ASMF Striped Bass Regs- 2020

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by 1captainron

After coming home from "That" meeting, my gut was telling me, no way in Hell we will see a 28-35 keeper. Let's hope I'm wrong.

That is the size most of the state's pushed for long before NJ even got involved.
It is the size that makes most sense for the entire fishery .

But I'm sure there will plenty of complaints of guys crying releasing big fish over the slot.

.

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Going to be interesting to see if the bonus program stays in effect. The reason we have this program in NJ is because we don't allow commercial fishing so the recreationals get that quota.

The other thing we face with Stripers is a catch 22 just like Fluke..... You lower the size limits so you're not harvesting the breeders and since the size limits are lower, they assume more fish will be kept...

The science is totally jacked as is MRIP, which is basically a bunch of garbage random survey data that's fed into an arbitrary formula to estimate recreational landings..

I think we can all agree on one thing... If you really care about the health of this or any other fishery, you need accurate data and assumptions in order to make the right decisions. Pretty obvious to me that the decisions made in the past are not working for us or the fish...

Gerry I couldn't agree more with yours and Dave's position. Here's the fundamental problem most fisheries face, MSA will not change in our lifetime and decisions are being made based on "highly uncertain and questionable" data as the Statistical and Science Center's "SSC'S own staff members describe it. MRIP is a complete guess and an unproven process. Look at the attached chart, in particular years 2009 through 2017, last two columns. Recreational landings in both metric tons and numbers were revised upwards based on the NEW MRIP system with landings increasing on average over those 9 years by 141% from previous recreational catch levels used in marine fisheries models, 208% in 2017 alone. This is the data being used to manage the fishery and establish policy decisions, variances of that magnitude point to an out of control process. Add to that certain Council members own admission recruitment numbers might be wrong because of the ineffective means used to collect and quantify those statistics and you have the two most significant attributes of the fishery using highly questionable data making decisions which decide the fisheries and it's constituent's fate.

Also take note in the attached chart the statistics between 1989 and 2003 in the first two columns. Metric tons harvested versus number of fish harvested. Between 1989 and 2003, metric tons harvested recreationally has dropped SIGNIFICANTLY but disproportionate compared to the lesser decline in number of fish harvested. Why.......we're being mandated by size regulations to harvest the larger breeders and being penalized in the process with higher discard rates as Dave and Gerry both mentioned. We're in a very tenuous position with this fishery. Reduce size limits with slots and possession limits and catch levels get cut. Increase size limits and the gender imbalance it creates in the spawning biomass intensifies, recruitment levels continue their decline as does the biomass and again catch levels get cut. Add to that 70% - 75% of commercial harvest occurs during the fall / winter offshore migration commensurate with the stocks spawn and it's game over for this fishery.

Slot limits are used as a means by fishery management to regulate the harvest of certain size fish, in particular to maximize the protection of breeders to promote and protect reproduction. To Dave and Gerry's point, fishery management penalizes us for the increased harvest slots sizes will provide but ignores the intended upside benefits of significantly enhancing the reproductive pool with billions more eggs annually by protecting the breeders with the added benefit of lower discard rates if lesser size fish are allowed to be harvested in filling possession limits. Exactly why the spawning biomass between 1989 and 2003 grew by 900% with catch levels in excess of 50% greater than today and size limits for a majority of that period between 13" and 15.5" compared to the higher levels mandated today. Harvest the younger less fecund and in many cases sexually immature fish and allow the breeders to perpetuate the stock. Pretty basic concept that fishery management and MSA refuses to factor in to policy decisions so the result is we all suffer the consequences of poor decisions and ineffective outdated legislation.

Second preferred fishery management tool to sustain fisheries are closed seasons or restricted areas during the spawn. Freshwater fisheries management employs this method religiously and successfully with a number of species including small mouths, large mouths, walleye, salmon and trout (where natural reproduction occurs) etc, to name a few. If the striped bass and summer flounder spawns aren't protected, it won't matter what slot limits are adopted because the benefits of protecting breeder fish will never be realized if the spawn itself isn't offered the same protection which it never has in the case of summer flounder. Biggest mistake the Commission and Council are making in my opinion. Recruitment declines for two decades and the authoritative bodies ignore the harm unabated commercial harvest is likely having during the fall / winter offshore migration. Fishery policies which don't recognize the need to protect and promote recruitment are doomed to fail, we're witnessing it first hand.

The process is as screwed up as it could possibly be and as Dave mentioned we have no voice and as Gerry mentioned bad data will always result in bad decisions and MRIP unless changed will mark the end of the recreational fishing community for every species of fish. Wait until you see the changes currently being proposed by the Monitoring Committee for 2020 and beyond with summer flounder, bass, porgies, bluefish and BSB. Be prepared to dust off the "Enough is enough" shirts because 2020 regulations for the recreational sector are going to make 2017 regulations look benign.

[reelfitter]

My two cents worth. I can tell you this, Virginia put a slot on the Red Drum years ago. Since that time, they have made miraculous recovery. All that needs to happen now is to keep Omega Protein from sucking up everything in the Chesapeake bay. Striper included folks! Those nets don't know a striper from a Menhaden. Slots work!

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by reelfitter

My two cents worth. I can tell you this, Virginia put a slot on the Red Drum years ago. Since that time, they have made miraculous recovery. All that needs to happen now is to keep Omega Protein from sucking up everything in the Chesapeake bay. Striper included folks! Those nets don't know a striper from a Menhaden. Slots work!

Raritan Bay is the same! We can't even keep purse seiners out of the bay but NY can/?? These are bait boats not reduction boats. Not one Governor ever from New Jersey would address this. It is the same body of water and NY does not allow them in the bay.