Several bills relating to commercial striped bass fishing have been filed in the Massachusetts state legislature. Most notable are Senate bills 337 and 392, and House bills 260 and 1145, which would outlaw commercial bass fishing entirely. Below is the complete list of bills being considered, along with a brief summary of their purpose.
Senate Bills:
S00336 – The bill calls for long-term research into the levels of contaminants in striped bass. The Department of Public Health will publish the results annually and issue warnings and labeling as necessary.
S00337 – The bill would eliminate the commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass in Massachusetts, and would set limits on the recreational striped bass catch.
S00364 – Similar to S00336, the bill would require research into striped bass contaminants, with appropriate labeling from the Department of Public Health.
S00365 – The bill requires that the management of the commercial striped bass fishery be governed by the following set of factors: “the prevention of overfishing, the rebuilding of overfished stocks, the impact of these proposed rules and regulations on the economic value of the recreational catch, the impact on the economy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the impact on tax revenues generated for the Commonwealth by the recreational fishery from the sales, meals, hotel/motel, fuel and income taxes.”
S00391 – Like S00336 and S00364, the bill would require research into striped bass contaminants, with appropriate labeling from the Department of Public Health.
S00392 – The bill outlaws the commercial harvesting and sale of wild striped bass, sets limits for the recreational bass fishery, and establishes penalties for violations of either regulation.
S00393 – The bill requires that the striped bass commercial fishery be managed to the same guidelines presented in S00365.
House Bills:
H00258 – The bill requires management of the commercial striped bass fishery based on criteria identical to those proposed in S00365 and S00393.
H00259 – Similar to several Senate bills, the bill requires research into contaminants in striped bass, with appropriate labeling from the Department of Public Health.
H00260 – The provisions of the bill are similar to S00337 and S00392, and eliminate the commercial harvesting of wild striped bass in Massachusetts, and sets limits on the recreational bass fishery.
H01145 – Similar to H00260, the bill eliminates the commercial bass fishery in Massachusetts and establishes recreational catch limits.