May 14, 2019 — On calm, sunny days, dozens of boats dock at Kammerman’s Marina in Atlantic City. Most set out to sea for one fish in particular: the Atlantic striped bass.
The popular recreational catch faced near extinction a few decades ago, leading to a temporary ban on capturing the species in the mid-1980s.
Now, striped bass are being overfished again amid a decades-long drop in their population, and new regulations are coming next year, leaving South Jersey fishermen divided.
The Atlantic States Marines Fisheries Commission, which manages fishing from Maine to North Carolina, wants to put more restrictions on the harvest. In an April memo, the commission said it was launching a study into how to reduce fish deaths by 17% by 2020.
“Striped bass are one of the most sought-after game on the East Coast,” said Max Appelman, fishing coordinator at the commission. “There are probably a number of other variables are play, but these (fishing and overfishing) are the only two we can put our fingers on.”