Stripers in decline?

[Billfish715]

Many people more knowledgeable than I am say that the striped bass population along the Atlantic coast is in decline. Is it? If it is, what are fishermen doing to prevent it? Some of the pictures posted by "for hire " captains seem to indicate that there is no decline nor is there a need to practice conservation. The pictures of boat limits of dead fish must be good for business, but don't they fly in the face of those who are predicting dire straights for future striped bass fishing.

There has to be a happy medium. Two fish over 28" per person seems reasonable when the fish are 28-30 inches. When a boat lands limits of larger fish plus bonus fish, the plot gets thicker. When you look at the total pounds of fish landed vs. the number of fish caught, perceptions change.

Consider a six pack charter with a limit catch plus a bonus fish for each person. If each fish averages 12 lbs. that's 216 lbs. Throw in a few 20+ pounders instead of the 12 pounders and that number increases substantially. It is possible that the charter would each have more than 40 pounds of fish. Even if half of that was trimmed away to leave the fillets, that would be 20 or so pounds of fillets per person.

In states where wild striped bass are commercially sold, the price of fillets can exceed $ 15.00 per lb. 20 x $15= $300.00. But who goes to the local fish monger and orders $300 of fish for dinner. Prices for whole fish start at $5.00 per pound. A 40 lb. fish would sell for over $200. That one fish would pay the fare for one person plus a sizable tip.

I don't have an answer and I know there are people's livelihoods at stake, but I think more captains should take the lead and encourage their clients to limit their take and not always take their limit. A picture of a released fish can be just as satisfying as a picture in front of a pile of dead ones and just as good for business. Limiting your take on a hot bite is a true test of your sportsmanship and makes you a stewart.

If the striped bass population is in decline then we have to look only at ourselves and our fellow fishermen for an answer.

[fishunt]

i agree with you a 100 percent! well said!

[Harpoon]

Billfish...I'm quoting you from 4/2014 off of this website

"Life and fishing are about making choices......personal, ethical choices......" "I have no problem with people who catch and keep fish as long as they are not wasted."

[WhaleFart]

I really couldn't of said it better!

Let the big girls live, only take what you will eat and enjoy the excitement of striper fishing. It makes me sick when I see pictures of garbage pails filled with bluefish that will just end up in the garbage too, but that's a whole nother griper

[tjd24]

Many people more knowledgeable than I am say that the striped bass population along the Atlantic coast is in decline. Is it? If it is, what are fishermen doing to prevent it? Some of the pictures posted by "for hire " captains seem to indicate that there is no decline nor is there a need to practice conservation. The pictures of boat limits of dead fish must be good for business, but don't they fly in the face of those who are predicting dire straights for future striped bass fishing.

There has to be a happy medium. Two fish over 28" per person seems reasonable when the fish are 28-30 inches. When a boat lands limits of larger fish plus bonus fish, the plot gets thicker. When you look at the total pounds of fish landed vs. the number of fish caught, perceptions change.

Consider a six pack charter with a limit catch plus a bonus fish for each person. If each fish averages 12 lbs. that's 216 lbs. Throw in a few 20+ pounders instead of the 12 pounders and that number increases substantially. It is possible that the charter would each have more than 40 pounds of fish. Even if half of that was trimmed away to leave the fillets, that would be 20 or so pounds of fillets per person.

In states where wild striped bass are commercially sold, the price of fillets can exceed $ 15.00 per lb. 20 x $15= $300.00. But who goes to the local fish monger and orders $300 of fish for dinner. Prices for whole fish start at $5.00 per pound. A 40 lb. fish would sell for over $200. That one fish would pay the fare for one person plus a sizable tip.

I don't have an answer and I know there are people's livelihoods at stake, but I think more captains should take the lead and encourage their clients to limit their take and not always take their limit. A picture of a released fish can be just as satisfying as a picture in front of a pile of dead ones and just as good for business. Limiting your take on a hot bite is a true test of your sportsmanship and makes you a stewart.

If the striped bass population is in decline then we have to look only at ourselves and our fellow fishermen for an answer.

Totally agree as well.
We never keep anything over 30lbs and limit ourselves to one per person.

[pgoins]

IMHO there isn't any issue with the striper population here in NJ. I have caught fish consistantly all spring into july and now the fall run has started right on time and we catching fish in all size range consistantly. Asmfc actually says that the striper fishery is NOT being over fished. So go figure why some believe it's on the decline. I was all for a slot fish. Would have decrease to the take on the big girls by at least 50%. I really didn't care what they did as long as they did it coast wide and shut down the commercial fishery. In Mass alone their commercial quota is 1.2 million lbs this year.

