DNR striped bass fishery rule changes
 

The Department will hold a scoping meeting to discuss recreational and commercial striped bass fishery management rule changes that are necessary to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's approval of Addendum IV to the Interstate Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan in October 2014. Addendum IV requires a 25% reduction in the coastal fisheries and a 20.5% reduction in the Chesapeake Bay fisheries. Management options under consideration can be found at dnr2.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/regulations/scoping.aspx.

A meeting to obtain public input will be held on Monday, November 24, 2014 at the Anne Arundel Community College located at 101 College Pkwy, Arnold, MD 21012 at 6 p.m. in the Florestano Building, Room 101. Public comments can also be submitted to the attention of Fisheries Regulatory Staff via email at fisheriespubliccomment.dnr@maryland.gov, mail at Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Service B-2, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis MD 21401 or fax at (410)260-8310 through December 3, 2014.

Rob, good talking to you Friday, kind of curious about these changes, I am going to make best efforts to get there.

I actually support the regulations being scoped by DNR that comply with the ASMFC reductions. While I would love to see the sport season go to the end of the year, I think the regulations still offer ample opportunity and are easy to understand as transitioning from current regulations. The trophy season may be tough to reach a limit with a 36" min but it is a short season that was created to give Marylanders a chance at a trophy fish. That opportunity still remains. The regular season regulations of a 20" min will cut down on the harvest some but I don't think it will deter fisherman from making trips and the opportunity of taking a fish for oneself is still reasonable from my eyes.

I still hope that the ASMFC works towards Chesapeake Bay reference points so that the fish can be ensured to be managed properly in the bay. I certainly hope the 1 fish per person along the coast will achieve the necessary reductions to prevent us from reaching an overfished status. I also think it is enough of a carrot for sportsmen to take trips. I will still likely tow to the ocean or make a trip out of NJ with my dad for 1 fish over 28". Heck those regulations had many take trips in the bay during the trophy season.

I see the regulations as a welcome sign that the can is no longer being kicked down the road. However I am not sure that raising the size limit from 18" to 20" will have any significant effect on the 2015 season. I do believe it will be a more significant measure in years to come. You may wonder why I say this. The answer is simple. 3 year old striped bass tend to measure 17 to 20" in length, so the fish which will be restricted in 2015 are the 2012 hatch. The YOY index in 2012 was 0.9, which means that there probably wouldn't be a lot of <20" keepers next year in any event.

Alert - Due to power outage in Arnold*tonight's meeting on the 2015 striped bass reductions is canceled, stay tuned for further news.

Yes, I pulled into a very dark parking lot and was chased away by the campus police! I am declaring a conspiracy to hide something, not sure what, but I know it's something.