Bad Striper Bill in CT Falls Flat: Common Sense Shifts to Coastwide Solutions

This morning, the Connecticut Environment Committee held a hearing on House Bill 6248, a bill that proposed a complete moratorium for striped bass fishing on the lower Housatonic River. We’re relieved to report that the bill is “dead in the water”—and rightfully so.

For those not yet aware, H.B. 6248 was introduced by Brandon Chafee from Middletown. This legislation, not initiated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), is a far cry from much-needed striper conservation victories. Instead, it returns minimal reward for the fishery while negatively impacting law-abiding fishermen who utilize this tidal stretch of river. For more on our stance before the hearing, you can click here.

From the outset, H.B. 6248 failed to offer any real conservation benefit to the coastwide striped bass fishery. Instead, it would have punished law-abiding anglers while doing little to curb the actual problem in the Housatonic: poaching. The committee heard overwhelming opposition, and even the bill’s sponsor admitted that sometimes legislation is introduced simply to “start a discussion.”

Thankfully, the discussion also included H.B. 6250, a much more meaningful step forward. H.B. 6250 stands to increase funding for conservation enforcement at CT DEEP, which is exactly what’s needed to address illegal activity on the river. If we want real results, we need more boots on the ground. Our advocates and followers know our priority is conserving striped bass and rebuilding this legendary coastwide fishery. We do not shy away from reductions and management actions that provide a significant conservation “return on investment” in exchange for moderate and reasonable accountability from stakeholders. That being said, closing the Housatonic River ignores DEEP’s recent conservation efforts and punishes anglers who follow the rules while providing a minimal conservation win.

Justin Davis of DEEP provided critical insight during this morning’s hearing, explaining that catch-and-release mortality in the Housatonic is extremely low, as confirmed by telemetry studies. He made it clear that targeting poaching and minimizing release mortality—not banning fishing—are keys to conserving striped bass in this stretch of their migration.

We want to extend our thanks to CT DEEP, Justin Davis, and the Environment Committee for taking the time to thoughtfully consider the issue and for listening to the voices of conservation-minded anglers. We look forward to working with Connecticut to make the Housatonic a poaching-free river; one that continues to attract responsible fishermen to participate in the fishery.

H.B. 6248 was not merely a fisheries management exercise in futility, but also a shining example of misguided conservation efforts taking time and resources away from meaningful change. Striped bass are the lynchpin species along the East Coast, providing millions of recreational fishing trips and supporting countless coastal communities. We believe that the striped bass fishery is at an inflection point: if action is not taken to correct its course, the stock will not rebuild by the required timeline. Meaningful changes must happen at the coastwide level, require accountability from all sectors and utilize the best available science to project long-term sustainability for the resource. The right fight isn’t about closing a stretch of a singular river. It’s about action at scale to ensure striper angling opportunities along the entire coast for generations to come.