I only really run one charter boat now and the last few springs we only allowed our clients to keep one fish when we were catching the bog cows. And when we were trolling spoons we switched over and targeted seabass or other bottom fish because we believe the spoons put a beating on those fish and mortality is much higher. I know there are quite a few other Capts out there that practice the same techniques, but there are still too many out there that believe charter capt limit out each trip, run 10 trips a week, and then calculate their numbers like that.

One fish at 28 is fine. But I believe we would have better off with one at 24-28" and one over 32". I know that wasn't an option but it sure did work great when we had it 10+ yrs ago.

[emcjim]

Well said, Bill! On a recent party-boat trip, every one was a keeper and all were gaffed. Probably averaged 1 per fare. I caught one, 34#. Pool winner was 52#. Later in the season, the average size will drop considerably. On my last trip last year, early December, I caught 18, no keepers. Nor were there any keepers on the boat.

[Capt. Lou]

It's really tough to get many to limit catches , dock photos seem to rule in a competitive business ! The limits r clearly defined. & those that keep their limits R not breaking any law .
However if their looking to the future, imposing a modified boat limit can certainly be suggested by the Capt. This is far better than inviting a federal agency to impose them for u !
Stripers r easily netted & do not need go be gaffed thus releasing them in good shape is easily achieved.
I do agree that the spoons can tear fish up to some degree as stated , single hooks prevent some of this but the spoon swing can hook many fish & cause damage !
Sort of like treble hook bunkering , many fish can be killed using this method .
Snag a bunker & transfer the bait to a circle only takes a minute & can save many fish that u prefer to release.

[bunker dunker]

must be fall again!!!!!there are plenty of bass.just keep your limit and have fun.

[dakota560]

For those who remember what happened when the bass stocks crashed, it will add perspective to this discussion. There was a time where you couldn't find a bass and truthfully it wasn't all that long ago. In general, no species of fish can sustain in my opinion the constant pressure this particular fishery experiences. Since it's a north south migration, they literally get pounded all year long. Not sure if there's a closed season down south but for all practical purposes it's a year long fishery which draws a lot of attention. I'd hate to see all the sacrifices over the last 20 or so years wasted by allowing stripers to slip back to where they were in trouble. Recreational fishing alone, in my opinion, will never push a resource to that point, although taking countless numbers of the big female breeders isn't helping matters. Guys who run charters have every right to keep their limit but to see a shot of 12 or 18 (w / bonus tag) big bass on a dock is difficult to see especially for those of us who went through the years where you couldn't find a bass. Charter guys aren't wrong for doing whatever they have to to make a living, either are most commercial guys who play by the rules. BUT the fact remains that an inshore fishery being worked over all year long will eventually succumb to that pressure if measures aren't put in place to protect it.

The other issue which is just as important is protecting the bunker population. I must say this year was without doubt the most bunker I've ever seen in this area. Usually by mid to late June, the reduction boats have scooped up all the schools. Not sure what happened this year but the amount of bunker we saw in July, August and into September was insane. Not sure what happened this year to cause that but hopefully it's not a one time anomaly. If the bunker aren't managed commensurate with the bass, we'll have a different issue on our hands both of which will result in a decline to the bass population.

As I said earlier, charter boat owners / captains have to do what they have to do to make a living. It's not an easy job by any means. That being said, it is difficult to see a 6 pack charter with some guys who have never fished in their lives standing over 12 or 18 30 lb. fish back at the docks. To me that's excessive and if there's changes made it should be as many have said to limit or further protect the breeders. In my opinion regardless of what the regulations say, keeping that many trophy fish for the grill or to get freezer burn is a waste of the resource and a tragic ending to a truly trophy fish. Not to mention that after getting all the blood lines out and removing the stomach cavity you don't get nearly the amount of meat from these larger fish as you would think. Keep a few if you want, take a picture for memorabilia sake and let the big girls swim away to give someone else a thrill of a lifetime.

Dakota

[jmurr711]

me keeping my 4 fish a year is going to destroy the population & i like the blood lines in the fish i like fishy fish. i am in favor of releasing the 32-40 inch fsh those are the ones who have the best genetic potential. But if the stock crashes the tog & porgys have 1 less predator to worry about!

