New Jersey Update on the recent Striped Bass Board Meeting

[george]

ASMFC Striped Bass Board Meeting Report – Key Takeaways (November 2024)​

Overview:
Tom Fote, a longtime advocate for recreational anglers and sustainable fisheries, offers a critical perspective on the recent Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Striped Bass Board meeting. With over four decades of experience, Fote has been a leading voice in striped bass conservation and played a pivotal role in creating the New Jersey Striped Bass Gamefish Bill, banning the commercial sale of striped bass in the state. As one of the earliest advocates for striped bass recovery, Fote remains dedicated to ensuring that management decisions reflect the interests of recreational anglers, environmental realities, and community needs.

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Key Takeaways:​

1. Exclusion of Public Input:
   • The ASMFC meeting restricted public commentary, undermining a process that has historically included stakeholder engagement.
   • Emergency actions now guide striped bass management, bypassing public hearings, which Fote criticizes as a breach of the established framework.
   • Fote urges state commissioners to advocate for public participation in all stages of decision-making.
2. Environmental Conditions, Not Biomass, Affect Recruitment:
   • Recruitment issues are driven by environmental factors rather than the size of the spawning stock biomass.
   • Fote warns that focusing regulations only on biomass size will not address the underlying ecological challenges, making management efforts ineffective.
3. Proposed Reductions and Poor Timing:
   • The ASMFC plans to discuss an additional 15% striped bass harvest reduction in a special meeting in December 2024, despite limited data on the effectiveness of 2024 reductions.
   • The meeting’s timing—during the holiday season and peak fishing periods—further limits participation from the recreational angling community.
4. Economic and Social Impacts Ignored:
   • The ASMFC has not conducted economic studies on how regulations affect charter operators, recreational anglers, and fishing communities.
   • These decisions disproportionately impact subsistence fishers, raising environmental justice issues, as rising fish market prices leave low-income anglers unable to fish for food.
5. Division Within the Recreational Fishing Community:
   • Fote highlights growing conflict between catch-and-release advocates and those who fish to provide food, weakening the once-unified voice of recreational anglers.
   • This division allows policymakers to implement harmful regulations with less resistance from the fishing community.
6. Unaddressed Environmental and Chemical Threats:
   • Fote emphasizes the need to address issues like endocrine disruptors and climate change, which are skewing male-to-female ratios in fish stocks and affecting reproductive health.
7. Inconsistent Fisheries Management:
   • Fote contrasts striped bass policies with Southern New England’s lobster management, where stakeholders were consulted extensively despite ongoing environmental recruitment challenges.
8. Call for Unity Among Recreational Anglers:
   • Reflecting on his efforts to pass the New Jersey Striped Bass Gamefish Bill, Fote urges recreational anglers to revive the unity they had in the 1980s, when they worked together to rebuild striped bass stocks.
   • He advocates for a renewed push toward coastwide gamefish status for striped bass to ensure future policies reflect the interests of all recreational anglers.

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Closing Thoughts:​

As a pioneer in striped bass conservation and an advocate for recreational anglers, Tom Fote’s leadership has shaped New Jersey’s fisheries policy. His report serves as a call to action: The recreational fishing community must unite, prioritize environmental solutions, and demand inclusive management processes. Fote’s legacy—marked by the passage of the New Jersey Striped Bass Gamefish Bill—shows that when anglers work together, they can achieve lasting change. Now is the time to reclaim that collaborative spirit to protect the future of striped bass and the interests of recreational anglers.
4o

 

[george]

this is an ai update:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held its recent meeting on October 23, 2024, focusing on critical management issues for striped bass. A key topic was the 2024 stock assessment update, which revealed six consecutive years of failed spawning, raising alarms about the future sustainability of the fishery. This worrying trend, especially evident in the Chesapeake Bay, highlights environmental pressures like warming waters, invasive species predation, and habitat degradation.
During the meeting, there was considerable debate on how to proceed with potential catch reductions. The ASMFC considered a range of rebuilding options, including reductions as high as 50%. However, concerns emerged that the board might delay significant actions, mirroring previous management failures where short-term measures only postponed necessary reforms. The recreational community is pushing back against such delays, demanding stricter measures now to avoid further depletion of the stock.
A point of contention was the slot limit implementation, which inadvertently increased fishing mortality by targeting key year classes, notably from 2015. The American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA) expressed frustration over the impact of these policies on both fish stocks and the recreational fishing industry. They emphasized the need for fairer regulations across commercial and recreational sectors, criticizing the lack of reductions in commercial quotas despite increasing strain on recreational anglers.
The ASMFC is under pressure to balance environmental realities with stakeholder interests. With further management discussions planned in December 2024, the board will face difficult choices, particularly regarding whether to impose new reductions of up to 15% during a critical holiday period for recreational anglers.
For the fishing community, the October meeting underscored the urgency of adopting a more unified, science-driven approach. Advocacy groups continue to call for consistent, coastwide regulations and greater accountability across all sectors to safeguard the future of striped bass fisheries.
Sources:

