Solid Win for Striped Bass at the ASMFC

Solid Win for Striped Bass at the ASMFC

Top photo via Dave Monti On Wednesday, May 5, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) met to discuss the comments that it received on the issues presented in the Public Information Document For Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (PID). The Management […]

Stakeholders Tell the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to Rebuild Striped Bass

Stakeholders Tell the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to Rebuild Striped Bass

Note: Public comments on the PID will be taken through 5:00 p.m. on April 9. See below for details. Throughout the month of March, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held webinar/hearings, seeking stakeholder comments on future striped bass management measures. The comments were focused on issues raised in the Public Information Document For […]

Striped Bass Management Demonstrates Why Stakeholders Are “Losing Faith” in the ASMFC

Striped Bass Management Demonstrates Why Stakeholders Are “Losing Faith” in the ASMFC

Top photo by John McMurray Striped bass are one of the United States’ most important recreational fish. Between 2010 and 2019, anglers landed more striped bass (measured in pounds) than any other saltwater fish. The bass has paid for its popularity. A benchmark stock assessment released in April 2019 found that female spawning stock biomass […]

ASMFC Striped Bass Meeting Demonstrates Need For Reforms

ASMFC Striped Bass Meeting Demonstrates Need For Reforms

The first question set the tone of the meeting. In October, 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) adopted Addendum VI to Amendment 6 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan (Addendum VI), which was intended to end overfishing and reduce fishing mortality by 18 percent, […]

At Last Week’s ASMFC/MAFMC Meeting, Here’s What Went Down

At Last Week’s ASMFC/MAFMC Meeting, Here’s What Went Down

Big Cuts for Bluefish, While Scup and Black Seabass Dodge a Bullet This article first appeared on Fissues.org On Dec 10th and 11th, the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission met jointly to complete 2020 recreational fishing specifications for bluefish, summer flounder, scup and black seabass. Here’s what happened. […]

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: Time To Learn From The Past

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:  Time To Learn From The Past

Striped bass photo by John McMurray “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana’s words have been repeated so often that they’ve become a cliché. Yet, repeated or not, they’re undoubtedly true. But when it comes to fisheries matters, merely remembering the past isn’t enough; in order to prevent making […]

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, ASMFC Address Recreational Fisheries Issues

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, ASMFC Address Recreational Fisheries Issues

Black sea bass, photo by Charlie Witek. When the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Bluefish and Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Boards (Management Boards) held a series of joint meetings early in October 2019, they addressed a number of recreational fisheries issues that, in […]

Striped Bass Management: What If Magnuson-Stevens Applied?

Striped Bass Management:  What If Magnuson-Stevens Applied?

Photo: Capt. Dave Monti with Block Island striped bass. On August 8, 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) met to consider the future of the striped bass fishery. A benchmark stock assessment released in May 2019 (2018 Assessment) had determined that the striped bass stock was […]