May 12, 2021 — Atlantic coast rockfish fishery managers are in the midst of shaping their management plan for the Bay’s most popular fish. So all eyes were on the Striped Bass Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) at its May meeting.
The board narrowed the changes that may come in Amendment 7 of its Striped Bass Management Plan down to three critical parts: Management Triggers (when to declare overfishing), Conservation Equivalency (use of alternative fishery restrictions), and Recreational Release Mortality (the fish that die after being caught and released—alarmingly high in recent years).
Notably, the Board voted clearly not to change current conservative levels on stock rebuilding and biological reference points. The Board’s clear intent was to reduce fishing mortality and allow these valuable fish to rebound.