May 14, 2025 — Atlantic striped bass season begins on the Chesapeake Bay May 16 amid mounting tensions between fishing industry groups and regulatory agencies.
A federal lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by fishing industry organizations bordering the Atlantic Ocean and its inland waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay and Hudson River Estuary.
The suit targets the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which coordinates conservation and management of coastal fish species shared by 15 states along the Atlantic coast, along with several other federal agencies.
Captain Rob Newberry, chair of Delmarva Fisheries Association (DFA), and Brian Hardman, chair of the Maryland Charter Boats Association, are leading the challenge against current Maryland state regulations, particularly those concerning striped bass.