• American Saltwater Guides Association reports on management challenges and conservation concerns.
• Stripers Forever outlines the need for bold actions, including the potential for a moratorium, to counter the ongoing spawning failures.
• ASMFC deliberations reveal tensions over balancing regional interests with the need for effective, enforceable conservation measures.

4o

 

[Roccus7]

Tom Fote a conservationist???? Yeah, and I’m the Tsar of all the Russias. He constantly tries to eke out extra fish for NJ with no eye on the future of the fishery. He used his “Gamefish Bill” as a smokescreen for giving out bonus tags to recs, so the same amount of bass were killed NJ. THAT IS NOT CONSERVATION!!

He and MD’s Licursi are primary reasons that the bass are in trouble, always disbelieving data and trying to kick the can down the road.

Thank Poseidon he's been retired from the ASMFC Striped Bass Commission. Not hearing his sniveling whining at the meetings has returned years to my life that he took away during his term. But he's worse than Dracula, he's re-emerged on the Advisory Council, OY!!!!!

 

[OVERBORED]

I never felt gamefish status was the answer and those that pushed for it had an agenda.

 

[george]

I never felt gamefish status was the answer and those that pushed for it had an agenda.

Tom Fote a conservationist???? Yeah, and I’m the Tsar of all the Russias. He constantly tries to eke out extra fish for NJ with no eye on the future of the fishery. He used his “Gamefish Bill” as a smokescreen for giving out bonus tags to recs, so the same amount of bass were killed NJ. THAT IS NOT CONSERVATION!!

He and MD’s Licursi are primary reasons that the bass are in trouble, always disbelieving data and trying to kick the can down the road.

Thank Poseidon he's been retired from the ASMFC Striped Bass Commission. Not hearing his sniveling whining at the meetings has returned years to my life that he took away during his term. But he's worse than Dracula, he's re-emerged on the Advisory Council, OY!!!!!

My good friend, I can't help but think you have FDS. That is Fote Derangement Syndrome. You dislike him so much that you can't see through to the facts.

Total allowed (assuming 215,912 lbs per year for 28 years): 6,045,536 lbs

Total taken: 850,991 lbs

Based on these figures, we can calculate the number of bass that "lived" as a result of this program:

Total allowed - Total taken = 6,045,536 - 850,991 = 5,194,545 lbs

Assuming an average weight of 6.4 lbs per fish (based on the 2023 data), this translates to approximately 811,648 striped bass that were not harvested over the course of the program.

It's important to note that this calculation assumes:

1. The commercial quota would have been fully met each year if not for this program.
2. The annual quota remained constant at 215,912 lbs, which may not be accurate for all years.
3. The average weight of 6.4 lbs per fish is representative across all years.

Now I did the math assuming this program was in place along the coast from the start:

1. Total Allowed Quota: 374,920,000 lbs
2. Total Hypothetical Harvest (assuming 10% of quota): 37,492,000 lbs
3. Difference (fish that could have "lived"): 337,428,000 lbs

Assuming an average weight of 6.4 lbs per striped bass:

Number of fish that could have "lived" = 337,428,000 lbs / 6.4 lbs per fish ≈ 52,723,125 striped bass.

This program has clearly resulted in a significant reduction in striped bass harvest compared to the potential commercial quota, potentially contributing to the conservation of the species.

He Mr. Tom Fote has undeniably saved 850,000 striped bass. Over 6 million pounds of bass! Is he a conservationist? Has he single handily saved more striped bass than any individual?

Most folk's with FDS see him as a fish hog. Anglers get pissed as NJ boats are filling buckets with the fish we throw back. That's what a successful advocate does. He gets you access to fish as much as the law and regulations allow.

Tom Fote has given more of his life to recreational fishing, and had more success than anyone I have met in my 38 years of fisheries management.

