Will we get the shaft on stripers like we do with fluke??
Stripers Forever Members – we recently received the latest figures for the National Marine Fishery Service, Marine Recreational Fishing Survey - MRFS. From their website we were able to get the data for the recreational catch of striped bass from 1995 through 2008. The number of fish caught by recreational anglers peaked in 2006. This includes both harvested and live release. Since that time it has dropped by approximately 50%. The catch in 2008 was the lowest since 1996. This trend is in line with the results of our annual fishing survey in the past few years.
These statistics may well be harbingers of real danger for striped bass First and most important, fishing may simply continue to go downhill and the stock will collapse. It could happen, and this would have disastrous consequences for the 3,000,000 plus recreational anglers who avidly pursue striped bass. In addition, the livelihoods of thousands of guides and various other recreational fishing industry workers will be at stake. The commercially-oriented fishery managers can maneuver the commercial fishermen into a much bigger share of the fishery than they’ve had historically, as they have with the fluke fishery; essentially this will choke off recreational fishing opportunities and impact participation in the sport of recreational fishing.
There is only one answer. Striped bass must be made a game fish and managed for the more socially and economically valuable recreational fishery.
To see the table and graph that we have created with the MRFS data, follow this LINK to the SF website.
