Fwd: MarineFisheries Advisory: New Recreational Regulations for Striped Bass

Stephen DiCerbo

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Apr 13, 2015, 11:32:48 AM4/13/15

to Striperheads

Hi Guys

Massachusetts has finally decided how to approach their harvest reduction for stripers for this year... (it varies from state to state, but they are all in)

They went with reducing the bag limit from 2 to 1, keeping the minimum length to 28" .

It could have gone the other way, by increasing the minimum length which would have been tougher on us flyfishers...

Anyone amongst us who is interested in harvesting, is likely to be satisfied 1 a day ! like we ever get that 1 Ha ha

June trip coming up, hopefully the news will be good !

Stephen

April 2015

The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) has adopted a 1-fish recreational bag limit for Atlantic striped bass in 2015; the recreational minimum size limit remains the same at 28". This bag limit reduction (from 2 fish) was undertaken to reduce recreational harvest in Massachusetts by at least 25%, as required by the interstate management plan. Massachusettsâ€™ commercial quota has also been reduced by 25%. Read on for further details.

This past October, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass. The Addendum responds to results of the 2013 benchmark stock assessment, which found that fishing mortality in 2012 was above target, and female spawning stock biomass has been steadily declining below the target level since 2006.

Addendum IV adopts a 25% harvest reduction from 2013 levels for coastal fisheries, and 20.5% harvest reduction from 2012 levels for the Chesapeake Bay fisheries (this lower reduction is due to the Bay jurisdictions taking a 14% cut in 2013 based on their management program). For the coastal fisheries, the Addendum reduces the commercial quotas by 25% and decreases the recreational bag limit to 1 fish. Under Amendment 6, states may implement alternative state-specific recreational measures if they can demonstrate that the measures will have the same conservation value.

MarineFisheries collected public comment on several options to comply with Addendum IV this past winter. At the request of some representatives and participants in the for-hire fishery, we entertained two alternatives to the 1 fish at 28" FMP standard that included 2 fish at more conservative size limits; these alternatives would have applied only to the for-hire fishing mode.

After careful consideration, MarineFisheries and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission selected the FMP standard of 1 fish at 28" minimum for all modes (private and for-hire). This change has the best chance of achieving a 25% harvest reduction, is easiest to understand, encourages compliance, and simplifies enforcement. In addition, public support for the 2-fish alternatives was limited.

Harvest projections for mode-specific regulations are less certain than for fishery-wide regulations. Confidence in the effectiveness of mode-specific regulations is further reduced if compliance erodes. Introducing a separate striped bass measure to regulate the for-hire mode from all other recreational fishermen (and commercial fishermen) would reduce compliance and complicate enforcement. Enforcement of alternative rules across the entire population of our for-hire permit holders (numbering 900), particularly when for-hire permit holders are fishing without patrons aboard, would have proven troublesome. A universal rule also removes any negative perceptions about benefits from a â€œdual-standardâ€ allowed to for-hire patrons. Anglers in Massachusetts will operate under the same rules as those in our neighboring states in 2015, as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut have also adopted 1 fish at 28" minimum rules. For more information, refer to www.mass.gov/marinefisheries.

To unsubscribe please click here Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA, 02114

rx4fi...@nycap.rr.com

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Apr 13, 2015, 5:03:10 PM4/13/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com, Stephen DiCerbo

it really does not affect ue much as we do not typically keep fish...

---- Stephen DiCerbo <myk...@wildblue.net> wrote:
>
> Hi Guys
>
> Massachusetts has finally decided how to
> approach their harvest reduction for stripers
> for this year... (it varies from state to state, but they are all in)
>
>
> They went with reducing the bag limit from
> 2 to 1, keeping the minimum length to 28" .
>
> It could have gone the other way, by increasing
> the minimum length which would have been tougher on us flyfishers...
>
> Anyone amongst us who is interested in
> harvesting, is likely to be satisfied 1 a day
> ! like we ever get that 1 Ha ha
>
> June trip coming up, hopefully the news will be good !
>
> Stephen
>
>
>
>
>
>

> >[]
> >
> >April 2015
> ><http://email.eregulations.com/wf/click?upn=7jWNUklecvapAMQEKMkzsTCneNvqZJ7ET-2Fr78vsG4NL19UVA8430rG2YI7J5s5Pq_kPvO-2BRb9d8J4JsfHDSbO2yJyuPHMB1yoQAv2odahoqZ2brp5wlcYKy-2FGz912uyy5UsWtH86yIiCEK-2B4DhBjTLqlqpvkQLUwPowyJ3r4PxIBz4BJEERTplX6Hfx-2BOfxfuttEAlDNIHQjzpjVpbWYDBEnydF2dAK46NBvrJyt7asB0ihqO8woZmVkEOL2h9YApeuAW5aA1kjJhLyFdf-2BmyCGOZ4qrowzgb5aoQqllDv-2FdUfzamg5nCrWpY-2Bi-2F-2BKOa7Qy536ECB5tHi17oxgBGiCBKqsiXn7D7QmRsAPzpfkzbyPH2zyVRwnNB7QvK3cs65hS2kyq8M2n-2FbbKZTK9eD2C5sjr91Ba4AG6NVSmf3-2FNW7IRO9AqNw8papZ2s53yh1cvJCBGxoJDeGRJAncvrIgg-3D-3D>
> >[]

> >Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
> >251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA, 02114
>

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rx4fi...@nycap.rr.com

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Apr 13, 2015, 5:03:53 PM4/13/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com, Stephen DiCerbo

William H. Barnard

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Apr 13, 2015, 5:07:11 PM4/13/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com

Wish I could catch/keep a 28" fish. Have caught several 26-27 inch. Tried to squash them to meet the limit. No luck. Looking forward to seeing all you guys/gals.
Bill

Stephen DiCerbo

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Apr 13, 2015, 5:26:41 PM4/13/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com

Ha Ha Bill theres your trouble ! try stretching instead of squashing !

hoping to see you Vermonters in a couple months on your way up to
Wilmington.... Wood Fired Pizza On the deck !

Splinta

Wayne Weseman

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Apr 14, 2015, 11:30:09 AM4/14/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com

Once in 12 years I caught a keeper, so I'm heartbroken that the limit has been reduce from two to one.

Wayne

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Stephen DiCerbo

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Apr 14, 2015, 3:20:40 PM4/14/15

to stripe...@googlegroups.com

Considering   our typical rate of capture, we are much better off with the 28 inch size limit

a 32 incher would have been further out of reach than the maintained 28...     so 2 per day would not have been any consolation at all

I think in this situation, it would be more likely to catch a 28 incher than a bigger one.... so 1 28 incher each day would be a better option than NO 32 inchers each day ha ha !

Hopefully they will rebound again.    A single 32" fish limit still looms a possibility in the near future...

> >MassachusettsÃ¢€™ commerciacial quota has also been reduced by 25%. Read

> >about benefits from a Ã¢€œdual-standadardÃ¢€ allowed to for-hire
> >patrons. Anglers iin Massachusetts will operate under the same rules

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