August 31, 2014 — The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has scheduled three hearings to gather public comment on Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass.
The Division strongly encourages the public to attend these meetings in order to assist managers in the management of this precious resource. In addition, the Division urges striped bass anglers who fish the Delaware River, and are unable to make any of the New Jersey hearings, to attend the hearing hosted by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The information for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania hearings is listed below.
The Draft Addendum proposes new fishing mortality reference points, as recommended by the 2013 benchmark stock assessment, and associated management measures to reduce mortality to a level at or below the proposed target within one or three years. It responds to results of the 2013 Atlantic striped bass benchmark assessment indicating that mortality in 2012 was above the proposed target, and female spawning stock biomass (SSB) has been steadily declining below the target since 2006.
Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press