 

[Roccus7]

My good friend, I can't help but think you have FDS. That is Fote Derangement Syndrome. You dislike him so much that you can't see through to the facts.

Total allowed (assuming 215,912 lbs per year for 28 years): 6,045,536 lbs

Total taken: 850,991 lbs

Based on these figures, we can calculate the number of bass that "lived" as a result of this program:

Total allowed - Total taken = 6,045,536 - 850,991 = 5,194,545 lbs

Assuming an average weight of 6.4 lbs per fish (based on the 2023 data), this translates to approximately 811,648 striped bass that were not harvested over the course of the program.

It's important to note that this calculation assumes:

1. The commercial quota would have been fully met each year if not for this program.
2. The annual quota remained constant at 215,912 lbs, which may not be accurate for all years.
3. The average weight of 6.4 lbs per fish is representative across all years.

Now I did the math assuming this program was in place along the coast from the start:

1. Total Allowed Quota: 374,920,000 lbs
2. Total Hypothetical Harvest (assuming 10% of quota): 37,492,000 lbs
3. Difference (fish that could have "lived"): 337,428,000 lbs

Assuming an average weight of 6.4 lbs per striped bass:

Number of fish that could have "lived" = 337,428,000 lbs / 6.4 lbs per fish ≈ 52,723,125 striped bass.

This program has clearly resulted in a significant reduction in striped bass harvest compared to the potential commercial quota, potentially contributing to the conservation of the species.

He Mr. Tom Fote has undeniably saved 850,000 striped bass. Over 6 million pounds of bass! Is he a conservationist? Has he single handily saved more striped bass than any individual?

Most folk's with FDS see him as a fish hog. Anglers get pissed as NJ boats are filling buckets with the fish we throw back. That's what a successful advocate does. He gets you access to fish as much as the law and regulations allow.

Tom Fote has given more of his life to recreational fishing, and had more success than anyone I have met in my 38 years of fisheries management.

FDS, I love it, along with LDS, which is Licursi (MD) Derangement Syndrome. Striped bass have never had two worse enemies as this "Dynamic Duo" constantly strives to put down or delay any significant striped bass conservation efforts. How come NJ and MD always fights any conservation?? It's this pair who are in the pocket of commercial interests, be they charter/six pack and or commercial.

I question your math in that he used the commercial quota to set up the bonus tag system which:

1. Tags were constantly reused per NJ anglers
2. Tagged fish had their own size restrictions, either being larger or smaller than the current coast wide regulations of that year.

Yes, he was successful in getting more fish for NJ Anglers to keep, which has been his constant MO over the years. That is in no fashion "conservation". If he was truly a conservationist, instead of someone hungry for more fish kept by recreational anglers, he would not have spearheaded that bonus tag program, and like ME, NH, and CT ended commercial striped bass fishing in NJ, but kept the commercial quota unused.

Yes, he's an absolute Fish Hog for recs, and if that's something you like that's fine, but there's NFW he can be touted as a conservationist since the two are mutually exclusive.

Reminds me of the old 60s Mantra, of "Bombing for Peace is like F***ing for Virginity!!!"

 

[george]

I question your math in that he used the commercial quota to set up the bonus tag system which:

1. Tags were constantly reused per NJ anglers
2. Tagged fish had their own size restrictions, either being larger or smaller than the current coast wide regulations

Yes, he was successful in getting more fish for NJ Anglers to keep, which has been his constant MO over the years. That is in no fashion "conservation". If he was truly a conservationist, instead of someone hungry for more fish kept by recreational anglers, he would not have spearheaded that bonus tag program, and like ME, NH, and CT ended commercial striped bass fishing in NJ, but kept the commercial quota unused.

Yes, he's an absolute Fish Hog for recs, and if that's something you like that's fine, but there's NFW he can be touted as a conservationist since the two are mutually exclusive.

Reminds me of the old 60s Mantra, of "Bombing for Peace is like F***ing for Virginity!!!"

I'm not sure what you're questioning? Are you suggesting that rec anglers are reusing tags? Why would they do that with so many tags available?

What you're missing is that if NJ didn't put that program in place those fish would have been added to the mix because they were being unused. Who cares about their size limits and seasons. He managed to get his anglers more fish than anyone on the coast and he has saved more fish than anyone on the coast. Both at the same time.

Now that's a winning combination.

