AFSMC Striper Meeting

[george]

If you’re trying to reduce discards, how do you enforce a bass fishing moratorium? “I’m not bass fishing, I’m after bluefish!”

They’ve got to go slot with stipulation of no culling and recommend stop fishing when a fish is kept.

There will never be a moratorium, it's way too much of a money fish. Recs took over 10-million trips for bass alone. Now they found all of these surf fishermen they never knew existed and it's their fault?

I have been speaking with reps up and down the coast and no one believes the numbers, not that they ever do, but as we know you can't fight the numbers. I have been taking a back seat watching this unfold. We could talk all day about slots and other solutions, but in the end, regulators want to see a reduction. New Yorkers won't take that much of a hit as it will probably go to one at 32-inches with a circle hook requirement for bait so they can say they addressed the bycatch issue. That is my educated guess on what will play out over the next months.

New Jersey will get 2-fish as the NJ commercial quota actually runs under a tag program that allows anglers to take an extra fish until all of the tags are used.

 

[Capt13]

... did you mean the recreational quota ?

 

[george]

... did you mean the recreational quota ?

Are you referring to NJ?

 

[Capt13]

New Jersey will get 2-fish as the NJ commercial quota actually runs under a tag program that allows anglers to take an extra fish until all of the tags are used.

I meant this sentence in your post.

 

[Roccus7]

I meant this sentence in your post.

It is JOISEY!! All states have a commercial quota. NJ has been giving the quota to the recs under a tag system. Maine doesn't do anything with their quota, it sits unused.

 

[Capt13]

I understand now ...... Joisey transferred their commercial quota to the recs. Got it.

 

[george]

I understand now ...... Joisey transferred their commercial quota to the recs. Got it.

Yes Mr. Roccus has it correct. I believe that was done through legislation, and it's not about to change anytime soon. There are many on the coast that despise it. I personally don't have a problem with it. From what I gather it's a miniscule number of fish annually. If the quota went to a commercial fishery, the entire quota would be taken.

 

[george]

It is JOISEY!! All states have a commercial quota. NJ has been giving the quota to the recs under a tag system. Maine doesn't do anything with their quota, it sits unused.

There ya go. You want a few 18-inch fish a year? Do what joisey did. You guys deserve to take home a few fish. All you have to do is ask. The fish are there for the taking.

 

[Roccus7]

There ya go. You want a few 18-inch fish a year? Do what joisey did. You guys deserve to take home a few fish. All you have to do is ask. The fish are there for the taking.

LOL, can't get to the data now, but IIRC, the Maine commercial quota is like 30,000 fish or lbs, can't remember which. Like I always said, our rec quota is a pimple on ASFMC's butt and our commercial quota is a pimple on that pimple...

 

[Bucktail]

How about a season starting July 1 and a STATEWIDE 30" size limit , Hudson included?! It's insane to allow a directed fishery on actively spawning fish and micro rats.

 

[Scupper]

How about a season starting July 1 and a STATEWIDE 30" size limit , Hudson included?! It's insane to allow a directed fishery on actively spawning fish and micro rats.

A whole bunch of guys in Western LI would miss out with a July 1 opening date .........

 

[PropellerJohnII]

How about a season starting July 1 and a STATEWIDE 30" size limit , Hudson included?! It's insane to allow a directed fishery on actively spawning fish and micro rats.

no thnx from the boys from Little neck bay

 

[Roccus7]

How about a season starting July 1 and a STATEWIDE 30" size limit , Hudson included?! It's insane to allow a directed fishery on actively spawning fish and micro rats.

Couldn’t agree more with Hudson River thoughts both season and size, but under the assumption that we have to reduce ALL fishing pressure, including C&R, how do you enforce dates when fishing techniques overlap with other, in season fish?

 

[Capt13]

I don't think catch and release fishing is enforcible ....... unless they ban fishing.

 

[Bucktail]

Enforcing possession out of season would be the same as fluke or c bass or scup. Not sure about the C&R aspect out of season , perhaps ending that too. Hey, IF the resource is in dire straights , extreme measures are required.

 

[george]

I don't think catch and release fishing is enforcible ....... unless they ban fishing.

It's not enforceable but most fishing regs are unenforceable. Up until about 5-years ago, you had to stop targeting bass after you had your keeper. After pressure from anglers that was changed to allow for catch and release.

I personally don't think they're overfished, I think we're not seeing older fish because they're dying from mycobacteriosis. This is the silent killer that no one wants to discuss because they don't know how to deal with it. I find it strange that it's never mentioned anywhere in the numbers. It's a REAL thing and it's happening now. Rich Troxler is very educated on this and he called it a few years ago. He predicted this exact scenario.

Doe's anyone really believe that a bunch of surf casters are the cause of the decline of this fishery?

Here's a recent article I found on the US National Library of Medicine website.
Dermal mycobacteriosis and warming sea surface temperatures are associated with elevated mortality of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay

 

[Roccus7]

Here's a recent article I found on the US National Library of Medicine website.
Dermal mycobacteriosis and warming sea surface temperatures are associated with elevated mortality of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay

A good read, but scary read. In fairness, the package presented back at the ASFMC did mention the "M" word and highlighted it as a future "To Do" in terms of mortality.

 

[george]

A good read, but scary read. In fairness, the package presented back at the ASFMC did mention the "M" word and highlighted it as a future "To Do" in terms of mortality.

I knew you would like that one. And you're right. It is on asmfc's To Do list.

 

[Matts]

How about a season starting July 1 and a STATEWIDE 30" size limit , Hudson included?! It's insane to allow a directed fishery on actively spawning fish and micro rats.

My understanding, based on what I was able to find and have heard over the years, is that stripers spawn in brackish flowing water in the upper 50's to 60. They supposedly need the flow to keep the eggs from silting over. My understanding is that bass mostly winter in the Hudson or Chesapeake, spawn, then spread out over the coast. There is some wintering and spawning in some of the other rivers. Not all fish spawn every year. You can follow the migration on OnTheWater.

That said, I have heard folks who would know, claim to have witnessed active spawning in Raritan Bay in April. Yet, everything I've read or heard states that the water is too cold, not brackish and not flowing. Everything I've ever heard or read is that south shore bass winter in the Chesapeake. It does not make sense they would leave the Chesapeake and swim to Raritan Bay to spawn in sub 50 degree water.
The western sound season starts in earnest in May and is usually about done, except for some night fishing, by July 4. The fish pouring out of the Hudson in May and June, as best as I can tell, are not spawning in the sound and either have spawned in the Hudson or will not spawn that year.

Is there any evidence that a significant body of bass leave the bay, swim to open water and spawn in the open south shore or north shore waters?

I would support a one fish, 26" to 34" slot. I'd even agree to catch and release till June 1. Closed till July 1 is fighting words for anyone west of Eatons Neck!

 

[pequa1]

or even bring a slot down to 32" I only fish for them in the fall and mainly from the beach.