NOAA recently announced the temporary closure of the black sea bass recreational fishery in federal waters north of Cape Hatteras, N.C., for 180 days, now in effect. The closure comes in response to recent landings data that showed recreational fishermen may catch more than double their annual quota by the end of the year. An independent body of federal and university scientists recently determined that the black sea bass stock has been rebuilt. However, both the scientists and the Science and Statistical Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council have cautioned against increasing fishing of this stock for several reasons, including the complex and poorly understood reproductive cycle, and limited information on life span and important habitats for this species.
According to NOAA, landings data and scientific analyses show recreational fishermen have reached their quota and could exceed their 1.14 million pound harvest limit by as much as 84 to 225 percent if the recreational fishery is not closed.
The closure of recreational sea bass fishing in federal waters is forcing recreational anglers into legal action, with the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is assembling a legal team to file suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service to overturn the closure.
The RFA claims the closure is based on survey data that’s been described as "fatally flawed" by the National Academy of Sciences. According to the scientists’ data, black sea bass is a healthy stock — they are not overfished, no overfishing is occurring, and the most recent stock assessment places the spawning stock biomass (SSB) at 103 percent of their target. The SSB has been at or above this level for the past decade. Yet, despite this scientific information, the recreational angling community is being denied access to this vitally important fishery due to "fatally flawed" information coming from the Marine Recreational Fishing Statistical Survey, or MRFSS, the RFA says. For more information, visit joinrfa.org.
Marc Folco is the outdoor writer for The Standard-Times. Contact him at openseason1988@aol.com