Spring 2021 ASMFC Striped Bass Meeting

[Roccus7]

ASMFC had the big powwow yesterday to discuss what new points should be included in Amendment 7 of the Striped Bass Management Plan. I was unable to listen in, which is probably good for my blood pressure since most ASMFC meetings raise my blood pressure. However, I was able to glean information on the proceedings through "the kindness of strangers", AKA The Blanche Dubois Fisheries Management Technique.

Here's a good summary:

These following issues were voted to be removed from further consideration, meaning the provisions currently contained in Amendment 6 will be carried forward with no change and remain as they are today.

Issue 1 - Maintain the current Goal and Objectives.

Issue 2 - Maintain the current Biological Reference Points.

Issue 4 – Stock Rebuilding Targets and Schedule. Consideration to change the rebuilding schedule were removed, but options to protect the 2015-year class were added. Note we are currently committed to a rebuilding the stock in 10 years that was triggered in 2018, meaning the stock has to be rebuilt by 2028.

Issue 5 – Regional Management.

Issue 8 – Recreational Accountability.

Issue 9 – Commercial Quota reallocation. Consideration to include this in Amendment 7 was removed, but the board tasked the Technical Committee with study indicating there will be future action on this item, perhaps in a subsequent addendum.

The following issues were voted to be included in Amendment 7, meaning there will be further analysis and consideration for change(s) made with Amendment 7.

Issue 3 – Management Triggers will receive additional analysis and consideration for change.

Issue 6 – Conservation Equivalency.

Issue 7 – Release Mortality.

Most of the issues, including baseline data on the status of the population WERE NOT recommended to be included in the Amendment, which is a GOOD thing. It means states like NJ and MD didn't get their way by having the ability to readjust key population baselines reset!! Of the above items to be included, the one we have to be vigilant in monitoring, IMO, is Management Triggers, another fudge factor that some states may care to game to their own advantage.

Some procedural "Highlights"...

• Meeting was chaired by Maine DMR head Patrick Keliher. Here's a summary of someone's take of Pat's initial comments. Makes me proud to live in Maine
  
  Pat Kelliher, the saltwater fishery manager from Maine and the current ASMFC Chair, just made a great opening comment to the Management Board, reminding them that the ASMFC is under real scrutiny, reminding them that the Commission's striped bass efforts have brought "mixed results" and reminding them to think about not only the future of the striped bass but the future of the Commission.
  
  He asked that they consider that accepting a little pain now might be worthwhile.
  
  This shows that unlike many of the Commissioners, Pat actually reads public comments and has realized that ASMFC is also on the line here. One person sitting on the call made these observations based on all the public comments, and it is nice to see that these comments have been realized by some members of the Striped Bass Board.
  
  One of the notable things about the hearings in nearly every state was that the stakeholders weren't just commenting on striped bass management, but on the ASMFC's more widespread failure to successfully rebuild and manage anything. Listening, I felt sorry for the ASMFC reps, for they have almost no influence on the outcome of Management Board votes; they can get as frustrated as we do after commissioners ignore science and staff advice and fail to properly care for a resource. The outcomes are almost entirely dependent upon the attitudes, opinions, and biases of the Management Board.
  
  Stakeholders were aggressively criticizing the ASMFC as an institution, and that has to have an impact on some of the state fishery managers, who believe in the process and fear that they are going to come under greater Congressional scrutiny if they don't start doing a better job. I suspect that such fear about the loss of institutional credibility--and perhaps even legitimacy--and the potential for proscriptive legislation will impact more than one state manager's vote.
  
  
• As predicted, NJ and MD voted against any conservation-minded items, but in fairness, MD didn't vote this way EVERY time, not doing it once. At one point the NJ representative Mike C., was concerned that NJ was being DEMONIZED. You know what Mr. Garden State??? IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT!!!! Maybe NJ's Fisheries Management folks have some of the NJ Pine Barren Devil's DNA incorporated into their own genome...
  
  I find this hysterical, because my written comments to the Draft Public Information Document was laced with such helpful comments like, "Better watch out what NJ & MD say about this, you know they'll be against it!!"
  

All in all, I'm very please on the result. Of course, this is only the go ahead to start crafting the actual Amendment 7, and that will need board approval. You can be sure that the dynamic duo of NJ & MD will continue fighting tooth and nail for their ability to harvest every striped bass they can. It's time for all other member states to hold firm and make it abundantly clear that their normal MO will no longer be tolerated!!

As soon as the "official" minutes of the meeting are published I will post.

 

[MakoMike]

Nice summary! One minor quibble, Pat Keliher is the Chairman of the ASMFC. He addressed the members of the striped bass board at the beginning of the meeting. The chair of the striped bass board, who chaired the meeting was Dave Borden, a commissioner from RI.