 5yr moratorium. Fortunately this isn't a stock crash. Whatever we do management wise now and in the future has to be an effort to avoid all that past misery.

You bring up great point in that we have done this once already and from a miserable place. Should be relatively easy to get to where we want from the position we are currently experiencing. I see that as reassuring.

I agree keeping an eye on the big picture like habitat is a huge part. Especially now.

I understand the frustration of spearos knowing how small our numbers are and how small our impact on the overall fishery is here. However, I see it as we all have to be in it together here. If limiting big fish ends up working well then I suck it up and deal with it. I don't ever want to see my spearing regulations split from the general fishing regulations regarding fish so whatever the recreational regs dictate I wouldn't ever fight for an exemption. I don't think it would be fair and I wouldn't want be on the losing end which I feel we surely would be in the end.

[prop]

they already cut it from 2 fish to one .now there is just a 7 inch window.how many more fish will die after being thrown back by r&r or shot by mistake by spearing?this law will do more harm then good and then there will be a moratorium.just more over management.

[TriggerNJ]

they already cut it from 2 fish to one .now there is just a 7 inch window.how many more fish will die after being thrown back by r&r or shot by mistake by spearing?this law will do more harm then good and then there will be a moratorium.just more over management.

Theres plenty of thought out arguments against current regulations but you're just spitting out random things you don't like but have never actually even took the time to examine even casually as to why you might not like them. Your opinion can be for or against whatever but at least have a basic idea of what it is you believe and why you believe that. Then take a minute to look at the why and how these regulations came to this point when you want to tell us how terrible each is.

Now according to you these stricter regulations that you are against is going to do more harm than good by killing many more fish than the old regulations causing a stock crash that leads to moratorium. If anything a statement to that effect is giving more ammunition to those that believe these regulations are not strict enough to prevent overfishing. Your "common sense" approach is anything but sensible if your goal is less management.


Is the striped bass stock declining or not?

What do propose is done?

Here I'll add one more

What do you believe the intended purpose of slot limits are?

[prop]

i don`t think the stock is declining
leave it like it was last year
just more regulatory b.s.

you can read all the studies you want and regurgitate them.next year they will want more restrictions .then the moratorium will follow after that.i`m done with this.
adios

[TriggerNJ]

At least you finally even acknowledged what it is you do believe about the stock. Sort of of step one or am I crazy?

Believing what you do wouldn't you want to be prepared and well versed in the information to resist possible further regulation?

You can go back to never being curious about why you believe what you do, how regulations are made, what the regulations even are, why others believe they are needed, how they are arrived upon on and on. Some of us want to know what's being done to us, why it's being done to us, what the idea behind doing it is, and what the process is rather than bitch about being a victim of stupid people taking things away. That way along with our personal experience we can form our own reasonably educated opinion and get involved if we believe differently.

There's plenty of opinions I value that differ wildly from mine and theres a lot to be learned through discussion with thoughtful invested people who believe differently. If I'm wrong I want to find that out too. Hell, one of the early posters with mathematical model experience was going to pick apart the data models being used to see for himself because he's invested in not being a victim of poor management. You don't even form an actual opinion on the subject until now but all the while you're quick to chime in bitching about things you don't seem to care enough about to actually look into. I will never understand that.

[prop]

interesting.
https://www.skimmeroutdoors.com/

[TPG]

Originally Posted by prop

interesting.
https://www.skimmeroutdoors.com/

Whats interesting about someone trying to sell charters?