I have come to the conclusion, whether it be wrong or right, that recreational fisherman and commercial fisherman don’t have as much to do with Striper Biomass as I originally thought.
Article 1, About Spiny dogfish Biomass. Check out the numbers, and I think it will shock you.
Threat of Dogfish Sharks Unite Commercial and Recreational Fishermen From Maine to North Carolina
TRENTON, N.J., May 4 /PRNewswire/ — An unprecedented alliance of commercial, recreational and party/charter boat fishermen and associated businesses has formed Fishermen Organized for Rational Dogfish Management (FORDM) to deal with a looming crisis. FORDM has requested assistance from Dr. Jane Lubchenco, newly appointed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration head, in dealing with an out-of-balance population of highly predatory spiny dogfish that is depleting other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic fisheries. Scientists estimate their biomass at up to four billion pounds.
The classic Fishes of the Gulf of Maine says of this shark species, "voracious almost beyond belief, the dogfish entirely deserves its bad reputation. Not only does it harry and drive off mackerel, herring, and even fish as large as cod and haddock, but it destroys vast numbers of them… they prey on practically all species of Gulf of Maine fish smaller than themselves." Spiny dogfish can exceed 5 feet in length.
Article 2, About the state of the current breeding population of Striped bass in the Chesapeake.
Coordinated effort urged to resolve mystery of sick rockfish
By Karl Blankenship
For months, scientists have debated — with little consensus — what is behind the apparent increase in the number of sick and seemingly malnourished striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay.
An effort to find defensible answers may soon be under way.
After meeting with scientists from government agencies and universities in September, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD, said he planned to meet with the governors of Maryland and Virginia, as well as members of Congress, to push for a coordinated research program to examine the problem.
“I think pfiesteria set a pretty interesting precedent in that you had all these federal, state and local government people and agencies, along with university scientists, and they pulled together a really quick emergency response team to deal with pfiesteria,” Gilchrest said.