The future of our striped bass fishery just keeps sounding worse and worse. It honestly seems inevitable at this point that things will get much much worse before it ever gets better (if it ever gets better). I don't want to be the guy to tell you not to keep fish but if recreational anglers don't take matters into their own hands then our fishery is doomed. Guess what, it's not just the commercial guys....we (rec fishermen) keep more. It's your god given right to go fishing but it's your duty to help maintain the fishery. I'm probably not speaking to the hardcore fisherman who's out there several times a week as they more than anyone should no better. One thing that gets me are the party boats. Of course it's their job to put their clients on fish and it's their clients legal right to keep fish but I feel like if those clients were educated just a little bit about the fishery they would think twice about keeping two fish per person.
Recently, there was a report about a spike in the number of young striped bass in the Chesapeake: .... "After several years of discouraging results, Maryland fisheries officials say the number of juvenile striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay this summer was the fourth highest in the 58-year history of their annual census. The abundance of palm-sized newborns bodes well for those who catch — and those who eat — the official state fish, also known as rockfish."
This spike is good BUT don't get your hopes up. No, things are not going to be OK. In an email from Stripers Forever tonight, they state the following:
"In our view, a large reduction in fishing pressure is definitely needed. The recreational catch has dropped by 80% over the last few years because of the rapid decline in numbers of schoolie stripers along the coast. We are currently fishing on striped bass born in 2003 or earlier, and it will be 8 long years before we see any real replenishment of the stock from the 2011 year class. Even so, it is hard to predict if a significant number of these fish will live to become large bass. First, we know that mycobacteriosis is killing large numbers of young stripers, although the full extent of this mortality is simply not yet known. Second, with no other good year-classes in the pipeline, the 2011 class will quickly be depleted by current levels of fishing pressure."
If you want to help, there are things you can do. To start with, become a member of Stripers Forever. IT'S FREE and they will keep you informed and give you specific ways you can help in your area or in general.
(For the record, I have kept fish but it has been about 4 years since I kept my last one. While I personally choose not to keep striped bass, I am not against keeping one for the table every once and awhile or even a trophy. I simply think that something has to be done and not keeping fish is just one way I can help)
Comments