ASGA Comments on Addendum VI to Amendment 6 Striped Bass Management

4 Responses

1. I support the ASGA position.
   A few comments however. We continue to focus on bag limits and size and never address catch and keep mortality on the spawning grounds or while the fish are in the process of moving to the spawning grounds. Nor do we address season adjustments, gill netting, or the CCC situation. The 18″ size in the Chesapeake will allow the continued reduction in year classes before the fish migrate and spawn. Lastly, the whole premise that we have a 50% chance of success in ten years is a coin flip and as such should be unacceptable to all of us.

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   1. Joseph.. There is no catch and keep on the spawning grounds. The primary spawning grounds are catch and release only, and many of the rivers/tribs are closed entirely for targeting striped bass. The trophy season meant to give MD and VA a shot to harvest some of these larger fish after they spawn. Last year VA closed trophy season. MD’s management is so heavily influenced by politics and user groups that science seldom has any influence on fisheries decisions. Now if VA would just get the anchored gill nets out of the bay and the PRFC get them out of the Potomac in Feb and the first 2 weeks of March. Too many large fish enter the bay and rivers in Feb and Mar for the nets to be in the water.

      I would be in favor of raising the size limit to 1 fish over 22″. The catch and release mortality is what scares people from leaning this direction. The charter boats that troll, chum, and live-line account for the majority of catch and release mortality. That mortality rate could increase if these boats spent an extra 2-3 hours releasing small fish until they get their limits.

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   2. Spawning in the rivers for the bass should be focused on for sure also along w the commercial boat fisherman and also there should be more officers at many fishing locations to keep a close eye on all the illegal poaching .. the money to pay out is now on a computer screen add more zeros on and hire more officers to protect our fisheries . And to keep pressure on all anglers from shore and off shore on boats …. we are all to blame in our own ways . But together we can help fix things before they’re too late .. if you see someone doing illegal poaching make the call take pics videos of the person and the license plate and report them. No this this isnt snitching it’s called fishing and if you want be able to see your children’s children be able to fish in the future let’s all do our job to protect our waters and fisheries.. let’s go ppl take time out and read to educate yourselves on better tactics of catch and release and some of you guys out there fishing every day and night take s lla break you guys are doing your own damage by putting so much pressure on the fish also. I will start to post more on my ig to help teach catch and release and picking up trash on the jettys and beaches let’s go ppl it’s our children’s future out there … @ilovenythismuch @ilovenewyorkthismuch follow me if you practice catch and release and want to link up to take walks on the beaches and jettys to help pick up trash and help keep the pressure to let them know we are watching and here to help our striped bass fishery so we will he our own enforcers of the striped bass community

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2. In Support of 1@ 35″ for striped bass, It worked once before to help rebound the fishery and with more pressure now than back then it needs to be reinstated

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