You see him as a fish hog for NJ anglers. I see it as him getting what his anglers want.

One last comment. There was a 3-year stretch when the entire coast went to two bass as 28 inches. Except for the state of New York. The rest of the fish hog coast, including Maine I might add. Technically we saved over 2-million fish. You know what we got for that - balls. Do you know how many fish we saved by voluntarily reducing our quota? NONE. They all got added back into the plan.

 

[Roccus7]

I'm not sure what you're questioning? Are you suggesting that rec anglers are reusing tags? Why would they do that with so many tags available?

What you're missing is that if NJ didn't put that program in place those fish would have been added to the mix because they were being unused. Who cares about their size limits and seasons. He managed to get his anglers more fish than anyone on the coast and he has saved more fish than anyone on the coast. Both at the same time.

Now that's a winning combination.

You see him as a fish hog for NJ anglers. I see it as him getting what his anglers want.

One last comment. There was a 3-year stretch when the entire coast went to two bass as 28 inches. Except for the state of New York. The rest of the fish hog coast, including Maine I might add. Technically we saved over 2-million fish. You know what we got for that - balls. Do you know how many fish we saved by voluntarily reducing our quota? NONE. They all got added back into the plan.

Maine never had 2 fish over 28", trust me on that. I do know the NY story. Maine was first with circle hooks, along with no more than 2 trebles on a lure, and like NY with the 1 fish, never got any "credit" for those supposed fish saving measures.

No matter how you want to slice things, Tom and Licursi, have always been the ones to fight tooth and nail any striped bass conservation efforts, and if unsuccessful there, kicking the can down the road, just like your initial post shows. That sure isn't the MO for a conservationist title...

At least he's no longer on the striped bass commission, but is on the advisory panel. Knowing NJ, I was born there, I'm sure they've replaced him on the striped bass commission with another fish hog.

 

[OVERBORED]

George, you seem to be one of the many who thinks gamefish status is a good thing when all it seeks to do is eliminate the commercial fishery.

Commercial fishing accounts for 10% of striped bass mortality.

Well, who's responsible for the other 90%?

Recreational fishermen!

So how is gamefish status beneficial to the management and recovery of the striped bass?

 

[george]

M

George, you seem to be one of the many who thinks gamefish status is a good thing when all it seeks to do is eliminate the commercial fishery.

Commercial fishing accounts for 10% of striped bass mortality.

Well, who's responsible for the other 90%?

Recreational fishermen!

So how is gamefish status beneficial to the management and recovery of the striped bass?

Gamefish status isn't a new idea - it's already helping other species. Red drum, sea trout, salmon, and snook are managed this way in some states. If you've fished for these down south, you know it works well.

Almost half of the commercially caught striped bass come from the Chesapeake. That's the exact area we need to rebuild by 2029. Gamefish status could really help with that.

Just look at Florida's snook fishery. It's great for recreational anglers, and nobody's complaining about not being able to buy snook in stores.

Could gamefish status be the answer for our striped bass? Absolutely.

 

[OVERBORED]

The Striped Bass is a public resource.

Eliminating one user group in the name of management is a flat out lie and takes away someone's right to legally catch and sell SB.

 

[george]

The Striped Bass is a public resource.

Eliminating one user group in the name of management is a flat out lie and takes away someone's right to legally catch and sell SB.

I get its a public resource, so are deer and turkey as well as many species taken from the wild.

I was at the table when this current bill was written, and I'm fine with what the NY coms are getting. What I'm not fine with is what's happening in the Chesapeake. I just ran some numbers for you to get a glimpse of what's happening there. Keep in mind that our access to striped bass is centered around the Chesapeake Bay:

1. Total East Coast Commercial Landings:
   In 2022, commercial landings of striped bass from state waters totaled 3.8 million pounds, valued at $13.5 million.
2. Chesapeake Bay Dominance:
   Commercial landings are consistently dominated by Chesapeake Bay fisheries, accounting for approximately 60% of total commercial landings by weight since 1990 (80% in terms of numbers of fish).
3. Maryland and Virginia:
   While specific 2022 numbers aren't provided, these two states are significant contributors to the Chesapeake Bay catch. In 2022, their combined commercial harvest was 2.7 million pounds, which is a decline from 4.5 million pounds in 2012.

With the commercial catch taking 80% of the number of fish out of the bay, we haven't a chance at seeing any recruitment.