Striped catfish cause so much drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

[bunker dunker]

back when I started working deck it was 10 fish at 18 in.then they opened the
commercial fishing in the Hudson river which sent the fishery back.so when they figured it was not good to net them were they spawned they closed it.we had a few scarce years then the stripers started to show again.so the striper numbers start to grow and grow and the fishing gets better and better but the feds think its a good idea to close the fishing in federal waters with is anything more than 3 miles{not sure but close} out.now every spring and fall there are
loads and loads of bass moving up and down the coast in federal waters were we can not fishing for them.is there fewer bass or less places to fish for them.

[Detour66]

I throw all Striped Bass back since I don't care for the way they taste. And that's my choice. But I must also say that there are people out there who would like put a end to fishing all together. The less catch info and pic's the better. The less ammo for there cause !

[Down Deep Sportfishing]

As said by the wise, "pay to play", it's coming sooner than everyone thinks. Ask any captain who has recently been asked to submit survey forms. There isn't a line for how many fish you caught, but how many "paying passengers" you had on board. Don't think for one minute that "MASSACRE", "BASSACRE", "LIMITS", "LIMITS++", ETC. does not get attention. It does, the wrong type. The tree huggers are lurking amongst us.

NO ROD AND REEL WILL EVER HARM OUR FISHERIES, INCOMPETENACE WILL.

PROTECT THE DOGFISH ! IMBALANCES ARE CREATED BY THE INCOMPETANT.

IT IS OUR OPINION, THAT THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH CURRENT STRIPED BASS REGULATIONS, AS THEY ARE.

While the NY Bight / Sandy Hook / Raritan Bay areas have enjoyed great fishing for many recent years, it is unfortunate for other costal areas, namely south of the aforementioned areas, that have been left out of the runs of recent years, not due to overfishing, but migratory tracts, namely past the 3 mile line.

[NoLimit]

Recreational fishing has no effect on fish stocks- none whatsoever.

[Sven of the hook]

Well said . I agree u should keep the fish around 28 to 36 inches and throw the big cows back after a picture . The stripers are a fun sport fish I'd like to see them around for along time

[hammer4reel]

to ANYONE of the guys here that posted that RECS cant hurt the striped bass fishery.
either you have tunnel vision, or no clue about how many bass are being caught by the thousands of boat daily during the whole YEAR.
Not just the few months the bass are here.

These fish are hammered in Virginia ,then here , then in NY and RI the rest of the season.
Striped bass are the longest targeted species fished for yearly up and down the coast.

everything else gets a break , stripers dont ever get a break all year.

Lots of people fishing for them besides Charters and party boats.
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of boats.

would have liked to see a slot like we used to have.
as that encompassed many different year classes of fish.
But def wana see this fishery protected a little more than it has been.

and with NJ always having a bonus tag fish, most guys will still get to keep a second fish anyhow.

[pgoins]

NJ will get 2 fish. The bonus tag system was put in place for NJ in leau of a commercial take. From what I read it look like NJ will put some sort of slot fish in place and get rid of the bonus tag to achieve it's portion of the reduction.

Sounds good to me.

[dales529]

Honestly think this debate will go on for years which is way better than when Stripers were VOID for years and there wasn't any opportunity for debate. Practice Catch and release, let the breeders live and we can keep debating.
Copied below and originally posted by Scooter1010 is the excerpt from the actual Vote where it appears NJ still has some options for a slot fish .


The fishing panel that regulates striped bass has voted to cut catches next year by 25 percent and is pushing states to allow just one fish a day at 28 inches

click here


The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a compact of East Coast states including New Jersey, also left wiggle room for states to allow two fish per day at larger sizes.


The ASMFC, at a meeting Wednesday in Connecticut, voted 14-2 for an option that allows one fish per day at a minimum size of 28 inches. That would bring a 31 percent reduction in catches next year.


New Jersey, which currently allows two fish per day at 28 inches, and Delaware were the only states to vote against it.


But the ASMFC will also allow states to use a program known as “conservation equivalency” to keep the harvest cutback equal to or greater than a 25 percent reduction. Conservation equivalency, a system also used with summer flounder, allows each state to use a combination of bag limits, seasons and minimum fish size as long as it meets the specified reduction.


Adam Nowalsky, New Jersey’s legislative representative on the ASMFC, pushed for conservation equivalency and it passed in a 16-0 vote.


Barnegat Light party boat captain Eddie Yates, returning from a sea bass fishing trip Thursday, was happy there is some flexibility.


Yates said it could allow what is known as a slot limit, perhaps one striper at 28 to 35 inches and one at a 36-inch minimum. New Jersey could also tweak its season, which already bans back-bay striper fishing in the winter.
“My business can’t survive with one fish a day. We’re barely getting by with two fish a day. I’m glad they left it with a conservation equivalency and we can pick our own poison,” Yates said.


