ASMFC Acts to Rebuild Striped Bass

ASMFC Acts to Rebuild Striped Bass

On May 2, 2023, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Board) took two decisive actions that will hopefully ensure that the currently overfished striped bass stock will be fully rebuilt by 2029. Six months ago, such actions didn’t appear to be needed. The ASMFC’s Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee […]

ASMFC’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board Faces a Crucial Test

ASMFC’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board Faces a Crucial Test

Top photo by John McMurray On the morning of March 30, 2023, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee (Technical Committee) held a meeting, where it agreed that the currently overfished striped bass population will probably not be rebuilt by the 2029 rebuilding deadline. The news was not a surprise. […]

Straight Talk On Striped Bass

Straight Talk On Striped Bass

Addressing Common Misconceptions about Striper Management I’ll admit here that while I try real hard to NOT look at social media or other internet chatter on fisheries management stuff, I often can’t help it. I mean, I haven’t exactly found that arguing with people on Facebook is productive. So, I’ve become accustomed to reading, shaking […]

You Can’t Always Get What You Want…

You Can’t Always Get What You Want…

Do Fishery Managers Actually Listen to the Public? I’ve been there…and it’s incredibly frustrating. For months, you do your best to educate folks on what are often complicated fishery management actions, explaining the options/alternatives that are on the table, and which one(s) will best protect the fishery and serve their/our interests. You urge people to […]

Rebuilding Striped Bass

Rebuilding Striped Bass

Photo by Kyle Schaefer In April 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) accepted a benchmark stock assessment that found the striped bass stock to be both overfished and subject to overfishing. The Management Board acted quickly to reduce fishing mortality and end overfishing, but was much […]

Newest Amendment to ASMFC’s Striped Bass Management Plan Emphasizes Conservation

Newest Amendment to ASMFC’s Striped Bass Management Plan Emphasizes Conservation

On Wednesday, March 4, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) completed its work on Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (Amendment 7). Amendment 7 maintains the conservation measures adopted in earlier amendments, while embracing additional improvements to striped bass management that promote […]

Magnuson-Stevens: Is Familiarity Breeding Contempt?

Magnuson-Stevens: Is Familiarity Breeding Contempt?

People too often take things for granted, depreciating what they have simply because it’s familiar; sometimes, things must be seen through someone else’s eyes before they are fully appreciated. That certainly seems to be true of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens). When the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 (SFA) became law, amending […]

ASMFC Approves Draft Amendment 7 to the Striped Bass Management Plan

ASMFC Approves Draft Amendment 7 to the Striped Bass Management Plan

Photo by Kyle Schaefer On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 26, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (Management Board) reviewed and amended its Draft Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (Draft Amendment), and approved such Draft Amendment for public comment. In 2003, when Amendment […]