The Striped Bass Management Plan requires full recruitment in the Bay by 2029. Currently according to their own numbers, there's approximately a 50 x 50 chance that it works.

This time there is no kicking the can down the road. There is little doubt we will see a shutdown in our future, while the Bay coms take out 80% of their fish.

While the rest of the coast is fishing a combined body of both Chesapeake and Hudson fish the coms in the Bay are pounding the very fish you and I are trying to protect.

Now if striped bass were a coastwide gamefish we'd be looking at a totally different scenario.

 

[longcast]

The Striped Bass is a public resource.

Eliminating one user group in the name of management is a flat out lie and takes away someone's right to legally catch and sell SB.

Sounds like what is going to happen, only in reverse..................................

This time there is no kicking the can down the road. There is little doubt we will see a shutdown in our future, while the Bay coms take out 80% of their fish.

 

[Kona]

I get its a public resource, so are deer and turkey as well as many species taken from the wild.

I was at the table when this current bill was written, and I'm fine with what the NY coms are getting. What I'm not fine with is what's happening in the Chesapeake. I just ran some numbers for you to get a glimpse of what's happening there. Keep in mind that our access to striped bass is centered around the Chesapeake Bay:

1. Total East Coast Commercial Landings:
   In 2022, commercial landings of striped bass from state waters totaled 3.8 million pounds, valued at $13.5 million.
2. Chesapeake Bay Dominance:
   Commercial landings are consistently dominated by Chesapeake Bay fisheries, accounting for approximately 60% of total commercial landings by weight since 1990 (80% in terms of numbers of fish).
3. Maryland and Virginia:
   While specific 2022 numbers aren't provided, these two states are significant contributors to the Chesapeake Bay catch. In 2022, their combined commercial harvest was 2.7 million pounds, which is a decline from 4.5 million pounds in 2012.

With the commercial catch taking 80% of the number of fish out of the bay, we haven't a chance at seeing any recruitment.

The Striped Bass Management Plan requires full recruitment in the Bay by 2029. Currently according to their own numbers, there's approximately a 50 x 50 chance that it works.

This time there is no kicking the can down the road. There is little doubt we will see a shutdown in our future, while the Bay coms take out 80% of their fish.

While the rest of the coast is fishing a combined body of both Chesapeake and Hudson fish the coms in the Bay are pounding the very fish you and I are trying to protect.

Now if striped bass were a coastwide gamefish we'd be looking at a totally different scenario.

Limit the Chesapeake commercial fishery , that addresses your scenario but doesn’t penalize the rest of the commercial community. The “ sport” fishermen account for the vast majority of bass mortality, that’s where the cuts should be .

 

[george]

Limit the Chesapeake commercial fishery , that addresses your scenario but doesn’t penalize the rest of the commercial community. The “ sport” fishermen account for the vast majority of bass mortality, that’s where the cuts should be .

Last year, recreational anglers saw a 14% reduction, while the commercial sector faced a 7% cut. Given that half of the coastwide commercial quota comes out of the Chesapeake, it seems logical to prioritize reducing their share to help rebuild the fishery in the Bay by 2029.

 

[OVERBORED]

At some point, you realize that fishing isn't the only reason Bass are disappearing (See codfish, flounder)

 

[george]

At some point, you realize that fishing isn't the only reason Bass are disappearing (See codfish, flounder)

Are we really sure we know what we’re doing? Almost every fishery supplying our markets is under stress. Are fish populations truly declining, or are they shifting to new waters in response to changes we don’t fully understand? Are they following food sources or searching for more hospitable conditions? And what role do rising water temperatures play in all this? Fisheries management seems to be a constant attempt to catch up, but are we even asking the right questions? It feels like we’re grasping at answers while the oceans and fish populations continue to change around us

 

[Kona]

Last year, recreational anglers saw a 14% reduction, while the commercial sector faced a 7% cut. Given that half of the coastwide commercial quota comes out of the Chesapeake, it seems logical to prioritize reducing their share to help rebuild the fishery in the Bay by 2029.

I agree that the Chesapeake commercial quota needs to be adjusted. Also that there should be closed areas and seasons , Hudson River and Raritan Closed until June 15 for starters.

 

[OVERBORED]

Like I stated about the seining historical breeding areas, we need new models. We need a" new set of eyes" on the problem because the old set has only led to failure.

That said, maybe the problem can't be fixed. Maybe there's just too many damn people in the world vying for the same food source!