Author Topic: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations  (Read 7485 times)

Offline Bucktail

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RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« on: September 26, 2014, 07:44:02 PM »
I know many of the charter and party boat captains are not in favor of this.  The way I see it is that it's better to have one than none. 
Other opinions welcome.



System Administrator - September 25, 2014

After discussion with anglers, business owners, fisheries managers and biologists, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) fully supports a reduction in striped bass harvest along the Atlantic Coast, with equal reductions to both the commercial and recreational sectors.

Based on our own observations and extensive review of the scientific data, RFA believes it’s important to reduce fishing mortality to a level that is at or below the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) target reference point as of 2015, and not by delaying action over several years.

With just one ASFMC public hearing left, September 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the Dare County Government Complex in Manteo, NC, RFA executive director Jim Donofrio said he’s confident with the position that he is set to deliver to ASMFC before the September 30 deadline.  “Last week, RFA active members along the Atlantic Coast began receiving our official position along with a comment card that anglers themselves can respond directly to ASMFC with their own personal position,” Donofrio said.

“According to the science, there’s a better than 85% chance that striped bass will be considered an overfished species within the next three years, and that’s not an option for RFA or our members,” Donofrio said.  “We’ve talked to a lot of individuals and business owners up and down the coast, and it would seem one option in particular, one fish at 28 inches, is perhaps the fairest, most efficient, and most productive option of all in terms of sustaining this fishery through to the next stock assessment.”

As per the ASMFC options presented to the public, RFA staff, chapter leaders, board members and volunteers have given consideration of the organization’s stated mission (“to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries”), and believe that one option in particular presents the most efficient way of meeting the needs of the fish, the fishermen and the recreational fishing industry.

If you’re an active RFA member with annual dues up-to-date, you should’ve received the following by mail in the past few days.

For the coastal recreational fishing sector, RFA views the following immediate and long-term benefits of Option B1, a bag limit of one fish at the current 28-inch minimum size limit:

 1- Reducing the individual bag limit by one fish offers a 31% reduction in harvest (according to ASMFC), but would also effectively cut the number of broodstock fish harvested during the spring migration when pre- and post-spawn fish are congregated in key areas.

 2- Keeping the size limit at 28 inches will reduce bycatch mortality resulting from any increase in size limit (proposed in options B2, B3 or B5); the ‘one at 28’ option allows anglers fishing specifically for harvest to catch their ‘table’ fish more efficiently without undue harm caused to undersized fish.

 3- While a traditional ‘slot’ option to preserve and protect smaller fish and breeding fish alike is a sensible management option, RFA is concerned about the current recruitment classes; with the 2010 and 2011 recruitment years being the most robust of recent record, it’s important to protect those age 4 to 5 females until better than 90% can spawn (age 5 to 8) at least once before harvest.

 4- ASFMC has previously stated that reducing fishing mortality on fish aged 8-12 (32- to 40-inch fish) by half would result in “much greater egg production in the stock and an age distribution in which older fish are much more dominant”; as such, any slot option (proposed in options B4, B6, B7, B8, or B9) which focuses undue harvest pressure on more ‘fertile’ age/size fish in the stock could be counterproductive to conservation efforts.

 5- RFA continues to place little faith in the NOAA Fisheries’ (NMFS) ability to effectively account for recreational fishing effort and harvest. Specifically, options B2, B3, B4, B7, B8 and B9 indicate that “data available to estimate the percent reduction is limited because the combination of a bag limit and size limit changes simultaneously means only measured fish from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) were included in the analysis which is a small subsample of the MRIP dataset for striped bass.” Since NMFS has limited data to make such calculations, there is far less confidence in calculating overall impact of such options.

Based on these five key bullet points, RFA expects to deliver an official position supporting B1, a bag limit of one fish at the current 28-inch minimum size limit for the coastal recreational fishing sector, with changes to be implemented as of 2015.

If you’re not an active RFA member with your annual dues up-to-date, go towww.joinrfa.org/joinand re-up by PayPal or credit card.  Click here to download the comment card addressed to the ASMFC.  Anglers and recreational business owners are encouraged to submit comments regarding this document at any time during the addendum process. The final date comments will be accepted is 5pm on September 30, 2014.

Comments may also be submitted by email (Subject: Draft Addendum IV) to Mike Waine (mwaine@asmfc.org)

http://joinrfa.org/2014/09/92514-rfa-weighs-in-on-coastwide-striper-regulations/


Online Hotrod

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2014, 11:16:12 AM »
IMO..  To me.. One fish to "Eat" seems fine for each angler for the day..




Offline Bucktail

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2014, 12:38:13 PM »
I don't think anyone is in favor of the commercials being allowed to "catch all they can". 

NJ is one state that does not allow netting or sale of striped bass.

Online Hotrod

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2014, 12:51:44 PM »
 whs




Online Hotrod

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2014, 09:12:20 PM »
Not out of line.. your opinions are just that.. opinions.. and they are welcome t^



Offline BigAl13

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2014, 10:16:30 AM »
heres how to stop over fishing, provide jobs, boost commercial  revenue, and boost tackle/ head boat revenue. For two years eliminate commercial netting totally, allow commercial fishing for rod and reel fishing only. This will 1) make more jobs because it would take more people to catch quotas, 2) it would increase the cost of Striped bass for sale which would reduce the amount being harvested and sold but in turn would keep the revenue the same by increasing the cost and the inflated cost would also persuade more people into fishing and not buying which would increase tackle/ and head boat revenue. All of this while reducing the Impact on the fishery and rejuvenating the population.  t^

If I was into politics Id be a great president :P

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Its better to sit in a boat and think about God, than to sit in a church and think about fishing.

Online Hotrod

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2014, 11:00:34 AM »
Not out of line.. your opinions are just that.. opinions.. and they are welcome t^

Thanks Hotrod I appreciate that, I know I can get pretty worked up over such things as this. I try to keep it low key but just can't help myself some times. Yes "Opinions" we all have lots of those..don't we. ;D slt
  This place needs some life.. Vent Away t^




Offline ChrisL

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2014, 07:52:51 PM »
Whatever % reduction the recreational side take, so will the commercial side (in o their states since NJ has no SB commercial).

I'm personally in favor of either 1@32 or a slot fish option.
I'd rather error other side of caution and see the species grow.  They are a much better game fish than they are  a food source. 

Offline ChrisL

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2014, 08:34:43 PM »
When recreational anglers and  for hire captains up and down the coast act like this, we need someone to step in on behalf of the fish
« Last Edit: September 30, 2014, 08:35:27 PM by ChrisL »


Offline cricker

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2014, 12:06:47 PM »
the point in the picture is that just because its legal doesnt mean its right, yea its legal for a boat carrying 50 people to keep 100 bass over 50 lbs, but that kind of slaughter is destroying the fishery, we need limits to prevent this kind of thing because people are to stupid and greedy to do it on their own, this isnt about the government invading our lives its about preserving a fishery that is in trouble before it goes downhill even more and from what i've been reading a majority of fisherman are for changing the striper regs, the problem most are having with it is that none of the proposals make sense

Offline Bucktail

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2014, 12:27:59 PM »
With a bonus tag it's 3 fish.

Offline cricker

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2014, 02:45:33 PM »
how bout you present a fact before telling me to get mine straight, fluke populations aren't in peril right now, in fact this was a banner year for them and fluke and stripers are different fish that need different management strategies, so no, people keeping their limit of fluke isnt hurting the population at the moment, striper populations have been declining for years, in part because people are keeping the large breeding fish, in part because estuaries are polluted, in part because commercial fishermen are netting them in other states, management has to be done better on all levels, no one group is entirely responsible for this and I never advocated 1 fish per angler, i think there should be a 2 fish limit with a smaller slot, which would allow more anglers to keep a fish but would save the breeders, how about you start reading what people post before spouting off in all directions like an idiot, the only point i was arguing is that recreational anglers can and do make an impact on CERTAIN species,

the fish kill was the result of low oxygen in the water, it happens there for several reasons, now what the hell does this have to do with whether or not recreational anglers can affect striper populations

Offline cricker

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #12 on: October 02, 2014, 04:25:37 PM »
every time someone argues that rec anglers can affect striper populations you bring up pollution and commercial fishing, no one ever argued that those don't affect stripers as well, if you disagree with rec anglers having an affect than fine, thats your opinion, but dont get defensive and tell someone to get their facts straight because they point out the significance of a picture that refutes your opinion, the only fact that i pointed out was that there was a boat full of breeders that were caught by recreational fishermen and it happens all along the coast, I and many other fisherman believe that is detrimental to the fishery and its something that can be fixed immediately

Im sorry if I offended you with the idiot comment

Offline ChrisL

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2014, 07:51:53 PM »
the point in the picture is that just because its legal doesnt mean its right, yea its legal for a boat carrying 50 people to keep 100 bass over 50 lbs, but that kind of slaughter is destroying the fishery, we need limits to prevent this kind of thing because people are to stupid and greedy to do it on their own, this isnt about the government invading our lives its about preserving a fishery that is in trouble before it goes downhill even more and from what i've been reading a majority of fisherman are for changing the striper regs, the problem most are having with it is that none of the proposals make sense
Exactly my point and thoughts.   t^

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Re: RFA Weighs In On Coastwide Striper Regulations
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2014, 08:41:57 PM »
 whs t^




 

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