The state Division of Fish and Wildlife’s “striper guru,” Russ Allen, will come up with various options to bring to the fishing clubs and anglers for input.


The decision must be made quickly as striped bass changes require approval from the New Jersey Legislature.


Tom Fote, a New Jersey representative on the ASMFC and an avid striper angler, said it must be approved by Feb. 1. Fote said some New Jersey groups were pushing for one fish per day for the maximum conservation and others wanted two. He said the season could be shortened and there could be a slot limit with two fish. Fote envisioned seasonal changes with one fish at 28 to 34 inches and one at 37 to 38 inches.


“We have to get people to agree because we have to pass a bill. Last time, we had three competing bills. I think we can work this out. We’ll have two or three choices to get to 25 percent,” Fote said.


Nowalsky said the state will have nine options, listed as Options B-1 through B-9, to reach the mandate. The options already have ASMFC approvals, but he noted New Jersey could come up with something entirely different but would have to go through a commission review process. He expects the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council to get involved.
“Ultimately it’s up to the Legislature to take action,” Nowalsky said.


Robert Jackson, an angler from Cape May County, opposes taking the larger fish. He wants one small fish per day. Jackson said he wants a fish to eat, not a trophy fish to take a picture of.


“You’re genetically selecting the big gene out of the pool. Keep the big fish spawning. What’s best for the overall future of striped bass is not to keep targeting the big fish,” Jackson said.


The ASMFC held 19 public hearings in 12 states, and the most popular option was one fish per day at 32 inches. Anglers pushed for the most conservation with some party, charter and for-hire businesses wanting more lenient cuts.


New Jersey pushed for two fish per day, and Nowalsky challenged the states that wanted one fish at 32 inches, which would mean cuts of greater than 31 percent, to enact such regulations in their state.


“That’s what they wanted. They should implement it,” Nowalsky said.


The commission also voted to allow the Chesapeake Bay region, the major production area for stripers, to cut back by only 20.5 percent in 2015. New Jersey voted against that. Fote argued the Delaware River is coming on strong as a producing area and the Hudson River is also a spawning area.


“I can’t support a difference for the coast and bay. We have a producing area as well. What’s good for one is good for all,” Fote said.


Fote argued this will allow too much fishing on the large 2011 year class in the Chesapeake. The 2011 class is expected to eventually help reverse recent declines in the harvest of keeper-sized fish.


The cuts are not just for the recreational industry but also for commercial catches. New Jersey gives its commercial quota of 321,000 pounds to anglers, and that allotment, even cut by 25 percent, could take some of the sting out of the cutbacks because it has not been fully utilized in the past. It probably will be now.


“That’s definitely a positive,” Yates said.


Contact Richard Degener:


609-463-6711


RDegener@pressofac.com

[njdiver]

Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission
73rd Annual Meeting Summary

(Snip)

“The coastal recreational fishery harvest will be reduced by implementing a one fish bag limit while keeping a 28” size limit. Under Amendment 6, states may use conservation equivalency to develop state‐specific measures that are different than a one fish bag limit and 28” size limit for their coastal fisheries but still achieve a 25% reduction in harvest.”

(Snip)

http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/Annual2014/73rdAnnualMeetingSummary_2014.pdf


Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission
NEWS RELEASE

(Snip)

ASMFC Atlantic Striped Bass Board
Approves Addendum IV for Implementation in 2015

(Snip)

“The coastal recreational fishery harvest will be reduced by implementing a one fish bag limit while keeping a 28” size limit. Under Amendment 6, states may use conservation equivalency to develop state-specific measures that are different than a one fish bag limit and 28” size limit for their coastal fisheries but still achieve a 25% reduction in harvest.”

(Snip)

http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/54539b9bpr43StripedBassAddIV_Approval.pdf

[Matt A.]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1247195-bass-population-takes-a-jump-to-the-chagrin-of-salmon-fishermen

[Capt. Lou]

Stripers were present in Nova Scotian waters in the sixties . My buddy & I would catch quite a few in the St Mary's river on rebel plugs & buck tails!
Many residents during this time frame considered them a less than desireable game fish much like pollock.
In those days in the Maritimes the Salmon , trout , cod ,Gt tuna & more desireable ground fish reigned supreme !
Subsaquent years during the latter seventies the Striper became less abundant , I'm not sure why , but they had a respectable presence for several years in the rivers areound Cape St Mary NS waters .:cool: