NEW YORK – The U.S. Coast Guard has increased fisheries enforcement of the Atlantic striped bass during its critical spawning season in New York and New Jersey area waters.
During the spring, the striped bass is a popular game fish for the recreational and commercial fishing community. Because of this, the Coast Guard has been vigilant in enforcing domestic fisheries laws at sea to help protect this species.
“The Coast Guard’s initiative is to educate the commercial and recreational fishing communities through enforcement boardings, thus preventing illegal fishing of the striped bass species further than three miles from the U.S. coast.” said Lt. j.g. Rafael Shamilov, of Coast Guard Sector New York.
The Coast Guard is the federal authority responsible for protecting striped bass from illegal overfishing outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in order to preserve the population.
